Group looks to boost S. Toledo trade

With cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet corn, and other farmers' market produce, an association of South Toledo businesses hopes to cultivate a new crop of customers.

Attracting people to what is being called the Byrne Heatherdowns Village is one of the goals of a recently organized business group. Creating a farmers' market is its first outreach effort, and so far, so good.

"When it first came out, we were not sure how it was going to go," said Mike Pratt, whose family has been in the hearing-aid business in the Byrne Road-Heatherdowns Boulevard retail district since 1983.

Active in the new group, Mr. Pratt said market vendors were told to pay only for the initial week, just in case things didn't go well. But the success was convincing. "Most signed up for the entire season," he said.

The market is held every Tuesday from 2:30 to 7 p.m. and is to run through the end of September.

It is in the 2000 block of South Byrne Road, next to the future home of CedarCreek Church in the building that housed a Farmer Jack supermarket on the site of Churchill's, a popular supermarket that pulled in many people to the business district.

The departure of the grocery meant a decline in traffic. That, coupled with the opening of new stores, including Walmart on nearby Glendale Avenue, further eroded the Byrne Heatherdowns Village traffic volume, and with it, the number of customers.

Although some new businesses have opened, several closed shops have for-lease signs in the windows.

The new business group hopes to revitalize the area and is working with political leaders as well as law enforcement officers in an effort to improve the South Toledo neighborhood businesses, said members who want to provide neighbors with impeccable service in a safe environment.

"We meet once a month, and we are trying to come up with different ideas to revitalize this corner of Toledo," said Emily Meadows, general manager of Caper's Restaurant on Byrne Road. Her mother and father own the business, she said, and her mother, Sue Meadows, is active in the new Byrne Heatherdowns Village Business Association, which has 12 area businesses so far as members.

Police officers were invited to attend the association's meetings because business owners are interested in getting extra security because a few break-ins have occurred in the area, Ms. Meadows said. "We are getting real-estate people involved to see about bringing in more businesses. Cedar Creek Church is to open in October, and we hope that will add a lot to the economy.

RetailWire Discussion: Kroger to Grow Sales from Farmer Jack Locations

By George Anderson

Kroger announced on Wednesday that it had reached a deal to acquire 20 Farmer Jack stores in metro Detroit from A&P.

"Kroger picked up the cherries," David Livingston, principal at DJL Research and RetailWire BrainTrust panelist, told the Detroit Free Press . "How many stores were left in the city of Detroit anyhow? Farmer Jack abandoned the city of Detroit a while ago, along with everyone else."

Bruce Macaulay, president of Kroger's Great Lakes division, said in a released statement, "We are excited to welcome Farmer Jack customers into our family of Kroger stores. We look forward to continuing Farmer Jack's tradition of great customer service and quality stores as we expand in this market."

The Farmer Jack stores included in the sale agreement are located in the Detroit suburbs of Algonac, Birmingham, Brownstown Township, Dearborn Heights, Dearborn, Grosse Pointe, Hartland Township, Hazel Park, Imlay City, Northville, Romeo, Roseville, St. Clair Shores, Sterling Heights, Troy, and Westland.

"There's also no guarantees that Kroger will keep those stores open," Mr. Livingston said. "They might change banners to Kroger at some stores and close others and hope the business goes to nearby Kroger stores."

Kroger and A&P are expected to close the sale for the stores in July. Kroger has already begun looking to hire 3,000 workers for the new stores. It said it expects to interview those currently working at the Farmer Jack stores.

Discussion Questions: What do you expect from Kroger once it takes ownership of the 20 Farmer Jack locations? Are you surprised that Kroger chose not to buy any Farmer Jack stores in Detroit proper? Kroger takes on 20 Farmer Jacks - Detroit Free Press Kroger Reaches Agreement to Acquire 20 Farmer Jack Stores in Michigan - The Kroger Co.

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First a geography lesson: Cities like Algonac and Imlay City aren't suburbs of Detroit (unless of course you think of Toledo and Cleveland as suburbs of Detroit).

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