Cosentino's Grocery downtown

[moderne]

I am showing my age, but I remember Wolferman's on Walnut as a child before it closed.  This place reminds me so much of it, Wolferman's even had a dining mezzanine.

[dojo06]

My guess - they want you to use their gelato section instead.

Just go down the street to Yummo for 16 flavors of non-fat frozen yogurt and choose your own toppings from over 40 different choices.

[DaveKCMO]

pastry update:

chocolate croissant = divine
chocolate chunk scone = inedible
chocolate chip cookie = not really worth the $1 price

[lock+load]

chocolate chip cookie = not really worth the $1 price

I had a chocolate chip cookie on Saturday and something seemed a bit off about it.

[rxlexi]

  had a great experience here Saturday afternoon...pulled up ~4:30 pm, parked in the 15 min spot out front, ran in, grabbed a couple of cans of dog food, a bag of rawhide treats and sixer of Schlafly ESB on sale, ran back out to the car.  Cashier was amazingly friendly.  In and out in like 5 min - wonderfully convenient, though I would like to see more on-street, 15 minute parking for these types of trips.  Oh and I was pleased to see the crowd, even on a Saturday afternoon.  I love this place!

[staubio]

  had a great experience here Saturday afternoon...pulled up ~4:30 pm, parked in the 15 min spot out front, ran in, grabbed a couple of cans of dog food, a bag of rawhide treats and sixer of Schlafly ESB on sale, ran back out to the car.  Cashier was amazingly friendly.  In and out in like 5 min - wonderfully convenient, though I would like to see more on-street, 15 minute parking for these types of trips.  Oh and I was pleased to see the crowd, even on a Saturday afternoon.  I love this place!

Parking in the garage for the same trip would maybe be 30 seconds slower. Seriously.

[KC-wildcat]

  Oh and I was pleased to see the crowd, even on a Saturday afternoon.  I love this place!

I was there on Saturday as well.  1:30-2:00.  The place was packed.  I even got to see a homeless guy get cuffed and escorted out of the store by two cops. 

Seeing all of those people shopping, and walking around... It was like living in a real city.   

[scooterj]

Parking in the garage for the same trip would maybe be 30 seconds slower. Seriously.

I've been using the garage a lot whenever I'm getting a lot of things or grabbing things on the way to a friend's house.    It's amazingly fast.  Way faster than parking in a surface lot, seriously.  I've always been able to park within 75 feet of the door, I don't know of any other store I can do that consistently without a special blue tag on the rearview mirror!

I was there on Saturday as well.  1:30-2:00.  The place was packed.  I even got to see a homeless guy get cuffed and escorted out of the store by two cops.     

I've noticed that there is almost always a Bee stationed at 13th & Main these days.  Are they there to keep the riff-raff out of the store or to keep people from parking illegally?

[cknab1]

I did see a Jaguar parked in the first handicapped spot, no handicap pates or hanger.  It just happened to be a JO plate.  I wish they would tow these cars.  Plenty of close places to park with having to do that.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I did see a Jaguar parked in the first handicapped spot, no handicap pates or hanger.  It just happened to be a JO plate.  I wish they would tow these cars.  Plenty of close places to park with having to do that.

New XF per chance?  If so, I have seen it parked in that spot a couple times myself.  Perhaps it is someone associated with the store. 

[cknab1]

Could be, it still bugs me.  I just think when people see that they are more likely to use the handicap spot the next time they are just going to be a minute.  And if it is a store person, they should know better.

[KC-wildcat]

It just happened to be a JO plate.  I wish they would tow these cars. 

Not to skirt the issue of parking in a disabled parking spot, BUT, it sure is nice to see JoCo residents frequenting the store. 

I know wome would rather keep the JoCo "striped-shirts" our of the neighborhood, but IMO, it's a positive sign that they're finding DT attractive. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

I know wome would rather keep the JoCo "striped-shirts" our of the neighborhood, but IMO, it's a positive sign that they're finding DT attractive. 

Hey - someone has to help pay off those revenue bonds - might as well be folks from outside the city limits. 

I do still see quite a large number of "grocery tourists" in from the burbs when we go.  It was humerous the other night when we went there and walked in behind these two ~50's suburban couples.  One of the couples had been to the store before and was conducting a full sightseeing tour for the other couple that was there for the first time, stopping them in various places to point out the details.  It was like watching a pack of foreign tourists going through an art museum. 

[barkerr]

 

I do still see quite a large number of "grocery tourists" in from the burbs when we go.  It was humerous the other night when we went there and walked in behind these two ~50's suburban couples.  One of the couples had been to the store before and was conducting a full sightseeing tour for the other couple that was there for the first time, stopping them in various places to point out the details.  It was like watching a pack of foreign tourists going through an art museum. 

I have witnessed this as well.

[KCPowercat]

I went last night around 845 and was pleased to still see a good amount of customers.

[staubio]

One thing about the later hours. By 9 PM, the place looks pretty unwelcoming. They have all of the chairs up and the food covered or removed from the displays. I realize that this is required and it keeps the store open while they prepare for close but it gives a bit of an impression that they aren't open when they are.

I was there the other night at around 9:30 and there was certainly enough traffic to justify being open.

[trailerkid]

One thing about the later hours. By 9 PM, the place looks pretty unwelcoming. They have all of the chairs up and the food covered or removed from the displays. I realize that this is required and it keeps the store open while they prepare for close but it gives a bit of an impression that they aren't open when they are.

I worked at hyvee for a period and they began closing down the prepared foods (hot trays, salad bars) probably around 7:00 (when business starts to die in any grocer) even though they were open until about 8:00 PM. Everything pretty much looked like hell after the evening rush.

I don't expect to walk into a supermarket and find fresh, hot or cold, prepared foods at 9:00 PM-- probably need to order takeout or dine-in at a restaurant if you want fresh food later than peak times (4-7 PM) at a grocer. But because the Cosentino's Market model is built around prepared foods, I do see your point.

[staubio]

I don't expect to walk into a supermarket and find fresh, hot or cold, prepared foods at 9:00 PM-- probably need to order takeout or dine-in at a restaurant if you want fresh food later than peak times (4-7 PM) at a grocer. But because the Cosentino's Market model is built around prepared foods, I do see your point.

Sure, I agree. The problem is that this section of the store is what is visible from the street, so it sends the wrong message.

[trailerkid]

Sure, I agree. The problem is that this section of the store is what is visible from the street, so it sends the wrong message.

the place concentrates on prepared foods, but cannot concentrate on them beyond a certain hour. It'd probably be smart to introduce some sort of visual element (smart advertisements maybe?) to mask the abandoned food prep/service areas in the hours when its not operating and entice passersby. Some sort of transparent, visual play on/over the windows after dark that invites the customer to enter. In the same way that the food prep areas draw people in during daylight, they can also draw people away after dark. It's a double-edged sword...

[KCPowercat]

I see both sides. Probably be best if they just left the chairs off the tables...I think that's staub's biggest item.