Whole Foods Petition Hits 1400

Wasn’t there supposed to be a meeting of some kind on Friday? Anybody know what transpired there?

I have to admit that the “For Lease” signs Jemal has plastered on every window of the space have dampened by enthusiasm a bit. Presumably he wouldn’t go to all the effort of advertising the space if there was a good possibility it would be leased in an ongoing negotiation. (Maybe the signage is cheaper than I think? He does seem to have a lot of it all over town.) But I still think he will end up putting a grocery there. It would make him a hero to downtown DC’s revitalization (more so than he already is).

I have been begging people to sign this petition. I really want to do everything that I can to get a Whole Foods grocery store in there. I would be willing to stand on the street and ask people to sign the petition. Do we need to do that? What will it take to get Whole Foods in there?

As mentioned in an earlier comment, workers told a PQ resident that the prior “for lease” signs were “messed up” and were being replaced. I’m thinking that the new signs are merely replacing the old ones and it’s no indication of the outcome of negotiations.

Would help to send a copy of the petition directly to Whole Foods, Balducci’s, Dean & Delucca or any other grocery that we would like to see here?

#5: Unlikely. Every grocery store that serves the East coast is well aware of our plight. Several are interested, but it just comes down to how high the rent is for the space. The new owner of the 7th St space is clearly in the driver’s seat on this one.

Also, sending the petition to Balducci’s would be ironic, at best, since they held the original lease for the space but pulled out due to internal company issues.

Has anyuone heard anything about Friday’s meeting? Any updates from DCDNA?

On another note, I noticed Jemal put new leasing signs on the spot next to the old Juan Valdez, but not on the Juan Valdez spot. Before they closed, the clerk told me another tenant had already signed a lease. I was beginning to doubt that since it’s been sitting there for months. But now, the lack of leasing signs brings my hopes up. Any word on this?

Any ideas on how to get the petition re-going? Seems to have hit a plateau. Those working at businesses in the area — would you be able to try a second push at getting co-workers to sign it?

What is BID doing about helping us out here? Shouldn’t they be pushing their members to sign the petition? If you are a business owner and paying $$ to BID, please call BID and give them a push!!! This will be a major anchor for this section of the District

Also, businesses should be attempting to circulate the petition to their employees (obviously not mandating it). There are a lot of small businesses, such as salons, theaters, and restaurants in the area, that may have interested employees.

PQ Observer that’s a good idea, I sent an email to a contact at the Downtown BID and one also to another association in PQ.

Please don’t throw tomatoes at me, but wouldn’t a Trader Joes be a better fit given that a gigantic Safeway is coming very soon just a few blocks away and a Whole Foods isn’t all that far away on P St. NW and in a few years the Giant at 1400 7th St. will be HUGE? Safeway and Giant are both competing with Whole Foods now in the organic market and that might influence WF choice of locations whereas Trader Joes, being a bit more of a niche model might be more doable? I know it’s not as big but it’s just as good as WF and we’d wind up with a very nice selection over-all.

#12, ess, As far as I’ve heard or read Trader Joe’s has not shown any serious interest in the space, at least not recently. Beggars can’t be choosers, don’t you think?