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August 11, 2008

More Delays and Changes at Whole Foods

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The health food business is a little less healthy these days. The Wall Street Journal reports that Whole Foods posted a 31 percent net income loss last quarter and is cutting back on store openings. So what does that mean for our highly anticipated store on 3rd and 3rd? Not sure. We asked for details from Whole Foods, who emailed us this response from spokesman Fred Shank: “We are currently working on revising our plans for our Brooklyn store and hope to be able to announce updated details in the near future. We remain extremely excited about bringing the first Whole Foods Market to Brooklyn.” (The Brooklyn Paper was told the same thing, while Gowanus Lounge recently reported the first activity on the site in many moons.) Could the cost of the clean-up be more than the market can bear in this economic environment?
Whole Foods Net Falls 31% in Slow Economy [WSJ]
Whole Foods: Not the Best of Neighbors [Brownstoner]
3rd St. Landmark Crumbling; Is Whole Foods to Blame [Brownstoner]




Posted by lisa at 11:02 AM | Comments (17)
Categories: Development, Gowanus

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Comments

Game over.

Posted by: SnarkSlope at August 11, 2008 11:26 AM

I wish they would just put the damn thing in the City Point building. Great location with access to 10 subway lines, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and over 700 subgrade parking spaces (between City Point and Willoughby Square Park). On top of that they already have a pre-existing relationship with the development team as a result of the Time Warner Center. It just makes too much sense!

Posted by: FtGreeneCorey at August 11, 2008 11:42 AM

I will say it again (as I have for at least the last 2yrs) - Whole Foods will NEVER open on this site.

Posted by: fsrg at August 11, 2008 12:13 PM

I hope their modified plan includes scrapping this idea and creating more of a smaller market in an already established neighborhood where there is some foot traffic and people can walk to it.

We've already got a Fairway for those who drive to go get their groceries...how about something for the rest of us who have to suffer with Key Foods and the like.


Posted by: 11217 at August 11, 2008 12:18 PM

That would be nice 11217 but unless the current economy forces them to shange direction, their stores are usually a minimum of 40,000 sq. ft. Maybe a Fairway or Citarella could come to the rescue.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at August 11, 2008 12:32 PM

I agree with you Dave. Highly unlikely. Although perhaps their income loss will force them to change direction with store openings in some locales. You never know.

I'd love a Gourmet Garage somewhere in Brownstone Brooklyn as well...

I'm over Union Market. It's too damn expensive.

Posted by: 11217 at August 11, 2008 12:43 PM

Pomegranate...coming soon to Lewis Ave in Bed Stuy.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at August 11, 2008 12:46 PM

While I really want Gowanus to succeed and link CG with PSlope there seems to be a whole lot of talk (Toll Brothers, Whole Foods, etc.) and not a whole lot of building or remediation in this area.

Some bars, hotels and a small development or two but none of the "grand plans" have some to fruition yet (can you say Public Place?!).

Posted by: Mr Joist at August 11, 2008 12:59 PM

Navy Yard! Navy Yard! Navy Yard!

Posted by: la di da di at August 11, 2008 1:06 PM

yup Floor...and then the area turns into a "hot sheet red light district" Let the good time roll.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at August 11, 2008 1:08 PM

The problem Joist is that the area is just not suitable for the type of development that is being talked about. While residential will work on the fringes (Bond Street to the West and Third Ave to the East) - the area adjacent to the canal - are just too polluted and require too much infrastructure to be made suitable for residential (or even a supermarket).

The city should simply maintain almost all canal adjacent property for light industry and establish 1 or 2 corridors (like 3rd St) where a mix of retail, parks and some small residential dev could allow the linking you seek

I just believe that the seemless joining of CG and PS with Gowanus is not realistic and a waste of taxpayer and developer $s. Plus most of the area works well for light industry (especially if the current of real estate speculation were removed)

Posted by: fsrg at August 11, 2008 1:28 PM

The city should fill in the canal. Why are we maintaining this fundamentally useless waterway?

Posted by: SnarkSlope at August 11, 2008 1:55 PM

The canal services as a drainage point. It is not an entirely artificial canal, but was a natural waterway that was expanded.

Rain flows down from Mount Prospect and the Heights into that area. Without the canal, flooding would be a real problem.

Posted by: Polemicist at August 11, 2008 5:09 PM

the friggin company has halted its dividend. if someone honestly thinks that this store is coming any time soon (if ever) then that person is an idiot. or maybe WF is starting work tomorrow via 100% financing secured by projecting cash flows dependent on charging 20 dollars for a potato.

Posted by: BrooklynLove at August 11, 2008 8:07 PM

Cover the canal and install drains. Problem solved?

Posted by: SnarkSlope at August 11, 2008 8:24 PM

11271 - Trader Joe's is coming soon enough. Pipe down...

Posted by: Nanook at August 12, 2008 9:44 AM

The loss of Whole Foods would be a tragedy to the neighborhood. The 3rd Avenue is industrial. Does anyone really care if some warehouse is gentrified out? Seriously? Whole Foods would be the precursor and catalyst for a large blossoming development in the PS-CG corridor. Look at any Whole Foods and see how nice the immediate neighborhood becomes.

Regarding the "excessive" parking -- what Park Slopers dont seem to understand is that parking would be required for the site until a critical mass was built around it. Build no parking and people have the *perception* that they wont be able to shop there, and simply remove it as an option subliminally. Sixty percent of the area residents have no cars, so as soon as a critical mass of foot traffic was established, the area would blossom. It is a pity to lose this over "too much parking." Besides, the parking can be removed once enough customers came to the stores, especially once the area developed further. At that point, the parking can be pared down -- it would make business sense to do so then.

Posted by: ploper at August 17, 2008 9:01 PM

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