After moving from their established Central Park Avenue location just south of the Hartsdale Four Corners, Chef Central moved to a temporary location in the Crossroads Shopping Center. This interim move was to hold them through the holiday shopping season until they could move into a nearby space especially for them in the same shopping center. The holidays are a make or break seasonal event for many retail establishments.
After only two short years in the Crossroads Shopping Center, Chef Central is calling it quits. Area competition with similar products by Chef City at 65 Tarrytown Road, could not be helping the Chef Central store. Chef Central’s moving into a smaller space than they previously occupied on Central Park Avenue also gave the new store a bit of a cramped feel and an inability to display as many products that had been visible previously. While parking at their original locations almost ensured a visit to the store, the new location’s parking while ample could get congested at times. Although we don’t believe parking was an issue in their demise, multiple moves, internet sales and area competition made survival difficult.
Sadly, here's another business that moved from their well-established area in Hartsdale and it’s taken its toll on them. While a huge banner-like sign in the window advertises ther store is closing, a smaller sign says they will be closing before or on January 3, 2016. ABG just published an article about the closing of Mrs Green’s supermarket. They had been successful in the Scarsdale location on Central Park Avenue.
The fabric of our Town is made through a variety of types and styles of businesses making our Town vibrant. We’re upset to see any business in the Town, Villages and area close. Chef Central is currently selling its inventory off at discounted prices. We wish the employees and owners of these businesses well. They will be missed as they contributed to making A Better Greenburgh.
Showing posts with label Crossroads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crossroads. Show all posts
Monday, November 9, 2015
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Greenburgh Supermarket To Close In Hartsdale
There is no good news in Greenburgh when it comes to supermarkets. Predictably, we await Mr Feiner's daily GBList email stating there’s "Good News!" to deflect away from the declining supermarket population from the Town. We’ve written previously about businesses that find it difficult to operate in Greenburgh and of the mounting anti-business environment fostered by Mr Feiner and his Town Board. All of the various taxes, imposed under the guise of fees, registrations, permits, applications, etc., along with ordinances, regulations, and more during the 24 years of Mr Feiner's failed financial incompetence, it’s no wonder businesses cannot survive here. It’s paralleled by the residents’ exodus as well.
ABG has also written extensively about the disappearance of food stores throughout the Town. While some loss may certainly be attributed to internet sales as Mr Feiner will have you believe, most of the loss cannot. When ABG spoke to a Greenburgh A&P store manager under the promise of anonymity, he said that the increased and growing competition has forced smaller margins, the high cost of union labor in Westchester in general and the cost of doing business in Greenburgh with its regulations, fees, fines and intrusions, was forcing not only his store, but others in the same strip malls to close.
Based in Irvington, NY, the Mrs Green's chain of natural and health food supermarkets found a difficult time of it after closing their Central park Avenue store and moving into the former Turco's store. When Turco's closed, it created an area void in the Town for a slightly more upscale supermarket with attractive prices, high quality foods, pleasant employees and a seemingly genuine goal of providing excellent customer service. Primarily featuring Italian foods, they too closed based on a shifting demographic as well as increased costs.
After Turco’s closed, Pathmark on Central Park Avenue and Waldbaums in the Crossroads Shopping Center on Rt 119 followed suit. The A&P had only two stores left in the area: the one on Dobbs Ferry Road and the one on Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale. The Dobbs Ferry Road A&P has been purchased and reopened within two days as an Acme Supermarket. Soon, the Scarsdale A&P will be shuttered. Never known to miss an opportunity for publicity, Mr Feiner insisted he and his 24 years of increased fees and costs of doing business in Greenburgh had nothing to do with these stores’ demise. Once it was learned back then that Mrs Green would be taking over the former Turco’s, his media blitz began.
The final day of operation for Mrs Green's is November 12, 2015. Right from the beginning they have seemed to have a rough time of making the store successful. As a niche store, with what could only be seen as a limited offering and generally higher prices, they were competing with other area stores for the sales of some similar products at lower prices. While we're not trying to be critical of their business model, apparently their slight shift from the Scarsdale area to the current location, and the direct competition of H-Mart right next door, was too much to endure. Sadly, while the store’s management says it will try to find positions for its workers in their other locations, we're sure it’ll be a difficult time for many and wish them all well.
