Heinen's plans downtown Cleveland grocery store, staking out corner of former Ameritrust complex (gallery)

By Michelle Jarboe McFee, The Plain Dealer

on September 13, 2013 at 9:10 AM, updated September 13, 2013 at 9:22 AM

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Heinen's Fine Foods, a suburban shopping stalwart, plans to step into the city next year with a 33,000-square-foot store in the heart of downtown Cleveland.

 

The homegrown grocer, led by twin brothers Jeff and Tom Heinen, will occupy a key corner at East Ninth Street and Euclid Avenue. Their store will anchor the northern edge of a huge project -- the transformation of the former Ameritrust complex into a hotel, apartments, offices and Cuyahoga County's new headquarters.

 

Developer Greg Geis confirmed that he is finalizing a 15-year lease with Heinen's and hopes to open the market, and the rest of the rehabbed complex, in fall 2014. That will make Heinen's downtown's first -- and likely only, in the near term -- major grocer, as the local company bets on continued residential growth in the center city.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/09/heinens_plans_downtown_clevela.html#incart_river_default

its like I speak and the world responds.

^Just plain HUGE.

its like I speak and the world responds.

 

Nice job, Whipjacka. Keep that source handy.

 

Watch. More residential projects will move forward downtown (and in surrounding neighborhoods!) now that this grocery store project and the continued absorption of new residential units are coming. This is the definition of a feedback loop: downtown population growth ---> residential amenities ---> downtown population growth --->

And something they should think of that might make sense would be a downtown delivery service (of course for a fee).  Given the income range and busy schedules this seems like a no brainer.  Might even think of offering it even after the store is closed (at least for non perishables).  Get your order in during the day, have it picked and bagged and then just have one guy delivering after hours for those who get home late (like associate attorneys at most large firms).

And something they should think of that might make sense would be a downtown delivery service (of course for a fee).  Given the income range and busy schedules this seems like a no brainer.  Might even think of offering it even after the store is closed (at least for non perishables).  Get your order in during the day, have it picked and bagged and then just have one guy delivering after hours for those who get home late (like associate attorneys at most large firms).

 

And that delivery van, all decked out in Heinen's logos/phone/web/email with graphics, becomes a roving advertisement for the store.

 

 

BOOM, you guys feel free to go back a page or two and peer into my clairvoyance:)

 

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/09/heinens_plans_downtown_clevela.html#incart_flyout_news

 

Heinen's plans downtown Cleveland grocery store, staking out corner of former Ameritrust complex

 

"Developer Greg Geis confirmed that he is finalizing a 15-year lease with Heinen's and hopes to open the market, and the rest of the rehabbed complex, in fall 2014. That will make Heinen's downtown's first -- and likely only, in the near term -- major grocer, as the local company bets on continued residential growth in the center city.

 

The store will fill the first two floors of the historic Rotunda and the first floor of the neighboring Swetland Building, at 1010 Euclid Ave."

 

Mark my words: they will emulate the Walgreens in Wicker Park, Chicago, to some degree and watch the store become a tourist attraction in the same way.

 

Excellent point about this store being a tourist attraction.

 

The population surrounding the store isn't 10,000 or 14,000. It's 100,000 -- the daytime population of downtown. I realize that suburbanites who work downtown probably prefer to do their grocery shopping in the suburbs. But there may be instances when this store is tapped for smaller purchases. And if someone in the City of Cleveland wants to shop at Heinen's, this will be their closest store. The nearest ones are Shaker Heights, University Heights and Rocky River. http://www.heinens.com/home/contact-us/all-store-locations/

There should be nightly wine tastings, beer tastings, cooking classes, match.com meetups, speed dating, celebrity chef lectures, sushi bar, actual bar, coffee shop....and you've got a huge weekend destination unlike anything else downtown.

 

I don't know how parking will work, but this is a rare moment when near street parking/lots will be extraordinarily beneficial to the city, both for daytime shoppers and especially night outings/dates. Perhaps the Heinens boys can buy some nearby lots or arrange a deal where the store will validate parking (say an hour on weekdays, 2 hours on weekends?).

