All of you who are personally attacking me really need to take a look in the mirror (Amy and Ron). I want Glen Ellyn's retail situation to improve. I've watched as store after store has closed while very little has been done to stop the bleeding. I make a simple suggestion that an anchor downtown store that gets significant foot traffic (of which we have very few) expand their operating hours by a little over 10% and you'd think that I suggested that we tear the place down. I like M&M. I want to give them more money, but I'm not going to demand flex hours from my employer so I can buy some groceries.

I have never been to Dominick's at Baker Hill when there has been more than one checkout line open. Could never figure it out. 6-7 people in line...and only one open. I'll take the convenience and friendliness of a M&M any day over that place.

quote:

All of you who are personally attacking me really need to take a look in the mirror (Amy and Ron).

Attacking? That's their way of WELCOMING. I'd also like to welcome a fellow BoSox fan.

Anyway, anyone wishing to address the issue directly should stop in or call Bill and ask. He is very welcome to input and will most likely explain the set up.

quote:

Originally posted by soxfan1:
Does anyone know why this grocery store refuses to allow poeple who work normal business hours to shop at their store? The only time I can shop at this sorry excuse for a business is on the weekend (but not Sunday because they are closed then too). I would spend thousands of dollars at this establishment annually as I drive home from the train station, but unfortunatley neither I nor my wife are stay-at-home moms, who appear to be their only target deomgraphic. I wish they would just sell this place to someone who actually wants to run a for-profit business and really start serving the entire constituency of Glen Ellyn.

Please review - Your use of the word "refuses" makes it sound as if you feel this is a personal slight, instead of a decision by a business that has been in operation for many years.

You called M & M "a sorry excuse for a business" which people who are fond of the business, know the owners, and who have enjoyed patronizing it, may find to be a remark that they disagree with.

It seems as if most agree that it would be nice to have the store open longer. Not perfect, but there it is with a great meat counter.

Finally - Amy is about the last person to attack anyone - unless your initials happen to be GWB.

Now let's talk about those darn hair stylists and their Mondays off!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GEmom2,

Clam, That is pretty funny! You would think you could buy me a cup of coffee or something. I'm still pretty pissed you didn't help me with the pressure washing, seriously I wouldn't have doused you!

The Sorry Excuse... line was uncalled for and for that I am sorry. The refusal comment is true. When all the business agreed to take on later hours on Thursdays and Sundays that the we (meaning Glen Ellynites) requsted in our village surveys, they refused to join the ranks and help try to improve our retail environment. For those later hours to be a success, there needs to be participation from the bigger, more successful stores like M&M. Why do you think they ingored the survey and the actions of their fellow retailers?

Amy would attack anything to get more print. She's been absent lately.

But bosoxfan, in all seriousness...I'd stop in some day when you can to ask Bill about the hours. There may be a reason that I don't know. I have always been a big fan of opening an hour later and closing an hour later...but I don't own the store...yet.

I only personally attack JOMBL.....and maybe GUS. But that's it.

And AMY - she's married to a doctor. What do you expect?

I find myself bouncing between M & M and Chicago Prime Meat Market.
I thought I drove by Main Lombard and it looked like Mr. Z's was closed? Odd it must have been another area that looks like a grocery store. Is Mr. Z's still open? They got a city proclamation in February.

quote:

Originally posted by ronkas:
I only personally attack JOMBL.....and maybe GUS. But that's it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GEM,

Everything you say about me is true. All of it.

Soxfan1, apparently you missed that my point was to help you understand WHY people reacted to your post the way they did, then suggested that you talk to Bill, and ended by telling you why I THINK they operate the way they do. I didn't attack you at all - just trying to help you get more constructive support for your concerns...but whatever, take it or leave it. And welcome to the GEBB.

Lionheart – great remembrance of the firemen running from M&M’s former location to the fire house. In particular I’ll always remember the father-in-law of a certain heavy BB poster running in his dress white shirt with his tie flapping over his shoulder.

SF1 – earlier you wrote “This is the type of attiude that has contributed to our retail environment in Glen Ellyn crumbling to its foundation.”

As I see it, M&M has …
• Achieved success and longevity
• A long history of local family ownership
• Contributed strongly to the community
• Provided after school employment for hundreds local young people
• A clearly differentiated offering versus much larger, national competitors (particularly in the areas of service, quality and their meat department)
• Fair prices

These are clearly the attributes of unsuccessful downtown businesses.

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:
You need to allot more time to your customers needs instead of doing a lot of armchair managing.

* GE Fan stands up from computer and gives GEM a standing ovation. *

LOL

Spines wrote: "SF1 – earlier you wrote “This is the type of attiude that has contributed to our retail environment in Glen Ellyn crumbling to its foundation.”

As I see it, M&M has …
• Achieved success and longevity
• A long history of local family ownership
• Contributed strongly to the community
• Provided after school employment for hundreds local young people
• A clearly differentiated offering versus much larger, national competitors (particularly in the areas of service, quality and their meat department)
• Fair prices

These are clearly the attributes of unsuccessful downtown businesses."



There is no doubt, backed by endless treads on this board, that our retail situation in GE is not doing well. I havenever indicated that M&M was not an successful business. My comments on M&M merely challenge them, as a vital and one of the few successful retail businesses in town, to realize the additional potential they have to benefit not only themselves but the CBD as a whole if they tried to be a little (not a lot) more agressive in pursuing business.

Looking at the grocery sales pages in the paper today got me motivated to do some additional due diligence on M&M. Below are the hours of operation for all of the stores in the Centrella co-op that M&M belongs. I also threw in Bende's on Roosevelt as they are a boutique store that (in my mind) would have to have weaker hours than M&M due to their specialty-focus. Here's the results:

Amstadt's Finer Foods: Mon-Sat: 7-9; Sun: 7-8
Westbrook Market: 7-10 every day
Pik-Kwik Foods: M-F: 8-9; Sat: 8-8; Sun: 8-6
Montgomery Marketplace: 7-10 every day
Carnicerias Jimenez: 7-8 every day
Edmar Foods: 7-9 every day
Mr. Z: M-F: 7-9; Sat: 8-8; Sun: 9-7
Bende's: M-closed; T-Fr: 9:30-7; Sat: 9:30-6; Sun: 10-3
And last but not least:
McChesney & Miller: M-Sat: 9-6; Sun: closed

As have no further comment as the info above speaks for itself.

I have nothing more to say on this matter either because I finally tried Super Target for our grocery shopping and all I can say is WOW.

Instead of complaining about M&M's hours, I'm going to spend my time figuring out what I am going to do with the $80 a week I am going to save on groceries.

Sorry M&M (and Dominicks), but the big red bullseye is going to get my business from now on.

Mamattorney - You will probably end up spending it on impulse purchases at Target! Try to stay focussed on your list and don't stray around the store. That is a weakness I have there!!

M & M is open late on Fridays.

quote:

Originally posted by GEmom2:
You will probably end up spending it on impulse purchases at Target!

So, so true.