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Ah, Somerville
The New Hampshire to Boston's Vermont.
Having actually lived in
Having actually lived in Vermont and near New Hampshire. HA! No.
Curious to see the city's response
The article, which has no comment from anyone in city government, notes that Walmart "expects to soon sign a lease," but so was Ocean State Job Lot when they wanted to move into the abandoned Star Market in Winter Hill.
Wonder why Wal-Mart picked this location instead of Winter Hill?
The ex-Circuit City is not an easy place to get to, compared to the former Star Market which was right on Broadway in the middle of a dense neighborhood.
Agreed. This is a terrible
Agreed. This is a terrible location for almost any business, but especially for one that has to compete with several other grocery stores located within a couple of miles nearby.
Probably because the former
Probably because the former Star Market space is much smaller.
Exactly
This subject came up before here, but I can't find it. The Star Market site was about half the size of what Walmart wanted.
If that's where I think it is
Isn't it part of the Assembly Square area, which is going to have an orange line station, an IKEA, transit-oriented development, etc.?
yes and no
It's sort of near Assembly Square, but it's not part of Federal Realty's redevelopment project.
Bad Location?
This location seems to be a death location - I can remember several different retailers there, each failing in turn. It is somewhat isolated.
Interesting that WalMart has decided that it can make money on smaller stores. I wonder if that has to do with how they got smacked down in the Oregon courts based on decades-old zoning laws, built a smaller store, and did well with it?
Visibility
Ever notice that McConnell Park in Savin Hill is the nicest looking ballpark in the city outside of Fenway that isn't run by an public / private partnership? It is kept that way, on purpose, by Mayor Menino to show all us suburbanites stuck in traffic at the Malibu Beach curve of what a great place Boston is to live and that city services are great. Sure, Kane Square and Bowdoin Street a half a mile away is a combat zone, but look at everyone playing baseball at the park. Boston is great.
This Circuit City location is the closest retail building next to the Boston line that is on a highway. You get two things; incredible advertising for your company and you get to see a parking lot full of cars shopping at Wal-Mart within a few hundred feet of the Charlestown line, with Townies, Toonies, Barneys, Cantabridgians, and everyone else thumbing their nose at union control of the City looking for a good price on items. Same deal as the Ballpark in Savin Hill; Perception. Wal-Mart is going to hit a home run here.
It didn't help Circuit City
I don't think I've ever seen a full parking lot there - unless its all work trucks headed to Home Depot. It is kind of tricky to get over there if you don't know exactly which turn to take, and isolated from neighborhoods.
Circuit City had other
Circuit City had other problems, which is why they don't have stores anywhere now (though they apparently exist online).
Online Circuit City
The new Circuit City that serves as an online retailer is not the same company. It's a new online retail company that bought the rights to the logo and name of the old Circuit City.
Zombie retailers online
Other dead brick-and-mortar store brands that for some reason still live online:
Montgomery Ward
Tower Records
Linens 'N Things
The Sharper Image
Pretty soon we can add Borders to this list.
Home Depot does very well next door
but that's not the kind of store you visit weekly, like a grocer.
Aha! Obviously not a homeowner
One could, in fact, visit Home Depot weekly :-).
Who was here before Circuit City?
I can't remember anymore. Unless you regularly shop at Home Depot, this is not a place one generally goes by at all.
Wasn't it a Best Buy?
I seem to have bright yellow visual associations with the place.
ugh..
So a couple of things..
first off, The Star Market location IS smaller.. by a long shot. Look up the websites who manage both properties and they have square footage.
Secondly, its all about location. Location to prevent NIMBYism.. (no one lives near there, except on the other side of the 93). And its proximity to 93. You can see that store from the highway. And I'm sure WalMart will make good use if billboards in that area.
Third, this space as a ton more parking than Star Market, and has more "going on" with the neighboring Assembly Square Marketplace, and IKEA going in next door.
Fourth, this is a GREAT location for any business. Next to a highway and a major traffic route (28 and 38), and near the city of Boston. Circuit City's demise had to do with corporate far far away.. not this store in particular (which friends who are ex employees say this store was VERY busy)
What I *AM* surprised about is that Home Depot didn't want the space to expand the store that is there because that is one of Home Depot's busiest locations in the country. (this is why there's 3 home depots within a 3 mile radius of that store to disperse some of the shoppers because for a while this WAS the only home depot for miles..)
And folks, don't worry, the NIMBY's will be out in full force to shoot down Wal*Mart once the news spreads about this location opening. And I'll most likely be one of those people too (I HATE Wal*Mart with a passion for its business practices).
Supermarket on one-way street
just doesn't seem like a good idea. Since Mystic Ave is one-way northbound, I can't get there from anywhere else in Somerville without first going to the intersection of Broadway and Mt. Vernon streets... and getting back home isn't easy either. I bet most folks will keep going to Market Basket, even with its insanely crowded parking lot.
