How Far Would You Travel?

[Guest mmc]

My family is really thinking of opening a gluten-free shop/bakery/restaurant in Murfreesboro, TN. Please help us in deciding by answering these questions. (Comments also welcome, especially if you are in TN)

[mtraezme]

I'm actually driving 3 hours to either Phoenix or San Diego pretty frequently to stock up on gluten free foods. I don't go as often to the restaurants though. Could you have a combination store/restaurant? That might draw more customers.

[bearly]

why not come south a bit towards Atlanta. There are not any good bakerys ine the area. Would give anything to have a good slice of bread or bakery items

[Ridgewalker]

I'm in a rural area of NC, and I drive nearly an hour and a half just to get to a Whole Foods. There are no gluten-free restaurants or bakeries within driving distance I'd say people would probably drive quite a ways to get there.

-Sarah

[Mongoose]

Go for it! And good luck!

Our local stores are much better stocked now than a few years ago, but we've driven over 100 miles to visit specialty stores in our state and in two other states. Also any time we travel I check out any natural foods or specialty stores to check out what they carry that I can't get locally.

[loco-ladi]

To get to the nearest "health food" store, I have to travel 60 miles currently, they do NOT have any selection worth looking at, I have on multiple occations mentioned my concern.... they have been ignored. I am NOT the only celiac/gluten intolerant person in the area and if I had the time and money I would open a health food store worth having an open sign in the doorway! Not just for myself and those like me but to benefit all walks of grocery getting. My SIL is diabetic and has problems finding things she can eat and not leave the table starving.

Currently my only 2 options are to order online (I do this for my basic staples by the case when possible to save on shipping) or my only other option is to drive 4 hours into Cheyenne WY shop there and drive another 4 hours home. Yes this takes the whole day and at $3 a gallon for gas, it doesn't happen very often, shipping currently is cheaper than gas mileage! I generally try to buy "new" things to try out then try to find them online by the case or a good deal on shipping.

Lynn

Middle of nowhere USA (also known as Nebraska )

[Guest mmc]

We were thinking sort of a Cracker Barrel type gluten-free shop. A restaurant open for breakfast & lunch with fresh bakery items & all gluten-free grocery items to purchase.

Our only concern is that people won't come since we live about an hour from Nashville. I know I would drive an hour to have a meal out with my family without worrying or to buy my groceries from someone who knew what they were talking about and I knew I could trust.

Another thing we are looking into is accepting Food Stamps. gluten-free Food is normally so expensive and if you are on FS, the places available to you to shop do not normally have a good selection or are incrediably expensive. We just feel that your health should not be negatively effected just because you don't make enough money to afford what you need.

[pollysmama]

We were thinking sort of a Cracker Barrel type gluten-free shop. A restaurant open for breakfast & lunch with fresh bakery items & all gluten-free grocery items to purchase.

Our only concern is that people won't come since we live about an hour from Nashville. I know I would drive an hour to have a meal out with my family without worrying or to buy my groceries from someone who knew what they were talking about and I knew I could trust.

Another thing we are looking into is accepting Food Stamps. gluten-free Food is normally so expensive and if you are on FS, the places available to you to shop do not normally have a good selection or are incrediably expensive. We just feel that your health should not be negatively effected just because you don't make enough money to afford what you need.

I've never posted anywhere before, so I hope I'm doing this right because I want you to get my message. I live in Murfreesboro and we have a growing community of people who want and need a health food restaurant/store. I would frequent your store regularly and I know several other people who would come as well.

[Phyllis28]

I think the success of the business also depends on the income levels and population in the surrounding area. Specialty Gluten free food is expensive and it is possible to eat gluten free without it. I had to do this for many years because what was available in specialty gluten free foods was limited, not readily available and most of it was not worth eating.

You might consider expending beyond gluten free foods to widen your customer base. Possibly adding organic food and food for allergies and intolerances. Examples are Lactose Intolerance and nut allergies. Everything would need to be clearly marked.

Best of luck in your business if you decide to do this.

[mparker9]

Oh my gosh! Please open this bakery/restaurant! My family is moving back to M'boro, and I was just searching out the gluten-free options and found your post! I don't know how prevalent gluten-free is in M'boro, but I know I would be there! Without a Whole Foods or Wild Oats in M'boro, celiacs have limited options as you know. With the publicity on the gluten-free diet as a treatment for autism, I think you would have evem more business from that population. Please open the shop!!

[gfp]

We were thinking sort of a Cracker Barrel type gluten-free shop. A restaurant open for breakfast & lunch with fresh bakery items & all gluten-free grocery items to purchase.

Our only concern is that people won't come since we live about an hour from Nashville. I know I would drive an hour to have a meal out with my family without worrying or to buy my groceries from someone who knew what they were talking about and I knew I could trust.

Another thing we are looking into is accepting Food Stamps. gluten-free Food is normally so expensive and if you are on FS, the places available to you to shop do not normally have a good selection or are incrediably expensive. We just feel that your health should not be negatively effected just because you don't make enough money to afford what you need.

Please don't get offended .... this is just my 2c.

Much as its convenient for the store to be close to you it makes business sense to put it where the customers are.

How far would I personally travel REALLY varies .... I have made special trips on quite a few occaisions of a few hours but these are pretty much novelty.

When I travel I will sometimes hunt out gluten-free places (restos or stores) that I would never bother with at home.

As an example, I live in central London UK so I have LOTS of choice. I have a five minute max walk to a supermarket that sells some gluten-free produce .. limited but OK. Within a 10-15 min walk I have a lot including speciality stores with a much bigger choice.

Anyway my shopping habits are 90% of the time I don't buy ANY speciality gluten-free stuff at all. From time to time I buy some gluten-free pasta etc. but this is perhaps once in 3 weeks?? Every 6 months I make the trip to buy speciality stuff like gluten-free soy sauce, whilst I'm there I will buy some novelty stuff ....

What I buy EVERYDAY is fresh vegetables, fruit and meat/fish. If the gluten-free pasta was better/cheaper I might buy it more often but ...

a) Its nowhere near as good as REAL gourmet pasta/bread .... it might be as good as cheap stuff but its not so great as real good stuff...

I just won't pay that for a mediocre experience. (sorry but its never AS Good)...

I would happily pay a lot occaisionally for really good bread or really good fresh pasta but .... its just so much easier to make naturally gluten-free stuff and put up with the occaisional poor gluten-free bread for sandwiches...???

If you did a real good resto I'd travel further.... I guess I'm a bit on the foodie side...but to me the EVENT happens eating... so travel to a gluten-free store is OK but a bind and then the actual event is back home when you cook. A resto on the other hand the event is there... you take your friends etc. so even if the gluten-free pasta isn't quite so good as the real thing.... you have a great time feeling safe.

So I think people might travel occaisionally for gluten-free food buying up to 30 mins... but any longer and it might turn into a 3 monthly shop and buy what they can locally inbetween. A cafe ... I would think would not have the same pull except for novelty... (people would come once or twice) but a really good resto in combination and you might get people travel for a special meal out and take advantage of the shopping...

Eitherway, I wish you luck...