It has also been reported that Mrs Green’s was in arrears for approximately $900k with numerous outstanding advertising invoices as reported by the Journal News in 2014. In fact, the Journal News had a substantial amount of money owed to them for advertising. Perhaps if advertising in the Journal News was cost-effective, Mrs Green's might be staying.
We hope there will be another food-related store to move into the soon to be vacated space. The area needs supermarkets and other retail business along Central Avenue in particular and the Town in general. It’s funny in a sad way. Mr Feiner continually green lights plans for his developer friends for carbon copy developments throughout the Town. Yet, these plans never include ideas that would help the Town’s residents, such as supermarkets. This has to change. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
ABG has also written extensively about the disappearance of food stores throughout the Town. While some loss may certainly be attributed to internet sales as Mr Feiner will have you believe, most of the loss cannot. When ABG spoke to a Greenburgh A&P store manager under the promise of anonymity, he said that the increased and growing competition has forced smaller margins, the high cost of union labor in Westchester in general and the cost of doing business in Greenburgh with its regulations, fees, fines and intrusions, was forcing not only his store, but others in the same strip malls to close.
Based in Irvington, NY, the Mrs Green's chain of natural and health food supermarkets found a difficult time of it after closing their Central park Avenue store and moving into the former Turco's store. When Turco's closed, it created an area void in the Town for a slightly more upscale supermarket with attractive prices, high quality foods, pleasant employees and a seemingly genuine goal of providing excellent customer service. Primarily featuring Italian foods, they too closed based on a shifting demographic as well as increased costs.
After Turco’s closed, Pathmark on Central Park Avenue and Waldbaums in the Crossroads Shopping Center on Rt 119 followed suit. The A&P had only two stores left in the area: the one on Dobbs Ferry Road and the one on Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale. The Dobbs Ferry Road A&P has been purchased and reopened within two days as an Acme Supermarket. Soon, the Scarsdale A&P will be shuttered. Never known to miss an opportunity for publicity, Mr Feiner insisted he and his 24 years of increased fees and costs of doing business in Greenburgh had nothing to do with these stores’ demise. Once it was learned back then that Mrs Green would be taking over the former Turco’s, his media blitz began.
The final day of operation for Mrs Green's is November 12, 2015. Right from the beginning they have seemed to have a rough time of making the store successful. As a niche store, with what could only be seen as a limited offering and generally higher prices, they were competing with other area stores for the sales of some similar products at lower prices. While we're not trying to be critical of their business model, apparently their slight shift from the Scarsdale area to the current location, and the direct competition of H-Mart right next door, was too much to endure. Sadly, while the store’s management says it will try to find positions for its workers in their other locations, we're sure it’ll be a difficult time for many and wish them all well.
It has also been reported that Mrs Green’s was in arrears for approximately $900k with numerous outstanding advertising invoices as reported by the Journal News in 2014. In fact, the Journal News had a substantial amount of money owed to them for advertising. Perhaps if advertising in the Journal News was cost-effective, Mrs Green's might be staying.
We hope there will be another food-related store to move into the soon to be vacated space. The area needs supermarkets and other retail business along Central Avenue in particular and the Town in general. It’s funny in a sad way. Mr Feiner continually green lights plans for his developer friends for carbon copy developments throughout the Town. Yet, these plans never include ideas that would help the Town’s residents, such as supermarkets. This has to change. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Lash Kia – Gone?
We’ve spoken to Lash representative Michael Basta (like pasta), about our original post that the Lash Kia was closing their doors. He insisted they were not. In a subsequent meeting with him he assured ABG that they were very much operational and not closing their doors. He explained and we wrote a follow-up article stating precisely that. He had explained that Lash Kia was selling the Kia dealership to one of the northeast’s largest Kia distributors. However, at the day of the closing for the sale, Kia USA put a stop to the transaction. One of our readers recounted her story of trying to get her car serviced there and was told they were no longer an active Kia dealership.
