Example # 1
Poor Sweet Occasions on Morse Avenue. Scary as a cemetery on Halloween. Dead. No customers. In fact, the reflections of the ghosty looking people in the window said the place hasn't been open in awhile. It couldn't survive.
A candy store next to three schools and three churches. How can that be? Kids love sweets, right? So.......Why?
Was this the wrong type of candy for shoppers on Morse Avenue? Or, was it something else? Did Alderman Moore, who jerked the owner around on zoning issues help? Was DevCorp North, who jerked them around on promotional help the fault?
Anyhow now the doors are closed on Morse Avenue, but open on another.
Example #2
Sweet Occasion on Clark Street in Andersonville. It's a lively and active crowd for a Sunday October night. Customers are coming and going, buying sweets ( not the candy they sell on Morse ) and really enjoying the neighborhood, violence free. Not a crack dealer in site. A business location a owner would be proud to advertise. A street that is inviting. A place the owner could say, "hey come to my shop, enjoy!" People spending MONEY in a LOCAL business and enjoying life.
Andersonville or Rogers Park. Andersonville does this... Rogers Park does that. Which is better? Do you ever see Andersonville brag about their TIF's or SSA's? Who's neighborhood chamber of commerce's promote's small business? You decide. This business did.
19 comments:
Same owners...two different concepts. Two different locations.
Could it have been an under capitalized venture? Bad business execution. Nope it clearly had nothing to do with the owners. After all it's not like it was their business was it?
Craig,
Why not do an actual interview with them and let us hear the story as they tell it. Oh wait that would be unsesational journalism and none here wants to see that kind of muck!
Let's just see how well they do in Andersonville. Lot's o competition for coffee and sweets in that hood right now.
Chow
I used to go to the one on Damen with my wife all the time when we lived in Lincoln Square. They had great ice cream during the summer months and candy and other treats during the winter. It seemd to do a brisk business and rightly so since a 2 scoop cone would get you more ice cream than you should probably eat in one sitting for just a couple of bucks.
My wife and I walked from our place on Fargo to visit this location a month or so ago only to find it closed. If it had been open I doubt we would ever visit again at night. While walking down Morse two girls plowed into my wife and almost knocked her down then said, "Watch where you be walkin', bitch!" Maybe this type of activity has something to do with the relocation?
I don't see that the Morse store had a different concept at all - they sold ice cream and candy like all the other stores, right?
The Morse store was almost always closed for quite some time. It would be interesting to know why, and what other problems they faced at that location. Although I think it's fair to guess that the "watch where you be walkin', bitch" had a lot to do with it. We were not willing to repeat walking five blocks through that to arrive at a store that was closed in the middle of a Saturday afternoon.
Do we know whether they are closed for good? Their website stilllists the Morse location but with very limited hours:
http://www.sweetoccasionsandmore.com/locations.php
I am going to send them an email asking for more info. I'll update you if I hear anything.
Just called. They are closed for the seeason and will re-open inthe spring.
but they never opened for this season!
I know what you mean. I have never heard of such limited hours of opereation.
They were open for about 2 months this summer.
My wife and dog went there and ate on their outdoor patio about 5 times (at night) in that 2 month period.
We went there one night and they had a sign in their window that they would re-open next summer.
Our impressions were that they seee potential in the neighborhood, but there was not quite enough folks walking through the doors yet.
One other quick comment.
Someone maid a comment last week that they had purchased bad milk or something at the Morse Market grocery store.
If I'm thinking of the same one, I heard they were bought out by new owners a few months ago. I have never had any problems shopping there.
Jim,
You have illustrated one of the things that I am sure many people have noticed around RP. Hooligans, gang bangers, crazy people, and just plain old poorly behaved kids might not respect people on the street but they respect my dog. Example, I once saw a thug sitting on a car hooting at women on the street, I glared at him as I passed and he asked me "What the f*%! are you lookin' at?" A few minutes later I brought my dog out for a walk and the same guy promptly got up and walked down the block. My dog is not vicious but I am glad that thugs generally do not take chances when it comes to animals.
Whatever Sweet Occasions' problems on Morse may or may not have been, I'd be curious to hear their version of biz this summer. As someone who did stop in there from time to time (approx. once a week) I found their hours funky and finally gave up going back in August, particularly when reality conflicted with their website. I never had a problem on the street but I usually came toward it from the west. Also, the police were frequently out front when I was there.
Btw, I've had people cross the street to avoid my 125-150 lb. dogs and I've been equally harassed with them. I do not consider my dogs protection given that between them and a gun, the gun wins.
Agreed Pamela, but it helps.
Morse Market has improved on selection and service. It's still not a place I am anywhere near "thrilled" to shop at- but it's feeling a bit less abusive every day. I used to be scared of the guys at the meat counter- reminded me of my waitressing days with mean cooks, but they are nicer now- maybe they pay their people better now... Also, they got logo aprons for the cashiers to wear now- it's the little things that bring up a place.
Pamela (and others),
I have had a conversation with the owner of Sweet Occasions and More about the challenges they have faced on Morse.
I can share them with you if you post an email address on this blog.
I am not going to post the owners comments on the blog since I do not have his permission to do so. However, I can share his comments with concerned neighbors.
It is so unfortunate that there are so many kids that, barring a miracle, by the age of 10 you can pretty much tell they are going to spend some time in jail. Some of these kids are just running with the wrong crowd and trying be cool. Unfortunately, the wrong crowd seems to be the majority in a lot of neighborhoods these days.
I have heard in a different forum that there is conversation surrounding establishing a Boys and Girls Club in the neighborhood. I have volunteered at a few of them before and they have a very good program. Their model fosters positive development by rewarding good behavior and citizenship.
Hi! Nico's Mom - I would like to know what the owner of Sweet Occasions had to say. My email is:
cjgoldman@ameritech.net Thanks,
Carol Goldman
I think that location is an issue. Look at the empty store fronts at the Howard "L." With some anchors, it could work. A candy store would probably do better where there is more traffic that is more likely to buy that type of Candy. Location, location, location. There are other spots, but there needs to be an anchor, not to mention a product and staff that will attract repeat customers. A location that is closer to a park where kids and families go is more likely to last. Look at Jackies on Lunt and Western near Indian Boundary Park. It has been there for years.
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