NEWS

VIDEO: WHY WON'T Wegmans & some restaurants come to Dutchess?

Geoffrey Wilson
Poughkeepsie Journal

Want a White Castle burger or a Chipotle's Burrito Bowl?

You're in for a drive.

A long drive.

Within 15 miles of the City of Poughkeepsie, there are 13 McDonald's, eight Burger Kings and eight Wendy's restaurants.

But the closest White Castle to the City of Poughkeepsie is in Nanuet, about 131 miles there and back.

White Castle

Kingston is home to the closest Chipotle, a 45-mile round trip for fans of the Tex-Mex eatery.

Want to pick up some Trader Joe's hot chocolate or gourmet fare from Wegmans or Whole Foods? Better gas up the car for a trip to Connecticut to hit Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. Pack a lunch for Wegmans. The closest one is in New Jersey, more than 106 miles away.

And most of these brands have no plans to move here or declined to discuss their plans.

Beyond the brands, there are other things missing in Dutchess County, like a kosher deli.

Dutchess County has many of the major restaurant and grocery chains and franchises, but it is a no man's land for smaller, specialty brands that often have a cult following.

Caught between the more populous New York City to the south and the Capital Region to the north, Dutchess County can't compete.

The decision to open a store can be based on a variety of factors, such as area population, the average income and education levels of the residents and what stores or restaurants are already there. In the mid-Hudson Valley, outsiders coming in also face strong local brands, like Adams Fairacre Farms, the family-run business known for high quality food and an emphasis on local products.

"Chipotle, Trader Joe's, Arby's, White Castle," said Katherine Santiago, 28, from Wappingers Falls. "Dutchess County needs to step up. It's good to have variety. And I'm not traveling outside Dutchess just to go to these places."

The Chipotle in Danbury, Connecticut, is all too familiar to Christy Seregely, 20, of Fishkill. She makes the the 60-mile trip to and from the restaurant which she considers a cut above similar offerings in Dutchess County.

The Chipotle restaurant logo is seen in Chantilly, Virginia on January 2, 2015. AFP Photo/PAUL J. RICHARDS (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

With a variety of options to customize a dish and more "organic" ingredients, Chipotle offers choices that make the trip worth it, Seregely said.

"As a customer, I have the ability to create my own food and what I want together vs. Taco Bell, (where) everything is already created," she said.

Taco Bell holds a strong foothold for Tex-Mex fast food in Dutchess County with six locations within 25 miles of the City of Poughkeepsie.

Despite this, Seregely said an alternative like Chipotle would be welcome, providing different options and services than a more traditional fast food like Taco Bell.

"I think Chipotle would fit right into Dutchess County with no problem," she said. "It is very unique in its own way so I honestly do not think it will run into any problems between any possible competition."

Deciding factors

When comparing factors that often go into selecting a site, such as population size, median household income and education levels, Dutchess County seemingly can't compete with larger, neighboring areas.

The City of Poughkeepsie had an estimated population of 30,639 in 2013, according to census data. Albany and New York City had estimated populations of 98,424 and more than 8 million respectively, offering a larger pool of potential customers. Dutchess County's population was 296,579, compared to 308,171 for Albany County, one part of the larger Capital District region.

How much residents have to spend also is important. With a median household income of $39,481, the City of Poughkeepsie is more competitive with Albany than New York City, which have median household incomes of $40,287 and $52,259 respectively, according to census data. Looking at Dutchess County as a whole improves the picture, with a $72,525 median household income.

Dutchess County also slightly lags behind in the education level of the population. In Dutchess, 33.2 percent of residents earned a bachelor's degree or higher compared to 34.5 percent in New York City and 37.2 percent in Albany, census data reports.

Adding to these issues is how many other grocery stores, restaurants and franchises are already here.

Bill Guilfoyle, associate professor of business management at the Culinary Institute of America, said that most of the culinary niches in Dutchess County, from burger joints and Tex-Mex to grocery stores, have been filled.

"There are lots of good grocery stores already in the area," Guilfoyle said.

While there is an interest from Dutchess County locals, it's unlikely these stores will settle into the mid-Hudson Valley anytime soon.

The Poughkeepsie Journal contacted the most popular restaurants and stores among readers who responded on Facebook to find out what the criteria is for choosing a location and if there are plans to open in Dutchess County.

After reaching out multiple times, several companies declined to comment or did not reply to questions on criteria and future plans. These include the Cheesecake Factory, White Castle, Chipotle, Wegmans, Trader Joe's and Chick-fil-A.

Trader Joe's declined to comment on how it chooses locations, but Rachel Broderick, public relations for Trader Joe's, confirmed there were no plans for a Dutchess store.

Trader Joe’s

Moe's Southwest Grill, a competitor of Chipotle, looks for a minimum population of 30,000, said Daley Michael, communications coordinator for the restaurant chain. An ideal area population would have an average age of 40 or below and a median income of $50,000.

The Tex-Mex restaurant does not have plans for a Dutchess County site, but Michael said that could change.

"We hope to open a location in Dutchess County in the future," Michael said.

A trip to the market

In Dutchess, grocery store options include six Stop & Shop branches, four Hannaford locations, two Adams Fairacre Farms and two ShopRite stores. But for some, these will not do.

Matthew Martin, 24, of Hyde Park, said he makes monthly trips to stock up at Trader Joe's in Danbury, a 100-mile round-trip journey.

"It may not always be a one-stop shop but the charm, prices and options are addicting," Martin said.

From toasted coconut pancake mix to chocolate-covered espresso beans, Trader Joe's offers food he can't find anywhere else, Martin said. Trader Joe's also offers appealing and affordable health food, he said.