Mr Basta explained that our story was part of the catalyst the Lash attorneys were using in the struggle to move forward with the sale despite Kia USA trying to put a stop it. No explanation was given as to why it was being blocked by Kia USA. Mr Basta had explained how difficult it was to do business in the Town of Greenburgh between the Town’s regulations coupled with the landlord’s limitations. “I can’t put more than four cars out in the lot on display. I can’t put the cars on the grass median between the sidewalk and our lot. I can’t use balloons. I can’t hang signs. I can’t play music. This list is endless.” We sympathize with all of our Town business owners. It’s a daily struggle to just put the key in the door and we have written previously about Town fees, regulations, fines and penalties incurred just to try to make a living. Our Town Board is always seeking new ways to generate revenue through their parochial and exhaustive taxation.
Regardless, in driving by the Kia dealership location at the corner or Rt 119 and Manhattan Avenue, the showroom which previously had several new Kia models on display, several sales personnel at the desks, and customers milling in and out, is now vacant. We know Mr Basta is “safe” as his office was next door at the Lash Volkswagen dealership, but hope that the other employees continued to be employed. ABG hates to see any business close and sincerely hope the sale of the dealership is the reason for the vacancy and not that of excessive regulations, fees and fines forced another business from the Fairview area. It’s tough enough to operate a business without have the Town “pile on” business’ problems.
On an additional note, we still don’t have a retailer to take over the supermarket vacated by A&P about two years ago. There are numerous vacant stores throughout the entire campus of the Crossroads Shopping Center. The landlord has announced they will be giving the entire complex a facelift. County Legislator Alfreda Williams has coined the phrase for this Fairview area as “ghetto-ized by Mr Feiner”. We hope the facelift will attract new and unique businesses. We just have a hard time listening to proposal after proposal by developers, blessed by Mr Feiner and his Board, that continue to include whatever the developers want and then with the requisite “retail space”. With all these vacant storefronts available, why build more? Why not slow down the over saturation of buildings, lessening of green space and increase of impervious space and address the issues already at hand without adding to the problem?
There’s an election coming and ABG hopes the voters are seeing what’s going on and willing to make a long-overdue change. It’s time to transform our Town into something better.
Mr Basta explained that our story was part of the catalyst the Lash attorneys were using in the struggle to move forward with the sale despite Kia USA trying to put a stop it. No explanation was given as to why it was being blocked by Kia USA. Mr Basta had explained how difficult it was to do business in the Town of Greenburgh between the Town’s regulations coupled with the landlord’s limitations. “I can’t put more than four cars out in the lot on display. I can’t put the cars on the grass median between the sidewalk and our lot. I can’t use balloons. I can’t hang signs. I can’t play music. This list is endless.” We sympathize with all of our Town business owners. It’s a daily struggle to just put the key in the door and we have written previously about Town fees, regulations, fines and penalties incurred just to try to make a living. Our Town Board is always seeking new ways to generate revenue through their parochial and exhaustive taxation.
Regardless, in driving by the Kia dealership location at the corner or Rt 119 and Manhattan Avenue, the showroom which previously had several new Kia models on display, several sales personnel at the desks, and customers milling in and out, is now vacant. We know Mr Basta is “safe” as his office was next door at the Lash Volkswagen dealership, but hope that the other employees continued to be employed. ABG hates to see any business close and sincerely hope the sale of the dealership is the reason for the vacancy and not that of excessive regulations, fees and fines forced another business from the Fairview area. It’s tough enough to operate a business without have the Town “pile on” business’ problems.
On an additional note, we still don’t have a retailer to take over the supermarket vacated by A&P about two years ago. There are numerous vacant stores throughout the entire campus of the Crossroads Shopping Center. The landlord has announced they will be giving the entire complex a facelift. County Legislator Alfreda Williams has coined the phrase for this Fairview area as “ghetto-ized by Mr Feiner”. We hope the facelift will attract new and unique businesses. We just have a hard time listening to proposal after proposal by developers, blessed by Mr Feiner and his Board, that continue to include whatever the developers want and then with the requisite “retail space”. With all these vacant storefronts available, why build more? Why not slow down the over saturation of buildings, lessening of green space and increase of impervious space and address the issues already at hand without adding to the problem?
There’s an election coming and ABG hopes the voters are seeing what’s going on and willing to make a long-overdue change. It’s time to transform our Town into something better.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Campaigning To Empty Stores
Dated September 18th, The Paul’s pre-end-of-the-month campaign advertisement holds little substance. As usual, we could have lived without this mailing as his media compatriots have already published this press release “article” and will probably run it again anyway. In it, he bemoans the Crossroads Shopping Center on Rt 119 and the possibility of a new supermarket and how many of you have decried the need for a supermarket. Thanks to The Paul, it’s gotten so supermarket barren in Greenburgh, we’ve taken up learning Korean just so we can shop knowledgeably at HMart, the replacement Korean market at the former Pathmark site on Central Avenue.
