Tis the season
Squee! Now open at Alameda Towne Centre is Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Our family was at Alameda Towne Centre on Friday to do a little shopping and noticed shopping carts by the BBB storefront and thought we would take a gander over there to see if it was open, we had planned a trip to the BBB store in Jack London Square, but were pleasantly surprised that the BBB was open. While there, we purchased some items in the “Beyond” category with a 20% coupon off all purchases they were giving away at the door that morning, which meant that my hoarded stash of BBB coupons was safe for another day of purchases. The next day I needed more “Beyond” items and made my way down to ATC again and noticed that the parking lot on the non-grocery store side was as full as I have ever seen it at ATC, looks like BBB might be nicely filling its “anchor store” purpose.
But speaking of retail, while driving up Webster to get to ATC, it appears that the City of Alameda or the West Alameda Business Association (WABA), I’m not sure which, has kicked off the holiday shopping season by allowing free parking at the metered slots up and down Webster Street, which is really very thoughtful. However, someone decided to use plastic shopping bags to cover the meters in the universal sign for “this meter is broken” which simply looks really tacky. Can someone put, at the very least, a nicer sign or ideally, a nice hood like this one in order to indicate that this is something special for the holidays?
Lauren, if you are trying to pump BBBY’s stock, it’s not working…. they are at a 52 week low this morning!
Comment by Jack B — November 26, 2007 @ 7:49 am
Stock schmock, the only stock I own is the one I made from my Thanksgiving turkey carcass and is sitting in my fridge.
Comment by Lauren Do — November 26, 2007 @ 7:52 am
I, too used my 20% off of everything coupon and was happy that this store is now in Alameda (you see, when we have such shopping in Alameda, it means we don’t have to use the tubes and bridges, which are the major traffic bottlenecks, so shopping “on the island”, rather than creating traffic backups is not only convenient, but a way to lessen the impact of traffic where it is the worst.) I’m looking forward to the Borders store, too, although Books Inc. on Park St. is also a wonderful addition to our shopping choices.
Comment by Kate Quick — November 26, 2007 @ 8:00 am
Blue Rectangle is pretty awesome.(used books)
Comment by MarkD — November 26, 2007 @ 9:55 am
I also went to BBB this weekend, not because I was aching for nick-knacks and upscale cookware, but because I’ve never actually been in a BBB. Since I had never seen it at the shopping center, I was curious. Being the somewhat obsessive-compulsive person I am, I’m naturally curious about where things are actually made and how they’re prices accordingly.
My conclusion is that BBB is more of the same that you’d see in any number of US retailers: Target,Pier 1, and even some of the ‘fancy’ stuff sold at Wal-Mart.It is almost All made in China.BBB’s stuff just looks shinier and fancier. The sneaky thing is that it wasn’t as obvious at BBB. For example, there was a pricey set of All-clad cookware that cost around $1,500.That set was actually US-made.But right Next to it was another pricey set.It was either Caphalon or Cuisinart. Looking very carefully at the underside revealed a teeny “Made in China” label on the white box. All for around $750.I know that there is no way that that set cost anywhere near that amount to produce.That isn’t to say that the quality was bad, but I have a set that is perhaps just as good that had the same heavy-duty cladding purchased at Target for $50 for the whole set.
I find that rather clever since I assume most people don’t bother to look, hence a company like BBB can probably make a small killing on cookware that probably cost $20 to make in China.
Retail sales are down across the board- Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot… and BBB. All because of the nice little continuing credit issue/end of the funny money problem.
Anyhow, I made the stupid mistake of actually going out on Friday. More for my own curiosity. I’ve never seen that many humans crammed into a line to buy nose trimmers, underwear, cheap toys, and shoes in my life nor do I wish to repeat the experience again. My curiosity was sated.
Comment by edvard — November 26, 2007 @ 10:37 am
Lauren:
Two things; first, there will be free parking in the Park Street District every Saturday until Christmas. The free parking was supposed to start last Saturday but because of a lack of communication on my part, our meters weren’t bagged. They will be bagged December 1, 8, 15, and 22.
Second, I can’t speak for Webster Street, but we use the white plastic bags with a sticker on it indicating “Free Parking”. The simple reason is cost.
The white plastic bags cost $13.00/thousand at Costco. The labels we put on them cost $35.00/1000. Because the bags have a bad habit of disappearing we use one box of both the bags and labels during the holiday season at a cost to PSBA of about $60.00 including tax.
The company you refer to in your post quoted me a cost of $16.00 per hood + a $40.00 set up fee; I did not inquire about shipping cost. At that price, PSBA would have to spend in excess of $3,000 to bag every meter in the District. I found other companies that would sell meter bags at a cost far less than $3,000 (best was about $500 + shipping but these were plastic bags also).
I understand your concern about the bags being “tacky”, but in all my years at PSBA, 9 years, one month and still counting, no one has ever made any comment about the bags until now. Most shoppers are just happy to have free parking on a Saturday and we just don’t have the budget to spend the kind of money I found out it would cost for any other way of bagging the meters. If anyone can think of a low cost ($100 or less) alternative to the white plastic bags and labels please call me at the PSBA office (523-1392) and let me know what your thoughts are.
All the staff and members of PSBA wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season.
Best Regards,
Robb Ratto
PSBA, Executive Director
Comment by Robb Ratto — November 26, 2007 @ 11:29 am
Does anyone know how much the “free” parking costs the City in revenue?
Comment by Alameda NayTiff — November 26, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
My problem with covering up the parking meters, in general, is that it’s just encouraging people to drive.
“Honey, let’s go shopping at Park Street”.
“OK, let’s take the car this time even though it’s 6 blocks away — why not? — Parking is free!!”
Instead of the city just leaving revenue on the table, how about making a promotion in association with the local business associations to directly donate all parking meter revenue to a local charity, like the Alameda Food Bank? That way, there wouldn’t be any additional incentive to drive to your shopping destination, and the money would go to a good “seasonal” cause.
Comment by Dan W. — November 26, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
The City could also subsidize liquor sales on Park and Webster. That would really draw in the crowds! Then once we get a few drinks in them, they would be more likely to open their wallets and purses. I think that putting $10,000 in City money into $2 off drink coupons would really boost business on Park and Webster. The bars would love it!
Comment by Alameda NayTiff — November 26, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
# 9..If it would be so great for all concerned, why don’t PSBA and WABA subsidize the booze coupons? Maybe eliminate the fuzz for one night, have a demolition derby, run over a few peds, flatten a bike or two and have a blast. Holiday spirit. Kinda like every Friday night in Oakland.
Comment by Jack Richard — November 26, 2007 @ 5:01 pm
By the way, did anybody else notice? The big advertisement we got in the mail from BBB got the location of their new store wrong. They said it was at South Shore.
Comment by Jack Richard — November 26, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
#10
Free parking and cheap booze. Now all Alameda needs is a strip club to be really successful (Of course, legalized gambling and a medicinal marijuana club would help too.) I can just hear those cash registers humming. Ka-Ching!
#11
Where’s South Shore?
Comment by Alameda NayTiff — November 26, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
# 12
Medicinal, hell, just a club…or maybe a joint. You mean gambling ain’t legal?
# 12 (2nd part)
Damndest thing, wife and I wasted a tank of gas looking for some place called 2246 South Shore Center. Obviously some kind of new place, can’t even spell centre.
Comment by Jack Richard — November 26, 2007 @ 7:44 pm