Kresge Shops open

[DetroitScooter]

Regardless of what it looks like, etc. I'm going to vote with my wallet and go get some baked goods there tomorrow. I'm going to walk in with an open mind and give them some positive vibes and encouragement. See, isn't that easy?

[detroitsgwenivere]

Yeah, i was just making an observation. Im happy the building will become useful again, and we'll have some more shopping downtown. Booths are good places for the really young and retired people to start businesses [[they have a hard time getting hired nowadays). Im interested in what will become of the upstairs portion of Kresge's.

[n7hn]

Thats the most lovely of prisons ever.

[DetroitDad]

Official site link for the new Kresge Mall; http://shopkresge.com/

The upstairs was recently advertised as office space.

A booth at the Kresge Shops was originally said to range from $600-$1,200, I think. That will most likely keep second hand and lower quality shops out. By comparison, The Russell Bazaar ranges from about $23 to $200 or so. Shop keepers [[like DetroitMom) were leaving the Russell Bazaar because it was not upscale enough for them. In other words, despite their size, they wanted a venue that was somewhat respectable, and not filled with second hand shops and places selling fetish porn.

In response to this, the owner started this development in the Central Business District, near other major developments that would make it easy to generate foot traffic [[Merchant's Row, Woodward Center, 1001 Woodward, Compuware, and Campus Martius Park), is attempting to attract anchors, and is attempting to make it appear as upscale as possible, while still keeping costs low. The Kresge Shops is being transformed into a place for a group of people who wanted to bring respectable retail back into Detroit. The owner really is just responding to a demand he saw, but is providing a place for these individuals to do this. A positive anything is better than a negative nothing, which is exactly what the shop keepers had before the Kresge Shops existed.

Remember, Hudson's wasn't that big or grand over night. How about giving these stores a chance and some support, if they deserve it? Let's see what comes of this.

PS: The owner has been quoted in saying that this project has a reasonably high risk for failure. I think it really all depends on how creative Detroit's greenest entrepreneurs are, and how receptive Metro Detroit shoppers are of a place like this. Judging by your posts alone, it doesn't look too good.

[detroitsgwenivere]

Does anyone one know who developed this project? I heard it was the greek folks who own the loftliving buildings.

[urbanoutdoors]

http://dionysiaproperties.com/ You got it... its Keflanos...[[SP) He put the SW YMCA up for sale finally the other day by the way...

[Gistok]

This remodeling reminds me of something.....

... oh yeah... the tacky S.S. Kresge store interiors of the 60s...

Although it is low budget remodeling work... the owner is taking a gamble on the questionable success of this venture. In that case, I doubt if travertine and marble would make much of a difference... as long as it's well maintained.

[Zacha341]

Hah! I thought it was just me... that escalator shot took me right back to childhood... [[the late 60's), I remember loving to go to the basement to look at the fish aquariums! It was so much fun! The rehab does look a bit cheesy, but I am just so happy to see something positive and a building opening instead of closing with all the windows removed. Good news indeed!!!

I think it actually looks pretty good in person, not so much in the pictures. The bakery looks pretty good.

[Zacha341]

I mis-posted.... I meant to post to this comment:


Hah! I thought it was just me... that escalator shot took me right back to childhood... [[the late 60's)!!!!!

Seeing that escalator made me all nostalgic though. Downtown Kresge's was one of my big hangouts as a child, and I remember going down there to buy the newest Hot Wheels cars.[/quote]

[gnome]

Add goldfish and great ham sandwiches and you got yourself a Kresges.

hmm, a goldfish and ham sandwich ... it sounds like jjaba needs more fiber in his diet.

Oh, and why is Jjaba eating a ham sandwich in the first place? Inquiring minds ...

[stonechipped]

Not enough parking, though you do have the Hudson's site across the street ...

No Police?

[DetroitScooter]

I just got back from a walk over to the shops - now a veritable hive of activity. I bought a few baked goods from Jennifer, the proprietor of "Sinful Sweets". I grabbed some good-looking brownies, a few small tarts and a cream-topped something or other that I'm thinking about sneaking this afternoon.
Jennifer said that her store opened a week ago today and said that interest is high and business is picking up. She's excited about her small business and is cautiously optimistic that the Kresge Shops are going to be a success. The guys next door were installing the plumbing for the coffee stand [[to open next week), and the jewelry and fragrance/oils/lotions shops are open now too. Jennifer said that a sports memorabilia shop is set to open soon as well. We spoke briefly about how the timing is good for small-scale retail on Woodward and she is very excited about the crowds that should be coming in for the tree-lighting ceremony tonight. I told her that I'd check in with her next week. I left with a larger-than-normal sense of optimism, and if micro-retail is what it takes to get things going downtown, I say anyway, anyhow, anywhere!

