Des Moines sucks!

[NorthernHawkeye]

They need to bring back those "Des Moines sucks!" shirts from a couple decades back.

Downtown Hy-Vee reduces hours, cites crime and loitering as reasons why​

Downtown Hy-Vee reduces hours, cites crime and loitering as reasons why

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Hy-Vee grocery store in downtown Des Moines is scaling back its hours due to crime, loitering, and a lack of foot traffic. While many people were surprised to see the s…

who13.com

 

[GOHOX69]

Downtown Des Moines has always resembled a graveyard after 8pm. This isn't new. This goes back at least 30+ years. The lack of foot traffic shouldn't be surprising.

 

[birthhawk]

They need to bring back those "Des Moines sucks!" shirts from a couple decades back.

Downtown Hy-Vee reduces hours, cites crime and loitering as reasons why​

Downtown Hy-Vee reduces hours, cites crime and loitering as reasons why

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Hy-Vee grocery store in downtown Des Moines is scaling back its hours due to crime, loitering, and a lack of foot traffic. While many people were surprised to see the s…

who13.com

Oh, lord help us! Des Moines and Portland, Oregon, both war zones!

Do us a favor, stay sheltered in your safe space, snowflake.

 

[like-woahh]

I live downtown and shop at this Hy-Vee at least twice a week (I suck at planning, leave me alone). Just went there this evening after 6:00 PM and they had actually removed some of the annoying as shit barriers they put up a few weeks ago and I didn't see any hours posted.

I think they've already backtracked on the reduced hours due to an agreement with the city (that could just be internet bullshit).

Anywho, I was able to get off work, go to the downtown Hy-Vee and pay dumb markups due to convenience and it was after 6:00 PM. I know you were all worried about me and my grocery status, but I'm good.


Side rant:

I'm glad that the store exists just because of proximity, but the people who designed it were morons. People who live downtown just want a market... groceries and fresh produce, that's it. They took up more than 1/2 the space on food court/restaurant, which is beyond dumb because you're on Court Ave so there are... what at least 10 restaurants within walking distance that are inherently better than you? The whole design from the start was just poorly thought out. The place screams of shitty execs making dumb decisions, but that's not unusual for a company of Hy-Vee's size.

 

[50kWidowmaker]

Oh, lord help us! Des Moines and Portland, Oregon, both war zones!

Do us a favor, stay sheltered in your safe space, snowflake.

What a weird post. What's this war zone stuff?

If you're mad at the high frequency of police calls referenced in the article, then take it up with those causing the calls.

 

[StormHawk42]

They need to bring back those "Des Moines sucks!" shirts from a couple decades back.

Downtown Hy-Vee reduces hours, cites crime and loitering as reasons why​

Downtown Hy-Vee reduces hours, cites crime and loitering as reasons why

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Hy-Vee grocery store in downtown Des Moines is scaling back its hours due to crime, loitering, and a lack of foot traffic. While many people were surprised to see the s…

who13.com

Hy-Vee can say whatever they want. Yeah there’s some homeless and druggies around downtown. Doesn’t change the fact that the store has been pretty unsuccessful since it opened. Slim, expensive selection, terrible layout, not a weekend destination (when most people get groceries).

Hy-Vee made a crappy business move like they have pretty much consistently for the last decade and are using crime as a convenient excuse.

 

[like-woahh]

Hy-Vee can say whatever they want. Yeah there’s some homeless and druggies around downtown. Doesn’t change the fact that the store has been pretty unsuccessful since it opened. Slim, expensive selection, terrible layout, not a weekend destination (when most people get groceries).

Hy-Vee made a crappy business move like they have pretty much consistently for the last decade and are using crime as a convenient excuse.

This guy downtowns, and if you don't downtown, how the hell did you nail this

 

[EvolutionDenier]

Oh, lord help us! Des Moines and Portland, Oregon, both war zones!

Do us a favor, stay sheltered in your safe space, snowflake.

Oh, thank goodness. I thought Portland was a shithole, but it's not!

 

[StormHawk42]

This guy downtowns, and if you don't downtown, how the hell did you nail this

I could see where Northern was going to lead this thread. Comparing downtown DSM to a violent gang infested hellscape which it most certainly isn’t. So I decided to shoot the thread down before discussion ensued

 

[DooBi]

Hy-Vee can say whatever they want. Yeah there’s some homeless and druggies around downtown. Doesn’t change the fact that the store has been pretty unsuccessful since it opened. Slim, expensive selection, terrible layout, not a weekend destination (when most people get groceries).

Hy-Vee made a crappy business move like they have pretty much consistently for the last decade and are using crime as a convenient excuse.

