Corner Stores Popping Up Everywhere
Last week I was driving home on 7th when a bright store at Olive caught my eye.On Monday I was back in the area and snapped the above picture. It wasn’t until last night I figured out this new corner store downtown is a Fred’s Cheapo Depot. Locals will recognize Fred as the guy that has been selling “dirt cheap” alcohol & smokes for years. I’m an avid non-smoker but I may stop in to check out their spirits. This store is certainly better than a vacant storefront.
I’m seeing what appears to be more and more small corner stores throughout the city. What they lack in selection and parking the make up for in convenience.
– Steve Patterson
Avid non-smoker? Funny phrase. I'm an avid non-mountain climber! I don't just reftain from doing it, I avidly don't do it.
Mountain climbing isn't common in St. Louis the way smoking is.
I catch your drift. The phrase is funny. Too bad it is accurate.
It should be noted that he vacated the corner across the street at the same time, so there is no net gain here.
Depends how you look at it. The old store was a restaurant. It didn't have enough customers, so it closed. Then there were two vacant storefronts on opposite corners. Next theTeutenberg's opened the Cheapo Depot, retailing drinks, cigarettes etc. Now there is only one vacant store front. The good thing is the Teutenberg's are risking their time and money on downtown and they are nice people. If people are looking for “net gains”, they need to spend more money downtown.
. . . assuming one lives downtown . . . there are vacant stores and storefronts across the region, and they're a symptom of a struggling economy, a stagnant population and the false promises of far too many TIF projects. More occupied corner storefronts are certainly a good thing for the urban fabric, but we can each only spend what have, earn or can beg, borrow or steal. The region can't rely on retail to rebuild our economy, we need to figure out how to replace the hundrerds of thousands of manufacturing jobs that have disappeared over the past 50 years . . .
“Pickles Deli” is opening in the old Teutenberg's restaurant space, so soon both storefronts will be filled. +1
Really? That is outstanding for Downtown….
There is also a new grocery store that just popped up next to the Pepper Lounge on Locust and 20th. It is the space with the boarded up window.
http://tinyurl.com/20th-n-locu…
Two more observations – one, Fred's is specializing in two high-profit items, booze and tobacco. In most neighborhoods, this would be viewed as, at best, a marginal use, not a net gain. And two, in many parts of the city, outside the CBD, the traditional corner store is being functionally replaced by the Walgreens, Quik Trips and Hucks of the world; most of the pre-war corner-store structures are now offices, restaurants or residences, no longer neighborhood-serving retail. So you're partially right – Cheapo Depot probably is better than a vacant storefront here, but do we want to 30 or 50 of them spread across the city, in every neighborhood?!
FWIW, this is purely an anecodtal observation, but it's curious all the same. Why no car title or pay day loan operations in plain view downtown? Or pawnshops?
I see corner stores opening despite Walgreen's & CVS. They can both exist. Personally I care more about the form than the use. This Fred's is an attractive space.
Aha! Style over substance.
Wrong! Businesses come and go but buildings stick around for years and decades. The quality of the building form is far more important than a transient use.
I tried to go to Fred's at 6:15 last night and it was closed. Lame.
I can't believe you would support any place that has smoking as part of their business model.
I've not yet bought anything there and if people can smoke inside, I won't.
I'm guessing this would be a better option, unfortunately, they're not looking at St. Louis (yet) – Bill the Butcher – “The Seattle-based chain takes its cue from the quaint neighborhood butcher shops of eras past, but puts a new spin on the idea by selling organic and natural meat that has been locally grown. Its products include free range poultry, organic beef, handmade sausages and raw milk, among other things.” http://retailtrafficmag.com/re…/
Local Harvest Grocery & Maude's Market are two examples of local businesses focusing on local food.
A new corner store opened on Tower Grove Ave just south of Vandeventer last month in a formerly vacant space. Of course there is also Gustine Market, which is awesome.
Gustine Market is great. It is especially interesting since it serves as something of a neighborhood barometer. The market has been there for years, was not always a very attractive place to shop. As Tower Grove South and environs improved dramatically, the selection, cleanliness and condition of the building were all upgraded substantially. Vincent's Market in Soulard underwent a similar upgrade as the changing neighborhood populace demanded higher quality wares and selection.
ITS FRED!!!! This guy is the Mayor of the Woody and Rizzuto show on 105.7 the point, every tuesday he reads the craigslist freak of the week!!! SUCK IT NINJAS!!!!