Publix

[HankStrong]

On ‎5‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 1:03 PM, spenser1058 said:

Kroger is a full service grocer just like Publix. Check out this comparison from Atlanta by Clark Howard (please note it does take into account a Publix BOGO which Publix often implies makes "saving a part of the PLEASURE.")

Hank, we need to go Krogering!

https://clark.com/shopping-retail/kroger-vs-publix-best-grocery-store-prices-2018/

I grew up on Kroger, so I'm very familiar with them.

[spenser1058]

Prahaboheme, I thought you'd get a kick out of this. In a new ranking of favorite grocery stores for vegetarians, Southern California grocer Vons wins the top spot. Sprouts comes in at #3. 

Amazingly, however, #2 is... Publix! Given that produce is probably the Lakeland chain's weakest link, it just goes to show the power of P over Floridians specifically and southerners more generally.

It's why the brouhaha over Adam Putnam and the NRA resonated so deeply. There are hundreds of companies out there that no one would much care who they chose to contribute to. For Floridians, however, whether it's a warm and fuzzy TV ad, a free cookie and a balloon from the bakery when you were a kid or a chicken tenders Pub Sub for a beach run, it's part of the fabric of our lives.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/vons-best-for-vegetarian-shoppers-ranking-2018-6

From Business Insider

Edited June 4, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Publix is back on top of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, edging out Trader Joe's:

https://amp.apartmenttherapy.com/best-grocery-store-publix-259491

From Apartment Therapy

[spenser1058]

The Raleigh News and Observer notes that the Kroger-branded stores in the Research Triangle are closing. Kroger notes the market is "overstored" and will still be a player there as it also owns longtime Carolina favorite Harris Teeter (which will remain.)

NC is in the middle of a supermarket war with Wegman's and Publix entering the market as well as Aldi cousin Lidl. They already had more brands than we do in Orlando because of Publix' dominance here, but it does present the question: how many of the new chains we're now seeing can fit in the local market before we also see a shakeout?

It's obvious the grocery store model is changing. Who will still be here 10 years from now?

http://amp.newsobserver.com/news/business/article213231154.html

 

[spenser1058]

Wegman's and Publix are at the top of the list again in the Market Force survey of customer satisfaction, with Wegman's moving to the top spot this year. 

Walmart brings up the rear at #22. Interestingly, you don't have to be pricy to score well: German discounter Aldi comes in at #4.

Meanwhile, Winn-Dixie may be "getting better all the time" but that only got them a #18 finish.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/best-grocery-stores-in-america-2018-6

[spenser1058]

The three Safeway locations in Florida (former Albertsons stores) are being sold to Publix. 

Both Altamonte groceries date back to the 1970's when the city was infamous as the place you moved after you got your first divorce. The former 24-hour Albertsons was the place to go after a wild night at the Why Not Lounge.

Publix will buy, close Safeway stores in Altamonte Springs, two others in Florida
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/consumer/os-bz-publix-safeway-altamonte-springs-20180628-story.html

From the Sentinel

[spenser1058]

Here's a little bit better look at what you get in a small-format Target, which is, ummmm, targeted at colleges. This one is at Ohio State (I really like that building in the photo!)

It also notes FSU is coming up soon. Here's hoping Craig Ustler, Thomas Chatmon or someone at UCF is spending time in Minneapolis begging Targeteers for one at Creative Village or nearby on the Sentinel project.

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/07/13/here-is-want-is-in-and-what-isnt-in-the-new-osu.amp.html

From Columbus Business Journal

[AndyPok1]

On 7/15/2018 at 8:40 AM, spenser1058 said:

Here's a little bit better look at what you get in a small-format Target, which is, ummmm, targeted at colleges. This one is at Ohio State (I really like that building in the photo!)

It also notes FSU is coming up soon. Here's hoping Craig Ustler, Thomas Chatmon or someone at UCF is spending time in Minneapolis begging Targeteers for one at Creative Village or nearby on the Sentinel project.

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/07/13/here-is-want-is-in-and-what-isnt-in-the-new-osu.amp.html

From Columbus Business Journal

The sad part of this for me is that they tore down a vast spanse of old buildings/storefronts/restaurants/bars.  The real estate arm of OSU has gotten way too greedy with attempts at artificial placemaking when its an area that doesn't need it.

[spenser1058]

JCPenney is hopping on the small footprint bandwagon with this new store in Brooklyn. At 75K sf it's about 40% smaller than a typical mall Penney.

Whether JCP will survive the retail apocalypse is an open question (their CEO recently jumped ship for Lowe's and has yet to be replaced.) It's also intriguing to ponder how good an idea it is to sell refrigerators and Sephora together in the same small space.

