This is something that always struck me as odd, particularly in Cincinnati. I've brought this up before and a lot of people have had opinions on it so I think it warrants its own thread. I can understand that grocery stores think they're doing themselves a favor by locating where demographics are 'off the charts' and follow the consumers with money but what seems to happen is that if you live in the inner city, you often end up traveling pretty far to go to a decent grocery store. If you can't, you're forced to go to a smaller IGA or something with higher prices. I'm not even talking about Trader Joe's or Whole Foods or any other niche store - just your basic standardized grocery store with a good selection that meets the needs of most people. Food is our most basic need so I can't imagine spending power making much of a difference in terms of the success of a Kroger or Biggs or what have you. Then you have government assistance programs that ideally, should even the playing field. What legit excuse is there? Crime/theft?

 

Here's an interesting (but not surprising) study on the matter:

 

The Unmet Urban Grocery Demand

Two national studies document a central-city gap in supermarkets (Cotterill & Franklin, 1995; Donohue, 1997).1 Low-income zip codes tend to have fewer and smaller stores than their more prosperous counterparts have. Also, the higher the proportion of people on public assistance, the smaller the number and size of stores. Overall, the “poorest” zip codes in 21 of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas had only 55% of the grocery square footage that their wealthier counterparts had (Cotterill & Franklin, 1995). Although those results are unsurprising—stores predictably follow customers with money— Donohue (1997) documented a central-city gap even in the face of existing market demand. Comparing existing sales to expected demand in 28 metropolitan areas over a 35-year period, he found that many central cities experienced ratios of less than 1 (i.e., sales were lower than expected demand), whereas surrounding suburbs frequently had rates higher than 1. This meant that innercity grocery dollars were being spent outside city boundaries. This pattern was true of 12 areas that had experienced a “suburban shift” in supermarket investment patterns, as well as the 9 in Donohue’s study that had experienced a recent “reinvestment” trend in their central cities. Other reports of “outshopping” or unmet market potential in the inner city confirm this finding (e.g., Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, 1998; McLaughlin, 1998; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD], 1999). The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (1998) reported that inner cities may have been underserved by as much as 25% of existing demand. According to HUD’s New Markets: The Untapped Retail Buying Power in America’s Inner Cities (1999), inner-city neighborhoods had an estimated untapped demand of $8.7 billion for the 48 cities in which a retail gap existed. In the economically distressed neighborhoods of Chicago, for example, retail sales fell $2.3 billion short of the retail buying power of residents. Assuming that about 14%2 of this retail potential could reasonably be captured entirely by supermarkets and other grocery stores, about 28 new supermarkets (with annual sales equaling the national average of $11.6 million in 1999) would have to be developed in these neighborhoods. Detroit’s $441 million unmet retail demand could sustain five to six new supermarkets with $11 million to $12 million in annual sales.

 

http://www.peoplesgrocery.org/brahm/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/AttractingSupermarketstotheInnerCity.pdf

 

The study goes on to suggest that wealth in the newly developed suburbs were the justification for this trend but I think the reality is that people in the inner city are VERY much more likely to shop at a suburban store than suburbanites are willing to venture to the inner city. A lot of the older people in the inner city still have a blind and stupid hatred of the city and view the suburbs as nice and clean. Actually, it reminds me of the "You might be from Cincinnati if... your social status is determined by what Kroger you go to" adage.

 

I know there's a lot communities and planners can do to convince stores of all the untapped potential but the fact that it's such a major issue to begin with is really disturbing to me  :x Jesus. Kroger gets your geographic information every time you're forced to use your Kroger Plus card. This study is a decade old but the trend is hardly different today. It seems like they're well aware of what's going on.

People in Price Hill shop in Delhi; people in Delhi shop in Green Township; and so on. That's a gross generalization but you get the point. People are more likely to go outward than in.

I recall there was Butera and now Delray Farms that specialize in urban supermarkets in Chicago.    There was also Jewel and Dominicks (more old-school). 

 

Isn't there a Kroger in OTR?  Seems Cincy does have urban supermarkets.  This is probably more of an issue in smaller citys like Dayton and Toledo.

 

 

 

Thanks for bringing this topic up, as this phenomenon is not limited to big cities. Although it’s been eons since I’ve been back to my little hometown of Painesville (pop. Approx. 17,500), I’ve learned that for a number of years there have been no major grocery stores located there. While growing up in the 60’s there were at various times between 3 and 4 of them—Fisher Foods (later Fazio’s); A & P; Loblaws; and Kroger. Although it has always been a bit poorer (and much older) than the communities surrounding it (yet it still retains a sizable middle class presence), and before the spread of suburbia from Cleveland and its attendant malls, Painesville had been the main shopping destination for the eastern half of Lake County. Although bus service has expanded in the area into nearby Mentor, where I believe the nearest supermarket is located, this situation presents a great inconvenience for residents. I just don’t get it. I can’t imagine that at least a medium-sized food store wouldn’t be immensely popular and profitable there.

