tho i love smart food retail coverage like this profile of @bodeganation in @atlanticfood, i ask: U had 2 go 2 italy 2 find him?
One of my favorite food retail experts, James Johnson PIett—formerly of the Food Trust in Philadelphia, which is where I met him when I started covering food access in 2004— gets a nice write-up by Ari LeVeaux on the Atlantic Monthly’s web channel. It’s a good, quick overview of the issues facing folks trying t transform food retail, and even mentions one of Piett’s early innovations: A green bodega. Even more interesting that that project is the fact that Piett’s company, Urbane Development, is now consulting with Detroit on its efforts to get that city quality grocery stores. Definitely belongs on a “one to watch” list somewhere, but it’s funny to see him get treated as an unknown when he’s already been profiled by food sites —and used as an expert source—plenty of times.
