Archive for the ‘Kenmore Businesses’ Category
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Feb
17
Posted by James Lupori
AND THEN THERE WERE TWO!
Last October I wrote a post entitled “Kenmore Village – Squandering a Chance to Create a 21st Century City” in which I expressed my frustration about the way in which the Kenmore City Council and city leadership have essentially allowed Kenmore Village to become a ghost-town. Pardon me for being so blunt, but it’s a disgrace to see business after business vacate Kenmore Village whilst the City Council clings to the false hope that Urban Partners LLC will someday be developing this site. To add insult to injury the City of Kenmore is simultaneously building a new City Hall right across the street at great expense.
Kenmore Village is Down to Two Businesses!
On February 10th the owner of Grocery Outlet told me, officially, that she is moving her store to Kenmore Square at the beginning of April. This means that there will be two businesses left in the square: European Deli and Kenmore Fitness.
So What’s Next?
I’ve got to tell you, I drive past the new City Hall and the almost-empty twilight zone “formerly-known-as-the-Kenmore-Village” every day and I can’t help but wonder why it is that the citizens of Kenmore can’t see the uber-irony in all this.
I can tell you that there are a lot of business owners in Kenmore who feel that the City Council doesn’t care about business development. Some have pointed to their own dealings with the City and many have also pointed to the Kenmore Village as emblematic of a City Leadership that is unresponsive to the realities facing the business community. Everyone wants to know why the City is holding on to Urban Partners LLC WITHOUT A PLAN B!
The Kenmore City Council, Mayor and City Managers owe us an explanation regarding the current status of the Kenmore Village. I don’t think the City of Kenmore can afford to allow the structures in the village to sit empty. When will the City Council tell us what they’re going to do with this important asset? I highly recommend you all get on the phone, call the Mayor and council members and tell them that we want answers regarding the Kenmore Village.
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Feb
10
Posted by James Lupori
“Moving a Whole Store Is a HUGE Project”
Judy Bartlow's Guiding Principles of Success!
I was fortunate to finally catch up with Judy Bartlow, the Owner/Operator of Kenmore’s Grocery Outlet. She is one incredibly busy person and it was obvious that sitting her down for a chat was going to be a challenge. I had been trying to do and interview with her since before Christmas when the owner of Kenmore Square told me Grocery Outlet had signed a lease and was moving from its long-time location at Kenmore Village. Well, it’s now official. Grocery Outlet is moving. Judy told me the target date for opening the new store is April 8th. She also told me that planning and executing this move is a Herculean project.
The Current Location of Grocery Outlet at Kenmore Village
Grocery Outlet is moving from the Kenmore Village location.....to
The Future Home of Grocery Outlet at Kenmore Square
...to 7808 NE Bothell Way in Kenmore Village
Judy has been the Owner of Grocery Outlet since 2004 and as she reflected on her long career in the grocery/retail business, it was obvious that she’s one of those fortunate people who has found meaning and fulfilment through her work. She told me that being the owner of GO freed her from the “corporate life” and has allowed her to truly give back to her customers, community and employees. As is the case with so many business owners, Judy has spent a huge amount of time nurturing and training her staff to create a winning team of professionals. She feels as if her staff has created a family at GO and that they go about the business of operating a successful operation by sharing a “common conversation.”
A Nice Store with Great Values and Wide Variety of Merchandise
Judy explained that Grocery Outlet is unique in many ways. Unlike many grocery store chains, GO has a staff of buyers who spend a lot of time travelling the whole world in search of good values and unique products. She proudly stated that “we are master merchants.” As you walk the isles of GO you will not only find familiar name brand products but also a huge variety of items you won’t see at other stores: I noticed some very high quality Italian Olive Oil’s and interesting wines at good prices.
I asked Judy who the average GO shopper is. “We attract a wide range of shopper. Of course there are those looking for bargains who want a good deal; however, we find a lot of local residents shop at our store.” She also mentioned that she has a lot of “long term wine shoppers!”
