Almost a year later

It has been eleven months since I graduated. A lot has changed in the year. Last August I presented my thesis to the owners of the company I work for. It was a proud moment for me. I was pleased that my thesis became more than just words on paper. It truly became a vision and a possibility. The biggest change is the struggling economy. I think now more than ever my business plan that I created is a viable option in the food retail industry. The cost of land and materials have come down in price. Contractors are looking for work and that could be a cost saving advantage. Interest rates are lower than they have ever been. An exciting event that has happened to me, is that a few people from around the country have contacted me about my business plan. The people are looking to share information. That has truly sparked my enthusiasm again. To my friends that are reading this, I plan on going back to school in the fall. If every thing goes right, I will be attending Curry College in Milton, MA.

Classmates

Congratulations, we have one class left. Everyone should be proud of themselves for the tremendous accomplishments at Cambridge College. Graduation will be exciting and fun. I would like to thank all of you for a great two years. We entered the program as colleagues and we are exiting the program as friends. I will miss Tuesday and Wednesday nights with all of you. It will be nice not having any school work for awhile. Work on your action plan and set goals for yourselves. This class is special and should be destined for great things. You will always be part of professional support group when I am in need of some good advice. Thank you again and congratulations.

Help

OK, I need some help. If you view this blog I would truly appreciate some help with my thesis. My business plan needs some work. I am close to the end. I think it's good, but I want it to be great. My professor wants my ILP to be great as well. If someone could point me in the right direction to find some serious numbers on a supermarket business plan I would be extremely grateful. If you are a business owner and would not mind helping me, that would be great. I need some help with my financial statement and my return on investment. Thank you in advance to anyone that gives me some input.

Not almost done

Back to the drawing board. Just when you think you are at the end, you get your paper corrected and realize you have a month to do a years worth of work. I will be ok. I will buckle down and get it done.

Almost Done

I am putting the finishing touches on my thesis paper. It has been almost two years in the making. My thesis is on Neighborhood Markets. Would a Neighborhood Market be a viable approach for the supermarket industry. The business plan that I have been working on would set the store layout with a major focus in perishables and less concentration with main line groceries. What that means is, the store would consist of 80 % perishables and 20 % groceries. If you would walk into an Artie Neighborhood Market you would venture through a 15,000 square foot store. The store would be bursting with beautiful produce, a top of the line butcher shop, a deli, freshly caught seafood, a fresh bakery, a cheese shop with cheese from all over the world, a gourmet olive bar, an elegant flower shop and a kitchen that would prepare a meal for any part of the day. If you look through the blog you will see some of the work that I have done. I hope you enjoy the Neighborhood Blog. Please leave me any feedback on questions and ideas you may have.

Florist

The Neighborhood Market will offer a wide selection of vibrant flowers and plants. As the seasons and weather change, so do the flowers the customers use to decorate their homes. Customers mark the coming of autumn with the warm tones of yellow and orange that reflects the trees and harvest. Customers celebrate the arrival of spring with the flowers that mark its coming — tulips, hyacinth, daffodils and fragrant lilies and lilac. The Neighborhood Market will provide not only the freshest, most beautiful flowers, but also the flowers that represent those changing seasons.

Grocery

True food connoisseurs look for unique and premium ingredients that make their foods taste extraordinary. Just as that attention to detail sets the customers foods apart, the Neighborhood Market believes that the attention to detail and careful scrutiny of every product makes the store exceptional. Whether the customer is looking for something ordinary or searching for something special, the shelves are lined with thousands of options

Wine

At The Neighborhood Market, the belief is that wine is meant to be enjoyed, to enhance the life experience — either on its own or with food. And even though there is satisfaction in debating the merits of a given wine, at the end of the bottle all that really matters is how much the customer enjoyed it.

Kitchen

Discover a complete menu of prepared foods and dinners, ready to take home, heat and enjoy! The chefs prepare everything at the Neighborhood Market’s Kitchen fresh each day as the customer would at home, using only the very best, very freshest ingredients. It's so easy and delicious...once the customer gets a taste of the Neighborhood Market’s Kitchen's Home Cooking To Go, the customer may never want to cook again! (Bros., 2007) Looking for a quick and easy meal idea? Entertaining for the big game? Whether the customer is in the mood for a hot, juicy rotisserie split chicken breast or potato salad as good as homemade, the Neighborhood Market is sure that the customer will find just what they are looking for in our broad selection of prepared foods.