There should be nightly wine tastings, beer tastings, cooking classes, match.com meetups, speed dating, celebrity chef lectures, sushi bar, actual bar, coffee shop....and you've got a huge weekend destination unlike anything else downtown.

 

I don't know how parking will work, but this is a rare moment when near street parking/lots will be extraordinarily beneficial to the city, both for daytime shoppers and especially night outings/dates. Perhaps the Heinens boys can buy some nearby lots or arrange a deal where the store will validate parking (say an hour on weekdays, 2 hours on weekends?).

 

Part of Heinen's current schtick is the parcel pickup guys who load your car for you.  They could certainly do something like this with a curbside pickup so patrons could walk to said lot, then return to get their groceries.

I'm mentally running up and down the halls of my office screaming "Wooooooooooooooo!"

 

Seriously psyched, especially since I shop at the Heinen's in Brecksville on my way home from work since its not convenient on the weekends!

 

With how much pre-prepared food Heinen's sells, they will undoubtedly benefit from the downtown lunch rush in addition to regular grocery patrons.

i was thinking the same about the prepared foods

I'm mentally running up and down the halls of my office screaming "Wooooooooooooooo!"

 

Seriously psyched, especially since I shop at the Heinen's in Brecksville on my way home from work since its not convenient on the weekends!

 

With how much pre-prepared food Heinen's sells, they will undoubtedly benefit from the downtown lunch rush in addition to regular grocery patrons.

 

Downtown is on fire!  This will significantly increase foot traffic downtown.

Gotta keep filling up apartment buildings. Those project have to move forward and be successful. Fingers Crossed.  This is a significant tipping point for downtown in my opinion

This is a significant tipping point for downtown in my opinion

+1

And something they should think of that might make sense would be a downtown delivery service (of course for a fee).  Given the income range and busy schedules this seems like a no brainer.  Might even think of offering it even after the store is closed (at least for non perishables).  Get your order in during the day, have it picked and bagged and then just have one guy delivering after hours for those who get home late (like associate attorneys at most large firms).

 

Hi folks -

 

The delivery-service question came up at the Heinen's focus groups and in subsequent interviews I conducted with some of the participants. So I asked Tom Heinen about it. He said that Heinen's doesn't plan to offer home delivery downtown, at least initially. The company offered home delivery in the suburbs years ago, and it wasn't profitable.

 

Michelle

And something they should think of that might make sense would be a downtown delivery service (of course for a fee).  Given the income range and busy schedules this seems like a no brainer.  Might even think of offering it even after the store is closed (at least for non perishables).  Get your order in during the day, have it picked and bagged and then just have one guy delivering after hours for those who get home late (like associate attorneys at most large firms).

 

Hi folks -

 

The delivery-service question came up at the Heinen's focus groups and in subsequent interviews I conducted with some of the participants. So I asked Tom Heinen about it. He said that Heinen's doesn't plan to offer home delivery downtown, at least initially. The company offered home delivery in the suburbs years ago, and it wasn't profitable.

 

Michelle

 

Thanks, Michelle.  I would encourage them to consider it more, since a downtown store is bound to have a much different business model than the suburbs.  Downtown residents are generally pretty busy career people who may be willing to pay for that.  It's a much different situation than the suburbs with a large stay-at-home-mom population (which, there's obviously nothing wrong with that!).  It's just bound to be a different clientele, period.

 

A pre-order and parcel pickup, I believe, could be a good compromise if they're really against delivery.

Gotta keep filling up apartment buildings. Those project have to move forward and be successful. Fingers Crossed.  This is a significant tipping point for downtown in my opinion

 

Renting apartments for this complex will be no problem now.  And the nearby conversions will certainly see a spike in demand as they come online.

I don't know how parking will work, but this is a rare moment when near street parking/lots will be extraordinarily beneficial to the city, both for daytime shoppers and especially night outings/dates. Perhaps the Heinens boys can buy some nearby lots or arrange a deal where the store will validate parking (say an hour on weekdays, 2 hours on weekends?).

 

I'm legitimately surprised Heinens is making the plunge without parking.