I was mightily impressed with Judy and her Grocery Outlet. Her enthusiasm for her store, her employees, community and industry is infectious. She has spent a lot of time cultivating a great business and she has also given back to the City of Kenmore through a number of charitable events and programs (The Childhood Cancer Care Line, Easter Egg Hunt and a Feed a Family Program).
The City of Kenmore is lucky that Grocery Outlet is staying here as it is truly a jewel in our business community crown. Let’s send some good energy to Judy and her staff and wish them a smooth transition to the new location. This is exciting! Oh, did I mention that GO will be very close to my house!!! I can’t wait!
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Jan
20
Posted by James Lupori
I recently sat down with Bob Hensel, one of our new City Council members. He had invited me to have a cup of coffee and talk about “our fair city” Kenmore, WA. He was sincerely interested in discovering what sort of issues were on my mind regarding Kenmore, its current challenges and its future. I must say, it was nice to “think out-loud” with Bob as he was a good (and patient) listener!!! So I thought I’d give you an opportunity to vote on what you believe are the important challenges facing Kenmore in 2010. Please answer the poll below and, if I didn’t mention something you consider worthy of note, by all means, tell us what you think in the “comments” section.
You may vote for two items!
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Dec
26
Posted by James Lupori
Ever Receive a Gift You Did Not Want or Even Ask For?
Did the Citizens of Kenmore Ask for a New City Hall?
Yesterday my wife and I celebrated Christmas with our friends. We had a nice turkey dinner with all the trimmings and then we opened gifts. Nothing terribly earth shattering about it. As adults, we are well-aware that gift giving is fairly predictable. We give our friends and family the “wish list” and basically, we receive some of the things we ask for. We also try to give our loved-one’s things that they want or need. Occasionally, we get the rouge gift (in my case someone always gives me a little “off-color” treat) or we get a real “surprise” that makes the celebration truly fun. Yes, it’s all part of a spirit of generosity and friendship. Good stuff!
But Then I Think About the Gift that Keeps On Taking
Unfortunately, there are times when Santa brings us stuff that we don’t want or need or (frankly) appreciate. You know, the ugly toaster, the ill-fitting shirt or cheap jewelry. We smile and say thank you knowing in the back of our minds that we will either take the offending “thing” back or exchange it for something better. The fact is, this situation is really easy to fix and no one gets upset.
Well, my fellow Kenmore Residents, every day I drive past the construction site of the new Kenmore City Hall, and I can’t help but think of it as one of those presents that we didn’t ask for. I don’t know of anyone who was asked by the City Council if they wanted a new city hall. It wasn’t on anyone’s “got-t0-have-it” list. The most disturbing thing is our City Leaders are spending A LOT OF MONEY ($18 Million) to build the new city hall…….city money, the community’s money. Basically, it’s like giving someone a present by taking money out of that person’s bank account to pay for the gift.
This last year, I’ve done a lot of thinking about a number of “big picture” issues here in Kenmore and I’ve come to the conclusion that the city “looks” a little better but fundamentally, we have not really improved that much. Some of the improvements made on SR522 have been helpful. I’m not so sure the traffic flow is any better than it was before the make-over. Aesthetically it’s more pleasing. But what so disturbs me is the fact that, at a time when the city leaders should be focusing on how to transform Kenmore from a strip-mallish bottleneck to a 21st Century town, they thought it was prudent to build a new City Hall. Perhaps I’m not thinking about this clearly, but I simply find it hard to believe Kenmore City Government will be more productive or accomplish more because the city staff has a nice new building from which they conduct business. I’d be willing to bet that the money being spent on the new hall could have been appropriated in far better ways.
It’s too bad we can’t bring this “gift” back to the store and get a refund. We never asked Santa for it, he basically shoved it down our collective throat. So, my fellow Kenmore residents, once this new city hall is completed and the staff moves in, let’s see if the permitting process improves, if the City of Kenmore starts to attract new businesses, if the City Council starts broadcasting it’s meetings via the Internet in order to improve public participation, or if we see an improvement in the quality of life here in our fair city.
