Well, my first impression of C-Ville’s cover this week was that they were ripping off Lilith’s well-commented Hooters post. They probably did rip off the idea. Just read the first part and tell us what you think. Strange similarity to the Hooter’s article?
Besides the eye-grabbing “strip club,” the article mentioned that Charlottesville needed a grocer on the Downtown mall. If Kyle had listened to a little more of the coffee shop chatter, he would have heard the rumor on the street is that there is a grocer coming to the Downtown Mall. Ask around. Someone knows more about this, I’m sure. Do you?
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Tagged as: C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville, Downtown Mall, Rumors
“Imitation is the sincerest flattery.” –Ghandi.
I agree about connected city trails. Can I get a 3 to 5 mile well-lit nature loop to run without crossing a major roadway that’s populated by a lot of runners in the early mornings and evenings so I don’t feel like I’m going to be mawled by a raccoon or drifter? I feel guilty running on West Main. Now there are so many people eating on patios I don’t want my lilith-essence to waft into their wine.
Hmmm… where is there enough space on the mall for a grocer? I know that the ornage building tried to get one in their space before the yoga joint took it. But for a grocer you need space for offloading rigs.
Perhaps in the IX building?
To be fair, the topic was addressed a 2002 story that C-Ville ran on the topic of the paucity of strip clubs in Charlottesville, back when Council was considering enacting regulations of “adult” businesses.
About a year ago, there was a group lobbying Trader Joe’s to come to Charlottesville (they thought the Glass Building was a perfect location). They even put ads in the newspaper about it. Alas, just because you want a store doesn’t mean the store wants you.
That makes me sad. I really like $2BC. Thanks for filling in the history, Waldo!
I actually felt a little bad for the crazy person trying to get that Trader Joes in the “suggested” location. I can see the Traders Joes development reps plugging the address into their socio-economic/demographic computer modeling and looking in horror, then laughing all afternoon.
Yeah, lets put an upscale small grocer smack next to the largest Section 8 housing in the area!
Just a small point: Trader Joe’s isn’t really upscale. They stock some odd products that you won’t find elsewhere, but a lot of their stock is generic stuff packaged as “Trader Joe’s” brand and the prices are quite low. Remember that they’re the store behind “two buck Chuck” (wine that’s $2.99 per bottle).
The downtown mall does NOT need a grocer. Enough said.
Who would shop there? It would go out of business in no time.
Actually, as a connoisseur of Virginia’s Trader Joe stores, most of them are in suburban non-descript strip malls. I think the hold-up for Cville getting a TJ might be matter of population density more than anything.
Actually, Ethan, there are a lot of folks who live just off the mall (like me) who’d love to have a small grocer. If only the Blue Ridge Grocery would stay open more than ‘normal’ business hours (M-F, 9to5, wtf?)
I lived on South Street, and then North First Street, for many years. Grocery shopping involved either a) what I could fit in my backpack to take home on my motorcycle or b) hauling things home on the bus. A small grocery store — emphasis on small — could do very nicely downtown.
I want one too. In case anyone’s counting votes…
Go to the Country Store in the morning, they open before anything else downtown. Used to be open until 6 and on the weekends, but not enough business I was told.
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Are the Main Street Market and Reid’s not close enough to downtown to count?
Buy the fresh good stuff at the Market (feast! for produce, cheese, deli meats…, Organic Butcher for fresh meat , Albemarle Bakery for all bread and pastries) and the basics at Reid’s and you will eat well and support the local economy. It’s all just two blocks from the Mall. And just a few blocks further is Integral Yoga, another locally owned grocery.
Do we really need another chain store downtown selling processed and waxed foods from who knows where?