Plum time to open

Bloomfield Twp.'s Plum Market aims to compete in the ripe specialty grocery market

Joel J. Smith | The Detroit News / The Detroit News

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP -- With the opening of Plum Market, another grocer has entered the fast-growing organic and specialty foods business in Metro Detroit's already competitive supermarket aisles.

Emphasizing natural, organic and local food products, Plum Market looks to compete head-to-head in quality and price against boutique grocers like Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's as well as big-box kings like Costco and Wal-Mart.

"We feel we have something very special here," said Matthew Jonna, who co-owns Plum Market with his brother Marc. "We're trying to reinvent the grocery business. We see a lot of retailers doing just one area like organic or natural or specialty foods. We're bringing all the worlds together in Plum Market."

The 21,000-square-foot store -- at West Maple at Lahser roads -- is the first of three the brothers have planned. They plan to open a store in Ann Arbor in November and another in Royal Oak in 2008.

The Jonnas are not new to the retail food industry.

Their father, Edward Jonna, owned and operated the popular Merchant of Vino stores in Metro Detroit. About six years ago, he sold that chain to Whole Foods Market; a non-compete clause in the sale prevented the Jonnas from opening another food or wine shop for five years.

With their return, the Jonnas will find an increasingly competitive grocery market in southeast Michigan -- with big box stores and supercenters using low prices to lure customers away from traditional grocers like Farmer Jack and Kroger for a slice of Michigan's $13.5-billion-a-year supermarket industry.

"The market is very competitive," said Linda Gobler, president of the Michigan Grocers Association. "I think the big change in the industry is Wal-Mart. It's made it pretty difficult for independent retailers. That being said, one of the largest segments of independent stores is in the Midwest. We're happy about that."

Given their background, the Jonnas will find their niche, Gobler said.

"They do strike me as people who really do love the food business," she said.

Retail analyst Ken Dalto offered a similar prediction.

"It's going to work, but it's not going to go gangbusters," said Dalto, president of Kenneth J. Dalto and Associates in Farmington Hills. "Eddie Jonna and his family are great retailers, great merchants and merchandisers. Their biggest problem will be selling upscale gourmet, healthy food at a very good price. It's going to be upscale food for a middle-class market, but they'll make a very good run at it."

Opening drew big crowds

The Bloomfield Township Plum Market, located in a former Kroger store, opened last week to huge crowds. Many curiosity seekers left with bags full of groceries, said Matthew Jonna, 34, who came up with the store concept two and a half years ago.

He described his father as the co-inspirational founder, and although Edward Jonna has retired, he could be found behind the counter the other day making submarine sandwiches.

Plum Market stocks most items found in a traditional supermarket: produce, a large wine selection, fresh fish, meats, dairy products, carry-out food, health and beauty products, frozen foods, paper products, specialty chocolates and even imported, long-stemmed roses at $19.95 a dozen.

Kim Wiggins, 40, a homemaker from Birmingham visited the store for the first time on Monday.

"I think the place is great," Wiggins said. "This area needs a place like this. I'm excited about the store. I know I can find almost anything I need in the store."

Owners exude enthusiasm

The store employs 115 people and eight others work at the company's headquarters in Orchard Lake. Plum Market plans to hire several hundred more workers when the other stores open.

Matthew Jonna said nobody has a title in the company.

"It's an equal playing field for all the team members," he said. "We're trying to create a Google-type revolution in the food business. We're going to have a lot of fun around here."

Brother Marc, 40, has the same enthusiasm for Plum Market.

"We spent a lot of time studying the proper decor for Plum Market," he said.

"Every detail was covered. We had 40 people on the payroll six months before we opened. We wanted everything right."

The store has spacious aisles, an easy-to-follow configuration and decorative lights. It also includes an expansive dining and kitchen area, with salad and hot food buffet, antipasto bar, bakery and imported cheeses.

The Jonnas said the Metro Detroit stores are just the beginning. They plan to expand nationwide, but will maintain headquarters in the Detroit area.

"But we want to crawl before we run," Matthew Jonna said.

You can reach Joel J. Smith at (313) 222-2556 or jsmith@detnews.com.