Ultimately, holding the City Council and staff accountable is our job. Now that they get to reside in a nice new building, let’s see if they can make the rest of Kenmore look as nice.
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Dec
22
Posted by James Lupori
What’s Up With Kenmore Village?
I recently had yet another conversation with a local business owner here in Kenmore who expressed frustration with the City Council’s lack of transparency regarding the Kenmore Village. “The City Council isn’t telling us what they intend to do with Kenmore Village,” this owner said. “It seems to be a BIG SECRET!”
To be fair, earlier this month I had a telephone conversation with Mayor Baker and he expressed his own concerns about the Kenmore Village. The development of this property has been complicated because the current economic climate has put a monkey wrench in the plans to have Urban Partners LLC build a new village. The Mayor is well-aware that it could take years for this development to happen and he admitted that coming up with feasible solutions to the empty buildings and vacant lot has been difficult.
As we approach the end of 2009, I think it is imperative that the residents of Kenmore start thinking about the future of Kenmore Village. Allowing such a large city-owned, commercially valuable space to become virtually vacant is, simply put, NOT a good thing. It’s time that Kenmore residents start providing the City Council with some constructive ideas for the Kenmore Village.
Over the last several months I’ve received a number of good ideas (some of which I discussed with Mayor Baker). Below is a list of some interesting concepts. I’m positive that some of you have other concepts you’d like to present to the City Council. Please comment here or, better yet, pick up the phone and call the City Council members yourself. Here are a few ideas:
1) Create a satellite Campus space for Bastyr University which could include, classroom space, a retail store for alternative medicines, message therapy, even a vegetarian restaurant!
2) A family activity center.
3) A hotel catering to Kenmore Air clients
4) A business incubator specializing in small-footprint manufacturing or high tech businesses
5) A “creative workspace” for small businesses which accommodate short-term leases
I would love to hear some other ideas.
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Nov
23
Posted by James Lupori
Kenmore Village is Becoming a Ghost Town
The Current Occupancy of the Kenmore Village
Recently, it was announced that the WA State Liquor Store currently in the Kenmore Village was moving to a new location (near Safeway). This got me thinking hard about my post entitled “Kenmore Village, Squandering an Opportunity to Create a 21st Century City” in which I criticize the City Leaders for erecting an $18 Million city hall above Kenmore Village that is literally dying right across the street. With only 3 remaining businesses in the Kenmore Village, I think it’s high time to throw out a couple of my ideas in the hope that SOMEONE over at the City of Kenmore is paying attention. Here goes:
Start a “Creative Workspace”
Click on this picture to learn more about Creative Workspace!
My fellow blogger, Jim Warner, posted an interesting article about Creative Workspace in Lynnwood, WA. Creative Workspace is a fascinating business which combines several concepts: It offers space for a huge variety of businesses (under one roof) while at the same time provides very flexible lease terms so that merchants can afford to do business without the challenges of long-term leases. The building gives access to the tenants 24/7 in a secure environment. Currently, their website highlights 22 businesses. There is also another Creative Workspace in Renton, WA.
Business Incubators – Not a New Idea
Back in the mid 1990’s I visited a business incubator in Ellensburg, WA. At that time I thought it was an interesting idea; however, I didn’t think it would be something I would ever see again. Well, perhaps the time has come for the City of Kenmore to consider the idea of turning the Kenmore Village into a 21st Century business incubator. There’s no reason why the current Village could not integrate a nice looking public space while at the same time create a highly productive business core.
I did a little research and found that there are a number of incubators operating in Washington State today:
William Factory in Tacoma
Click on the picture to view the website!
APEL in Richland, WA
Click on the picture to view APEL's website!
Ellensburg Business Incubator in Ellensburg, WA
Click on the picture to view the website
No More Reports – It’s Time to Act!