Isn't there a Kroger in OTR?  Seems Cincy does have urban supermarkets.  This is probably more of an issue in smaller citys like Dayton and Toledo.

 

Yes, there is a Kroger in Over-the-Rhine.  There are also Krogers in West Price Hill, Walnut Hills, Corryville, and Westwood.  These neighborhoods are fortunate to have these stores there, but there is still a distinct difference over what is offered at say the Walnut Hills Kroger and the Kroger in Hyde Park.  These differences often perpetuate the cycle of poverty and the problems that go along with it (i.e. malnutrition and health problems).

Great topic. I think the reasons are a combination of 1) Profitability models (low income shoppers = unreasonably slow/risky return on investment) 2) Unacceptable parcels of land (no room for vast parking lot, loading docks, etc), 3) Insurance and overhead costs in "high risk" areas (higher crime rates/disappearing baby formula/wandering shopping carts) and 4) Good old fashioned institutional racism.

 

All of this feeds into the larger equation of food injustice, especially when you compare the food quality in an urban Kroger with its suburban or exurban counterpart. The argument goes that an urban store requires a lower price point to justify all the risks (see 1-4), and therefore an unavoidably high ratio of cheaper, more highly-processed foods.

 

The counter-argument is neighborhoods like (here it comes) Hamtramck which serves an avg household income of 26K with an abundance of Muslim and Eastern-European corner markets selling fresh produce and preservative/HFCS-free packaged foods at very reasonable prices.

 

But then, according to Forbes, communities like Hamtramck are "dying," so you better not think about living in one. It's simply best to live in the new development behind new Walmart Supercenter, so we better go ahead and do that.

There's technically two Kroger's in Westwood.  The nicer one across the street from Western Hills Plaza and one of the last remaining relics in Kroger's arsenal on Harrison Ave near McHenry.  It's pretty rough and hasn't been updated in about three decades or so.

Look for yourself!

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qhpx0w7yjdxs&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=35143578&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

Great topic. I think the reasons are a combination of 1) Profitability models (low income shoppers = unreasonably slow/risky return on investment) 2) Unacceptable parcels of land (no room for vast parking lot, loading docks, etc), 3) Insurance and overhead costs in "high risk" areas (higher crime rates/disappearing baby formula/wandering shopping carts) and 4) Good old fashioned institutional racism.

 

All of this feeds into the larger equation of food injustice, especially when you compare the food quality in an urban Kroger with its suburban or exurban counterpart. The argument goes that an urban store requires a lower price point to justify all the risks (see 1-4), and therefore an unavoidably high ratio of cheaper, more highly-processed foods.

 

This became an issue last year when the Kroger on the west side of Dayton closed.  I did a blog post about the Dayton "food desert", but found there were a few small indy supers on the West Side...which brings up that price-quality issue.    I think there was an Aldi on the west side, too.  Aldi does pitch to the low end of the market.

 

Now even the "briar Kroger" on Wayne Avenue is closing, leaving only one close-in Kroger in Dayton (on Smithville Road).

 

 

Kroger's is too expensive anyway. They all shop at Bigg's in PRidge these days. I'd toss in the Kroger at Seymour and Reading as well.

 

Kroger's is too expensive anyway. They all shop at Bigg's in PRidge these days. I'd toss in the Kroger at Seymour and Reading as well.

 

My friend's dad won't shop there because the owners are French. I'm not sure if that's true but it's probably something Bill Cunningham got his listeners to boycott.

c-dawg, remember Food Basics?  the farmer jack outlet.  THAT was janky.  (but i am not opposed to janky)

Another cause: the insane tax abatements and incentives retailers get from growth suburbs versus the lack thereof in urban areas. Also, a larger parcel of under-developed land in an urban area is more likely to have brownfield issues;  a swath of land polluted with agricultural residues trumps a comparable parcel tainted with lead every time.

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission did a study on this in 2008, looking at the accessibility of large grocery stores (over 25,000 sq feet) vs fast food restaurants.  Orange squares are grocery stores, red dots fast food.  Dark blue areas on map are better served by fast food than grocery stores.  It is a bit misleading as there are a number of Dave's that apparently aren't 25k sq feet but are certainly full service groceries, and they aren't on the map.

