Supermarket To Become "Holiday Season Only" Through Lack Of Resident Support

Hi Folks,

Ok we've made a big decision with regards to the supermarket. We have decided to close in October 2013 till May 2014. This has not been an easy decision but one we feel we have to make. The main reason for this is that throughout the summer we have great support and response from customers on holiday and with holiday homes but the sad fact is that most people on Hacienda Del Alamo just don’t support us although we do have regular customers that are very loyal and to them we appreciate that but sadly this will not keep the shop running. We set the shop up and do not take anything from it, basically all profit goes back into improving it and i give it my full support 7 days a week. The reason for this is i have owned a property on here for 6yrs now and like some others would like to see the commercial side improved to hopefully kickstart the residential side and build the community up. This is working on places like polaris world where people are supporting their businesses but most people on here dont seem to be interested it it working. I have had bad comments made about the shop from people who haven’t even stepped inside the door in almost a year since I’ve opened which i think is sad. We have more support from people who don’t live on here than people who do. The main point of this supermarket is all the major supermarkets (consum, mercadonna, Spar/Upper) were approached to open on here and have no interest at all as they are all in Fuente Alamo anyway so the only chance of a shop on here is being an independent one like this. Another sad point is that when i visit warehouses i see products sometimes for more than some supermarkets sell them for because of their buying power. I find i have almost 1000 lines in store and try my hardest to compete with prices but even though i don’t take a cent i still have overheads to pay for. Nobody ever thought you could do all you purchases here but a little here and there would have been enough to help and don’t forget we carefully pack you purchases in bags that we don’t charge for and that cost me 4cents each unlike other stores who throw your stuff through with no care, even start the next customer before you finish packing and charge for bags.

It is for this reason we have no choice but to become a seasonal shop, we apologise to all out regular customers for any inconvenience however this step is necessary to keep the shop going if even only part time.

Sadly some residents on here want to treat HDA as their own private resort and are quite happy for it not to become a popular resort so not to interupt their golf but would be the first ones to complain if it became social housing for homeless families. Take a look at other resorts and see how even in these hard times they are still managing new businesses and sales.

Kev

web:          www.thevillagesupermarket.es

facebook:  TheVillage  Supermarket

We have a holiday home in the resort and are very sad to hear the shop will close for the winter.  We appreciate the effort you made to give the village some commercial life, the shop is a real asset to Hacienda del Alamo, and a great shame it will be open in the summer only.

Hi Kev,

Sorry to hear about the shop.

We have a holiday home and always come in when we are over although it's not very often.

We agree with you about some residents who just want to keep the resort for themselves. This has been the trouble from the start and is a very short sighted view.

Wishing you well

Ricky

Hi,

Sorry to hear things havent worked out. Unfortunately what with the large supermarkets in town and also the fact that everyone needs a car to get to HDA, a small supermarket on resort will not work until there is "critical mass", enough punters to support a convenience store. We just jump in our cars and do the weekly shop. Perhaps if you sold papers it would give everyone a reason to visit and buy additional items. Not sure of the logistics of english newspapaers though in Spain.

Also, the spanish village/square is deserted and will remain so until the hotel opens ( if ever) in my opinion. The mistake made when the village was built was that all the apartments do not have access to a swimming pool, so what do you do on a hot summers day, sit indoors? If you had access to the hotels pool, then different story. They might have sold the apartments and then you would have regular visitors to the square and then the shops would work.

The only real outlets that have a chance there currently are, a british newspaper kiosk and food and drink outlets ( pizza/pasta bar perhaps). People love going out on holiday, fact.

What i dont understand is that the owners havent grasped that the resort ( which they have spent millions on and are committed to have to spend contractually ) needs life and that they will have to subsidise heavily towards the opening of some new bar and food outlets. It is only then people will take the plunge and invest on HDA.

Lets face it, without the brave investment from the owners of both Kennellys and especially Spaniard Inn we would have no social life so they should all be applauded and used as much as possible.

On a major postive note, most resorts are on their backsides, with no real infrastructure. HDA has got all the costly infrustrure out of the way so when things do return ( and they will ) the resort should blossom but only if all of us use our holiday homes regularly and use the facilities on offer. Great location, lots of space, cracking golf course etc .

Keep the faith and best wishes.

