>Cindy Fuller wrote:
>
>We have our golden opportunity to get a Penzeys hereabouts! We no
>longer have to envy Barb, who has three stores within short drives of
>her house. I just received my latest catalog. Penzeys is running a
>contest to choose the next location for a store to open this year. The
>metro area with the most postcards wins.

Now if that doesn't beat all, that's the dumbest way to choose a retail
business location... successful businesses choose an area based on demographics
that indicate a location where people earn and spend the most money.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

in article , PENMART01 at
wrote on 1/14/04 7:30 PM:

>> Cindy Fuller wrote:
>>
>> We have our golden opportunity to get a Penzeys hereabouts! We no
>> longer have to envy Barb, who has three stores within short drives of
>> her house. I just received my latest catalog. Penzeys is running a
>> contest to choose the next location for a store to open this year. The
>> metro area with the most postcards wins.
>
> Now if that doesn't beat all, that's the dumbest way to choose a retail
> business location... successful businesses choose an area based on
> demographics
> that indicate a location where people earn and spend the most money.

Not really.
When Penzey's first opened their Norwalk, CT store, I asked why they chose
to open their first store outside of Wisconsin or Minnesota in southwestern
Connecticut.

At that time, it was a primarily mail-order business, and they noticed that
there was a large percentage of their mail-order customers who lived within
a certain radius of Norwalk. (I don't recall the specifics of the mileage
requirement) They felt there would be enough demand for their products here
to warrant opening the store. And it's been probably 5-6 years that it's
here, thriving.

No business would open a store where there was no demand for their products.
Remember that the publicity for this contest is only going to people who
receive the catalog and/or visit the website. Their target market is their
customer, first and foremost. And the potential customers their current
customers will bring in with them. They do not pay for any advertising,
except via their catalog. It's mostly word of mouth. I know this because
when i sold radio advertising, I talked to the manager of the store, hoping
she'd advertise on my station. She explained that Penzey's doesn't
advertise as a rule. They prefer word of mouth.

They obviously prefer a more "homespun" approach to marketing themselves.
Can't argue with their success, they are certainly doing something right,
since we give them an awful lot of recommendations.

It's not that dumb of an idea, really. The demographics are proven. They
know the address of people who buy their products via mail order, and they
know the address of people who "might" buy their products, based on catalog
mail lists. They can use demographic info to chose the exact location
within the market (Why Norwalk, in the entire NY market? Why not Northern
NJ? Why not Nassau County?).....downtown Seattle or in one of the affluent
suburbs? Where would the store attract the most foot traffic? Where there
are a lot of fine restaurants, so you can get near where the foodies go.
That sort of thing, but using post cards from existing customers to chose
the metro area is actually not that bad. It's kind of like asking "If we put
a store within driving distance of you, would you come and spend your money?
Would you bring your friends?" Not a bad marketing idea.

Hark! I heard Cindy Fuller > say:

> We have our golden opportunity to get a Penzeys hereabouts! We no
> longer have to envy Barb, who has three stores within short drives of
> her house. I just received my latest catalog. Penzeys is running a
> contest to choose the next location for a store to open this year. The
> metro area with the most postcards wins. (One postcard per address,
> alas, so SO can't send in a separate postcard.) Details on the website
> (www.penzeys.com) and in the latest catalog.

Thanks for the heads up -- I got my catalog today, but haven't had
a chance to peruse (busy doing income taxes, bleah)...


--
j.j. ~ mom, gamer, novice cook ~
...fish heads, fish heads, eat them up, yum!

On 15 Jan 2004 00:30:12 GMT, (PENMART01)
wrote:

> >Cindy Fuller wrote:
> >
> >We have our golden opportunity to get a Penzeys hereabouts! We no
> >longer have to envy Barb, who has three stores within short drives of
> >her house. I just received my latest catalog. Penzeys is running a
> >contest to choose the next location for a store to open this year. The
> >metro area with the most postcards wins.
>
> Now if that doesn't beat all, that's the dumbest way to choose a retail
> business location... successful businesses choose an area based on demographics
> that indicate a location where people earn and spend the most money.
>
Apparently you haven't tuned into the news... remember the
quake of '89 and the Bay Bridge "falling down"? Well, we
still haven't rebuilt the Bay Bridge (it didn't really fall
down in spite of the TV news hype), but the new span is
finally under construction.

Here's the point: It was a vote!

Yup, just like the design of the California quarter, the
people voted and they were heard. I'm not fond of that
particular design, but "the people's" voice was heard and
acted upon.


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Cindy Fuller wrote:
>
> We have our golden opportunity to get a Penzeys hereabouts!

I wonder if they can add up all my "hints" over the years. Have to get
to that stack of mail.
blacksalt
ObFood: Hot yam mashed into vanilla yogurt is actually pretty good.

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 01:17:41 -0800, kalanamak
> wrote:


> ObFood: Hot yam mashed into vanilla yogurt is actually pretty good.

I guess that was babyfood, but what about the other way
around? Seems good, so I'll try it at my first opportunity!



Practice safe eating - always use condiments