 

 

http://www.gcbl.org/image-galleries/food/food-desserts-in-cuyahoga-county

 

There is also some discussion about restarting urban agriculture and farming in Cleveland here:

http://www.gcbl.org/food/regional-agenda/cleveland-cuyahoga-county-food-policy-coalition/coalition-meeting-10-15-08-closing-the-food-gap

There's technically two Kroger's in Westwood.  The nicer one across the street from Western Hills Plaza and one of the last remaining relics in Kroger's arsenal on Harrison Ave near McHenry.  It's pretty rough and hasn't been updated in about three decades or so.

 

That's right.  There is actually a third if you count the Kroger next to Western Hills High School.

 

The counter-argument is neighborhoods like (here it comes) Hamtramck which serves an avg household income of 26K with an abundance of Muslim and Eastern-European corner markets selling fresh produce and preservative/HFCS-free packaged foods at very reasonable prices.

 

 

Don't compare hard working immigrant/1st generation American neighborhoods to the unfortunate welfare class we have promoted in this country.  And please, I mean people of all races and ethnicities.  A whole generation has grown up on processed foods.  Families aren't sitting down to meals together.

 

Its the chicken and egg thing.  If there is a market, the businesses will put stores there.  If the patrons of the new store in Price Hill treat it as the patrons of the Corryville Kroger, then it will probably end up the same.

 

Maybe the neighborhoods need to do more to police these businesses and make them understand they are welcome there and that crime etc will not be tolerated.

 

 

Kroger's beer/wine selection usually sucks

 

That's one thing the Kroger in Cincy has going for it ... a great beer and wine selection!

Isn't there a Kroger in OTR? Seems Cincy does have urban supermarkets. This is probably more of an issue in smaller citys like Dayton and Toledo.

 

Yes, there is a Kroger in Over-the-Rhine. There are also Krogers in West Price Hill, Walnut Hills, Corryville, and Westwood. These neighborhoods are fortunate to have these stores there, but there is still a distinct difference over what is offered at say the Walnut Hills Kroger and the Kroger in Hyde Park. These differences often perpetuate the cycle of poverty and the problems that go along with it (i.e. malnutrition and health problems).

 

I would not expect the Kroger locations mentioned to carry the same products as Hyde Park.  For example, I wouldn't think there would be a huge demand for organic products on the west side of town.  I'm sure there are also products that sell better on the west side of town than they do in Hyde Park. 

 

I would think the stores sell what there is a demand for in the neighborhood.  If people want specific items in that store, they should tell the store manager. 

 

That said, I am disappointed that there is a large selection of 40s in the OTR Kroger.  But, I have heard a rumor that they are carrying some organic products.

 

The counter-argument is neighborhoods like (here it comes) Hamtramck which serves an avg household income of 26K with an abundance of Muslim and Eastern-European corner markets selling fresh produce and preservative/HFCS-free packaged foods at very reasonable prices.

 

 

Don't compare hard working immigrant/1st generation American neighborhoods to the unfortunate welfare class we have promoted in this country.  And please, I mean people of all races and ethnicities.  A whole generation has grown up on processed foods.  Families aren't sitting down to meals together.

 

Its the chicken and egg thing.  If there is a market, the businesses will put stores there.  If the patrons of the new store in Price Hill treat it as the patrons of the Corryville Kroger, then it will probably end up the same.

 

Maybe the neighborhoods need to do more to police these businesses and make them understand they are welcome there and that crime etc will not be tolerated.

 

There's a fair amount of your "welfare class" there, too.

 

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_zip=48212

When I lived Downtown year ago I'd go to the (gentrified) Brewery District Kroger which offers a better selection, higher-quality produce, and lower prices than the Kroger across High over in (ungentrified) Weinland Park. So if you're lower-income, you're paying more for the same thing. The Giant Eagle over on Neil in Harrison West (not Victorian Village) is smallish and the other one in Schumacher Place on Whittier is a bit bigger, but aside from the size I don't recall much of a difference.

 

Columbus has a decent number of grocery stores in the city and there are a number of local options like North Market Downtown, Oatganic on Chittenden near OSU, and the Clintonville Community Market, not to mention Arena Produce in Milo-Grogan.

 

Unfortunately, a big beef I have with the chians is that every location utilizes the suburban model of a huge front parking lot and the city just goes along with it. Is this the same situation in Cincinnati and Cleveland?

...The Giant Eagle over on Neil in Harrison West (not Victorian Village) is smallish and the other one in Schumacher Place on Whittier is a bit bigger, but aside from the size I don't recall much of a difference.