On June 1st this year, the City of Kenmore’s Economic Development Committee produced a report entitled “Capitalizing on Kenmore’s Potential.” This 117 page report is fascinating reading and I encourage you all to sit down some evening and examine it. I would also like to take our City Council, the Mayor and the City Managers to task and ask what plans they have to implement some of the (good) recommendations in this report? What substantive steps are they taking to stop what appears to be a migration of businesses out of Kenmore? Are they going to attempt to attract high quality businesses that produce good-paying jobs or are we going to settle for more retail? I’d sincerely like to know what the City Leaders have in mind.
Click on the picture to view the report
I realize that it’s easier to propose ideas than to actually implement them; however, the City of Kenmore is at an interesting cross road. Recently, economists have been suggesting that 2010 will be a better year with a 3.5% growth rate. They have also indicated that employment will lag in spite of higher productivity. I am convinced that it’s time for Kenmore to seize this opportunity, set some specific objectives in terms of attracting high-value businesses to Kenmore and start utilizing Kenmore Village before it becomes nothing more than a useless eyesore. In this way, the city can take advantage of increased business investment AND create jobs in the process.
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Oct
13
Posted by James Lupori
A Symbol of Flawed Priorities
As a resident of Kenmore who is deeply concerned with the growth and prosperity of my home town, I’ve become increasingly perplexed by the direction our City Leaders are taking with regard to the future. Every day that I pass by the construction site of the new Kenmore City Hall and then travel west, across the street and gaze upon the barren, asphalt-wasteland (supposed site) of the “Kenmore Village,” I’m struck by a sense that our City Leaders and WE need to reevaluate our priorities.
Click on the picture for a larger perspective
Frankly, I’m not-at-all happy that an $18 million City Hall is being constructed (a City Hall that the residents of Kenmore did not “approve”) at a time when the focus of our community leaders should be on building our tax base and reputation with enterprises that create economic opportunities. I’m afraid that Kenmore’s current trajectory will not transform us from a “strip-mallish looking any pla_ce” into a distinctive, vibrant and well-respected city. Pardon me for being so blunt, but the symbolism of the new City Hall being constructed whilst the current Kenmore Village becomes a veritable asphalt wasteland is, simply put, uber-tragic.
The Little Gym Departure – “Not good for business.”
Recently, several Kenmore bloggers posted articles about the departure of The Little Gym from the Kenmore Village. The Little Gym has been premier business in the Kenmore but, alas, it is moving to a more business-friendly location in Lynnwood, WA. Laurie Sperry’s www.kenmoreblog.net, Bill Leak’s KBIN network and the Seattle Crow’s http://eyesonkenmore.com, all made mention of this loss. The Kenmore Crow’s post entitled: Kenmore Village Exodus Continues gives an excellent synopsis of the vacancy problems facing the Kenmore Village. He provided an interesting schematic of the vacancies at the village:
At about the same time The Little Gym was announcing its departure, I did an interview with Tom Dooley, Owner of Kenmore Fitness Center, who has operated his gym in the Kenmore Village since 2004. During the course of our discussion The Little Gym did come up, and Tom expressed some real concerns about the relationship between Kenmore business owners and the City of Kenmore. He said this was an example of how the city makes it difficult for businesses to survive at the village.
“James, most of the council members are still under the belief that the current developers (Urban Partners LLC) will proceed with the current plans, it will just take some time. Until that belief changes, there is not a lot that will happen. What I’m suggesting is that we start looking at a plan “B.” Come up with some alternative plans, in case the current plans do not happen, or in case the developers ultimately pull out of the deal for whatever reason.”
Tom went on to say that it will be difficult to bring new businesses into Kenmore Village because the longest lease available currently is through the end of 2011. It is extremely difficult for a new business to come into the village with such a short term lease. Tom continued:
“This is why it was so disturbing to me that we lost The Little Gym. There is virtually no chance that the space will be filled with anything close to the quality of that business. It hurts my business, it hurts Kenmore Village and it hurts the City. There are no winners in this one.”