 

This is huge for so many reasons.  Should bring lots of foot traffic to the Euclid dead zone.  We're going to be well on our way to continuous Euclid vibrancy from Public Square to the Inner Belt.

I don't know how parking will work, but this is a rare moment when near street parking/lots will be extraordinarily beneficial to the city, both for daytime shoppers and especially night outings/dates. Perhaps the Heinens boys can buy some nearby lots or arrange a deal where the store will validate parking (say an hour on weekdays, 2 hours on weekends?).

 

I'm legitimately surprised Heinens is making the plunge without parking.

 

This is huge for so many reasons.  Should bring lots of foot traffic to the Euclid dead zone.  We're going to be well on our way to continuous Euclid vibrancy from Public Square to the Inner Belt.

 

I am too, very.  Though I suspect they have a plan in the works if it becomes a problem.  Which I suspect it will, in part due to the "carrying bags in uncontrolled spaces" issue.

 

They have traditionally offered curbside pickup and delivery may end up being more profitable downtown.  Perhaps even a small pickup area in some of the bigger apartment buildings.

 

You're doing it right....not only adding a grocery store down there but the best and classiest in the region by far.

A variation of this is probably the vision: http://blog.chicagoarchitecture.info/2012/11/20/first-look-flagship-walgreens-inside-historic-noel-state-bank-building/

 

First Look: Flagship Walgreens Inside Historic Noel State Building

 

 

I am too, very.  Though I suspect they have a plan in the works if it becomes a problem.  Which I suspect it will, in part due to the "carrying bags in uncontrolled spaces" issue.

 

You are such a suburbanite! You can't seem to imagine how urbanites make their lifestyle work -- enjoyably.

 

I don't want to derail this thread, so maybe we discuss elsewhere how this grocery store will impact downtown residential elsewhere (ie: I'll bet this pushes Optima to convert the Huntington Building into residential).....

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,24830.0.html

A variation of this is probably the vision: http://blog.chicagoarchitecture.info/2012/11/20/first-look-flagship-walgreens-inside-historic-noel-state-bank-building/

 

First Look: Flagship Walgreens Inside Historic Noel State Building

 

 

Those pics remind me a bit of the inside of the Westside Market.  That's how I'm imagining this Heinen's will look.

Incredible commitment from Heinens and Geis.

Also http://www.processcreative.com/ will do the store build out.

THANK YOU Heinens!!!  This move will push the other Eucild projects forward for sure and boom...Euclid is a complete street from Public Square to Playhouse Square to CSU!!  I am so happy I'm crying!!  :-D :cry: :-D

I can't believe how close we were to having 1010 Euclid and the Breuer tower demoed.  Instead we get a hotel and dozens of apartments.  Good riddance to the losers that used to run the county.

There should be nightly wine tastings, beer tastings, cooking classes, match.com meetups, speed dating, celebrity chef lectures, sushi bar, actual bar, coffee shop....and you've got a huge weekend destination unlike anything else downtown.

 

Precisely!

 

LOYAL TO HEINENS SINCE 2004

I am too, very.  Though I suspect they have a plan in the works if it becomes a problem.  Which I suspect it will, in part due to the "carrying bags in uncontrolled spaces" issue.

 

You are such a suburbanite! You can't seem to imagine how urbanites make their lifestyle work -- enjoyably.

 

I don't want to derail this thread, so maybe we discuss elsewhere how this grocery store will impact downtown residential elsewhere (ie: I'll bet this pushes Optima to convert the Huntington Building into residential).....

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,24830.0.html

 

Hey, why not?  Maybe they will even build a skywalk.  :evil:

 

In all serious, you've just kicked up the desirability of all connected residential buildings by an order of magnitude. 

This is fantastic news for downtown! What's with all the positive comments on cleveland.com? Did they legalize marijuana up there?  :wink:

Now it's the Huntington Building's turn to be converted to apartments.  Prime location right across the street.

Now it's the Huntington Building's turn to be converted to apartments.  Prime location right across the street.

 

I miss working there and visiting the little shops and walking through that stunning lobby. In some ways the place is a city unto itself.

