Neal wrote:
How big is the site? Cub and Rainbow typically need enough space for at least a 60,000 square foot store, plus parking. Lunds can probably do it smaller, but I doubt they would go south of the freeway b/c too far from the riverfront residential. You can find the size on Hennepin County's website. Chris Responds: Yes, the issue of size did occur to me after prior posting. It appears a modern, full service grocery chain franchise must operate at a particular size/capacity to make it viable - a matter of economy of scale I suppose. (The trend in grocery stores across the country seems to be super-sizing them - like Slurpies). The space on Nicollet is nowhere near big enough if any major developer is looking at the space with that idea in mind, at least, not as the current facility exists. It would either have to be razed and rebuilt or radically refurbished. (There are parking lots both to the left and right of the facility - expansion is possible) Nonetheless, what about the possibility of the city luring a small time entrepreneur who might be new to the business? I guess the question is: can a moderate-sized grocery store operate profitably these days? This I don't know... Chris Beckwith Ward 6 _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
