Th Politics of Groceries: Gateway closed today 7/29/2014

[TulsaRufnex]

Thoughts?

I have a few... news at 11... 

http://www.news9.com/Clip/10415099/north-tulsa-grocery-store-close-doors-early

Getting groceries is now a concern for people who live in north Tulsa. Gateway Market, the only supermarket for miles in that area, closed its doors for good Monday.

Er... uh.... no.

[Hoss]

Thoughts?

I have a few... news at 11... 

http://www.news9.com/Clip/10415099/north-tulsa-grocery-store-close-doors-early

Er... uh.... no.

Technically, yes it is.  Closest grocery store by my estimation to that area is the Warehouse Market at 3rd and Lewis.  Google Maps puts that at 2.7 miles by car.  For many in that area, it might as well be 200 miles.

[Conan71]

This should be a slam dunk location for Warehouse Market, come on WM!

[Hoss]

This should be a slam dunk location for Warehouse Market, come on WM!

Agreed.

[heironymouspasparagus]

M

[Stanley1]

This should be a slam dunk location for Warehouse Market, come on WM!

Why?  Does WM like being robbed, stolen from, and torn up?

[AquaMan]

Why?  Does WM like being robbed, stolen from, and torn up?

No, and that's not endemic to that area or that store. For some reason, the same people who tried to shop there are now shopping at 3rd and Lewis and Reasors at 15th and they don't get robbed, stolen from and torn up any more than usual.

What WM does do is keep shelves stocked. They have a long history of successfully running grocery stores in areas that people east of the river and south of Brookside think are dangerous.

Edit: If you doubt that, simply go to the WM at 61st and Peoria near ground zero for craziness out south. They run a good store that caters well to their demographic. I don't think Gateway had the experience. For instance, at the 61st store, I noticed that there were shopping carts throughout the nearby neighborhoods, mostly in apartments that came from WM. I was told that many of their customers don't have cars and simply walk the carts home. Rather than harass them, charge them with theft or assign security to them,  WM routinely sends a truck out to retrieve them.

[DTowner]

Technically, yes it is.  Closest grocery store by my estimation to that area is the Warehouse Market at 3rd and Lewis.  Google Maps puts that at 2.7 miles by car.  For many in that area, it might as well be 200 miles.

Las Americas at Lewis and Admiral shaves 4 blocks off that distance.  Very good produce, meat and diary selections with all of the staple food items.  

Alberton's built a suburban store when a more compact and effecient version (like a Warehouse Market) would have made more sense for this neighborhood.  

[Conan71]

Las Americas at Lewis and Admiral shaves 4 blocks off that distance.  Very good produce, meat and diary selections with all of the staple food items.  

Alberton's built a suburban store when a more compact and effecient version (like a Warehouse Market) would have made more sense for this neighborhood.  

Of course the problem is, Las Americas' owner was the owner of this market and the allegations were he had no clue what the purchasing habits of people in this area were and didn't keep enough of their staples in stock.

[swake]

I wonder if Antonio Perez didn't really care about this store, what he really wanted was the $2.2 million CDGB government backed low interest loan that was attached to opening the store. Where did he use the funds from that loan, at this store or at his Las Americas stores?

Might explain a lot, no?

[brettakins]

Good riddance, it was a poorly ran store. When it was announced that this store was opening, it was exciting and I felt good about this business opening in this part of town. I decided I would go there just to see how the experience would be. I went there 3 times, and my shopping experience was worse, with each time going there. From having a hard time finding any item that you desired, rotting meat, and mis labeling items, just to name a few things. I knew this store would not last long and so did many other patrons of this store. The clientele decreased dramatically over the first month and I knew it would never rebound.

[DTowner]

I wonder if Antonio Perez didn't really care about this store, what he really wanted was the $2.2 million CDGB government backed low interest loan that was attached to opening the store. Where did he use the funds from that loan, at this store or at his Las Americas stores?

Might explain a lot, no?

It's possible the loan proceeds were used for other purposes, although these grants usually come with a lot of strings attached.  Seems like a pretty risky proposition for a successful businessman to take.

[Stanley1]

No, and that's not endemic to that area or that store. For some reason, the same people who tried to shop there are now shopping at 3rd and Lewis and Reasors at 15th and they don't get robbed, stolen from and torn up any more than usual.

What WM does do is keep shelves stocked. They have a long history of successfully running grocery stores in areas that people east of the river and south of Brookside think are dangerous.

Edit: If you doubt that, simply go to the WM at 61st and Peoria near ground zero for craziness out south. They run a good store that caters well to their demographic. I don't think Gateway had the experience. For instance, at the 61st store, I noticed that there were shopping carts throughout the nearby neighborhoods, mostly in apartments that came from WM. I was told that many of their customers don't have cars and simply walk the carts home. Rather than harass them, charge them with theft or assign security to them,  WM routinely sends a truck out to retrieve them.

I disagree.  The ones that do the robbing, stealing, and vandalizing, aren't the kind of people that are going to hop in a car, drive a few more miles, and do the same thing.  Instead, they'll just pick another business or house that is closer to their "central point".

As for the WM at 61st and Peoria, it's only a small percentile of "bad apples" that do business there.  They still have plenty of middle class citizens that I would imagine do their shopping there.  And while murder and drugs are rampant in that area, for whatever reason, theft and robbery have never been major issues.  I can't explain "why" that is the case.

If a store could make money there, there would be a store there.  Simple as that.  That somebody would pull out, and have to repay the city a bunch of money for pulling out, shows just how much they think a "loser" that location really is.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Tulsa needs more upscale grocery stores like Perry fine foods NOT wal-mart, albertson's, Las Americas, even WM

We need more pedestrian friendly communities, upscale stores, streetcars, better schools and parks, and bigger attractions!

http://www.batesline.com/archives/2009/12/15/TulsaStreetcars.html

Wish in one hand....carp in the other....see which one gets full first!

[Conan71]

Tulsa needs more upscale grocery stores like Perry fine foods NOT wal-mart, albertson's, Las Americas, even WM

We need more pedestrian friendly communities, upscale stores, streetcars, better schools and parks, and bigger attractions!

http://www.batesline.com/archives/2009/12/15/TulsaStreetcars.html

They don't need up-scale at Pine and Peoria.

FWIW, we have two Whole Foods, I believe a third Sprouts is being built, we have Natural Grocers, and Fresh Market.  Perry's isn't much of a grocery store, other than meat and meat-related items they are severely limited and their produce usually looks like WM rejects.  But...Perry's does have the best meat counter in town.

The upscale demand is being well-met.  In the meantime, there's a food desert in north Tulsa.