The BIG Questions
There are those of us who believe that the Kenmore City Council and the Mayor need to quit wishing and hoping and speculating that the Kenmore Village envisioned several years ago will be constructed any time soon, or that Urban Partners LLC will continue to be the “right” choice to build the Kenmore of tomorrow.
We know that the current economic climate has not been favorable to developers (Urban Partners LLC is facing some brutal challenges with it’s Burien Town Square). We also know that Urban Partners LLC claims to be committed to developing this property. Others, such as Patrick O’Brien, a candidate for City Council position #6 feels that a big change needs to happen in order to properly utilize the village:
“I would vote to put the Kenmore Village Project out for a competitive price re-bid.The project is more than just delayed. Kenmore Partners has gotten counsel approval to greatly reduced the commercial square footage and it’s requirement for many parking spots. The council has also granted tax exemptions. It’s true the economy has not helped at all but the city should have never been involved in this level of land speculation.”
So, Is There a “Plan B?”
Recently, Bill Leak posted several comments on his KBIN website (Kenmore Business Information Network) about “the deterioration of the Kenmore Village.” As always, Bill has tried to present this issue in such a way that we can start thinking out-loud about a workable “Plan B” for the Kenmore Village. Some suggestions were:
- Rejuvenate the current structures to make them more attractive to potential tenants
- Turn part of the property into a park
- Start having a farmer’s market on the property
- Host other activities at the Village
I have my own ideas for the Kenmore Village:
- Create a “business incubator” and encourage small entrepreneurs to start new businesses
- Partner with Bastyr University and create a “satellite store front” for the University featuring classes along with retail (e.g. acupuncture, message, herbs, homeopathic products, etc.)
- Attract a small-carbon-footprint manufacturer into the Village.
- Attract a well-known hotel chain to build a hotel (Kenmore Air should like this!)
All of this thinking-out-loud and brainstorming is a good thing; however, I think it’s high time that the residents of Kenmore and the City Council get real about the brutal facts of our current reality: The Kenmore Village development (with Urban Partners LLC) is not coming any time soon. It is likely that the economy is not going to recover for many years and, given recent history, this will cause the current village to fall into total mediocrity or worse.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable for us, the citizens of Kenmore, to ask the City Council why it is that they felt it was more important to build a new City Hall instead of upgrade the current Kenmore Village? Why do they cling to the notion that Urban Partners LLC will be building $400,000 condos along with retail, when the economics simply don’t justify such a project? As a Realtor® here in Kenmore, I can tell you that betting on the sale of condominiums in Kenmore is not a good idea and won’t be for a long time.
I’d like to say one more thing. I realize this post might seem a bit negative in tone but I must admit, I’ve been mighty irritated about Kenmore these days. I have a sense that some big projects have been thrust on the residents of Kenmore by a few individuals who are more concerned with looking good, rather than creating a 21st Century community. I’ve spoken with quite a number of business owners in Kenmore who tell me they feel as if their concerns are being ignored by City Government. I’m watching a new City Hall being built and I’m not convinced that it’s going to add value to our city government. At the same time, our leadership talks a lot about business development while squandering Kenmore Village. It doesn’t send the right message and it doesn’t make sense to me.
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Oct
08
Posted by James Lupori
Kenmore Fitness Center
728c NE 181st St., Kenmore WA 98028
(425)-485-3012
Click on this picture to view the Kenmore Fitness Center website!
There are a lot of people who would spend more time at the gym if they could fit a work-out into their busy schedule. Also, there are a lot of us who are NOT “mesomorphs,” you know, the people with gigantic muscles who seem to dominate gyms. Most of us simply want a tranquil place to do some weight training, run on a treadmill or stretch out. Well, we are fortunate here in Kenmore to have exactly this sort of work-out center: Kenmore Fitness Center!
A Gym Based on a Simple Idea
Tom Dooley, the Center’s Owner, opened Kenmore Fitness Center in March 2004 with the idea of creating a work-out space with 24-hour access that offered basic equipment (with minimal free-weights) and a friendly, casual atmosphere. As he says on the website:
“A quiet, safe, clean, non-intimidating environment for people of all shapes, sizes and ages.”