While The Paul claims to have no hand in the demise of the A&P at Crossroads Shopping Center, most residents in the neighborhood have been reduced to shopping for staple goods at the $1 Store and K-Mart. The Paul claims he had nothing to do with the A&P’s disappearance in Crossroads. The Paul claims he wasn’t responsible for the double-digit tax increases for driving away the A&P, as well as the other stores. The Paul claims he wasn’t was responsible for the 102% water bill increases driving away the A&P. Have you noticed how much water is used cleaning meat, fish, deli, produce and dairy departments each day? It’s no wonder these seemingly innocuous taxes would promote the demise of many businesses – and residents – in our Town!
Let’s not forget about other contributing factors when doing business in Greenburgh. Factors such as required insurances, rent, salaries, OSHA requirements, local taxes, county taxes, state taxes and federal taxes, estimated tax, the union contracts and theft to mention a few things before a tenant even puts a key in the door. The increasingly widespread low income of area residents are struggling to hold onto their homes while financially challenged, don’t own transportation and must walk or take a bus to go to a supermarket for what they need. How much can they purchase and easily return home?
Soon however, residents will be able to get all their party needs at the new Party City, even though they must go to a different location for everything else for their party. The Paul’s campaign piece states that, “Party City is under construction in the former Barnes & Noble space and has targeted early December 2012 for a grand opening.” This is good news for that space and the shopping center. Let’s just hope the ever-billing, always-requiring Town Building Department, along with his ever-taxing Stepford Board, doesn’t hold up the grand opening because a $200 permit fee wasn’t paid and they miss the holiday party season, only to open to an empty store.
The Paul’s campaign piece touches on the struggling economy and tenants filing for bankruptcy, such as A&P, Marty Shoes, Jembro (still in business, just not in Greenburgh), T-Mobile, Barnes & Noble Bookseller and Avenue. He doesn’t go too far back as he tries to paint the picture, again ignoring the aforementioned contributing factors to these businesses’ demise. He doesn’t mention Pergament, Caldor, or the previous Party Store that left the current Home Goods site. And, as if Crossroads doesn’t need more competition, he doesn’t mention the new Sports Authority that will be going into the site of the former Sym’s store across from the Greenburgh Library. We still like and shop at Modell’s Sports store, but how long can they last with competition right around their proverbial corner?
The Paul claims the leasing staff at Heyman Properties, and Arcadia REIT are working hard to find interested tenants. Why he has failed to advertise for a supermarket on his blog, which has had apparent success finding a tenant for the formerly uninhabitable Frank’s Nursery site? Partnered with the environmental knowledge Town Attorney Tim Lewis seems to have for environmental cleanup and related costs, perhaps Attorney Lewis can assist The Paul in adjusting for the square footage issues we’re told is the reason the former A&P space is not rentable to supermarkets.
There are reasons that brick and mortar businesses fail. Sometimes it’s the business model, the products offered, outside factors, poor management (our Town?), as well as other factors. With the County and State offering concessions to so many businesses to (re)locate or just stay in our area, perhaps it’s time for The Paul to do the same. Here’s a few ideas that may make tenancy more viable in Greenburgh. First, make the certiorari adjustments before the business opens and keep it in place for at least five years. As an aside, the new Stop and Shop on Rt 119 applied for their certiorari grievance the first day they opened their door and got it. Second, waive the permit fees required for any business trying to open in the Town. If not waiving them, at least combine all of them into one more manageable one. Third, have the building department assign an inspector to work closely with the prospective tenant to facilitate renovation work and not delay work, ensuring opening the store for business as projected. Fourth, work with the owners of the property to facilitate the opening as well as a long-term, economically viable relationship for both. Frankly, we don’t think The Paul is capable here and should utilize Tim “The Magic Attorney” Lewis for this.
