Author Topic: Is Springfield a viable retail market?  (Read 158440 times)

Metro Jacksonville

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Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« on: April 16, 2008, 04:00:00 AM »
Is Springfield a viable retail market?



Metro Jacksonville takes a look at the recently released LISC MetroEdge Springfield Retail study

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/762

zoo

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2008, 07:46:41 AM »
SPAR, SAMBA and other entities in the community have been courting retailers for at least 2 years.

SPAR sent representatives to the Intl Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) meeting in Ponte Vedra the first week of April, and will be attending the national ICSC in Las Vegas in May and the Florida ICSC in Orlando in August.

Springfield has also been chosen by ICSC/LISC as one of the top 5 emerging neighborhoods in the country (the others are in Philadelphia, Twin Cities, Detroit and Bed-Sty in New York).

Springfield is not sitting around waiting for the phone to ring.

Stop by 3 Layers on 6th & Walnut to hear their story of being swamped by pent up demand.

Entrepreneurs, retailers and creative office call SPAR at 353-7727 for more information!

vicupstate

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2008, 07:57:18 AM »
I would not spend resources going after national retailers.  They are not pioneers, they are followers.  They have the money to buy in AFTER the 'discovery' has been made.  They are not risk takers, particularly in urban areas.  They let the mom and pops do the heavy lifting, and then pouch from their success.

I would try to get the businesses already in Jax that have found success elsewhere in the metro area, and try to convince them to relocate or branch off into Springfield.  Second, I would look to rstate/regional retailers that are in FL, but not Jacksonville. Third, I would look for the start ups with the best business plans.   

Going these routes will also give you something unique that every other neighborhood can't duplicate.
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thelakelander

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2008, 08:46:20 AM »
Quote
SPAR, SAMBA and other entities in the community have been courting retailers for at least 2 years.

SPAR sent representatives to the Intl Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) meeting in Ponte Vedra the first week of April, and will be attending the national ICSC in Las Vegas in May and the Florida ICSC in Orlando in August.

Springfield is not sitting around waiting for the phone to ring.

Is there a strategy in place to attract complementing businesses in certain locations or around existing businesses to create some sort of retail /dining /arts or entertainment district?

Quote
Stop by 3 Layers on 6th & Walnut to hear their story of being swamped by pent up demand.

Three Layers has certainly gotten off to a good start, as well as Jim Brown's BBQ.  Now imagine if within visual walking distance of Three Layers there was a book store, record store, pizza shop, neighborhood sports bar, etc. all located within the same building or the same block?  Imagine, if through SAMBA and SPAR, businesses are led to improve their signage, facades and incorporate embracing the street with pedestrian friendly elements.  Imagine the impact of if we are able to work with local landlords of vacant commercial spaces and get just one block of Main, Walnut, 8th or any other street filled with a diverse collection of businesses, what that would do for Springfield's commercial image.  Is there a plan in place for something like this?

Quote
I would not spend resources going after national retailers.  They are not pioneers, they are followers.  They have the money to buy in AFTER the 'discovery' has been made.  They are not risk takers, particularly in urban areas.  They let the mom and pops do the heavy lifting, and then pouch from their success.

I would try to get the businesses already in Jax that have found success elsewhere in the metro area, and try to convince them to relocate or branch off into Springfield.  Second, I would look to rstate/regional retailers that are in FL, but not Jacksonville. Third, I would look for the start ups with the best business plans.   

Going these routes will also give you something unique that every other neighborhood can't duplicate.

This point is worth a discussion in its self, not just for Springfield, but any urban neighborhood.  Should we make national chains a priority over getting the existing buildings filled with local start-ups such as Carl's, Shantytown or Three Layers?  What can be done to give Springfield's commercial districts a different atmosphere from other typical districts?

Does anyone know of any urban retail districts in revitalizing neighborhoods across the country that were able to pull in national chains before establishing themselves as an unique locations featuring local retailers, start ups, mom & pops and local culture?    We could stand to learn a lot from the success and failures of similar neighborhoods in their efforts to strengthen their retail base.

Personally, I believe at least Main Street has always been a viable retail district.  The continued success of the national chain fast food restaurants in the area proves this.  However, I believe the key is being able to find entities with a business plan that have the ability to draw and appeal to customers who live outside of the historic district's boundaries.  The most successful establishments (regardless of whether they are national or local) operating in the area today all have that ability.  Those that rely on the neighborhood for total support seem to struggle a little more.
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Steve

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2008, 10:10:53 AM »
To be honest, I think that having more local places would help things a lot (BTW, I consider The Loop a local thing, because it's Jacksonville-Based).

Even if the National Retailers were expanding (yes, they are not right now), I don't see them going to springfield.  They are not risk takers (sorry, but there is a lot more risk here than St Johns Town Center).

With that said, do you want to turn Main St into a collection of chain restaraunts?