According to Tom: “Basically, gyms are not ‘complex’ businesses. You have to provide the equipment and adequate space for work-outs, but most of the challenge is ensuring a clean and safe environment and marketing to the public.” As it turns out the Kenmore Fitness Center seems to be an environment that attracts women and ‘baby-boomers.’” This makes sense, because there is a certain level of security and consistency with the key-card system that only allows members into the gym. When you enter the gym you also notice how clean and organized it is:
Tom has built a solid business and really enjoys providing a premier service to his clients here in Kenmore. The Center has continued to grow, serving literally hundreds of clients who pay the minimal fee of $39.00 per person. Also, there is no “sign-up” fee. He offers a number of other less-expensive plans as well. Check out this slide show of Kenmore Fitness Center:
Click on this picture to view a slide show of Kenmore Fitness Center
The Kenmore Fitness Center is a wonderful, local business. For those of you who desire a convenient, affordable and high quality work-out facility, you don’t need to travel far. Join the Kenmore Fitness Center!
Colors of Ghana
Tom wanted me to mention one of his charitable projects, Colors of Ghana, which brings hand-made clothing, bags and artwork from Ghana. Many of the bags are made from recycled rice bags which have been transformed into works of art. The proceeds help the craftsmen in Ghana, help they truly need:
Click on this photo for a closer look at some beautiful bags
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Sep
21
Posted by James Lupori
Nature’s Timeless Art for Your Home and More!
My first question for Michael Homchick, President and Owner of Crocodile Rocks was, “If you could choose any of the vast types of marble or granite for your own home, what would it be?” He didn’t skip a beat: “Calacatta Crystole!” He then took me back into his warehouse and picked-out a slab, picked it up with a specialized lift and said, “Simple, elegant, classic….this stone has it all!”
Indeed, this is the same marble used in the making of Michelangelo’s “David” and featured in temples and homes around the world for over two thousand years. It is also very expensive. To listen to Michael talk about this stone was inspiring. Indeed, you’re never going to meet a more passionate or knowledgeable business owner than Michael Homchick. With over 30 years of experience as a mason, stone worker, fabricator, merchant, manufacturer, traveler, trader and historian, he brings an almost encyclopedic depth of understanding to his industry. This is why his two Kenmore-based businesses, Crocodile Rocks and Michael Homchick Stonworks are THE places to go for the highest quality stone products and craftsmanship in the area.
From the Quarries to Your Home (or Yacht or Plane)
Crocodile Rocks has been operating in it’s current Kenmore location since the early 1990’s and in that time it has grown into a successful supplier and fabricator of natural stone such as marble, granite, onyx, travertine, limestone and much, much more. When I first met Michael he had just returned from business trip to Italy to visit the actual quarries where the stone originates. Michael also travels to China, India, France Mexico, England and many other countries in order to purchase stone. In this way he guarantees the highest quality products and eliminates the extra cost of middlemen.
Crocodile Rocks has a vast inventory of stone slabs to choose from. If you visit the company website, you can take a look at the wide range of products they carry. But there’s far more to Crocodile Rocks than the retail center. There’s also the “craftsman” side of the business which is absolutely fascinating:
The Fine Art of Stone Works and Fabrication
As a Realtor® here in Kenmore, WA and as a homeowner with granite and tile work myself, I am well aware of how important a beautiful stone counter top or tiled master-bath can be. These finishings add durability and beauty to our homes. This is why I was dying to learn more about Michael’s business. What I discovered; however, was far more than I bargained for. I thought stone was merely the slabs one sees in a typical warehouse when picking out a color for your kitchen or bathroom. You see, Crocodile Rocks not only furnishes homeowners with stone products, but they also fabricate some incredibly intricate (and expensive) specialty finishings for boating and airline clients. In the building housing the stoneworks, a lot of specialized manufacturing goes on:
Let's go in to see what's going on in there!!
