Darcy Kuenzi: Menifee Women in Business
In her 20 years as a resident of Menifee, Darcy Kuenzi has both witnessed and participated in the growth of the business community. From the...
http://www.menifee247.com/2012/07/darcy-kuenzi-menifee-women-in-business.html
She stands now as an example of the kind of aggressive yet intelligent leadership shown by many business women in Menifee.
A Menifee City Council member and candidate for mayor in the upcoming election, Kuenzi works with other city officials to balance the need for business growth and increased tax revenue with the wishes of residents regarding traffic, city environment and other topics.
With that goal in mind, Kuenzi joined city council member Sue Kristjansson and planning commissioner Bill Zimmerman in a booth at the July 4 city festival, soliciting ideas for community improvement.
High on the list were requests for healthier choices in grocery stores, such as Trader Joe's and Fresh and Easy. Kuenzi took these suggestions and has come up with a plan.
Having determined after discussions with Trader Joe's officials that the chain has no plans to come to Menifee, Kuenzi focused on Fresh and Easy, a chain of neighborhood markets that has a distribution center just a few miles up Interstate 215. The response from those officials convinced her to seek residents' support with a letter writing campaign, which she announces today in this space.
"Trader Joe's is not coming to Menifee," Kuenzi said. "On the other hand, when I called Fresh and Easy, they said they would love to talk to us. It's all about whether the business deal makes sense for them, but letters from residents certainly won't hurt. I urge residents to write a letter to Fresh and Easy, explaining to them why their business would be attractive to the people of Menifee."
Kuenzi asks those interested in writing a letter to email it to her at darcyk@email.com. She will forward the letters to Fresh and Easy in an attempt to help bring a local franchise here.
"Menifee Women in Business" is a sponsored series. If you'd like to be featured, contact Shelli Stovall at 760-408-2010 or shelli@cleardigitalmedia.com
This is the kind of leadership and involvement Menifee needs from all the representatives.
ReplyDeleteI agree with 12:36 PM. However, we residents have voiced our concerns about traffic and the need for a local Costco. These issues have yet to be resolved.
ReplyDeleteA Costco would bring 10 times the revenue to our city than a Fresh and Easy and a Trader Joe's combined. I'm all for either of these and would prefer a Trader Joe's. However, for revenue stream the Costco would be significantly more.
I'm with the person above. I would vote for a Trader Joe's or Henrys/Sprouts AND a Costco. We need some places closer to home than to spend our money in Temecula. No offense to Fresh and Easy (never shopped there), but lived in Moreno Valley where they built a store 3 years ago and it NEVER OPENED to this day. At least with Traders or Henrys/Sprouts they are a proven company.
ReplyDeleteThe important thing to recognize here is not the individual business preference,but the leadership to listen to the wishes of the citizens and provide the impetus to act on them. Contacting potential business concerns is the responsibility of city staff. Providing the input and encouraging staff to take action is the role of leadership.I am encouraged that these leaders are emerging in Menifee.
ReplyDeleteYes bring a costco. Fresh n EAsy has great stuff but they are so way overly priced it will go out of business. A Costco would be better.
ReplyDeleteI hate Fresh and Easy, Its way overpriced and what if I want to just buy one cucumber?? Too bad. All grocery stores are healthy, fresh and easy if no different that what we already have, it just depends on what you buy at those grocery stores. Costco or Henry's would be great!
ReplyDeleteI'm tired of traveling an almost 20 mile turn around to Sams or an almost 40 mile turn around to Costco. But as you can see I'm still willing to travel..some days to both..down the 215 then up the 15 then back...I would love to have one of them in town....amazing in Laguna Niguel you have 2 Costcos within 15 minutes of travel on surface streets.....if one doesn't have an item the other does....And we can't get one within 17 miles...
ReplyDeleteCostco or a Sprouts...Please..
ReplyDeleteCOSTCO for sure! We really need this and the benefits it would bring to our city would be tremendous.
ReplyDeleteDisappointing we wont have a Trader Joe's in the near future. I wonder why they won't come???
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, people today are interested in healthier lifestyles and we want to purchase healthier and fresher food than you can get in a our local big box grocery stores. Please direct the City to explore Whole Foods, Henry's or Barrons. By the way, Fresh and Easy still hasn't opened off Jackson in Murrieta.
I am very impressed with Mrs. Kuenzi's ambition to at least find an alternative! Bravo to her. However, I agree that a Sprouts/Henry's or a Costco would be better for Menifee. It is hard traveling to Temecula or Lake Elsinore especially with kids and more so when they are back in school. I agree with the posts above. The local grocery stores are convenient, but cant always provide what the healthier chains provide. Clearly people travel outside of Menifee to go to these places. Leave the money in Menifee, and have these options local so it benefits our health and the Menifee!
ReplyDeleteI live in the west side of Menifee so the Lake Elsinore Costco gets the sales tax from the $400.00 to $800.00 I spend there every month to month and a half not counting a SUV and sedan I fill up with gas there. I would love to see the sales tax go to my city.
ReplyDeleteGrocery isn't taxed.
ReplyDeleteMost of these places won't come because Menifees average household income isn't high enough. The businesses have to know that there is money to be spent here. That's why orange county areas have multiple costcos and trader joes. We just need to keep supporting the businesses we do have and then they will notice. Look at all the restaurants we are now getting. It's because we have supported the existing restaurants.
ReplyDeleteMany Fresh and Easy markets are closing so that should not be an option for Menifee. We don't need another huge former market building sitting empty because there was not enough business to support it.
ReplyDeleteIf these people are listening to the citizens why have they not addressed the issue of sludge and the effects it is having on our citizens. We need a real environmental health dept. to oversee this issue before we worry about additional business' coming into the city to produce even more traffic and congestion.