Just a follow up on the last comment,

I dont agree with all your comments about the supermarket not working until there is a "Critical Mass" I have proof that the shop works almost of the time through the year even on small sales with the exception of the christmas period which is very quiet but through the summer when its busy it does fantastic. The problem with here and i'm talking about all the facilities (Supermarket, Kennelly's, Studio, Pharmacy, Habity, Spaniard) is that there is very little support from the residents. This is the reason i'm closing through the winter as i'm not spending 7 days a week if people can't be bothered. Like i explained last time Condado De Alhama is just one proof of that, they have more facilities and residents use them. If you read my first comment i stated that some people on here talk about the shop who havn't even stepped through the door. Thats the problem on here. Some people cant go anywhere but the club house and mercadonna and its that reason that other businesses on here will struggle. Everyone tells me when i'm 5c dearer on something than mercadonna/consum  but never mention when i'm 5c cheeper or i do free bags at my cost and pack them rather than smashing heavy items on your crisps etc down the checkout or even that i do cold drinks at no extra charge like most shops charge for.

In your comment you say "We just jump in our cars and do the weekly shop" and thats exactly my point !  That alone does not benefit the resort and in your words "but only if all of us use our holiday homes regularly and use the facilities on offer" If people came here to buy basics then it would help but lets say i decided to close down because of lack of support then would that help the resort......No....because we then have no shop so it makes it less attractive to potential new buyers and also investors who say "well the supermarket closed....why should we open something". Its not a supermarket where people could do a full weekly shop but its wether people would buy some things they can buy here or not basically support or dont. I thank you for stating that Kennelly's & Especially the Spaniard for their brave investments but no mention of my investment of over €60k for the supermarket or Karin's investment for her studio shop or the guy with the pharmacy for his investment or Domingo for his investment with Habity furniture. I personally think that all businesses on here large or small deserve to be applauded wether here now or in the future.

To sell english newspapers you need to pay a €6,000 bond to be able to receive them as i looked into it, but in these days most people go to the bars with free Wifi and read them online for free!. The only other option is to buy them from another seller who is obviously going to put his bit on aswell and for what....a load of hassle and a few cents on maybe a paper of two when the couple of people who want them visit and for the rest of the year.....well that doesn't matter to them and thats the problem with that and why a newspaper kiosk wont work.

Pizza Pasta Bar....well again great for the few months that people on holiday but with "Indu" down Fuente Alamo doing free delivery on Indian and Pizzas to Hacienda will that work all year....No.

The Spanish Village rentals do have access to the Oasis pools opposite throughout the summer although not ideal but its a very nice pool area that they can and do use until any pools for the village are built.

Basically the support from people on Holiday is mostly great on here but some holiday owners and residents will sadly not support the businesses and and that is one problem the resort has along with many other problems......sales team included. In my opinion since the Gota Fria the entrance looks horrible....a mangled roundabout....hundreds of yards of fencing down....fountains at entrance filled with mud....and this is peoples first impression of the resort if they are coming to buy or visit....Not Good.

Kev

Hi,

Point taken. Just to let you know that I am actually one of the owners who utilises all on the resort, including your shop and do not penny pinch. I was merely generalising about what most people do regarding their shopping. I shop at mercadona and use you place for top ups.

Pleased to hear that you do well in the summer months but the commercial units in the spanish village will only work properly when there is more people, that is an economic fact. I think that all investment in HDA is brave, my point is that HDA should subsidise more then they do and assist anyone setting up to encourage growth as its the only way the bank might earn out of the place eventually.

My thoughts are that HDA will eventually work, LA Manga club has been in liquidation 4 times since the concept and that place has been a success. Just might take a

I am over in the next week so will be interested to see the state of the entrance as the resort has always looked rather smart and clean to me and any guests. HDA has its short comings but i would rather be there then some of the other resorts that have no infrastructure and offer nothing apart from 3rd tier golf fields and basic facilities.

We have a tremendous golf course, club house and facilities we should be proud of ( its is a golf resort as the name suggests ) and is way better then most in the area. If we concentracted on promoting our strengths ( ie sports resort ) then things will work, actually needs the hotel to open in my opinion.

Just my opinion but If you have spent 60k on your investment, i would have used 10% of it on the paper bond, you would have people visit for their daily paper and make purchases, footfall is everything.

I do wish you the best of luck with the shop and i will of course continue to support.

I know this is an old post....but i felt sad for the closing of the supermarket.

so sorry , at least the owner tried.