Michael told me that his business has been doing well even though the construction industry has been contracting. One would imagine the demand for finished products would be down. On the contrary Crocodile Rocks serves clients who own yachts and in airplanes that require a specialized type of stone work and extremely high level of craftsmanship.
An onyx shower floor for a yacht!
The shower floor above is composed of Iranian and Pakistani onyx that is wafer-thin. Much of the granite and marble used in boats in air planes goes through a special process that allows the stone to be sliced very thin (1/4 of an inch) for these applications. To work with such fragile stone requires special talent and techniques:
Reinforcing stone with fiberglass rods
Coating the back of a custom piece with resin as reinforcement
Click on the next picture to view a slide show of the exciting world of stone fabrication at Crocodile Rocks:
Click on the picture for a short slide show
Celebrating Another Premier Kenmore Merchant
One would think that going out, choosing a piece of granite for your kitchen and having it installed is a fairly simple process. After all, it’s just a piece of rock, right? Far from it. As I learned from Michael Homchick, a huge amount of planning, travel, research and economic calculation goes into bringing customers a fine piece of stone. There are a huge number of players in the supply chain and once the stone is chosen by the customer, there is yet another team of experts who must make the final product look beautiful.
Michael Homchick, Owner of Crocodile Rocks!
Michael employs 32 people who, for the most part, have been with him for many, many years. Both he and his employees have a firm commitment to producing the highest quality products available. Michael puts it this way: “We do the best quality work with stone.” We are truly fortunate that Michael is one of those generous people who likes to share his knowledge and who is really loves his craft. So, if you intend to add stone treatments to your home, boat or air plane (I wish) make sure you visit Crocodile Rocks!
6824 NE 175th Street
Kenmore, WA 98020
425.483.2053
www.crocodilesrock.com
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Sep
14
Posted by James Lupori
Too Many Retailers
Opened in February...Sadly Closing Soon
In February, I wrote a blog post about the grand opening of Smart Buys on my sister blog KenmoreMerchantsUndressed.com : Smart Buys at Stupid Prices Getting Bigger and Better in Kenmore. At that time the owner explained to me that the “discount pricing model” would fit well into the current economic times. The reasoning was: times are tight and people will shop for the lowest prices possible. Unfortunately, this idea may not be true.
An article published in the Fresno Bee regarding these closures quotes a retail analyst:
Bill Rice, a marketing professor at California State University, Fresno, agreed, saying Smart Buys’ low prices alone weren’t enough to attract consumers. “I think they thought they could be like [a] dollar store,” he said. “Unfortunately the dollar store isn’t selling throwaway stuff — they’re selling durable, long-term stuff.”
When Smart Buys began its expansion I was already skeptical that the world needed yet another retailer. Nationwide we have seen a rise in the saving rates of Americans (an incredibly unusual trend) and we have also see the closure of some large retail chains (Circuit City, Gottschalks and others). The fact is, there is only so much junk people need to buy before they simply stop shopping no matter what the price.
The Lesson for Kenmore, WA
I’m sorry that Smart Prices didn’t make it. Truly I am. My thoughts go out to the employees who are losing their jobs and I hope they can find new opportunities soon. Kenmore can hardly afford to lose another business during these challenging economic times but it seems that reality has hit hard, even for discount retailers.
There’s a larger lesson in this closure: Perhaps those who are planning the future of Kenmore should realize that the future of our town is not going to be found in the retail sector. We are already competing with the Northgate Mall and the Alderwood Mall. There is also Lake Forest Park’s shopping center and competition from Bothell and Woodinville. After writing about a number of long-standing Kenmore businesses this last year, it’s obvious to me that Kenmore needs to quit thinking of itself as a place to shop and start thinking of itself as a 21st Century city that offers high tech office facilities, a medical center, hotel or a variety of small-carbon-footprint manufacturing companies that will generate good-paying jobs. We need businesses that make things or offer “value added” high quality services rather than pushing more stuff on each other.
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