YVR West Broadway Greengrocers-Brutal Competition Knocks Out Two Players

[Sam Salmon]

The inevitable hand of the market has closed around the throat of two West Broadway produce stores/greengrocers, one in the 3000 block and another in the 3200 block, and both are gone.

Can't for the life of me think of the names of those places that's how much I took them for granted/and how little I had to do with either place-one a clip joint the other a mausoleum.

I can't see anyone else wanting to open the same sort of operation can you?

My money is on anything but and given the number of vacancies in the hood I bet it'll be a while before we see anything at all.

[islandgirl]

It would be great if a local/organic focus grocer opened along that stretch...something like the Home Grow-In in the Cambie & 16th area.

[grayelf]

I mentioned elsewhere a few weeks ago that Golden Valley (the one in the 3000 blk) was closing because the owners of the building wanted to do some renovations. During her sell off of stock sale, the proprietor told me she had plans to reopen there and I hope she does -- prices on certain products I bought weekly were much better than elsewhere in the neighbourhood though her produce prices were sometimes off.

The other in the 3200 blk was Broadway Produce and I don't know what happened as I did not frequent that store what with the other similar options nearby that had greater variety and better prices IMO.

Regarding your post title, Sam, maybe you answered your own question and the cluster marketing model was not working in that zone anymore with so many choices nearby.

[cdnprairiedog]

I'm near the corner of Alma and 4th, and I used to go up to W. Broadway for groceries a lot more frequently. Since the IGA and No Frills have moved in, I don't do the walk anymore. And now that Transylvania is over here, all I have to do any more is grocery shop, cook, and grow fat...
I'm on the watch for the lease-rate challenged displacees of gentrified 4th ("Yoga/Maternity Clothing Alley") to move into the 2800-3200 blocks of Broadway in the not so distant future.

[LotusRapper]

Really ?!? Sad :-( I never know the names of these places (exception being New Apple Farm at SW corner of MacDonald next to Petro Can). You are referring to the one next to Calhouns:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&q=w.+3000+broadway+vancouver+bc&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=3000+W+Broadway,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver+Regional+District,+British+Columbia+V6K+2G9&ll=49.264192,-123.172338&spn=0,0.021265&z=16&layer=c&cbll=49.264196,-123.17294&panoid=ry28YIvZquGycz45Golgpg&cbp=12,18.21,,0,5.64

And the one next to Ace Cycle:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&...

These were there as long as I can recall, going back at least to the mid '80s. I wince at what might replace them ....... another clothing store or salon ? These greengrocers are the lifeblood of the neighbourhood. It'd be tragic to lose them.

[Sam Salmon]

Young Brothers Produce next to Ace Cycle in the 3100 block is still doing a roaring trade I was there yesterday in fact.

[waver]

I was so worried it might be Young Brothers you were talking about I did a little detour today and it looked pretty busy. Phew.