Trader Joes (Lyndale and 27th)

[MNdible]

Yes, I think you're right. But if the ultimate goal was to prevent Trader Joe's from opening a liquor store across the street and flooding the market with Three Buck Chuck, this move doesn't seem like it will have any effect on that. CM Tuthill's opinion notwithstanding.

[Wedgeguy]

Pretty much looks like this proposal is dead. They tried to do it on the cheap and it ended up killing the project at the end.

[min-chi-cbus]

I think it sends the right message to other developers (retail, commercial....whatever): don't waste this city's time with uninspired design in high-profile loctions -- we'll just show you the door! Obviously I hope that only deters bad design, not development!

[mullen]

You're being sarcastic right? The city can't really do jack regarding design. They can work around the margins. A tree here, a decorative fence there. What is "good" and "bad" design is subjective. take a drive around town and compare all the recent development. Some of it sucks IMO and some is very urbane. meanwhile oh goodie we will get a new liquor store on lyndale. Do the trader joes in St Paul suck from a design standpoint? (they have more than one). St Paul feels its good policy to provide their residents quality shopping and perhaps prevent them from having to drive out to the 'burbs to patronize a quality retailer such as trader joes. But hey that wedge design and parking lot down the street work just great. the city approved that mess. No requirement for multiple uses there.

This was a piecemeal decision to back a councilmember with a grudge. Piecemeal zoning.

I gotta run going to drive out to st louis park trader joes.

[MNdible]

Pretty sure there's only one Trader Joe's in St. Paul.

The Wedge was done a lifetime ago. That's like saying that because they let K-Mart close down Nicollet, anybody that comes along today should get to do the same thing.

Trader Joe's was looking for a rezoning. They don't just hand those out. The burden of proof lies with them.

[seanrichardryan]

The trader joes in St. Paul sucks. Bad parking lot, poor design, crappy location.

[Didier]

That's a pretty subjective blanket statement.

The St. Paul Trader Joe's is in a perfectly convenient location for a lot of people, including me. I've also never had real trouble finding a parking spot there. What do you propose, a location closer to you with a giant parking lot?

[JT$]

The Trader Joe's in St. Louis Park has a worse parking lot, I like to walk there though.

[ECtransplant]

I know what I'd propose: a location closer to me with all parking underground or in a structure with apartments or office space on top of the TJs

[min-chi-cbus]

I want a TJ's that's actually a Byerly's and sells beer and wine until midnight daily, 2 a.m. on weekends!

[seanrichardryan]

There is a rumor around that Ackerberg is raising rents at their building ar 24th and Hennepin to weed out tenants in order to offer it to Trader Joe's. Now they wouldn't be allowed a liquor store because of Kowalski's new wine shop, Lowry Hill liquors and Temple Israel. Annoying rumor, especially if they do anything to that building other than restore it further. I miss the shoe repair place that recently closed.

[ECtransplant]

Would Trader Joes even be interested in something that lacks two buck chuck? My guess is probably not.

I wonder if they've thought about opening up a store downtown where they wouldn't have to worry about the liquor license restrictions. The eastern part of downtown would be a great spot to open up a TJs, IMO. I'm thinking somewhere between 10th St and 7th St and between 5th Ave and Chicago Ave. This would be part of the B4 district, so the liquor store restrictions shouldn't apply. This would also provide a grocery option to Elliot Park and the eastern half of downtown, while also providing a cheaper grocery option than Lunds or Whole Foods to the rest of downtown.

As far as an uptown store though, does anyone know if there's a corner or spot somewhere on the Lake-Nicollet lot that would satisfy the liquor store restrictions? If there is, that seems like the most logical spot to open at TJs nearby, IMO, as part of a development to reopen Nicollet.

So long as I'm throwing my random thoughts out there, if TJs want to be closer to the core of uptown, the best option I would love to see would be to buy out Hennepin Lake Liquor and either build on that lot, or, since that lot is probably too tight to get both the liquor store and grocery store, build one on the empty lot adjacent to Calhoun Square.

Edit: Actually, I think you could probably get a TJ's plus liquor store on the site assuming a new development takes up the whole lot and all parking is underground. Great spot for a mixed-use building.

[mplser]

I know the owner of Hennepin Lake liquor and i'm 99% sure he's not looking for a buyout anytime in the near future

[ECtransplant]

I know the owner of Hennepin Lake liquor and i'm 99% sure he's not looking for a buyout anytime in the near future

Yeah I've heard in other contexts he's pretty content with the status quo. Was more just fantasizing at what might be ideal.

[twincitizen]

Based on a quick Google maps measurement, you could squeeze a liquor store (Trader Joe's or otherwise) onto the southeast corner of the KMart parcel (NW corner of Lake & 1st Ave S) without violating the 2000' rule.

If the denial of Trader Joe's on Lyndale somehow leads to it being part of a re-opened Nicollet development, well that would just be fantastic IMO.

[John]

Based on a quick Google maps measurement, you could squeeze a liquor store (Trader Joe's or otherwise) onto the southeast corner of the KMart parcel (NW corner of Lake & 1st Ave S) without violating the 2000' rule.

If the denial of Trader Joe's on Lyndale somehow leads to it being part of a re-opened Nicollet development, well that would just be fantastic IMO.

I agree. That seems like the most logical place to put it in South Minneapolis. Its has good access in all directions to major streets ,35W, and still is relatively close to Uptown and Downtown. I think it would be very welcomed in the neighborhood and be considered a major improvement to the area. It could be slightly more car oriented without offending anyone. It is more accessable to public transportation and the Midtown Greenway than 27th and Lyndale, and wouldn't compete so much with The Wedge Coop. It would be a major catalyst as part of rejuvenating the Kmart parcel. This is a win win location for all.

[min-chi-cbus]

Thirded! Seems logical to me.....at least logical in terms of what we want and what we need, but unsure if it's what TJ's wants/needs.

[Wedgeguy]

Thirded! Seems logical to me.....at least logical in terms of what we want and what we need, but unsure if it's what TJ's wants/needs.

Not really in the right neighborhood for their wants. They don't want their main volume to be the 3 buck Chuck!!

[John]

Thirded! Seems logical to me.....at least logical in terms of what we want and what we need, but unsure if it's what TJ's wants/needs.

Not really in the right neighborhood for their wants. They don't want their main volume to be the 3 buck Chuck!!

Uptown is on an eastward march, and I don't think Lyn Lake will be the demarcation line very much longer. The Kmart parcel is approaching the Uptown radar quickly by about 5 blocks. Trader Joe's will be a destination grocery store, in addition to being part of the neighborhood. The 1st Ave and Lake Street location is much more amenable to shoppers driving in cars. Yet in the same breath, it is also more accessable to non-driving shoppers given its on several major bus lines and next to the Midtown Greenway.

[seanrichardryan]

I don't think they'll wait as long as the Nicollet/lake project is going to take....