Paradise Foods opens at The Cove, Tiburon

Paradise Foods has recently opened at The Cove Shopping Center in Tiburon.  More than four years after the old DeLano's Market closed it's doors the residents of 94920 have finally been rewarded for their patience.  The store is light and airy, with Paradise Foods' characteristic hardwood floors, nicely-presented displays, and very smart checkout staff.

As with the other locations, expect to see most of the action around the deli counter and the excellent range of pre-prepared foods, including the great entrees that are made in the kitchen.  This store also has a burrito bar.

New CVS in Tiburon

Construction in progress on the new CVS in Tiburon. 

Peets eyes Tiburon for new store, while CVS pushes forward

Peets Coffee and Tea has received planning approval for a new store in the Cove Shopping Center in Tiburon. The coffee shop will take the space previously occupied by Blockbuster. Retailers at the local shopping center have been struggling since the departure of first DeLano's market and then Blockbuster video earlier this year.

While Peets will draw a lot more traffic to the center, the news is double-edged for Sweet Things bakery, which has a robust coffee business, and Hearts and Flowers, which also sells coffee. As reported in the IJ:

Marsha Laske, who has co-owned Sweet Things for nearly 35 years, said coffee represents about 15 percent of her business, but she worries Peet's could also cut into her sales of baked goods. "I would not think it would be so good for either of us, quite frankly, when you have a very small population in a very small area where you have two businesses that are almost identical," Laske said.

Meanwhile, in downtown Tiburon, the new CVS drug store is moving forward, though not without ruffling the feathers of a few local residents, who are objecting to the store's large illuminated sign. As reported in the Ark:

More than 125 Belvedere and Tiburon residents have signed a petition demanding that CVS/pharmacy not be allowed to have a large, illuminated plastic marquee sign above the store.
The online petition drive was launched by Marcia McGovern of Belvedere, who earlier expressed her ire over the town's decision to allow CVS to remove the row of mature stone pine trees along their Beach Road and Tiburon Boulevard frontage.
"A 21-foot-long and 3-foot-high illuminated, red plastic, 'marquee' sign … is not in keeping with the small-town character and charm of Tiburon and should not be allowed," her petition language reads.

Disgruntled residents aside, the town of Tiburon can't wait to get these new stores up and open. Tiburon has by far the poorest performing retail sector in Marin County, with sales tax revenues down 38% since 2008.

Downtown Tiburon's problems? It's the economy, stupid.

A front page article in the IJ today reports from last night's City of Tiburon meeting to discuss the poor state of Tiburon's downtown. As we noted last year, Tiburon's sales tax revenues have declined by over 30% since 2008, by far the worst performance in Marin County. With businesses closing and others struggling to survive, the City has been looking for answers and has reached the view that the downtown is tired and needs some revitalization. A design consultant noted "challenges to the physical framework" and recommended several measures including improvements to walkways, landscaping and signs, and more aggressive marketing.

It's good to see everyone getting motivated to do something about it, but you can't just change the physical layout of downtown. Tiburon has constraints, particularly the lack of free parking, that it shares with many other downtowns. While it's good policy for the City to make whatever improvements are necessary to keep the downtown area attractive, don't expect such measures to have a dramatic impact.

Tiburon's problem is actually quite simple (and temporary): it's the recession. Tiburon may be the wealthiest city in Marin, but it's also been hit the hardest by the economic downturn. Look at the personal income tax data, from the CA Franchise Tax Board:

• Total Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for zip code 94920 (Belvedere/Tiburon) in 2008 was $2.82 Billion. In 2010 it was $1.51 Billion, a decline of -47%. 
• Over the same period, AGI for Novato fell by -11%, Corte Madera by -3% and Mill Valley by -31%.

I confidently predict a strong recovery for Tiburon over the next year or two. The City may take the credit for implementing their decisive action plan, but I suspect it will have more to do with the improved balance sheets of the citizens of 94920.

CVS drug store to open in Tiburon

Finally some good news for Tiburon: CVS is planning to open a new store in the space that was vacated by DeLano's Market nearly two years ago. According to the Marin IJ, the store will include a drive-through pharmacy.

(photo credit: Summit Model Train Kits)

DeLano's closing in Tiburon and Mill Valley

The Delano's grocery chain, which has struggled to maintain market share in the face of new competition and declining consumer spending, has folded. The two Southern Marin stores, at Tamalpais Junction, Mill Valley and The Cove, Tiburon, are expected to close in December. As reported today in the IJ, it looks like the Fairfax store will remain open but will drop the DeLano's name. The chain's three San Francisco stores are also closing.

DeLano's presence in Marin began in 2006, when they took over five Bell Markets. Poor performance led to the closure of the DeLano's market in downtown Tiburon in February 2009, and the store in Novato closed the following August.

The two Southern Marin stores have likely seen a sales decline following the opening of Whole Foods at the Alto Center in Mill Valley.  The Fairfax store benefits from little local competition, although that would change if a market is found by the new owners of the Fair-Anselm Plaza.

So what now for the closed stores? According to Fresh & Easy Buzz, There are a few small-format grocers currently looking to expand in Northern California, including Fresh & Easy, Henry's Farmers Market and Sprouts Farmers Market. Any of these would be good new additions to Marin County. Local grocer Mollie Stones may also be interested, although the Southern Marin sites may be considered too close to Mollie's existing stores in Sausalito and the Bon Air Center.

