Goodwill (University & Griggs) - former Whitaker Buick

[FISHMANPET]

But let's be honest, nobody actually wants that. if I can't test drive the car I want and then take it home today, why don't I just go out to the burbs anyway? A "few" models out back is still a huge number of cars. My car (Chevy Spark) would have 6: LS Manual, LS Auto, 1LT Manual, 1LT Auto, 2LT Manual, and 2LT Auto. I went car shopping a few weeks ago with a friend, and we were looking at a Mazda 3. Between the various trim packages, transmissions, and body styles (sedan vs hatchback) there are EIGHTEEN different models. We were at Morrie's of Mazda in Minetonka, probably the largest Mazda dealer in the area, and they didn't even have all the combinations in stock.

Now what I would like is a service center closer by. I have to take my car into a Chevy dealer to get a defective AC part fixed (they sent me a letter, it's a free repair they're doing, which is why it needs to be at the dealership and not a local mechanic) and I'm dreading going to White Bear Lake and just hanging out while they fix it, I'd much rather drop my car off somewhere, take the bus to work, and come back at night and pick it up.

[RailBaronYarr]

Between the various trim packages, transmissions, and body styles (sedan vs hatchback) there are EIGHTEEN different models. We were at Morrie's of Mazda in Minetonka, probably the largest Mazda dealer in the area, and they didn't even have all the combinations in stock.

Exactly. A regular suburban lot carries fewer than that and people still manage. I would think that if car manufacturers and dealers were serious about selling cars to urban people (and servicing, see below), they could come up with clever ways to show trim packages, interior seats, fabrics, colors, etc in smaller footprints without the massive overhead of holding hundreds of cars in-stock. I personally didn't like the feeling I got when the dealer pushed a certain vehicle color on me because it was the only Honda Odyssey EX they had in stock (and then didn't give me any special deal either). I'd say people are equally motivated to simply buy the car they're presented with due to pressure as they are truly interested in driving and then buying a specific car "today".

Now what I would like is a service center closer by. I have to take my car into a Chevy dealer to get a defective AC part fixed (they sent me a letter, it's a free repair they're doing, which is why it needs to be at the dealership and not a local mechanic) and I'm dreading going to White Bear Lake and just hanging out while they fix it, I'd much rather drop my car off somewhere, take the bus to work, and come back at night and pick it up.

No arguments there.

[mattaudio]

The concept of having dealer franchises to distribute new cars is antiquated anyways. But it persists, because the auto dealer lobby has a cartel just like the liquor store lobby.

[Snelbian]

Urban, lot-less car dealerships work in every Spanish and French city I've been to. It's possible (likely) that it wouldn't work here because people would just go to the 'burbs to see the options anyway. But it CAN be a compatible urban use.

[holmstar]

What you guys are describing is a Tesla Motors store.

[mulad]

In theory, I suppose. I don't think many of their stores are really in "urban" locations, though -- the Twin Cities Tesla store is over in the Golden Triangle area: http://goo.gl/maps/mRqHd

[holmstar]

That's their service location. The last I heard (which was quite a while ago), they wanted to open a store in the MoA but the dealers association was trying to block it.

Edit: Actually, it's listed as both, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's because they don't yet have the retail store that they want.

[mulad]

Aaaanyway... The Whitaker Buick building is just rubble now.

[jgarbe]

Eisenhower trading in his Cadillac at Whitaker Buick


The smoking crater that was the Whitaker dealership (looking west from Griggs)

From the Hamline Mindway History Corps:
The Whitacker Buick dealership operated from 1955 to 2006. Inside the building, on the corner of Griggs, was a motorized turntable that would display the latest model, with a series of spotlights in the ceiling that all focused on the car as it turned. In the 40’s it was a Desoto dealership while in the 30’s it was Midtown Motors, a Plymouth dealership. In the 20’s, it was the Hickory Gas Mantle Mfg. Co. and advertised Hickory Storage Batteries on the building. It was built in 1915.

[mulad]

I saw some foundation work happening as I passed by on the train this evening.

[ProspectPete]

What a bummer when I see this site that a good chunk of this block to the west of the goodwill store is a surface parking lot. I wish they could've put a strip of parking along the back of the store.

[Wedgeguy]

I take it this will be similar to the GW at 60th and Nicolette [sic] with 2 stories. While on the green line today I saw the building and the parking are similar to that of the S MPLS Goodwill.

[mulad]

Finally passed by on foot when it was somewhat light out. I hope future projects on University Avenue manage to scale up a bit more -- everything going on in Saint Paul seems pretty small compared to what's going up in Minneapolis. But, being a retail/office building, it has pretty high ceilings (and it's on a lot that slopes down toward Griggs), so it dwarfs the 2.5-story apartment building behind it.


IMAG0392 by Mulad, on Flickr


IMAG0393 by Mulad, on Flickr

[mulad]

The Goodwill store is opening today:

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_ ... enue-store

[bubzki2]

Went to grand opening. I have never seen a thrift store anywhere near this busy. The checkout line went 3/4 around the store. Great selection of items. They handed out 10-40% off coupons at the door as well.

[mulad]

From the University & Griggs corner:

_mg_9111 by Mulad, on Flickr

View from the parking lot side, where the entrance is...:

_mg_9115 by Mulad, on Flickr

Something of a pocket park between the sidewalk and the parking lot. Includes a sculpture. Also, you can see permeable pavers in the parking lot -- maybe they can use that spot as a little plaza sometimes?

_mg_9116 by Mulad, on Flickr

I also saw an electric vehicle charging stand in the parking lot:

_mg_9113 by Mulad, on Flickr