Seafood

The Neighborhood Market will only sell the freshest fish. The company will buy fish from the most reputable distributor. At The Neighborhood Market, “fresh” is what the company believes in. No product better demonstrates our dedication to freshness than what you will find in the Seafood Department

Deli / Cheese

Only the highest quality deli and cheese will be selected. The Neighborhood Market cheese department will consist of over 200 varieties of imported and domestic cheeses, including imported authentic Parmesan Reggiano and Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese. The deli has something for everyone. Whether the customer is looking for a basic everyday Swiss for sandwiches or an exotic and unique specialty cheese to pair with the customer’s favorite bottle of wine, the customer is sure to find a distinctive choice in our deli

Meat

The customer will not have to pay more for service at the Neighborhood Market. The Neighborhood Market offers a truly special Butcher Shop experience. The Neighborhood Market will offer a full-service Meat Department. Throughout the day, the butchers cut fresh steaks, trim and tie roasts, make fresh kabobs, and prepare stuffed chicken breasts and pork chops. So, no matter the time of day, there will always be a butcher on duty who will be happy to assist the customer

Bakery

Whether the simple indulgence of the Neighborhood Markets moist scones catches the customer’s fancy or the richness of the markets seven-layer cakes makes which makes the customers mouth water, there’s no doubt that the selection of freshly baked goods is astounding.

Produce

Only the highest quality produce will be selected. The Neighborhood Market will sell produce from Massachusetts to other side of the world. The philosophy will be “Buy fresh daily.” From crisp, green lettuce to vibrant red strawberries, the customer will always find the highest-quality fresh produce each and every time the customer walks through our front door. The Neighborhood Market offers the customer their favorite fruits and vegetables, as well as a wide variety of items that you won’t find elsewhere. With a growing organic selection, and more than 300 items to choose from, the Neighborhood Market is just what the customer is looking for.

Market Needs

Customers desire high quality, healthy food and superior service. Customers appreciate a pleasant shopping experience. Customers want to shop in a friendly, comfortable, hassle free environment. Customers enjoy a wide selection of fresh food. Customers will put a dollar value on time. A full line kitchen with ready to go dinners is the perfect solution to the customer’s busy lifestyle.

The Mission

The mission of the Neighborhood Market is to open a neighborhood store and provide outstanding customer service and serve high quality foods at a competitive price. The motto of
the Neighborhood Market is the four f’s, “fresh, fast, fabulous food.” Success can be measured when the customer believes in a store, because the store believes in the service and products it provides.

The Market

The Market concept aims to slide into this widening niche by prioritizing quality and service. The Market will not be like a big box store - at roughly 14,000 square feet, it will measure about a quarter of the size of the typical superstore. What The Market aims to provide is a total sensory smorgasbord, an indulgence for your eyes, your nose, your taste buds, even your ears, which will be treated to jazz and classical standards rather than canned pop tunes.

Neighborhood Market

A Neighborhood Market is just how it sounds. It is the neighborhood store. The store will provide outstanding customer service and provide high quality food to the customers. The stores innovative design steers away from the traditional supermarket. The store will be smaller in size which will make it more shopper friendly for the customer. The smaller size market tends to make the customers feel more comfortable and less overwhelming compared to the larger size supermarkets. The store will present itself as an upscale gourmet market with the warm feel of an Old-World outdoor market. The store will have the appearance of an oversized farmhouse. There will be numerous windows to which will allow the beauty of natural light to shine in freely. There will be an outdoor eating area for customers to enjoy any meal of the day.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. I am a graduate college student looking for some information on Neighborhood Markets. My thesis is a business plan of a neighborhood market. I am interested in any feedback you may have. It could be anything. Are you tired of big box stores? Would you rather shop in a store with a true family atmosphere? I feel it is important to give great customer service, in a friendly environment, serving high quality foods. I am looking forward to your input.