[slick]

a goldfish and ham sandwich ...? Inquiring minds ...

does that go with mustard?

good luck on the Kresge venture,
back to the army soldiers, I bought many there.

[casscorridor]

No Police?

Ha. I'm pretty sure there are cops everywhere Downtown. Especially on Woodward. Have you been there lately? I'm there four or five times a week. But As the saying goes, police are never there when you need them, and always there when you don't need or want them. With that said, do you really think saftey is a concern in Downtown Detroit? And Lower Woodward! I hope you are joking. If there is any fear of "crime" it is probably irrational, based on racialized fear of "criminals" AKA brown people, and a general ignorance about Detroit, typical of a white suburban attitude. Yet, these assumptions and sterotypes contiue to change, and hopefully one day there will really be reconcilliation and cultural healing, and real solidarity among all peoples. Unfortunately we still live in an exploitative, caste/class based, and oppressive society. Detroit's problems, real and precieved, are results of immoral, inhumane and irrational systems. Detroit will never really be what it ought to--vibrant, and thriving with universal employment, zero poverty hunger or homelessness, and where the people themselves control their own communities, workplaces and futures, without a radical diparture from the economics of competition and greed toward the economics of equitable cooperation. There is much talk and praise for small businesses. These business help our local economy, and are helping the revival. But they are still exploitative, and still do not have the input of the people included, and still are ran by a small minority, while the vast majority are still left out, left for low wage, unempowering work.

[French777]

I Have to check this place out next time! Im really hope this place is a huge success and brings more business to the CBD...... speaking about suburban white kids.... at Rochester High School it seems the majority of the student body doesn't mind Downtown/Midtown/New Center and Eastern Market. But elsewhere they speak pretty negative about.

[DetroitDad]

Walmart and Meijer are great, aren't they? DetroitMom is addicted to Meijer's U-scans. She thinks it's awesome that you can bag and scan your groceries yourself, and aren't bothered with pesky sales people. The only thing she likes more is to just shop online.

But, it depends on what you want. That way is cheaper, bottom line. But, these stores destroyed our nation's urban centers. If you want a quaint Downtown that you enjoy visiting and you can take your kids to, you really have to be willing to pay just a little bit more for it. Shopping should be an experience in Downtown Detroit. Walmart is for "chore shopping". [[Although, there is no reason that all shopping cannot be fun, click here for a Google Street View of a street in Paris).

Now that was DetroitMom's view [[we live like Green Acres, only with suburban living vs. a dream for urban living), I on the other hand, look at these places very differently. My favorite store in Detroit is Third Avenue Hardware, right in the middle of Midtown. There isn't anything overly special about this store at first glance, but when I walk in the door I am greeted and asked what I am looking for today. If I say duct tape [[Red Green says it fixes anything), they will take me to the duct tape isle and hand me my duct tape, or even go and get it for me.

That is in comparison to my last trip to Walmart or Meijer. First, I have to park [[yay it's free) 256 feet [[the length of a average city block) or more away. Then I have to walk past bottle returns, cart wracks, and a bunch of crap I don't need. If I ask the greeter for help, I am usually told to wait in line at the service desk. Upon getting my help, which is paged to meet me in the hardware department, I find that my "help" is actually a sixteen year old girl who doesn't seem to know the difference between a flat head and a philips, let alone what type of filter I need for my S-130 Air Purifier.

I often leave disgruntled, storming out of the parking lot with no purchase, full of road rage, only to go search online. When I do find what I'm looking for, I am met with long lines or, face the horrible U-scans. I guess there not that horrible, but I just can't understand why these things are so great. I can have someone ring up and bag my groceries for me, FOR FREE! DetroitMom, come on hon, it's included in the price.

Sorry, I'm getting carried away. Anyway, if you want the shopping experience like you have in other big cities, we [[retailers/shopkeepers/building owners) can give it to you, but it's up to you to decide on whether you want to pay for that added experience, just like anything else.

