The public finally receives confirmation of what we already knew: The Market at Hartford 21 is done.
Since September, the store’s doors have been locked from the outside, though passersby could still view cereal remaining inside of the bulk bins long after anyone could access it.
Though there has been demand for a grocery store in Downtown, this model seemed an odd fit from the start. The hours fluctuated during the summer, produce was often moldy or rotten, and the baristas were inconsistent. Additionally, some staple items were lacking and prices were designed for an elite clientele.
Hartford residents, in conversations during this last year, have most frequently expressed desire for either a Trader Joe’s or something similar to that: affordable with interesting and organic options.
lobonick
certainly not a suprise. unforunate however. these particular business people had a bit of an overextended business plan. 89 employees ? still, it would have been nice if they could have survived.
the real question is: now what ? another 3 – 4 years of empty space .. ?? downtown hartford needs something other than that. maybe the market idea can’t happen, and it is best to use the space in some other way. it should be noted that Northland, the owner of the building, is in terrible shape itself.
the answer is that it should be something entirely different. perhaps even non-profit type of arrangement. letting the area sit as a sign of contuining failure is not a good option. as this “experiment” with market 21 did not make it, the owners and the city should move quickly. let something new sprout in that space (re: almost anything would do). just change the energy and don’t let the space sit and gather dust. downtown hartford needs things besides dust.
Josh
Maybe individual vendors, like a farmers market or food trucks? I am not too crazy about the Trader Joe’s idea. I prefer somewhere where I can buy real food, not frozen mini pizzas and hors d’oeuvre size spanakopita. I agree, 89 employees seems quite grand.
Michael
Why doesn’t anybody open their eyes and realize hartford has become a welfare city? We lost stop and shop on park street back in the nineties, a well as Bradlees, then Kmart left new britain ave, and thee supermarket next to it…then iga on new britain ave by broad street…all we have is ONE stop and shop…and the rest are valu marts, ctowns….and other low value markets….why? Because the wealth is being replaced by the poor who, for the most part are abe bodied but refuse vto work. Get rid of section 8 and you’ll see things change…nobody wants to go to hartford because it’s dangerous or your car can get broken into…
I live in hartford and why people keep defending it I don’t know…I’d like to see it thrive but the majority of the people on welfare what do you expect? Politicians need to smarten up
Kerri Provost
Do you have any data from reputable sources to back up your assertion that “the poor who, for the most part are abe [sic] bodied by refuse vto [sic] to work”?
Steve
“Because the wealth is being replaced by the poor who, for the most part are abe bodied but refuse vto work.”
– Like the 70 or so who just lost their jobs at Market 21?
“Get rid of section 8 and you’ll see things change…”
— You sure would. Thunderdome: Hartford.
Josh
Actually, the poor spend lots of money, which is why the retail corridors (Park, Albany, North Main) are basically always rented and doing business.
lobonick
certainly an interesting analysis by michael.. hartford’s issues with poverty certainly run very deep. maybe a c-town would do well in the downtown spot (re: i actually do plenty of my shopping at c-town.. excellent value on certain items).. however, simply attacking hartford as to poverty issue solves nothing..merely saying people in poverty are lazy and don’t want to work is technically the easy way out.. perhaps people in poverty need more opportunity to show what they can do..poverty is a cycle caused by many factors.. also there are many hartford landlords that are rich due to section 8 as they are able to charge market rate for their apartments and the government is a very reliable paying tenant..
still, michael’s analysis on the shopping centers in hartford is very true.. the only upscale place is in w.hartford.. perhaps hartford’s downtown landlords should see this as well.. a discount shopping center in downtown hartford ?? actually an excellent idea.. maybe the answer to hartford’s downtown market issue is somewhere in the middle between upscale and low-income..