Retail in Richmond

[burt]

Burt- American Apparel is a cool store. It's been open for a while now, so I'm not sure why Gilligan would be doing a story on the shop. Must be a slow news week

I'm surprised that, too my knowledge, there isn't a single Starbucks in downtown proper. They'd probably make a killing.

Gilligan's story was really about the "non-slave labor" aspect of American Apparel's clothes line.

Aren't there a couple or more coffee shops downtown? I know of the one across from the fountain in Shockoe Slip. It is surprising, though, that Starbucks hasn't laid claim to a store downtown.

Hehehehehe. I can't believe I beat you to this story, coupe. You must have gone to bed before the early edition!

Edited July 17, 2006 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

There are plenty of local coffee shops but I'm just surprised that the mother of all coffee places hasn't opened a store down there yet. There's certainly space.

[Cadeho]

The mother of all coffee shops is chicken... plain chicken... The one near VCU is the farthest east besides the one in the Mechanicsville Target.

[BGW]

The mother of all coffee shops is chicken... plain chicken... The one near VCU is the farthest east besides the one in the Mechanicsville Target.

There's one in The Market @ 25th and Main, in the space formerly occupied by The Ugly Mug (now known as Capt. Buzzy's Beanery).

[Henry]

That's not a real Starbucks though BGW. They supply the supermarket or bookstore with their coffee and train the retailer's employees. They don't actually run the coffee shops. I'm actually surprised they do this though. I would think they would want total control to protect their brand.

[BGW]

That's not a real Starbucks though BGW. They supply the supermarket or bookstore with their coffee and train the retailer's employees. They don't actually run the coffee shops. I'm actually surprised they do this though. I would think they would want total control to protect their brand.

It's listed on their site as a retail store; that's good enough for me.

[burt]

Don't some Ukrops have Starbucks on their premises? Probably the same arrangement as that with the 25th Street Market.

[Henry]

You all should check out Triple Crossing Coffee. It is in the Baskervill building (next to Stool Pigeons). Really cool place and the coffee is excellent.

[burt]

You all should check out Triple Crossing Coffee. It is in the Baskervill building (next to Stool Pigeons). Really cool place and the coffee is excellent.

And I understand it has a window that actually provides a view of the real triple crossing.

[wrldcoupe4]

You all should check out Triple Crossing Coffee. It is in the Baskervill building (next to Stool Pigeons). Really cool place and the coffee is excellent.

Oh awesome, I didn't know it had opened already. I'll have to check it out. Isn't a cafe going in there too?

Also, with Starbucks in places like the Market and Ukrop's, even though it isn't directly managed by Starbucks, don't they set strict guidelines by which the coffee place must function?

[burt]

Oh awesome, I didn't know it had opened already. I'll have to check it out. Isn't a cafe going in there too?

Also, with Starbucks in places like the Market and Ukrop's, even though it isn't directly managed by Starbucks, don't they set strict guidelines by which the coffee place must function?

Do a little snooping while you're down there Coupe sipping coffee, and get info on the new cafe and also see if you can find out anything about the old Meat factory (Highgrade?).

[wrldcoupe4]

As far as I know, I think the current work at the Hygrade is the result of a court order requiring the owner to do certain work to the building. It's quite possible future plans call for more. Fixing up those warehouses would certainly clean up 15th st.

I'll see about the coffee shop...

[BGW]

Also, with Starbucks in places like the Market and Ukrop's, even though it isn't directly managed by Starbucks, don't they set strict guidelines by which the coffee place must function?

Yep. Starbucks has one of the strictest QC operations in the world. If it's a company-owned store or not, it has to meet their standards.

[burt]

As far as I know, I think the current work at the Hygrade is the result of a court order requiring the owner to do certain work to the building. It's quite possible future plans call for more. Fixing up those warehouses would certainly clean up 15th st.

I'll see about the coffee shop...

From recent pictures it appears considerably more than cosmetic work is going on at Hygrad, It appears windows are being "rebuilt".

[wrldcoupe4]

Heads up for anyone interested...

