Food Retailing “Bells & Whistles” Upstage the Food
If you want to see the latest housing trends — at least in the Twin Cities — you check out new residential construction in Edina above $3 million or so.
That’s because homes at that price point are typically loaded with all the latest bells & whistles (such homes frequently host Edina Realty’s weekly Exceptional Properties meetings).
So, where do you go to check out the latest food retailing trends?
New Edina grocery stores costing around $30 million (my guesstimate).
Like the new Byerly’s on France Ave. in Edina.
The net effect is sort of a mashup of Whole Foods + Costco.
Solar Tubes (and Ductwork Tubes)
Here’s what caught my eye touring the store last week: an expanded food court, featuring more prepared (and higher margin) foods; a bigger seating area for people eating that food; and more modular shopping areas, as opposed to the traditional up-and-down, parallel rows.
But what was most eye-catching to me, quite literally, were the dozens of solar tubes in the ceiling (photo above).
They’re so bright, they initially appear to be flood lights.
Only after a second do you realize that it’s zero energy cost, passive lighting.
Looks like Whole Foods (down the street) just got some real competition!
P.S.: The other tube — running just under the solar tubes — is the exposed ductwork.