I don't get this reasoning.
"The only way to get there is the only way to get there."
Yes, and... what? "Tautologies are fun?"
If your route sends you down Mystic Ave, then you stay on the west side of the highway, go past Stop & Shop (hm.), then take the left U turn to hook under the highway, and you're at the entrance.
On the return trip, you either take Mystic Ave northbound, or you go out the back of the Circuit City parking lot (assuming this doesn't change, which it could) and you're back at the intersection you took a U-turn near, from which you can proceed under the highway then take your choice of west on Broadway or east toward Sullivan Square. Easy peasy.
The real Achilles heel in the direction you're talking about is the fact that the route takes you right past Stop & Shop. If you're the sort of person that won't do business with Wal-Mart (but you don't have a problem doing business with one of several subsidiaries of a Dutch megaconglomerate), then you'll just stop at Stop & Shop the way you already might. But really, the vast majority of what these stores are selling is the same, and they're competing on price. Just as people put up with the zoo that is Market Basket, I'm sure they'll be willing to throw plenty of business toward Wal-Mart, too.
The really ridiculous thing is that for East Somerville people, this means they'll have four major supermarkets within a mile or so, nevermind the many small niche / ethnic markets around there: the Stop & Shop, the Walmart, the Market Basket, and the Shaw's at Twin City plaza. And if we can get a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods to move in at the old Star Market or AJ Wright locations, that'll make five or six within that radius. How many do we need before we're pretty much saturated with giant food emporia?
former AJ Wright won't be a supermarket
although it started out as a Stop & Shop. The new tenant moving in is 'CW Price' which appears to be another off-price clothing retailer similar to AJ Wright.
That would rule 6 out then
So that means east Somerville will "only" have four supermarkets, plus whatever may happen of the Star Market site, if anything. That still seems pretty saturated, but if the market can sustain them all then that's great I guess.
being as Somerville is the
being as Somerville is the 17th most densely populated municipality in the country (behind 11 NYC-area cities, 4 LA-area and 1 Miami-area), I doubt the density of supermarkets is overly saturated.
a Wal-Mart run store is one I'll never enter, though. I can't think of a single company less deserving of anyone's patronage.
I should add that this store
I should add that this store is "on the way" to Market Basket (in Chelsea) and Target (in Everett).
I read an article a while back that said Wal*Mart's biggest competitors in New England is not Shaw's and Stop & Shop. It's Target and Market Basket.
I wouldn't be surprised if these Wal*Markets start popping up near Market Basket stores to compete. I'm waiting for a SuperCenter to open in Chelsea (or in nearby Everett) just to compete with Market Basket.
That would be a hell of a
That would be a hell of a trick in most cases. Especially since I don't see this location doing much business. The only thing I can think of is they want to snag riders on the Orange Line once the Assembly Square stop opens.
Either that or they think people will be lured by the brand name to walk past Stop and Shop. Not a safe bet.
Kmart is there
right?
If I'm thinking of the right area. And when I went in there the store was a mess and pretty much trashed, yet packed because it was the only thing withing walking distance for many people.
I bet they're a little worried at this, as a new clean Walmart would mean the death of that store.
Not a competitor
This 'Walmart Market' will only sell food. K-Mart at Assembly Square doesn't contain a supermarket. (And it's not within walking distance of many people, except those living in the Ten Hills neighborhood on the other side of Route 28.)
What a disappointment. The
What a disappointment. The quality of Wal-Mart's food is absolute crap.
also everything else they
also everything else they sell.
Are members of Somerville's
community going to get up in arms and form a "No Walmart in Somerville" group? Stay tuned!
If WF doesn't work out in JP...
If the Whole Foods doesn't work out in JP, perhaps a Wally Supermarket. I can only imagine the entertainment value :)
What?
Assembly Row breaks ground in the spring with 400 rental units followed by another 3000 apartment / condos, Movie theatre, massive retail and office and God willing IKEA. Oh and a new Orange line stop.
Building anything in that area is a no brainer.
http://www.somervillema.gov/node/46381
^ What he said.
"Duh."
It's a bet on the future, and if Assembly Square works out, it'll do just fine.
Wait, they're building more
Wait, they're building more housing? In this market? A market where a condo literally a hundred feet from a T station that used to cost $600,000 is now running $400k?
Good luck with that. Also, the IKEA has been delayed.
Depends on the type of housing
Rents are currently at a high because availability of rentals is near/at an all-time low in the city. So, if it's rentals it could easily have a place in this market. Also, housing most people could afford would also have a place. $600K isn't exactly reachable for most folks.
No matter how many times I
No matter how many times I try to go to the stores in and near Assembly Square, I always manage to get lost at least once. I don't think they even have the "cowpaths" excuse over there.
In any case, I won't be trying for Wal-Mart under any circumstances.