"I think the people in our area could really use a bit of a health boost, and their (Trader Joe's) low prices could help smash the belief that being healthy is expensive," Martin said. "Good foods and health is a huge trend, and if that alone attracted people to the store it could build some long-time customers."

Whole Foods Market considers a number of factors in deciding where to locate, including accessibility by car or mass transit, population size, and familiarity and interest in the company, said Michael Sinatra, public relations for Whole Foods Market. Sinatra did not specify the exact requirements.

This July 29, 2013 file photo shows produce on a Whole Foods paper bag in Andover, Mass.

Whole Foods Market formerly chose locations based on the density of college-educated people in a population, Sinatra said. However, the company changed its strategy to target areas with few, if any, nearby grocery options.

Despite a recent push for more locations in New York, Whole Foods Market has no plans for a Dutchess County store.

"We believe there are great opportunities in New York and will continue to seek opportunities for future locations throughout the state," Sinatra said.

For many in the mid-Hudson Valley, the Adams Fairacre Farms stores have long served the niche of a high-end, specialty grocer. The family operation has been known for decades as the place to find locally grown produce, gourmet chocolates and cheeses and high-quality seafood and meat.

Wegmans Food Markets has been ranked as the No. 1 supermarket in the country by customers in the latest Consumer Reports survey.

While Wegmans did not provide information on criteria for opening a store, the website lists upcoming store locations in its Frequently Asked Questions section. Wegmans plans for a location in Brooklyn, but there are no listed plans for a store in or around Dutchess County.

Golden Corral plans to open a restaurant in the Town of Poughkeepsie, according to a town board meeting agenda. The North Carolina-based, buffet-style restaurant is expected to open on Route 9, near the Hampton Inn.

Missing basics

While Dutchess County lacks many of these specialty brands, the county is also missing something from another niche: a kosher deli.

"A great Jewish deli would be so great," said Kathryn Farina, 75, of Poughkeepsie. "We had one in Wappingers Falls a few years ago, and it was fantastic."

Howard Lynne, 72, of the City of Poughkeepsie, speculated the higher costs to operate a kosher deli over a non-kosher deli may be the reason Dutchess County lacks one. However, Lynne also said he believes people will pay more.

"The two most important things to running a kosher deli are the quality and the quantity of the meat," Lynne said.

So, if a kosher deli is to your taste, head out of Dutchess County.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: @PoJoGeoffWilson

Closest stores

The list below contains several grocery and restaurant businesses and the distance from their nearest stores to the City of Poughkeepsie as calculated in Google Maps.

Moe's Southwest Grill

Modena…21.5 miles

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Kingston…22.7 miles

Friendly's Restaurant

Carmel…23.9 miles

Trader Joe's

Danbury, Connecticut…37.4 miles

Whole Foods Market

Danbury, Connecticut…40.8 miles

The Cheesecake Factory

Danbury, Connecticut…41.1 miles

Chick-fil-A: Danbury

Connecticut…41.3 miles

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

Ramsey, New Jersey…62 miles

Dave & Buster's

West Nyack…63.4 miles

Smashburger

Nanuet…65.2 miles

White Castle

Nanuet…65.7 miles

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

New York City…80.1 miles

*Golden Corral

Colonie…88 miles

Wegmans Food Markets

Woodbridge, New Jersey…106 miles

*Coming to Poughkeepsie

Readers' top eight businesses

The Poughkeepsie Journal asked on Facebook what stores and restaurants readers wanted to see in Dutchess County. Here are the most popular answers and the number of comments that mentioned them.

Trader Joe's…135

Whole Foods Market…57

White Castle…53

Wegmans Food Markets…41

Chipotle…40

Golden Corral…30

Chick-fil-A…27

The Cheesecake Factory…20

Reader quotes

"We go to Trader Joe's as much as possible and love it! It just stinks we have to drive all the way to Danbury," said Matthew Martin, 24, of Hyde Park.

"My kingdom for a Jack In The Box taco or a White Castle belly bomb!" said Michael Boyajian, 56, of Fishkill.

"(I) wish they would have In-N-Out but probably better that they dont 'do' the East Coast," said Colleen Lambert, 56, of Fishkill.

"A great Jewish deli would be so great. We had one in Wappingers Falls a few years ago and it was fantastic," said Kathryn Farina, 75, of Poughkeepsie.

"Always thought a Trader Joe's would be a good fit at the Taconic and Route 55 in the Planet Fitness lot," said James Teed, 31, of Poughkeepsie.

"(The Cheesecake Factory) would be a goldmine on Route 9 in the Home Depot Plaza in Fishkill," said Heather Spadafino, 43, of Wappingers Falls.

"It (Wegmans) is fantastic... We seek one out whenever we travel upstate or in NJ/PA," said Traci Suppa, 45, of Hopewell Junction.

"We need a Chipotle in Poughkeepsie (or Fishkill), and it's not up for debate." said Jonathan Bergenson, 24, of Fishkill.

Let them know what you think

The restaurants and stores that don't have a location in Dutchess County can be reached through their websites. Many of these sites include a tool to recommend a new restaurant location.

Trader Joe's:traderjoes.com

Whole Foods Market:wholefoodsmarket.com

White Castle:whitecastle.com

Wegmans Food Markets:wegmans.com

Chipotle:chipotle.com

Golden Corral:goldencorral.com

Chick-fil-A:chick-fil-a.com

The Cheesecake Factory:thecheesecakefactory.com

Have questions about specialty brands in Dutchess County?

If you have questions about the story, or the food and drink scene in the mid-Hudson Valley, feel free to "friend" and message Geoff Wilson on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/1fbGhch. You can also reach him on Twitter at http://bit.ly/1KbXld4.