So Schnucks is buying the old National at Grand and Chippewa that has been some kind services building for years - I can't even recall when the National closed or if it was another grocery after National pulled out -

They are not saying what their plans are. They have been leasing the building evidently, but not sure what for.

Reuse the existing? - unlikely - the building is probably over 30 years and has not been a grocer for at least 10

Tear down for a new Schnucks? - Looks about the same lot size as their S Grand store just to the north - The S Grand store is actually pretty big, I can see them downsizing at this location

or they could just keep it for what ever kind of back room operations they are using it for now

Of course the real interest, if they do move, would be the the existing S. Grand store - good size lot in a prime location where Grand turns a bit rough from the pedestrian oriented Grand S Grand just to the north

My fear is some 2nd tier discounter would buy the building and covert to a Big Lots or subdivide for multiple tenants,

The big win would be some kind of street facing mixed use connecting Gravois to the more active part of Grand


http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/blog ... grand.html

This may be is a big enough development that this wouldn't be a factor, but I believe Schnuck's just renovated the store at Grand and Gravois in the last year or so.

stlhistory wrote:Or maybe they just got tired of paying rent on the warehouse they've been leasing for a while and came to an agreement with the owners.

Or they could be making sure that a discount competitor will not buy that building -

The old National is a better site - it as a signaled intersection - Current store is not signaled but has access to Gravois and Grand - but getting in and out is a cluster

^ My first thought was that it was odd that Schnucks would be spending money on relative small warehouse space when Geoff announced that they had picked Northpark to consolidate warehousing in a mega facility.

However, I think Beer City is on to something. Probably a cheap way in the scheme of things to protect market share and location at the same time the previous owner probably did a good job of making it known that the lease was coming up and a deal was to be had by any grocery who was interested.

Has there been any news on this topic? That area of Grand desperately needs some investment. I thought Lawrence Group was doing something at the corner of Grand and Gravois, but I haven't heard much on that one in a while. So much underappreciated potential in that area.

SouthCityJR wrote:Has there been any news on this topic? That area of Grand desperately needs some investment. I thought Lawrence Group was doing something at the corner of Grand and Gravois, but I haven't heard much on that one in a while. So much underappreciated potential in that area.

Schnuck's has a building permit application in for a Dollar General... I think a re-utilization of the existing building rather than demo and new build. It was submitted back on December so I don't know what present status is. Lawrence Group completed the Farmer's Building at the corner of Grand and Gravois, but I think that is all they are planning in the area. Hopefully someone can undertake the Melba Theater next door soon.

That would be huge. Would love to see continued improvement along Grand from TG Park all the way to Carondelet Park. Maybe now that we've got a good man running the show in Dutchtown we can see some progress.