There are other ideas ABG has but realizes good ideas are rarely embraced by the Town administration. The Fairview area residents and businesses are being crippled by The Paul and his Stepford Board. It’s time for The Paul and his Stepford Board to go. It’s time for The Paul’s campaign mailings ($2,000 Mailings or AAA Rating?) to stop. We can only hope.
While The Paul claims to have no hand in the demise of the A&P at Crossroads Shopping Center, most residents in the neighborhood have been reduced to shopping for staple goods at the $1 Store and K-Mart. The Paul claims he had nothing to do with the A&P’s disappearance in Crossroads. The Paul claims he wasn’t responsible for the double-digit tax increases for driving away the A&P, as well as the other stores. The Paul claims he wasn’t was responsible for the 102% water bill increases driving away the A&P. Have you noticed how much water is used cleaning meat, fish, deli, produce and dairy departments each day? It’s no wonder these seemingly innocuous taxes would promote the demise of many businesses – and residents – in our Town!
Let’s not forget about other contributing factors when doing business in Greenburgh. Factors such as required insurances, rent, salaries, OSHA requirements, local taxes, county taxes, state taxes and federal taxes, estimated tax, the union contracts and theft to mention a few things before a tenant even puts a key in the door. The increasingly widespread low income of area residents are struggling to hold onto their homes while financially challenged, don’t own transportation and must walk or take a bus to go to a supermarket for what they need. How much can they purchase and easily return home?
Soon however, residents will be able to get all their party needs at the new Party City, even though they must go to a different location for everything else for their party. The Paul’s campaign piece states that, “Party City is under construction in the former Barnes & Noble space and has targeted early December 2012 for a grand opening.” This is good news for that space and the shopping center. Let’s just hope the ever-billing, always-requiring Town Building Department, along with his ever-taxing Stepford Board, doesn’t hold up the grand opening because a $200 permit fee wasn’t paid and they miss the holiday party season, only to open to an empty store.
The Paul’s campaign piece touches on the struggling economy and tenants filing for bankruptcy, such as A&P, Marty Shoes, Jembro (still in business, just not in Greenburgh), T-Mobile, Barnes & Noble Bookseller and Avenue. He doesn’t go too far back as he tries to paint the picture, again ignoring the aforementioned contributing factors to these businesses’ demise. He doesn’t mention Pergament, Caldor, or the previous Party Store that left the current Home Goods site. And, as if Crossroads doesn’t need more competition, he doesn’t mention the new Sports Authority that will be going into the site of the former Sym’s store across from the Greenburgh Library. We still like and shop at Modell’s Sports store, but how long can they last with competition right around their proverbial corner?
The Paul claims the leasing staff at Heyman Properties, and Arcadia REIT are working hard to find interested tenants. Why he has failed to advertise for a supermarket on his blog, which has had apparent success finding a tenant for the formerly uninhabitable Frank’s Nursery site? Partnered with the environmental knowledge Town Attorney Tim Lewis seems to have for environmental cleanup and related costs, perhaps Attorney Lewis can assist The Paul in adjusting for the square footage issues we’re told is the reason the former A&P space is not rentable to supermarkets.
There are reasons that brick and mortar businesses fail. Sometimes it’s the business model, the products offered, outside factors, poor management (our Town?), as well as other factors. With the County and State offering concessions to so many businesses to (re)locate or just stay in our area, perhaps it’s time for The Paul to do the same. Here’s a few ideas that may make tenancy more viable in Greenburgh. First, make the certiorari adjustments before the business opens and keep it in place for at least five years. As an aside, the new Stop and Shop on Rt 119 applied for their certiorari grievance the first day they opened their door and got it. Second, waive the permit fees required for any business trying to open in the Town. If not waiving them, at least combine all of them into one more manageable one. Third, have the building department assign an inspector to work closely with the prospective tenant to facilitate renovation work and not delay work, ensuring opening the store for business as projected. Fourth, work with the owners of the property to facilitate the opening as well as a long-term, economically viable relationship for both. Frankly, we don’t think The Paul is capable here and should utilize Tim “The Magic Attorney” Lewis for this.
There are other ideas ABG has but realizes good ideas are rarely embraced by the Town administration. The Fairview area residents and businesses are being crippled by The Paul and his Stepford Board. It’s time for The Paul and his Stepford Board to go. It’s time for The Paul’s campaign mailings ($2,000 Mailings or AAA Rating?) to stop. We can only hope.
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