Dallas Opens 1st Recent Downtown Grocery

[citykid09]

http://www.urbanmarketdallas.com/index.html

Urban Market sneak preview in the newly renovated Interurban Building.  Not a big deal in many cities, but a huge deal in a city trying to win downtown back

[Houstonian in Iraq]

Cool, this can certainly work in Houston. Needs to be a Good centralised location. Some one or company with money and the know how is needed to get it off the ground. If a grocery store is set up in downtown development is sure to follow

[Talbot]

Sure, isn't this pretty much just like what stowers is going to be like? Except this one is ground retail for a parking garage.

[danes75]

um... that area's kinda sketchy... a block from city hall... BUMS BUMS BUMS

[The Great Hizzy!]

A downtown grocer has to deal with 1) The Stower's Market once retail space is filled and 2) the Randall's in Midtown that is basically a block or two south of DT proper (that is, the Pierce Elevated).

Obviously, a grocery could work but I'd like for market conditions to be at their most favorable. Hate to see such a concept initiated and then fail. Makes the longterm that much more difficult to establish.

[RedScare]

um... that area's kinda sketchy... a block from city hall... BUMS BUMS BUMS

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, it's not. City Hall is at Bagby. Stowers is on Fannin, 6 blocks away. I would imagine that Stowers will be relatively expensive, so this will not be a favorite site for the homeless, with the exception of panhandling possibilities. But downtown residents, like downtown workers, know how to handle that. It is not the big deal that some think it is. It certainly has never cramped my style.

[MidtownCoog]

Midtown Randalls blows that place away.

This "grocery" looks like a Pret a Manger on steroids.

And it also looks like the store under Houston House.

[The Great Hizzy!]

True, the Randalls in Midtown is huge compared to your traditional downtown community markets, including the one that's opened in DT Dallas. That's why I think that with the onset of Stowers and the handful of convenience stores already in DT, including Main Street, I wouldn't be expecting any new market-style stores in DT soon.

BTW, there are three convenience stores within a four-block stetch on Main. That's sick. None of them seems to be going out of business any time soon. Of course, the one across from the West Bldg. is pretty sleazy. I've never been inside.

[MidtownCoog]

Yes, there are plenty. I grab a beer now and then from Downtown Food Store on Main. They keep them nice and cold.

They still have the Sweeney Jewlers tile at the entry.

I would love to see them update their look, but the clientel is kinda dirty. Buncha beer hounds and moochers.

[UrbaNerd]

Nice, but, it looks a bit small. Stowers Market will probably be larger (From the pics, it seems to have stuff on multiple floors).

[rantanamo]

Urban Market is a smaller downtown grocery store that will mostly seves the swarm of new residents and downtown workers. Its not only under a parking garage, but is the groundfloor retail of the Interurban Building that is being renovated into aparments. The garage is just newly attached to it. This place is not trying to be huge or blow anyone away. Its for people downtown that have had to drive elsewhere for groceries.

What you may not know is there there is a neighborhood Wal-Mart about a block from downtown on the edge of Uptown as well as an Albertsons a few blocks from that in Uptown. Both are full service larger Supermarkets. There are also plans for a full service large supermarket at CityLights, which will be one block from I-45/US 75 in east Dallas. Infact, a whole urban "power center" with Home Depot, Best Buy, etc. along with residential. Also Victory's The House will also house a grocery store in its retail portion. So Urban Market has plenty of competition.

[The Great Hizzy!]

^^^ Sounds good, Rant.

As for Stowers, thankfully the marketplace won't be dedicated to just market-style goods. Other retail parcels are available.

[MidtownCoog]

Urban Market.

Wonder how long it took them to come up with that name?

Might as well just called it Munchies - or Stoned Neighbor.

[Subdude]

Has the Stowers building definitely lined up a grocery tenant? I hadn't heard that.

[MidtownCoog]

I don't think so. The place looks pretty quiet to me.

And don't forget, you can also get groceries at Specs.

[tierwestah]

Has the Stowers building definitely lined up a grocery tenant?

[Talbot]

I do like the inside of the urban market, though the outside is sort of bland. But it is still a pretty cool market nonetheless.

[texasPaul]

I was back in Dallas this weekend visiting my brother, who live downtown.

We walked to the Urban Market and picked up a few items. I like the cool little grocery carts! The prices were not out of line either, a bit higher than a larger store would have, but not outrageous.

[troyboy]

I live here in Dallas and although I like the store, I'm skeptical if it will make it. It seems to be more dependant on downtown workers than residents. Most of whom are dining at the very mediocre cafe and not buying groceries. I've dropped in every weekend since the opening and have not seen a lot of shopping going on. I hope it makes it but I have my doubts.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Maybe it's too large scale? Maybe it needs to go the way of some of the Chicago-style markets that have a smaller--though still essential--list of items.

