Could Uptown Use a Bodega?

Lately it's seemed that the rise of big box retailing has meant the end of the neighborhood grocery store, and with it, a continuation of the feedback loop that makes building vibrant sidewalk shopping districts so hard in the suburbs: as conveniences leave main street, main street becomes less convenient. Duh. That's why I was excited to read a recent Pop City article about a new Giant Eagle Express grocery store coming to the Manchester neighborhood in the city. Quoting the article:

“It’s a new neighborhood grocery concept that’s meant to fit in to urban and rural areas, where there isn’t a big box,” says Dick Roberts, with Roberts Communications. “It varies depending upon the neighborhood and property.”

The first thing I thought was: what a great idea for uptown Lebo. (It needn't be a Giant Eagle — maybe there's a new generation of McGinnis kids looking to branch out?) It would be great. Uptown has a high concentration of condos and apartments, with more on the way. I'm sure the people living there would love to be able to walk to the store. I loved it, when I was a kid living in the city. Also, there will soon be a suites hotel, and extended-stay guests there will probably want to be able to buy food somewhere close.

Unfortunately, I get the sense that a grocery store doesn't fit with a certain prevailing vision of Washington Rd. That groceries, like karate, are too pedestrian for an uptown of boutique shops and nice restaurants. How's that for irony! But that's not how I see it. To me a small urban grocery uptown conjures images of Parisians stopping on the way home from work to pick up fresh food and a baguette for that evening's dinner. That's what I'm talking about — a place to buy fresh produce, meat, fish and dairy, rather than a convenience store. Such a place would fit in nicely uptown. Remember, bodega is etymologically the same as boutique.

Of course, this all leaves the question of where you'd put one. Uptown, happily, has few, if any, vacant storefronts. Rollier's obviously has the best location, but they're not going anywhere any time soon. The hotel site would have been another good spot, with parking below, like the old Center Ave. Food Gallery in the city. If rumors of Molly Brannigan's demise are not exaggerated, that could be a nice spot for a small grocery, especially if they could get access to the parking lot in back. Maybe if the town ever gets its act together about developing the air rights over the T station, they could put one there, although that would take some creative architecture, I think.

Regardless, of the specific location, this is the kind of development that should be considered in making a vibrant main street on Washington Rd. Maybe as part of the Port Authority's efforts to develop the areas around the T station? Your thoughts?