Local Blockbuster Hitting Eject
A faithful reader sent me the following. I called the store this morning and updated with the corrected dates.
I was at blockbuster the other day and they said they were closing, thought it might be something good to send out via H&H blog. the guy said that doors will be closing on
2/162/9 but that they will be selling everything in the store starting on2/82/4 (I think that was the date he said). anyway, great time to buy some movies and games.
Would that be nice if we can have a small grocery store like Trader Joe’s to move into that location.
I whole-heartedly agree with Ashley.
Even another Ellwoods would be fantastic.
A small grocery store would be awesome but I wouldn’t hold my breath for Trader Joe’s to come there.
As for Blockbuster, I didn’t use that location very many times but I’m sorry it didn’t work out for them.
Numbers without a point. Blockbuster property 4900 FH Ave…
Land assessed at $287K, Structure at $616K. I think corporate entity is in bankruptcy, so that will freeze any decision on sales of property. That’s a big number for a grocery store to handle, even before necessary modifications. Average grocery margin is about 1-2%, although “prepared foods” does better. We really need something there, though.
Sad to see another business go in this area. Hope it can be replaced with something good, but not holding my breath in this market. There is till the old Ferguson’s place across the intersection for sale/lease for the past year or two.
I noted that the 48 hours store has a low volume of inventory for available shelf space. I wouldn’t think that’s a positive sign.
trader joes has an option to request store locations. get on their site and ask! I asked for them to take over 29.99 shoe warehouse space.
Jonathan, in the 8 years that we’ve lived near the 48 hrs store, they’ve seldom had much on their shelves. They seem to do the most biz in beer/wine/snacks and lotto. Not many folks heading in there for toiletries.
A police substation would be nice.
What goes around comes around? The shoe warehouse was once a Safeway, and there was a police substation in a building demolished to build the Walgreens.
48 hrs is simply a crime magnet since the police say the will not work with them. I would not be terribly upset if they closed. Unlike the Blockbuster another business in there could only get better.
whr, I think it’s an exaggeration to say that the 48hrs is a crime magnet. It has a pretty great selection of wine and beer that this beer snob has always been impressed with. I would agree that the store would benefit from some hands-on owners/managers.
Not surprising. Was amazed it was still there. Personally, a Kroger would do me well.
Sundagger, you are correct…Blockbuster is currently operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. But they do not own the property at 4900 Forest Hill Avenue. In fact, they own very little property relative to the number of stores that they operate. I have not seen the 4900 location listed in any court filings as a location that will get the axe, but I am not surprised that it didn’t make the cut. That location just wasn’t doing enough business to support its lease. My hope was that Blockbuster would sublease space to Panera Bread (they’ve been in discussions with the Panera CEO about the idea) to create a “store within a store” environment, but obviously that is not going to happen now. Hopefully the property does not stay vacant for too long and we get a good replacement later this year.