200 calls for police in 6 months is an insane amount. My stores maybe had 2 a year.

 

[like-woahh]

200 calls for police in 6 months is an insane amount. My stores maybe had 2 a year.

Where are your stores located?

 

[Fan In Black]

I've been waiting for Des Moines to join the fight. I'm tired of beating the blood out of the QC dick stains.

CR, DM, QC, and Souix City. Fatal 4 way at Fight Bar.

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

Downtown Des Moines has always resembled a graveyard after 8pm. This isn't new. This goes back at least 30+ years. The lack of foot traffic shouldn't be surprising.

There are parts thats are always busy, East Village and Ingersol are the busiest till 9 or 10 week nights then really late on the weekends. Great mix of restaurants and bars in these areas.

 

[Tenacious E]

Downtown Des Moines has always resembled a graveyard after 8pm. This isn't new. This goes back at least 30+ years. The lack of foot traffic shouldn't be surprising.

I don’t think you’ve been downtown DSM at night recently. Certainly not Chicago, but there is a lot going on down there compared to when when we moved here 20 years ago.

 

[DooBi]

Where are your stores located?

Cherokee and Storm Lake

 

[auntie_fah]

I dont think the collins road area in cedar rapids ever recovered fully when hy vee packed up and closed up shop at that location.

Damn libs doing lib things

 

[auntie_fah]

200 calls for police in 6 months is an insane amount. My stores maybe had 2 a year.

Weird that hyvee didnt militarize any security gaurds at that location

 

[Hawkeye Swarm]

Weird that hyvee didnt militarize any security gaurds at that location

Last time I was down that way there was one in the store.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Hy Vee uses taxpayer dollars to build a fancy new store, with all kinds of bells and whistles that nobody wants, and then pisses and moans when things don't go their way. All the downtown needed was a grocery store.

 

[Greenway4Prez]

I know you were all worried about me and my grocery status, but I'm good.

 

[millah_22]

Downtown Des Moines has always resembled a graveyard after 8pm. This isn't new. This goes back at least 30+ years. The lack of foot traffic shouldn't be surprising.

When I lived in IC I'd go to DSM often for shows and whatever. Whenever I was in Downton/East Village I was always surprised how few people I saw. I assumed maybe they were using the skywalk system or something? But once i'd go into a restaurant or a venue it would be packed, just no one outside.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

When I lived in IC I'd go to DSM often for shows and whatever. Whenever I was in Downton/East Village I was always surprised how few people I saw. I assumed maybe they were using the skywalk system or something? But once i'd go into a restaurant or a venue it would be packed, just no one outside.

Violence, vandalism and homeless people pooping and peeing in the skywalk has contributed to the demise.

 

[DropitlikeitsHawk]

There was a brief period where downtown was relatively busy. 07-09 ish? It’s a no man’s land now.

 

[millah_22]

Hy Vee uses taxpayer dollars to build a fancy new store, with all kinds of bells and whistles that nobody wants, and then pisses and moans when things don't go their way. All the downtown needed was a grocery store.

Hy Vee just built "The biggest grocery store ever" in Omaha's most western suburb and the only time anyone talks about it is when they say "Why did they put tvs and a bar in a grocery store?"

 

[WDSMHAWK]

Oh, thank goodness. I thought Portland was a shithole, but it's not!

You got scared into thinking transgenderism is a mental illness. It's not surprising that you got conned into thinking Portland is a shithole

 

[srams21]

Hyvee is completely terrible at understanding market needs and demographics. They should have built one of their smaller market stores in downtown DSM instead of a large full service store.

They are stuck in this idea that they want to sell pretty much everything instead of just being a good grocery store

 

[millah_22]

Violence, vandalism and homeless people pooping and peeing in the skywalk has contributed to the demise.

I didn't see homeless people, vandalism, or violence either. Never felt unsafe. It was just empty. Like I said, the establishments were packed, just no one outside.

 

[Tenacious E]

Hyvee is completely terrible at understanding market needs and demographics. They should have built one of their smaller market stores in downtown DSM instead of a large full service store.

They are stuck in this idea that they want to sell pretty much everything instead of just being a good grocery store

If you think about it, at least around here DSM, not even Costco, Walmart or Target think people actually want to sit down and dine there. There are a few benches that people scarf hot dogs down at costco, or a mini starbucks at Target, or a mini subway at Walmart, but not a restaurant and bar. It is just a stupid idea.

 

[sabula]

I didn't see homeless people, vandalism, or violence either. Never felt unsafe. It was just empty. Like I said, the establishments were packed, just no one outside.