 

Lets hope that Heinens is the game changer in all this.

I called the Heinen brothers "heroes" in my PD comments today - and feel they are. Talk about commitment to your town!

 

The most beautiful possible grocery space... a showplace... unique... unconventional... perfect...

 

Wow - what a development... and the perfect catalyst to move further east with development down Euclid...

 

And apartment development just got a giant boost.

 

Now - what's next???

I wouldn't go so far as to say hero

The ultimate for me would have been an Apple Store or something that showcased this space in a ultra-creative way...however that probably never was a practical thought. 

Very happy with Heinen's.  Also happy that their second Chicago store will only be 15 minutes from my house...Love their stuff.

I don't know how parking will work, but this is a rare moment when near street parking/lots will be extraordinarily beneficial to the city, both for daytime shoppers and especially night outings/dates. Perhaps the Heinens boys can buy some nearby lots or arrange a deal where the store will validate parking (say an hour on weekdays, 2 hours on weekends?).

 

I'm legitimately surprised Heinens is making the plunge without parking.

 

This is huge for so many reasons.  Should bring lots of foot traffic to the Euclid dead zone.  We're going to be well on our way to continuous Euclid vibrancy from Public Square to the Inner Belt.

 

I am too, very.  Though I suspect they have a plan in the works if it becomes a problem.  Which I suspect it will, in part due to the "carrying bags in uncontrolled spaces" issue.

 

What.

Is the heinens supposed to open in a  relatively quick time frame? I imagine it wouldn't take too long since they already have a building, but maybe they'll wait till the adjacent tower is finished filling with tenets?

^I'm going to guess that it wouldn't open right away - we're not talking about a brand new store built from the ground up with a typical floorplate. They're going to have to be creative about the layout and that always adds time - in this case, I'm okay with that as long as the end results are worth it.

^In the article they indicated a Fall 2014 opening for everything.  I think that's a reasonable amount of time to create a top notch grocery experience for the downtown resident as well as the downtown worker grabbing something for lunch or bringing home fixings for dinner.  I for one would jump at the chance to grab some fresh fruits, veggies and meat or fish, and then hop on the bus for home.

Pardon the crappy cellphone pic - structural steel is well underway at the county admin building:

 

That's going up pretty quick. Any chance while you were there you kicked out one of the supports for that skywalk? If they're going to keep it, are they at least going to freshen it up a little? It looks pretty raggedy.

That's going up pretty quick. Any chance while you were there you kicked out one of the supports for that skywalk? If they're going to keep it, are they at least going to freshen it up a little? It looks pretty raggedy.

 

If you go over to the east side of the walkway, it looks like they cleaned a small portion of it -- almost like the test cleaning they did on the Breuer a few months ago.

Some photos from early last week ... even with cleaning, the thing is still damn hideous, lol.

 

 

I was hoping "The M on 9th" was a working title. 

 

Thanks for the pics, Paul!

^^ Once again, that's a striking difference. I guess I'll take it. Small victories. Some accent lighting might be nice. Maybe the purple neon lights like underneath tricked out Subaru's.

 

 

 

What does the "M" in "The M on 9th" stand for??

What does the "M" in "The M on 9th" stand for??

 

Misnomer? No wait, Monstrosity? No wait, Mybraincan'tcomeupwithabettername. No wait.......

I really think I like the "cleaned" version less. I think it's because the dirty version of the windows are a brown color that blend into the whole thing and are less noticeable. The cleaned window casings stand out more and look like crappy concrete (I'm guessing that's what they are).

Lol, @KJP!!!

I really think I like the "cleaned" version less. I think it's because the dirty version of the windows are a brown color that blend into the whole thing and are less noticeable. The cleaned window casings stand out more and look like crappy concrete (I'm guessing that's what they are).

 

I totally agree! The darker color blended in better. In no way am I advocating a dirty building, but I think the clean concrete is a stark contrast. The building now has more pop and less subtlety...

From what I can remember, the building looked much better (whiter) in historic photographs. The contrast looked vastly better, and was not unlike this render.

 

 

The windows will look different when there's finally lights on inside!