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Village Tart versus supply and demand
There's a funny thing about supply and demand, which is that usually when you have a lot of supply with a constant demand, then the prices will fall. Here, for example, imagine you're running a drug cartel, would you want fifty other folks doing the same thing, or more like five others doing the same thing? In that business, I presume that you just off your competition. It doesn't really work like that here in the food world. In fact, prices don't seem to behave normally in the food world. Last week I wrote a little bit about DT Works, the new store front for the guys who ran The Dessert Truck. This past weekend I went to Village Tart. So the city gets another dessert centric place. Cupcakes, cheesecakes, and cute little tarts. This city can't seem to get enough of it. Sure I understand if the demand is super high, then the city is able to support all of these places at the same time. And the prices they demand will all be justified. But you know, what I really hope for is that we end up with excess supply, and that the prices come down. Because in order to get dessert in this city, you gotta hand over your wallet.
I suppose this whole story was my fault. See I saw there were two pieces of this grapefruity tart. One was way smaller than the other one. So I simply asked for a piece, when instead I should have asked for the bigger piece. You know, get more for my buck. The discrepancy really dawned on me when I heard the guy ask the girl next to him what to do about the bigger piece and she said that they can't cut it up because the remainder would be too small to be served. So I'm just standing there thinking, "Stupid idiot. Shoulda asked for the bigger one."
This tart cost something like $4.75 before tax. It was small. Nothing at Village Tart really screams value at you when you look at their counter. They're supposed to start menu service soon but when I went, it was just a bakery counter. Maybe it's just me being stingy (and this definitely has come to bite me in the past before), but with all the choices out there, I would have assumed there would be one that offered a good value. Sadly I'm not able to say that about Village Tart just yet. I wasn't able to say it about DT Works either. So maybe desserts should be something I eat once in a blue moon, that way I won't notice so much how much things cost.
While we're on the subject of supply and demand, I want to talk about another issue where this is getting some press. Apparently my favorite Governor is trying to get supermarkets the ability to sell wine. Now this may sound ludicrous to you, but I grew up in the suburbs and you know, it's no big deal to see wine or alcohol in super markets. This wasn't always the case but when they started doing it, I didn't really blink an eye. Wine sellers and stores do not like this idea at all because then the supermarkets will undercut prices and steal business away from the wine stores. What do I think about that? Awesome. Look, I work in an industry that's being over-taken by the country of India. And I'm pretty sure that at some point before I turn 40, I'll have to deal with the harsh realities of changing careers. If someone else out there can do something just as well and cheaper? Well they're gonna steal some business. The real question you should ask yourself is... Does my wine person at the store actually do ANYTHING for me?
If the answer is an emphatic yes, then the wine guys have nothing to worry about. If your product and service is superior, then why would loyal customers leave? Now if the wine stores only stay afloat because they count on bozos like me who know nothing about wine to buy.... well maybe their business plan was flawed from the start. I feel like in the food world, there's always this desire to protect the mom & pop-ness of the world. In the real world, we're afraid for small business as they fight against the pricing powers of huge companies, and the consequences of over-supplying good. But in the food world, only small businesses thrive and a glut of supply seem to do nothing for prices.
Village Tart
86 Kenmare St.
New York, NY 10012
212-226-4980
Map
Sign up to the feed and never miss a post!Posted by Danny on February 2 2010 at 11:08 am
There are two other ways to look at this:
1. Be glad desserts are expensive, they're bad for you.
2. There are always going to be a big supply of people in NY willing to overpay for stuff. You and I are simply not in that supply. Of course, you did pay like $13 for some grits recently.... Maybe you are part of the problem? (just teasing)
FN on February 2 2010 at 12:31 pm
@FN,
Haha, I can't win! You're right, I should eat less of them. Since I support soda taxes, expensive desserts shouldn't bother me. And one day you'll love grits.