New store news: Target, Urban Outfitters and Woodlands Market

In Corte Madera, the new Urban Outfitters store at the Town Center is taking shape. The shell is finished, staff are being recruited, and the store is being fitted out. The photo below shows how the covered walkway has been enveloped within the store footprint.

Over in San Rafael, the debate over the proposed new Target continues to hit the headlines. Last week the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution in opposition to the development. Then, after a marathon 7-hour meeting, the San Rafael Planning Commission approved the project:

"Our working families need the convenience of economically priced items in one place that doesn't require a trip on the freeway," Chairwoman Maribeth Bushey-Lang said. While "there are a lot of reasons why this is not the ideal location by any stretch of the imagination," job creation, sales tax revenue and convenient shopping outweigh those concerns, she said.

Also last week the Marin IJ reported that downtown Tiburon will be without a grocery store for up to four months after the Boardwalk Market closes at the end of this year. The owners of the Woodlands Market, who are taking over and expanding the space, had been in discussions with the Boardwalk to buy their business and keep the store open through the transition. However, these talks have broken down, and it looks like the store will close while the Woodlands space is built out, with an opening date sometime in April 2011. This is further bad news for Tiburon, which has the worst performing retail sector in Marin. However, this surely is a great opportunity for a quick-moving operator to set up a grocery store in one of the vacant downtown spaces.

Summer 2010 update

After a long summer of non-blogging, here's a quick back-to-school update of what's been making headlines in the Marin retail world.

Starting today with a little news story in the Marin IJ about the City of Corte Madera's commercial real estate investment portfolio. Yes, that's right, this small city of approx 9,000 people decided it was a good idea to become a landlord, paying $10m for the Park Madera shopping center at the peak of the market in 2006. Come 2010 and the rent doesn't over the debt service on the city's bond. The city originally purchased the center as a possible site for a new recreation center, however, the recent construction of a new Bank of Marin branch suggests it will remain as a retail center for the foreseeable future.

In Tiburon, the owner of Woodlands Market announced his intention to have the new store in Tiburon open by March 2011. The store will be 12,000 sq.ft, which is larger than the existing Boardwalk Market, which will close before construction starts later this year. The redevelopment will also include the addition of a pharmacy, the first one in Tiburon for several years.

A few photos snapped from around the county:

First, I liked Mi Pueblo, the Hispanic market in San Rafael's Canal neighborhood. Offers a different selection from my usual grocery stores.

Also visited the new Whole Foods at the Alto Center in Mill Valley. Yes, it's expensive, but I do like shopping there: great food and a fun shopping experience.

Over at the Village at Corte Madera there are new Teavana and Brookstone stores, while Martin & Osa and Elegant Living Furniture closed their doors for the last time.

And what are they thinking at Restoration Hardware? The latest refurbishment of their store is in the style of a 13th century European castle, complete with stockade and banqueting hall.

Missing in action

I can't believe that this blog has been around for almost two years and there remain several retail places that I've yet to feature. So here's my top 10 target list for 2010:

1. Sausalito (a) Bridgeway & (b) Caledonia Street
2. Marin City
3. Downtown Mill Valley
4. Downtown Tiburon
5. Corte Madera Old Town Square
6. Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur/Kentfield
7. East San Rafael / Montecito Plaza
8. San Rafael to San Anselmo (4th Street)
9. South San Rafael / Bellam & Andersen
10. Terra Linda / Scotty's

Any other requests?

Weekly news update

The Novato Advance opens up a debate around development planning for the North Redwood Boulevard corridor, including the usual shock and outrage that it will ruin the small town feel of Novato, and landowners manouvering to sell plots for development, in this case it's the Dairymans Feedmill, which would make a lovely mall.

There are several new retailers and restaurants opening in Tiburon, including Bistro 35, which will replace the Sweden House. May Madison kitchen store on Main Street, and on Ark Row there's Elixir, Prima Palate and Pure Elegance.

For gadget fans, Brookstone will be taking over the space vacated by Shabby Chic at the Village at Corte Madera. It's second time around for Brookstone, after it's previous store was dumped last year to make way for Lacoste. (btw, has anyone out there ever seen a shopper in Lacoste?)

New stores coming to Tiburon

The Tiburon Ark highlights a couple of new stores that are due to open soon in downtown Tiburon.

• Koze Beginnings is a childrens clothing outlet that is an offshoot of the Koze womenswear boutique, and is scheduled to open April 25 on Main Street.
• Also opening on Main Street is a kitchen store - May Madison, while Tiburon Mail Services is fitting out new space at The Boardwalk center.

Weekend News Feed

The Marin IJ agonizes about dowtown Tiburon becoming a retail wasteland (yes, there are a couple of vacant stores). And see the comments following the story to find out why the popular vote reckons the TPD is to blame. And a plea from Tiburon Town Manager Peggy Curran for residents to patronize their local stores.

Have you seen the Trader Joe's song on YouTube?

Sales are booming for Novato florists. (Okay, it was Valentines Day)

Ann Taylor Loft is smoking hot..http://tinyurl.com/bq3ayp

but there's no smoking at the Town Center Corte Madera..http://tinyurl.com/afz97h