As of about July 1st, there was a total of 67,743,100 Square Feet of retail space in the Richmond market. Vacancy was at 5.6%

Edited July 21, 2006 by wrldcoupe4

[burt]

Heads up for anyone interested...

As of about July 1st, there was a total of 67,743,100 Square Feet of retail space in the Richmond market. Vacancy was at 5.6%

Those figures sound very impressive, but how does that square footage and vacancy rate compare with comparable markets?

[wrldcoupe4]

I've heard recently that per capita, richmond has more retail square footage than any other metro in the country. Stephen could probably elaborate a bit better than I.

[StevenRocks]

I've heard recently that per capita, richmond has more retail square footage than any other metro in the country. Stephen could probably elaborate a bit better than I.

If it isn't the highest retail square footage per capita in th US, it's very close to the top.

[wrldcoupe4]

What would be you opinion of the overall vacancy rate?

[Cadeho]

Not to seem moody, but hasn't this already been covered? Besides, as far as downtown eastward is concerned, there's hardly anything. Although Rocketts may bring something for Fulton, it'll be closer to the river. I always thought WIlliamsburg Ave could use some retail instead of industiral or empty industrial sites. CSX I believe owns so much land over that that are just fields. Something could be developed over there. Then something needs to be done for the Government Rd and Williamsburg Rd area. It's really declined and surely is not what it was when my aunt and I were over there. Nine Mile Rd needs new life and even Mechanicsville Turnpike could look more modern... but they are building something on a lot that had been grass for years.

I really do think that zoning and its separations hurt more than help. There are many pockets of solely residential far from retail. Maybe each new neighborhood must have some kind of retail that comes with it or nearby? I can't wait for Creighton Rd's development.

[Downtowner]

I'm glad to hear the vacancy of retail space is really low. I hope it continues to stay that way. But I really want to see the peace of land next to my neighborhood get developed its its at the corner of Maybuery and Patterson its right next to the Tuckahoe YMCA its just been waiting to be developed.

[StevenRocks]

What would be you opinion of the overall vacancy rate?

I think it shows that Richmond is still the regional shopping destination for Central Virginia and that undesirable retail spaces are being decomissioned at a healthy rate as new ones are coming online. Overall the city is doing really well from a retail business standpoint.

[burt]

2300 + auditioners descended upon Willow Lawn yesterday hoping to get a spot on NBC's "Deal or No Deal". In the slide show along with the TD Flair section story, the shopping center (Richmond's oldest) looks very attractive.

Earlier in the week, almost 200 auditioned for the next "American Idol" at Short Pump Town Center.

Occasionally I'll read something about certain social events taking place at SAKS Fifth Avenue, but I think it's odd that newspaper ads for retail as well as news reports about Stony Point Fashion Park are so scarce. Either they are doing so well they don't need publicity, or, God forbid, the reverse. They should hire a better PR firm, IMO.

Edited July 23, 2006 by burt

[gntrphoo]

I actually heard a rumor that Saks is not doing well at Stony Point, and there is speculation as to whether they will renew their lease. That came from a former employee at Louis Vuitton, so the information is purely speculative and should be taken with a grain of salt. However, I must say that while I regularly find reasonably priced clothes appropriate for the Richmond college-aged consumer at Nordstrom, I have never bought anything from Saks because their prices are truly out of my range and their styles are not appropriate for the Richmond market (in my opinion). I don't think Saks will be leaving Richmond anytime soon, but they might have to change their product mix. (Or would they consider a move to the Watkins Centre???) As a side note, according to my Louis Vuitton source, Louis Vuitton is doing very well especially with sales of pet accessories (who knew?)

Edited July 23, 2006 by gntrphoo

[burt]

A clerk at SAKS told me, entre nous, that the company would be doing a land-office business if it had located at Short Pump instead of Stony Point. I inferred that sales were not as good as hoped for at its south Richmond location.

I have bought a few items from the Richmond store, among them a $300 sweater and some cocktail glasses at $50 each, but that was in my fatcat days before retirement.

Who knows? Watkins Centre just may be in SAKS future.