 

The stench of rotting meat, for one (Shumacher Place).

When I lived Downtown year ago I'd go to the (gentrified) Brewery District Kroger which offers a better selection, higher-quality produce, and lower prices than the Kroger across High over in (ungentrified) Weinland Park. So if you're lower-income, you're paying more for the same thing. The Giant Eagle over on Neil in Harrison West (not Victorian Village) is smallish and the other one in Schumacher Place on Whittier is a bit bigger, but aside from the size I don't recall much of a difference.

 

Columbus has a decent number of grocery stores in the city and there are a number of local options like North Market Downtown, Oatganic on Chittenden near OSU, and the Clintonville Community Market, not to mention Arena Produce in Milo-Grogan.

 

Unfortunately, a big beef I have with the chians is that every location utilizes the suburban model of a huge front parking lot and the city just goes along with it. Is this the same situation in Cincinnati and Cleveland?

 

I don't know.  I think it's a case by case and item by item situation.  One market could be having a sale on an item the week you go so it might appear, that items in general are cheaper.

 

I don't grocery shop very often, but I have noticed that Topps/Finast on E. 116 was cheaper than and had better selection that Market on the Square.

 

Now Giant Eagle and Daves are about the same.  Some times prices on items are lower at one store, but due to convenience, when I have a craving I'm going to walk to the square as opposed to riding my bike 15 blocks to the store.

 

I try not to shop at Heinen's on Lee as it's over priced as it marks up prices for the Shaker market, but it has a monopoly in the area.

When I lived Downtown year ago I'd go to the (gentrified) Brewery District Kroger which offers a better selection, higher-quality produce, and lower prices than the Kroger across High over in (ungentrified) Weinland Park. So if you're lower-income, you're paying more for the same thing. The Giant Eagle over on Neil in Harrison West (not Victorian Village) is smallish and the other one in Schumacher Place on Whittier is a bit bigger, but aside from the size I don't recall much of a difference.

 

Columbus has a decent number of grocery stores in the city and there are a number of local options like North Market Downtown, Oatganic on Chittenden near OSU, and the Clintonville Community Market, not to mention Arena Produce in Milo-Grogan.

 

Unfortunately, a big beef I have with the chians is that every location utilizes the suburban model of a huge front parking lot and the city just goes along with it. Is this the same situation in Cincinnati and Cleveland?

 

Well obviously Giant Eagle would be hip to that, I mean everyone knows wealthy white people live nearby so it's automatic profit  :roll:. If you live in Franklinton you better take a bus all the way to Central Pointe or The Brewery  District or something. I came back from Red White and Boom and was going to go in that Giant Eagle off of Neil to use the bathroom but I didn't feel like walking across the giant sea of parking so I ventured into an alley. As drunk as I was, I was still thinking about the ridiculous design/layout of the place. Smack in the face to Neil Ave. imo.

There's technically two Kroger's in Westwood. The nicer one across the street from Western Hills Plaza and one of the last remaining relics in Kroger's arsenal on Harrison Ave near McHenry. It's pretty rough and hasn't been updated in about three decades or so.

 

That's right. There is actually a third if you count the Kroger next to Western Hills High School.

 

True!  I guess I always gave that to West Price Hill/Covedale, but now that I think about it their is a Welcome to Westwood sign on Ferguson directly in front.

Toledo has kept it's small grocery stores (actual grocery stores - not ghetto deli's) more so than at least Cincy and Cbus. I think the stability (could be read of stagnation and poverty) support their continued existence in a way that the more mobile cities of Cbus and Cincy have undermined (Cincy used to have an IGA in nearly every neighborhood but they nearly all closed 10 years ago or so). Bigg's is actually owned by SuperValue out of Minnesota these days, though it was founded by the French.

I do what i can to keep Constantinos in business in Cleveland WHD, but if you fill a bag of groceries there the premium you pay would easily cover the gas to drive to daves of even giant eagle in lakewood. the one in Garfield Heights on the land fill is pretty accessible too. Im not saying this is a typical "urban" grocery store though, its got a yuppy $100+ wine closet and a selection of fine olives.

^ Constantino's is too expensive for regular grocery shopping, but I go there often when I need one or two items last-minute.

 

While I agree that supermarkets are much higher quality out in the suburbs, I don't find myself really missing them.  I do the vast majority of my grocery shopping at the West Side Market now, with occasional trips to Gallucci's.  Every once in a while I will stop in at a Dave's.  The city might not have the nice one-stop supermarkets, but in Cleveland at least, you can get much better food than in the suburbs if you are just willing to hit up a few different (specialty) places for different items.