"We see this as a gathering place. We want this to be a destination for people to meet after work," Tom Heinen said. Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The first thing to know about the Heinen's Fine Foods' downtown Cleveland store opening Feb. 25 is that it's kind of like a sleeker, urban cousin to its more-familiar suburban stores.
From the circular marketplace of perishables where the bank tellers used to be, to The Balcony wine-and-beer lounge upstairs, the newest Heinen's at The 9 development aims to be the kind of venue where people linger: To shop with a glass of wine, to catch up with friends over drinks, or to sip coffee while staring up at the signature rotunda.
View full sizeTom Heinen, left, and Jeff Heinen, have high hopes for their first downtown Cleveland Heinen's supermarket and The Balcony lounge."People can come after work, have a glass of wine with a friend, and share a bite to eat," Co-President Jeff Heinen said, referring to the second-floor lounge.
Twin brother Tom Heinen agreed: "We see this as a gathering place. We want this to be a destination for people to meet after work."
Here are their answers to readers' questions about the downtown store:
Q. Where will I park?
A. Jeff and Tom Heinen say there is more than enough nearby parking to accommodate hardcore shoppers. It won't say "Heinen's parking" and it won't necessarily be free, but that's not likely to deter the vast majority of shoppers expected to come over on foot."
"There's a plethora of options around here. There's absolutely no shortage of lots within a three- to five-block radius of this store," Jeff Heinen said during a recent tour. "We're working on validated parking arrangements for our customers" who spend a certain amount, but those details haven't been ironed out yet. "For people who are coming downtown, there is a fair amount of on-street parking."
People can also take the bus or the Regional Transit Authority's Green Line, and bike racks are planned. "In all our focus groups, residents told us universally that given a choice between driving or walking someplace, they always prefer to walk," Tom Heinen added. "They don't ever want to get in their cars if they don't have to. We think there's a tremendous number of people who will walk here."
Q. What hours will it be open?
A. The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday (a half-hour later than the suburban Heinen's stores), and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
The Equal Exchange Fair Trade Coffee Shop accessible off of Euclid Avenue will open at 6:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Q. So, how did they squeeze an entire supermarket into that space?
A. The first thing you see when you step into the main building is that the circular former Ameritrust lobby is now a mini-marketplace, with a Joe's meat department, seafood, Two Brother's deli, Global Grill and bakery arranged clockwise around a perimeter of indoor seating beneath the rotunda.
In terms of square footage, the 27,000-square-foot downtown Heinen's store is slightly larger than Heinen's Village Market in Hudson. It's just configured differently, with shorter, narrower aisles.
"This is an urban store. The aisles are going to be smaller, and it's going to be more congested," Jeff Heinen said. There isn't as much room to chill and prepare foods, so they will have to make more frequent deliveries from their Warrensville Heights warehouses and kitchens. There's also not as much storage space in the store's basement, so extra inventory will be stored both on top of and beneath the selling shelves.
East of the rotunda and down a ramp are the produced and packaged goods, dairy and frozen foods. At about one-third the size of its suburban stores, the store can't stock all 40,000 items a larger Heinen's would carry. But Tom Heinen said that's because they reduced the number of sizes of ketchup they will sell, not because they won't have any condiments.
Q. Is there enough room for shopping carts?
A. Yes, but this store will have smaller, boxier carts -- with cup holders, to make them easier to navigate and to accommodate smaller purchases. "If somebody just wants to come in and shop, it's a fairly easy shop," Tom Heinen said.
Jeff Heinen said: "We do believe the average [downtown] resident is younger and has a smaller household size than our average suburban customer."
Q. What kind of lunch options will they have for downtown workers?
A. In addition to groceries and grab-and-go sandwiches and wraps, this Heinen's will offer freshly-rolled sushi and poke (a kind of Hawai'ian marinated sushi), a salad bar, and quick-service Global Grill for made-to-order meals as well as healthier options. Diners pick a base -- Piadina Wrap, Rice Bowl, or Salad Bowl -- and then choose grilled meats and vegetables as well as a large array of toppings and dressings, Jeff Heinen said.
"It's Chipotle-style, designed to be very quick," Tom Heinen said. "People want to be able to get their food fast and get back to work."
Those who aren't as pressed for time can sit down and dine at one of the tables beneath the rotunda (there are about 50 seats), while shoppers circulate around them for seafood or deli items. Tom Heinen doesn't expect to put any nearby restaurants out of business, but says people like having someplace different to go for lunch.
In the summertime, there will be outdoor patio seating on Euclid Avenue.
Q. So what's upstairs?
A. The Heinens have turned the second-floor into The Balcony, with a Cruvinet temperature-controlled wine bar with 48 pours that people can enjoy by-the-glass, as well as a rotating selection of eight beers on tap. There will also be hot and cold appetizers and small plates for purchase, as well as seating for about 50.
The tables and countertops are inlaid with marble from the Ameritrust teller stations. The Balcony will be open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Q. Is the store wheelchair accessible?
A. Yes. There are three entrances: Two on Euclid Avenue, and one on East Ninth Street. The doors farther east, at the 1010 Euclid Ave. building, are wheelchair accessible.
Inside, there is a ramp between the rotunda and the adjacent building where the canned goods, frozen foods and dairy items are sold, and an elevator to get up to the beer-and-wine lounge upstairs.
Q. Are there going to be enough checkout stations?
A. There are six registers on the main floor, two near each entrance, as well as one on the second floor for bottled wine and beer sales.
Q. Will there be parcel pickup?
A. Yes. Heinen's shoppers who are used to dropping off their carts after checkout, taking a number and pulling around to the front of the store to have someone else load the bags into their trunks, will still be able to do that. There's a curb cut on Euclid Avenue between the two entrances where drivers will be able to pull up.
The Heinen brothers are also talking about launching a grocery pickup service, where busy shoppers can order items and pick them up on the way home from work.
Q. Will this Heinen's offer catering?
A. Yes, but on a pick-up only basis with a limited menu to start. The service could expand to include more choices if they find there is demand for it, Tom Heinen said.
Q. Is Heinen's still hiring?
A. No. The downtown store will employ about 90 people, about half of whom are transferring in from other stores. That said, retailers are always looking for exceptional employees.
Q. Are any of the apartments in The 9 still available?
A. No. Developer Fred Geis of Geis Co., who recruited the Heinens to anchor The 9 and said he couldn't be happier with the store, said all 100 apartments in the Tower and all 100 apartments in the 1010 Euclid Avenue building are occupied.