Residents in greater downtown Vancouver desire better access to fresh foods. And a smart developer/grocer would be first to seize this opportunity. Unfortunately, the April 15 story “Population, income must grow for grocery” missed several key facts. Those facts need attention.
More than $9 million grocery dollars leak from the city center each year, being spent outside downtown. Additionally, downtown employee grocery spending (supporting their workday) is estimated at $10.5 million. Most of that spending is also leaking from the city center.
The 2015 downtown population estimate of 7,770 does not include 771 new units coming online in the city center this year or next. Furthermore, population numbers ignore thousands of residents living just outside the one-mile radius who view downtown Vancouver as their community and patronize services/businesses downtown.
In an online survey I conducted through NextDoor social media, residents from surrounding neighborhoods indicated they, too, would shop at a downtown grocer. Wherefore, if 4,000 of the additional 13,000 housing units in the two-mile radius spent $100 per month at a downtown grocer, $4.8 million would be spent.
Combining these factors and visitor spending, the grocery-revenue potential is $25 million per year for downtown Vancouver. At that level, the community can certainly support a 20,000- to 25,000-square-foot store.