Rumorville: What’s Going in the old Larchmont Store?
While we are on the subject of missing Active Sports …and the Larchmont Store before it, what will be going into this long-empty prime store front at 1914 Palmer Avenue?
Many of us have heard the rumors: a Payless Shoe Store. A Pain Quotidien bakery/restaurant. An Apple store . They are only rumors, according to the Mayor.
Larchmont Mayor Josh Mandell told us, "No applications have been submitted" by any business. And he says he is not discriminating on the type of business that may be interested in coming to the retail-challenged Village saying, "We’ll listen to all interested parties."
Mandell says he called Apple himself when he heard the rumor, but whomever he spoke with knew nothing of a move into Larchmont.
Unlike bigger towns and cities, "we don’t have the ability to do merchant targetting," or control what types of businesses make applications or inquiries," Mandell said. But he says he would love to have "something like an Apple store that is sustainable economically," because its prices can’t be undercut on the Internet, as Apple does not discount its products.
Also, speaking of Palmer Avenue, Michou, and its beautiful handmade jewelry and housewares will be moving out of the shop and going strictly online at www.michouny.com. Catch the big moving sale.
Oh- and while we are at it, the Rye Ridge Shopping Center wants you to know a new Chipolte store opens there April 30.
An Apple store ? where ? in what ? is there an available 10,000 sf in Larchmont I dont know about ?
We are trying to put a Subway at 2005 Palmer Ave.
For more info or questions email or call me
Lou Klein
NAI/Friedland Realty
914-968-8500
lklein@friedlandrealty.com
2005 Palmer is the little shopping center with the mailing place, LTrain, bridal shop and burned down training place
Is there something wrong with Subway going into 2005 Palmer ?
Is there somewhere else you would like to see them ?
Yea, Lou: it’s low-end, cheesy (and not in a dairy-like whey) and its a fast-food chain! NOT the tone and tenor of this town!
Lou – that’s a funny reaction to a geography lesson: I was just explaining where it is. But now that you mention it, it isn’t that far away from six other sandwich shops, two of which are brand new. On the other hand, although I can’t remember the last time I ate a sandwich, I like Subway.
How about another Larchmont Store? Socks, underware, thread, needles, aspirin, school supplies, necessities…you know, like the old Larchmont Store. Then we don’t have to get in our cars and leave the village for another shopping destination! Maybe a Subway counter in the back!!
[quote][i]All know the way; few actually walk it.[/i] – Bodhidharma[/quote]
The real question is not what one wants to have but what a business can do profitably. Look West all men and women, grow up with the country” (actually southwest, and this a slight re-write of an another words). So, for example, look towards Pelham Manor.
Anybody not hear of Fairway? Anybody not see how “land” was “re-purposed” for the beginning of the 21st century? Anybody not understand the tax implications?
The little separate communities of Larchmont and Mamaroneck must THINK BIG. And change or cede the future.
We have land (despite beliefs), we have intelligence. Now we must decide whether we have the courage to use them wisely. Perhaps we need a medal from the Wizard 🙂
I miss Woolworth’s. Anyone remember that store, with the lunch counter right inside? They made the BEST greasy artery clogging burgers. Mmmmmmmmmm………
My understanding is that the old Larchmont Store space is being brought up to code by the owner and has been split into two spaces. One is 1,000st ft and the other 2,500 sq ft.
There is a Subway on Purchase Street in Rye. How is that doing?
Subway?, Payless?, Apple? I don’t want a downtown that is like a mini Westchester mall. I want stores that have a little character which gives our town unique personality. I also don’t support leasing to stores that will bring a lot of traffic into a place with very little parking. (Apple? why would they ever come to a town with so little parking?)And finally, I want stores that give kids something to do when they walk into town with friends. I don’t support filling them with more Verizon Wireless type shops! That’s my 2 cents.
Thanks for using the 2003 picture of my daughter Charlotte waiting in front of the old Larchmont Store for the newest Harry Potter book (instead of driving to a Barnes and Noble). It reinforces the need for a great local store because, when locals can walk into town for what they want to purchase (use those feet people!) and get to know their shop keepers, it provides a better vibe for downtown. Charlotte’s memory of that early morning arrival with hot chocolate, folding chair and the last HP book will always live in her memory.