Yeah, but major exaggeration is needed to make his point.

 

[Tenacious E]

Violence, vandalism and homeless people pooping and peeing in the skywalk has contributed to the demise.

I complained about people using the skywalk as a toilet last winter, but they have really stepped their efforts in cleaning it up this winter. And even at its smelliest, I have never felt in danger. And they certainly have not dampened activity at establishments in DSM. As far as I can tell, the entertainment, food, and beverage sector is thriving, even as more and more business migrate west in the city and metro.

 

[ThorneStockton]

When I lived in IC I'd go to DSM often for shows and whatever. Whenever I was in Downton/East Village I was always surprised how few people I saw. I assumed maybe they were using the skywalk system or something? But once i'd go into a restaurant or a venue it would be packed, just no one outside.

I lived in DSM in 2014-2015, I thought the same thing, the sidewalks were empty, just a ghost town. I also figured the skywalk system was the main culprit, was weird.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Yeah, but major exaggeration is needed to make his point.

Oh yeah, just minor stuff like an attempted child abduction and a mob beat down of a couple.

 

[millah_22]

I complained about people using the skywalk as a toilet last winter, but they have really stepped their efforts in cleaning it up this winter. And even at its smelliest, I have never felt in danger. And they certainly have not dampened activity at establishments in DSM. As far as I can tell, the entertainment, food, and beverage sector is thriving, even as more and more business migrate west in the city and metro.

When I worked for the parking department at Iowa, people would use the stairwells as bathrooms all the time. All. The. Time.

 

[Tenacious E]

When I worked for the parking department at Iowa, people would use the stairwells as bathrooms all the time. All. The. Time.

I can assure you that there are some stairwells on the skywalk that you do NOT want to drop down in to street level for just that reason. I would think urban areas and college campuses would be the worst for that kind of thing...

 

[millah_22]

I can assure you that there are some stairwells on the skywalk that you do NOT want to drop down in to street level for just that reason. I would think urban areas and college campuses would be the worst for that kind of thing...

We were pretty good at getting it cleaned up when noticed/reported. Campus area was usually just pee. Hospital area was people shitting themselves bc they prob had a bathroom emergency and couldn't make it from 2 blocks away to the hospital in time.

 

[EasyHawk]

I have seen the downtown Hy-Vee store but never visited, my no-pic daughter lives in downtown Des Moines and she will go occasionally, but she said it is kind of worthless as it is mostly high-end niche items that not many people would be looking for. It doesn't take her long at all to get to a normal Hy-Vee so she does that most of the time. Through college, she worked at Starbucks in an Iowa City Hy-Vee, her store had the armed security guards. She said they basically just stood there and watched people. The Newton Hy-Vee was open 24 hours for many years, then at some point pre-Covid it went to 6AM to midnight. Then ever since Covid it has been 6AM to 10pm, with some departments closing at 8pm or maybe earlier. And it has the Walburgers and the bar/tv area.

 

[sabula]

Oh yeah, just minor stuff like an attempted child abduction and a mob beat down of a couple.

Show me any city in the United States where those type of things don't happen. Child abduction and assault is attempted in major and small cities all over. School shootings in Perry IA for Gods sake. Big or small. Exaggeration for effect, and you're purposefully selective, and poor at it. Snowflake.

 

[lucas80]

It's always worth opening a Northern thread in which he pisses himself at the thought of going anywhere rougher than Indianola.

 

[Tenacious E]

I have seen the downtown Hy-Vee store but never visited, my no-pic daughter lives in downtown Des Moines and she will go occasionally, but she said it is kind of worthless as it is mostly high-end niche items that not many people would be looking for. It doesn't take her long at all to get to a normal Hy-Vee so she does that most of the time. Through college, she worked at Starbucks in an Iowa City Hy-Vee, her store had the armed security guards. She said they basically just stood there and watched people. The Newton Hy-Vee was open 24 hours for many years, then at some point pre-Covid it went to 6AM to midnight. Then ever since Covid it has been 6AM to 10pm, with some departments closing at 8pm or maybe earlier. And it has the Walburgers and the bar/tv area.

I have been in the downtown HyVee probabably 50 times. I wouldn't say it is plagued with high end niche items. What I will echo from others is that they have WAY too much space dedicated to their attempt at an upscale food court situation with tables. If I had to venture a guess that area takes up 20% of the entire store, maybe more. That means that there are less groceries in the aisles, and less selection. None of it seems particularly fancy though. It's not like the Ankeny South Hyvee where they have dry aged steaks.

 

[jasonrann]

Cherokee and Storm Lake