Thursday, August 15, 2013

Just Not That Into Us

Like Yeti, unicorns, and a Cubs World Series, hope remains eternal, but the long-rumored Uptown/Edgewater Trader Joe's remains elusive.  From Ald. Osterman's latest newsletter:
"Piser Lot - 5220 N. Broadway.  The Piser funeral home site was sold last month to Chody Real Estate who has been working to purchase this site for over a year. I have worked closely with the Chody team on marketing this site to Trader Joe's, knowing it is highly desired by the community and that this site would serve the store well. Trader Joe's seriously considered the site but ultimately took a pass. We have remained in communication with their broker and as of just a few weeks ago, asked them to take another look. I have been told that at the current time, they are not interested in locating on Broadway.

In light of this news, I have been working with the new owner on a site plan with tenants who serve the consumer needs of our community and meet the rising quality of businesses on Broadway.  Once Chody RE has a site plan with interested tenants, I will ask them to meet and work with the residents of the 5200 block of N. Magnolia and the Lakewood Balmoral Residents Council. In my initial meetings with Chody RE, I have strongly advocated for a pedestrian-friendly design and quality tenants."
We'll soon have Mariano's nearby at Lawrence and Ravenswood, but TJ's just doesn't seem interested in breaking into the Uptown/Edgewater market.

13 comments:

  1. Don't forget the empty asian supermarket site on Sheridan across from Buttercup Park near Argyle.

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  2. I'd just wish people would stop thinking Trader Joe's as the holy grail of food shopping. It's okay once in a while, but I wouldn't want to shop there regularly. The one down on Lincoln and Addison sometimes has pricy fruit and veg that doesn't look any better than Aldi.

    Also, the demographics of the 60640 zip have too many old people and too many low income people. Even the brahmins of Lakewood Balmoral aren't enough to pull it up.

    Speaking of the folks in Lakewood Balmoral, they were the one's that put the ke-bosh on the last developer's plans for the Pizer site. A six story "tower" was just too much for them. Oh, and if someone who does not live in Lakewood Balmoral should dare to park their car in front of someone's house, it's the end of the world. Nevermind that these folks have garages and parking on the street is fair game.

    Good luck to the developer, but I don't even see this happening for years.

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  4. Trader Joe's has award-winning $3 wine, a very different selection of food than Dominick's/Jewel/Aldi, and even with some discrepancy regarding private label foods, I doubt it's any worse than our current choices. I agree it's not life-or-death that we get a TJ's (our current options are certainly very adequate) but since when did more selection become a bad thing? Further to that point, since when did progress to the area become a bad thing, even if not every product is 100% organic, local, fair trade, non-GMO, responsible, sustainable, and probably feminist (for good measure). Sure beats sitting empty, or another beauty salon/cell phone shop opening up.

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  7. "As for the award winning wine you speak of... do you really drink that swill? I tried, but couldn't make it through a single glass."

    Wow, you sure have a lot of class for being named Kshizzle...

    Charles Shaw sure isn't champagne, and I'm sure it's no one's favorite, but it sure isn't grape-flavored soda. The current offerings at Jewel/Dominick's in the "cheap-but-palatable" wine section is pretty limited, and essentially consists of Yellow Tail, Yellow Tail, and some more Yellow Tail. A little diversity in selection never hurt. And despite your protest, Charles Shaw is certainly palatable.

    http://www.wineindustryinsight.com/yourturn.php?id=381

    http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/wine/the-judgment-of-california-charles-shaw-chardonnay-is-state-s/article_09f74fcf-6cb8-5ac3-9400-9c99ff37bcd6.html

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1963794

    I'm not TJ's biggest fan, and I sure wouldn't shop there exclusively. However, if your biggest gripe with them is that their marketing means they aren't "authentic" enough for the neighborhood , or that the cheapest (out of a very decent selection) of wines doesn't satisfy your highly refined taste for organic cabernet, then perhaps the overall pros of a TJ's in Uptown outweigh your fairly petty cons.

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  8. OMG no one is saying that TJ's is the holy grail. Lighten up already. I could never do my complete weekly shopping there but it would be a great addition to Uptown. I really can't stand another cel store, dunkin donuts, Cash exchange, etc. Sorry but if u r satisfied with jewel & Dominick's, this discussion is not worth your while.

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    1. i cant tell that it aint the holy grail the way people talk about tj on uptown update like its the greatest thing ever

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  9. Whether or not Trader Joe's appeals to you personally, it's a huge draw. Destination shopping, in case you didn't notice the cars circling the parking lot at Grace and Lincoln, including those of Uptowners. Every ward strives to be a place where its own residents spend their money, as well as those from surrounding areas. No matter the perceived quality of Two Buck Chuck, Trader Joe's brings a strong bottom line to any ward where it sets up shop.

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  10. Off the topic for a quick question. Has anyone heard any further news about the Sonic that was suppose to be built between the TCF and McDonalds on Wilson?

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  11. No worries Uptown, the Evanston TJ's will be open in less than a month with indoor and out door parking lots that will more than accommodate our neighbors to the south.

    I know I will be glad I won't have to trek to Northbrook or Lincoln and Grace to get my frozen brown rice, lavender body oil and re-packaged Amy's Black Bean and Corn Enchilada's(Trader Jose my butt.)

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