The Plans Are Here! The Plans Are Here!

It seems so much more "real" now the plans and drawings are finished. Above, you see the drawing of the storefront. In all fairness, we won't have tables out but I love the airiness.



As you enter the store (through what is now the ugly plastic garage door), you will see just a little bit of style with reclaimed wood partitions and you will sigh, "ahhh, this is not your typical convenience market." Did you know that the first 20 ft of a market is called the "decompression chamber." Well, here it really will be.




This shows the view down the center aisle to the back where the frozen and refrigerated cases are. The deli and prepared foods are to your left and there is more shelving niches carved out of the wall on the right.




Now, you are in the back of the store looking to the front but focusing toward the deli and prepared food wall. They have used corrugated metal and reclaimed wood throughout for a modern, simple look for not much money. Up in the back above the entrance to the store, you'll see the office loft. Again, love the airiness! The wood and beams of the roof are exposed along with the ductwork for that simple, modern and cheap that I asked for. Nowhere in Chestnut Hill will you feel so open and not claustrophobic.

So, there it is. What do you think?

Derby Basket for Chestnut Hill Historical Society

Adam and I had such a fun time at the Chestnut Hill Historical Society's Spring Derby Event last night. We were thrilled to see so much interest in the new store and the gift basket that we donated for the raffle. It was such a fun basket to make with silver-plated mint julep cups and miniature roses, Kentucky honey, bourbon smoked sea salt and spoon bread mixes, and two gorgeous bourbon and chocolate pecan tarts from our local, award-winning pastry chef, Leslie McLaughlin. I got a chance to attach one of my favorite quick recipes for Low Country Shrimp Ettouffee over Spoon Bread with my signature Low Country Piquant Seasoning. It was such a hit and I was so pleased to show it off!

The Chestnut Hill Historical Society does so many wonderful things for the community including the preservation of our historical records, maps and photos and their easement program that protects the Wissahickon watershed and the Fairmount Park in our backyards. It was so exciting to be a part of the festivities that help raise funds for such a great cause in our community. (And I got to wear a really big hat!)

Yum!

Wrestling with Convenience

I believe in convenience. There is no question about it! I don't have time to waste and I believe that the human race has come so far that we should be streamlining away from every hassle and nuisance. But, I also love economics and I am fascinated by utility maximization and how we measure utility for common goods.

Now, how do I apply that to the store?

Here is a simple (well, actually quite complex) example. We are opening a convenience store. (Yeah!!!) People go to convenience stores everyday and pick up a bottled soda (or a water, or tea or whatever). These drinks have a very high utility to the customer. So much so that they are extremely profitable for the store. I would be crazy not to have them, right? Good for me, good for the customer, no brainer!

Oh, but wait! Not good for the environment, not good for the customer's long term health. See, I loathe plastic soda bottles!

First, they are horrible for the environment. Even if the bottles were recycled by everyone (which they aren't), what about the caps (which definitely aren't)? And even if the bottles were recycled and made into something else, it would be a final destination product (not another bottle, but carpet or a plastic toy) that, inevitably, would end in the dump. Who is that good for?

Then, plastics are horrible for our health. The bottles are made out of chemicals (PET) and hormones (biphenyl-A) that leach out into the beverage and are now being linked to all sorts of cancers. I don't plan to sell cigarettes, so why would I sell carcinogenic bottles?

But would you come to a "convenience store" without beverages? No, of course not. Will you come to a convenience store that only sells fountain beverages in paper cups or that only offers glass and aluminum can sodas? (Recycled glass and aluminum containers take approximately 5% of the energy of creating new and can be recycled over and over). This is a gamble but I am thinking it is one that truly maximizes social utility. I hope Chestnut Hill agrees!

Good Food Market Goes Virtual!

As we prepare for the public announcement of Good Food Market and its opening this summer 2009 in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA, I'm setting up this blog so that we can share the latest and greatest new news available! I hope that this can be a place where hungry neighbors can give feedback, find specials and relate to one another over a common love -- GOOD FOOD!