The choice is yours. Are you a customer, or a consumer?

[Gistok]

DetroitDad... if you want Hardware... Meijer's is not a great choice... go to ACO. Parking is usually 40 ft. from the front door.... and they have a great selection. I personally like to take a little time to make my choices without a sales person standing there waiting on my decision. I just like to be told what aisle to find it, and make my own decisions.

As for Meijer's parking situation.... I go to one at 11PM-1AM... where close free ample parking is no problem.

[jjaba]

gnome, so where is it written that jjaba eats ham sandwiches?
jjaba lives amongst the Goyim and the Goyim love ham sandwiches at Kresges.

Oy veyesmere, jjaba, Westside Bar Mitzvah Bukkor.

[DetroitDad]

Oh well.... thanks Gistok, you just ruined the whole post.

Nishhh... it was a bad post anyway.

Although, I think my point still stands that surface parking is not what is needed to reactivate lower Woodward.

[Goose]

ok, i looked over the website for the kresge shops, checked out the pictures, and as chris matthews said:

O’DONNELL: … This is a largely white—almost no minorities in this crowd….
MATTHEWS: Well, they look like a white crowd to me. Let‘s go back to Joan Walsh. Not that there‘s anything wrong with it, but it is pretty monochromatic up there.


hmmm...... on the pictures.....

[East Detroit]

Walmart and Meijer are great, aren't they? DetroitMom is addicted to Meijer's U-scans. She thinks it's awesome that you can bag and scan your groceries yourself, and aren't bothered with pesky sales people. The only thing she likes more is to just shop online.

No, Walmart is not great. And U-scans are not great. I avoid both like the plague. Has something to do with caring about people having jobs of some sort. I don't find cashiers to be pesky and I'm glad they are working, so I help them out. Funny how you can encounter social pressure while in stores to use the U-Scan, or bag your own groceries or return your own cart. They might as well tell you they don't like working.

[jjaba]

EastDetroit tells it like it tis. He shall be known for his mitzvot.
jjaba has been designated the Cart Return Tsar [[CART) in his Westside neighborhood. He returns carts brought into the neighborhood, fills them with garbage as he goes, empties the garbage in the store trash can, and leaves the cart neatly parked in the corral. Stray carts in our neighborhoods are a huge source of pollution and jjaba gets a double dip with the exercise.

jjaba, ein bissella mitzvah.

[dfunkycity]

ok, i looked over the website for the kresge shops, checked out the pictures, and as chris matthews said:

O’DONNELL: … This is a largely white—almost no minorities in this crowd….
MATTHEWS: Well, they look like a white crowd to me. Let‘s go back to Joan Walsh. Not that there‘s anything wrong with it, but it is pretty monochromatic up there.


hmmm...... on the pictures.....

Your point? i noticed that almost ever damn topic on the site is full of someone who is a race baiting prick.

Even in the Detroit Christmas thread someone starts in about race.

If you are so unhappy with "white" people or even more important, the color of your own damn skin then do us all a favor and go kill yourselves.


And for the record, the renovation is cheap and trashy

I'll be damned if that grimy place gets a dime from me

and wtf is that floor? is that vct? Talk about slumlord

[DetroitDad]

No, Walmart is not great. And U-scans are not great. I avoid both like the plague. Has something to do with caring about people having jobs of some sort. I don't find cashiers to be pesky and I'm glad they are working, so I help them out. Funny how you can encounter social pressure while in stores to use the U-Scan, or bag your own groceries or return your own cart. They might as well tell you they don't like working.

What is really interesting is what happens to all those big flat roofs after a few Michigan Winters, when these buildings outlive their couple decades [[or less) of design life and the store either moves to a bigger box, or goes out of business.

It is a strong statement that the old Downtown Detroit Kresge, long past it's original use, and long vacant, at least still has possibility for reuse and redevelopment. Now THAT is sustainability.

[Retroit]

Flat roofs in Detroit never have to be resurfaced? Wow, Detroit really is an amazing city!

And I like how it's so bothersome to have to walk through Walmart past a "whole bunch of crap you don't need", but it wouldn't bother you to walk past boulangeries, charcuteries, fromageries, etc. on Le Rue Lepic just to get a stupid roll of tape du duct.

It's no wonder DetroitMom likes the convenience of 21st [[and 20th) century shopping - gives her more time to take care of the only man on the planet who can't find the hardware aisle.