Yes, look to Pelham’s downtown, despite the new Fairway opening – not many have deserted DiCicco’s. I urge the Larchmont Village Board to think L O N G term! Look how long it took New Rochelle’s downtown to start turning itself around after the Macy’s closed there. NO dollar stores or chains. Keep trying to grown destination retail in the main intersection cross of Palmer and Chatsworth – think Twinkle Toes!
If local municipalities in TN can make Walmart change their exterior colors to go with the town’s aesthetic, we can hold a higher bar on what fills the empty Larchmont store fronts – certainly the absentee landlords have no issue with waiting to fill the spaces…
As much as I feel what most of you are saying here on this message board, i must admit I agree with some and dont with others.
I agree that Larchmont should have its own identity. But, what is that identity ? or its “tenor” ? the din of empty stores ?
More for kids to do ? how many kids are we talking about ? Mam’nk and Scarsdale kids too ?
I dont know what you mean by “more traffic”. There is no traffic now. There is plenty of parking and really, what it comes down to is foot traffic.
p.s. the Rye Subway does fine.
We all need to do our best to support our local businesses if we want to keep them here. I just received a flyer from the Hommocks indicating that parents can now pre-order boxed school supplies through some online merchant that the PTA is working with. (And at least one of the elementary schools implemented a similar program last year). I realize that placing orders in this way may be very convenient and economical for parents and enable the PTAs to raise some needed funds; however, it will clearly hurt some of our local merchants who rely heavily on back-to-school shopping to support their businesses. It’s hard for brick and mortar businesses to compete on price with online merchants, but if we value the Corner Stores and Futtermans of the world, it’s up to the community to do our best to support them.
Maureen – Murray Ave. implemented a school supplies pre-order system last year and continued it (with much success) this year. But, just so you are aware, Futterman’s and the Corner Store were asked to give bids – we would have loved to give them the business. In the end, the Corner Store didn’t want to bid and Futterman’s tried but couldn’t compete. It’s a difficult balance – I think we all truly want to support local businesses but many of us are facing tough economic times and we can’t always pay more for the luxury of shopping locally. But we all know that teachers want more supplies than the list they ask for at the beginning of the year and kids lose and tear their folders, etc. with insane regularity so I, for one, will head right to Futterman’s to fill in the gaps!
I would hope that the mayor would think long term and engage in some town planning. I do not support applications from big chains like Subway-especially when 2 deli’s have just opened in our town. Small business owners cannot compete with national chains when it comes to prices. Let’s try to be a town that supports stores that are run by individuals.
I hate the empty storefronts too, and find it unfortunate that the rents have not adjusted to the financial times. The rents are outrageously high and make it very difficult for individually owned shops to flourish.
[quote][i]The search for someone to blame is always successful.[/i] – Robert Half[/quote]
Go ahead, blame the landlords for high rents and blame them again when their taxes go down and yours go up because they lowered the rent. Can a business buy space for fair value?
Go ahead, blame the chain store where people want to shop. It’s only capitalism you’re blaming.
Go ahead, blame your neighbor who did not profits from SDs and tries to get by shopping where they can afford to shop.
Go ahead, place the blame anywhere. It’s your right even if it’s not your fault. That may even make you feel better. But it is solutions, not blame, that will make the community successful.
Perhaps some the answers may be just beyond our view. Open boxes, open minds.
I vote for another “Larchmont Store” as described above.
If a Payless Shoe Store comes into this town I am moving out!!!!
[quote][i]The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes, rather than their minds. [/i]
– Will Durant[/quote]
Dear “I Love Larchmont”,
Perhaps you’ll reconsider what you’ll do if what you may fear does happen. It may be good if you do. Yours is the freedom to make your choice.
But, there is little room for small closed minds, anywhere.
We all live in the present, possibly learn from the past and hopefully plan for a future. History has shown that change though not linear is constant. Success is often determined by how change is encourage and managed and by those who take the appropriate leaps.
Ours is a capitalist system. Do you propose to change that? In such system, various retail establishments will survive and serve, amidst competition, when they deliver the products and values that people are willing to purchase.
As a community we can all influence what government should do and does by our votes; unfortunately too few do. As residents we can influence commerce by being property owners and within the law, choosing tenants; and by shopping where we choose based on our needs and resources.
But we are a people of a flatter and flatter world and hiding won’t work. Neither will refusal to change.
Please take a walk though our community. Those empty storefronts are a blight but can be opportunities for us all.
Open boxes, open minds.
Sincerely,
Oreo