Danny on February 2 2010 at 1:34 pm
village tart prices seem expensive, however you need to consider the quality of the ingredients. If you are looking to buy some cupcakes made with shortening, which are overpriced considering the quality of the ingredients used in the recipe, then head out to Crumbs, Magnolia or any of the other cupcake heaven places new yorkers adore so much. There you can save a buck or two
victoria on February 2 2010 at 7:13 pm
For $4.75 I would had definitely specified that I wanted the bigger piece!
Fat Fudge on February 4 2010 at 9:16 am
In Cali liquor is sold in supermarkets too. I love seeing an alcohol section that is larger than most NYC bodegas.
And in MA beer can't be sold in supermarkets. Stupid Puritans.
Janice on February 4 2010 at 5:59 pm
The thing with supply in the food world is, when you supply a tart, you're not exactly dropping it into a competitive market of like goods... taking into consideration ingredients, location, trends, personality of the storefront/employees and the discerning tastes of diners, you're somewhat free to set your own measure of quality with every pastry you create (the more unique the good is, the more immune to consumer comparison) rather than get in line to be compared to every other tart in the city.
This logic only goes so far, but stopping by a bakery on any given day for a made-from-scratch quality pastry doesn't present the market nearly as well as walking through the grocery aisles for a box of cookies... or a bottle of wine :)
James on February 4 2010 at 8:29 pm
PS: Peter Pan Doughnuts. Head up to my hood sometime and we'll hook you up.
James on February 4 2010 at 8:48 pm
@victoria,
The thing with me is that I need to be able to discern the superior ingredients right away, and also which ones they use, before I really appreciate it. The problem is, when people use superior ingredients, they rush to tell you so your mind is already tainted by the idea. It's the whole experiment they did with what wine taste better. If you tell people it's expensive, it gets rated higher. So what do we really know about wine? Or even butter? I just want it to taste good and for it to not break my wallet.
@FatFudge,
Word yo. Word.
@Yea those Puritans. They can't even elect a good senator apparently...
@James,
You raise a good point. No two tarts are alike. I do think that at a certain price point, the kind of consumers you get at any given store would have enough resources to seek out similar goods in other locations. Those who are trendy enough to buy lots of tarts probably easily find themselves in another posh store dropping benjamins on other goodies. And I have to head up to Peter Pan Doughnuts. Maybe after this giant winter storm passes...
Danny on February 4 2010 at 9:21 pm
Very true reg: consumers being more informed and more willing to seek another place. At the same time, though, I find that high-end eaters (and even plain old obsessive+hungry folk) also will place more emphasis on the relatively minute but still unique qualities of, say, one cupcake over another of equal general value, and many will also take into account atmosphere and neighborhood... purchasing the "experience" rather than the good, if you will. And in that case, they'll cycle through the experiences without looking at things in terms of bang-for-buck.
This all presupposes that the general value of all of these goods is roughly the same, so the choice then becomes between what experience you want to have at any given moment/day, as opposed to which good is flat-out "better."
Hm, I think I've totally veered off of your original point: that every one of these options is still $5! Way to lure me in with economics, dude. Sorry for rambling...
James on February 4 2010 at 10:05 pm
Did I hear Peter Pan doughnuts?! Someone (me) found herself tipsy (drunk) lately (last night) and discussing Peter Pan doughnuts with a complete stranger. That was me flirting, btw.
2nd) I agree the prices at Village Tart are a bit high, but look at that neighborhood. I believe that has something to do with it.
3rd) I love my wine people, they constantly advise me on what to drink. Like bartenders.
Blondie on February 7 2010 at 10:43 pm
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Lucy
http://businesseshome.net
Lucy on February 8 2010 at 1:47 am
I just went to Village Tart on Sunday and had a nice tarte tatin. An itty bitty one, but $5 isn't a crazy price for it.
The $9 salad was sort of dumb, though. So my warning is..um..DON'T GET IT. Small and basically a pile of arugula with some bits of meyer lemon stuff in it. Not worth it at all. It sort of put a damper on the whole experience.
Robyn on February 23 2010 at 12:40 am