Venetians Phil and Kaila Neuville Look Forward to Retaining the Charm of the Local Neighborhood Bodega in the Heart of East Venice
By Nick Antonicello
For the New York Bodega culture and California lifestyle will continue as Phil and Kaila
Neuville will assume the operation of Mitchell’s with a new name, Bodega & Palms! The traditional Bodega is at the center for gathering and grocery within New York Neighborhoods.
Not only do kids come to their local Bodega for ice cream, but they also come to spend time with their friends.
The owners know all the customers by name, along with their orders. Local patrons leave their kids at the Bodega while they run errands. Residents hang around and gossip about current events.
This Bodega has the distinct advantage of being uniquely located in the middle of the lovely East Venice neighborhood of Southern California. We can source product all year from farmers markets, due to superior weather to New York. The sidewalk can be used year-round and these are aspects that are unique to our area.
Not many places can provide an “open-air” concept that will be utilized all year. But the place is also slower and more laid back than the hustle and bustle of New York. So, this is where the intersection of the Bodega culture and Palms lifestyle occurs. At the actual intersection of Bodega and Palms.
I spoke with the new owner Phil Neuville, a Venice resident and below is our conversation:
Mitchell’s was the quintessential local neighborhood market. Why did you purchase the business and what changes can we expect? Will it remain Mitchell’s?
The dream of running something like this began back in 2019 (we lived in Chicago at this point) when we visited Cape Town, where I proposed to my wife. There was a cool little market/café called “Nourish’d” that inspired the idea of running something like Mitchell’s. Fast forward to 2021, my wife and I bought our home on Nowita Place, and have walked by Mitchell’s almost every day. We have always envisioned owning it and envisioned how awesome it could be for the neighborhood. When Mr. Woo tragically passed away, I asked around for weeks to try and get in touch with his wife Veronica to see if they needed someone to take over the lease. I finally got a hold of her and her daughter, but many parties had already reached out to them. I built trust with them through many calls and eventually they were sold on our vision and sold us the assets of the business. We will be changing the name of the market to Bodega & Palms. We will also have a mural drawn of Mr. Woo and the original Mitchell’s and hang it in the new market. We will continue to operate this market as a local neighborhood bodega but will be adding coffee, matcha, mesquite coffee (decaf alternative) and soft serve ice cream. We will also be featuring local vendors by serving prepared foods such as focaccia sandwiches and breakfast burritos. There will also be local, unique beer and wine offerings. Our SKU assortment will be very focused and we will be able to give fulsome honest answers about any vendor/product that we offer. We will focus on bringing the best taste, ingredients and price point to the neighborhood. We also are cognizant of isolating longtime residents who may want products that have been offered at Mitchell’s for many years. We will have a section of the store that will be purely based on customer feedback and surveys to ensure that no one is forgotten!
We understand you are currently closed. What is the timeline for the Grand Re-Opening?
We are currently in escrow, awaiting the transfer of the beer and wine license. This is expected to be completed by October 18th. At this point we will begin a minor facelift of the market. Nothing major, just cleaning it up and shuffling some stuff around inside. We expect to be open after Thanksgiving.
How does a local venue like Mitchell’s survive in Venice with all the surrounding gentrification?
I think that through living in the neighborhood, we have a good feel for what people want. At the end of the day, we think that by offering high quality goods at a price point that is affordable, you will always win with that formula. We also believe in fostering and cultivating local brands. We
will feature many of them. We will be very focused on having no fees, tipping, or hidden surcharges. We think that this practice has gotten out of control. Old and new residents have expressed fatigue with that practice.
Will you offer home delivery and how will you reach out to locals?
We will be offering free delivery for anyone within approximately a mile of the market. We have already begun outreach to locals, which is easy because we live here. We will continue to do stuff through social media, flyers and word of mouth. I believe that word of mouth marketing is the most important and organic way to spread the news. This is generally done by going above and beyond for customers, whether it be through the products or the service. People are far more likely to spread the word if you treat them right.
They say change is the only constant in life. How will the new Bodega & Palms adapt with an ever changing Venice?
Adapt or die is a phrase to live by. I always believe that new facts must render new solutions. My wife and I plan to run this store ourselves. I believe by doing this you can be in touch with the customer and grow the brand the right way. This is a self- funded business with zero outside capital. The only stakeholders are ourselves and our customers. We answer to no one, but the customer, and we think that is what will set us apart.
Nick Antonicello is a thirty-one-year resident of the neighborhood and covers all things, Venice. Have a take or a tip? Contact him via email at nantoni@mindspring.com