Eazy E

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2008, 11:46:04 AM »
Anyone remember when Randy Moss or Warren Sapp was supposed to be opening some hip hop juice shop (their words, not mine) or something in the 'Field? Seemed analogous to the Magic plan.

thelakelander

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2008, 12:34:23 PM »
Lake, this seems to be probably the best bet going for the area between 10th and 26th on Main.

It could also work for Main, south of 10th, as well, considering North Main appears to be in better economic condition.
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thelakelander

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2008, 03:57:55 PM »
There's nothing wrong with those reasons.  I'm totally against yuppifying, complete gentrification or white washing the entire neighborhood and its commercial districts.  My opinion of the situation is that Main is much larger than the historic district's imaginary boundaries and it should be marketed to its true demographic.  There is nothing wrong with embracing a little diversity.  To me that's what makes the neighborhood so desirable and culturally unique.  In my opinion, businesses that have the ability to pull from the surrounding neighborhoods, employment centers and through traffic should be promoted and encouraged to come in.  In addition, existing "non-yuppy" businesses like Chan's (and yes, even a few of the pawn shops) should be embraced and encouraged to be a part of a future vibrant commercial scene.

Anything short of that and you significantly limit the commercial corridor's potential for success, no matter what marketing strategy is put in place.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2008, 04:00:26 PM by thelakelander »
"A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” - Muhammad Ali

RiversideGator

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2008, 05:11:19 PM »
I say bring on the gentrification in Springfield.  The slum approach certainly hasnt worked.

And, no one has to be excluded for the area to get nicer.  I just mean that more upscale people living/shopping in the area will help to preserve what is left of the neighborhood and will bring in new quality development.

sheclown

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2008, 09:41:50 PM »
Stephendare,

And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls--

Thank you.

Springfield is going through a class war, plain and simple. 


AlexS

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #10 on: April 21, 2008, 02:51:09 PM »
The corners of 9th and Main tell another story.

Three corners are bursting at the seams with customers.  One isnt.

Three corners charge white and black people the exact same prices for their drinks.  One doesnt.
Is there any proof of this ?
Do white or black people get the cheaper drinks ?

Driven1

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #11 on: April 21, 2008, 02:53:04 PM »
The corners of 9th and Main tell another story.

Three corners are bursting at the seams with customers.  One isnt.

Three corners charge white and black people the exact same prices for their drinks.  One doesnt.
Is there any proof of this ?
Do white or black people get the cheaper drinks ?

Please let me know when it is "white male"s night at 9th & Main.

zoo

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2008, 05:04:53 PM »
I don't care if someone is white, brown, yellow, black, red or purple. I don't care if someone earns $8,000 a year or $800,000 a year. And I really don't even want to know about other folks gender/sexual preferences. If I were blind, I'd be able to consider ALL 3 of these commonly-used classifiers Not My Business.

But... I do care if someone is earning a living illegally or otherwise engaging in illegal behavior in the environment where I am raising my offspring. B/c of my kids, I do care if people are openly flaunting behaviors or values that I don't want them exposed to until they are over 18, be it yelling down the street, littering, cursing, using drugs or hiring prostitutes (some people claim these things are part of "culture").

I don't consider this a race war (about skin color). I don't consider this a class war (about income). I consider it a values war.

I generally appreciate people with different values than mine (that's why I don't live in the 'burbs), provided they don't fit into the categories listed in my second paragraph. But because there seems to be a concentration of folks with these sub-par values in the Downtown neighborhoods -- make no mistake, there are SOME everywhere -- I've sometimes got a problem with it.

sheclown

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2008, 06:34:09 PM »
Okay Zoo.

 Illegal behavior shouldn't be tolerated. 

As far as yelling and cursing, good luck making the world behave.  Yes, we are talking about acting differently around here than in the gated suburb communities.  Values?  I know some good loud people.  I know some good, spiritual people who cuss.  I know some sneaky evil people who behave themselves.  It is hard to tell until you get to know a person.

As far as your kids are concerned, start with the lesson that you can't judge a book by its cover and move from there. 

But, I thought Stephendare was talking about patronizing ALL neighborhood businesses.  The distinction between a "cool" biz and an "uncool" one is certainly a class war. 

Downtown Dweller

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Re: Is Springfield a viable retail market?
« Reply #14 on: April 22, 2008, 08:54:29 PM »
Ok I have to disagree, patronizing Pawn Shops or not, has nothing to do with a class war. I go to the pawn shops on Main, to look for my stuff that has been stolen. Do I buy anything: Nope. I refuse to patronize a business that supports thieves in my neighborhood.  If they turned the stores around to more of a “flea market” (as Stephen alluded to) and stopped buying all our stolen stuff I would for sure shop there, not because of a class distinction, but because they would have a product I am interested in, that I won’t feel slimy for buying (or have to hide when I have neighbors over for a party in case it is theirs!).