Is it near a good number of residential units or is it centralized around the commercial towers?

One of the plusses for the Randall's in Midtown is that, although it's very close to downtown (just on the other side of the Pierce Elevated), it's right in the core of a few thousand residences. That said, the new urban market in DT Dallas isn't as big as the Randall's here in Midtown, so I doubt they'd have the overhead, unless the lease price for the parcel of land is that much greater.

In any case, I hope it works out. The last thing you want is for commercial entities to start closing up shop when you're already "struggling" to bring more retail downtown.

[RedScare]

I live here in Dallas and although I like the store, I'm skeptical if it will make it. It seems to be more dependant on downtown workers than residents. Most of whom are dining at the very mediocre cafe and not buying groceries. I've dropped in every weekend since the opening and have not seen a lot of shopping going on. I hope it makes it but I have my doubts.

Sounds like troyboy was right. Urban Market is fighting the odds.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...ket.cad608.html

[MidtownCoog]

Until cars go the way of the Dodo downtown Houston has the advantage as far grocers go.

Randalls

Spec's

Disco Kroger

Kroger on Gray (hate that freaking place)

Kroger on Calhoun

I am trying hard to think of grocers near downtown Dallas and I can only remember a really skanky Mynard.

At this point and time in the Sunbelt it just does not make sense to copy what works up north.

[TexasStar]

Urban Market just needs to hang on until all the residential projects currently under construction downtown are open.

Those thousands of new neighborhood customers are all it really needs to survive and thrive.

The City is currently putting together a package of incentives for the investors to make sure they stay the course until that happens.

[tierwestah]

Sounds like troyboy was right. Urban Market is fighting the odds.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...ket.cad608.html

not really trying to start anything but its funny what great lengths the people of Dallas will go through to save a struggling downtown grocery store but can't take in katrina evacuees.

[MidtownCoog]

You want funny? I got your FUNNY!

Anyway...

Once all these people move into downtown Dallas, they are going to want a lot more than shopping at Rinky-Dink Mart.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Off topic: Mark Cuban is a lot shorter than I thought. For some reason, I thought he was pretty tall, like in the area of 6'6" or so. Hell, he's shorter than Devin Harris.

Anyway,

Texas Star's comment about the financial incentive for the market to stay the course is pretty interesting, because they'll need to wait at least five years or so for the residential component of DT Dallas to have a decent chance to reach that critical mass (that I love to throw around ) for this type of retail to work.

I just wonder how much in the way of incentives the CoD has left, because there was a bit of a controversy concerning their financial incentive package offered for the Mercantile makeover. Hopefully, it'll work.

[MidtownCoog]

It's like a small business development TIRZ or dev fund. I read this place is #3 on Dallas' list.

And therin lies the stink.

#1 and #2 don't want to be bumped. Can't remember who they are.

[North Texas Native]

Urban Market just needs to hang on until all the residential projects currently under construction downtown are open.

Those thousands of new neighborhood customers are all it really needs to survive and thrive.

The City is currently putting together a package of incentives for the investors to make sure they stay the course until that happens.

HANG ON DALLAS URBAN MARKET !!! HANG ON DALLAS URBAN MARKET!!!

STAY AWAY FROM THE LIGHT !!! STAY AWAY FROM THE LIGHT !!!

STAY AWAY FROM THE WESTEND!!!

[scarface]

i was in Dallas last weekend and decided to take a visit to the urban market/grocery store. It was really nice inside and had a real nice set-up.

The only thing that really concerns me is its in a bad location . Downtown Dallas is dead and the people who drive through it are more than likely to pass it up. There's no other stores around it. It would've made more sense to put the grocery store in Uptown Dallas or in the West End pedestrian area.

[slfunk]

i was in Dallas last weekend and decided to take a visit to the urban market/grocery store. It was really nice inside and had a real nice set-up.

The only thing that really concerns me is its in a bad location . Downtown Dallas is dead and the people who drive through it are more than likely to pass it up. There's no other stores around it. It would've made more sense to put the grocery store in Uptown Dallas or in the West End pedestrian area.

True there are not any stores directly round the market. The Urban Market has apartments on top that until this past week was 100 percent leased. I am in the process of moving and just heard of six apartments they have coming up availabe. Across the street though is the Dallas Power and Light building with Fuse and Crimson both facing Commerce. UM faces Jackson the backside of Fuse. The Dallas Power and Light complex includes two former office towers that are now apartments. They will be opening a second resturant/venue there as well as a day spa. Down the street on Jackson is SOCO lofts. It will do much better once 1200 Main, Mosaic, and Republic tower open. I work in downtown and we go to UM every now and then for lunch. It is always packed for lunch.

Interurban Building (where Urban Market is)

http://www.interurbanbuilding.com/

Dallas Power and Light (DPLFlats)

http://www.dplflats.com/