But hey, if it works, it's another possibility for the Creative Village area.

https://www.fool.com/amp/investing/2018/07/16/jc-penneys-new-brooklyn-store-is-an-interesting-mo.aspx

From Motley Fool

[spenser1058]

"That all you got?"

Kroger ain't impressed with Prime Day numbers:

https://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/finance/news/amazons-grocery-rival-kroger-shrugs-125832563.html

From Yahoo! Finance

[HankStrong]

For the best of everything, including the price!

[spenser1058]

22 minutes ago, HankStrong said:

For the best of everything, including the price!

Sing it, Hank!

[spenser1058]

I had thought the mom and pop grocery stores had all but died hereabouts but on a Rock Springs run this weekend we ended up wandering into the Mt. Plymouth IGA in Sorrento.

It's pretty much everything I remember from stores like Jimmy's Thriftway in WG and the Big B in Ocoee as a kid but it's updated and clean.

Best of all, the fried chicken in the deli rocks!

https://www.mtplymouthiga.com/

Edited July 21, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

What the changes for a remodeled Target will look like:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-target-remodeling-stores-0722-story,amp.html

From the Chicago Tribune

Florida and Texas are scheduled to be the key states for redos in the next year or so.

[spenser1058]

Harris Teeter, the Publix-like grocer much beloved in the Carolinas, is introducing a rewards Master Card. 

It's the first supermarket branded credit card I've encountered. Interestingly, Publix is one of Harris Teeter's chief competitors (Publix pretty much pushed them out of Georgia and north Florida), so it will be interesting to see if there's a Publix response. Could there be a Publix credit card in our future? "Where Plastic Is A Pleasure?"

We should note HT has been owned by Kroger for a few years now (sing it, Hank!)

http://amp.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/article215349645.html

From The Charlotte Observer

[jgardnerucf]

13 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

What the changes for a remodeled Target will look like:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-target-remodeling-stores-0722-story,amp.html

From the Chicago Tribune

Florida and Texas are scheduled to be the key states for redos in the next year or so.

Winter Garden redo has been complete for a bit now. Best addition to the remodel: Music.

[HankStrong]

10 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

We should note HT has been owned by Kroger for a few years now (sing it, Hank!)

Apparently, the apple doesn't fall far from the Kroger tree.  "For the best of everything, including the price!"  was modified to "The best is what we're all about!"

 

With Lucky's (also owned by Kroger) doing well in Central FL and the rumors of Kroger drug stores coming to FL, the march of full-blown Kroger to Orlando seems to be happening.

[spenser1058]

The St. Pete Times looks at all these grocery stores popping up and ponders why:

https://www.tampabay.com/features/consumer/Here-s-why-Tampa-Bay-has-so-many-grocery-stores-and-what-that-means-for-shoppers_169916631?template=amp

[spenser1058]

IKEA is jumping on the small format train, albeit only in the U.K. For now. Would a second smaller one make sense here one day? Sadly, if it does, it will be without Swedish meatballs.

https://amp.apartmenttherapy.com/ikea-testing-out-smaller-stores-260971

From Apartment Therapy

[HankStrong]

By UCF? It would crush that area.

[jgardnerucf]

14 minutes ago, HankStrong said:

By UCF? It would crush that area.

Put it in that new Toys R Us they just built. Boom, done.

[spenser1058]

Will we finally get to go Krogering right here at home? Unsure at this point, but Kroger has purchased a shopping center in Delray Beach:

https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/business/new-rival-for-publix-kroger-buys-delray-beach-shopping-center/TRVnreEQheKzmL5JafwY8O/amp.html

From the Palm Beach Post

The Kroger real estate subsidiary could just be buying it for other purposes (on behalf of Lucky's, perhaps?) We'll just have to see.

UPDATE: Well, the Business Journals strike again. The SFBJ (same company as OBJ, the folks that kept predicting our infamous 7-star resort) initially posted the article about Kroger in Delray. The Palm Beach Post picked it up.

As I mentioned, it was likely on the behalf of Lucky's Market, which Kroger owns a portion of. We also know that Lucky's is in expansion mode in Florida (see the Volusia thread).

Had I known it was a Business Journal story rather than the Palm Beach Post, I would have ignored it because OBJ and its brethren regularly fail to do their due diligence. But, hey, they're consistent, right?

Bottom line: please ignore this  non-story.

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/08/01/breathe-easy-publix-kroger-isnt-coming-to-florida.amp.html

 

Edited August 2, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

New Publix for NSB replacing older West 44 store:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/20180808/nsb-publix-to-be-rebuilt-closes-saturday?template=ampart

From the News-Journal

Edited August 8, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Big changes are coming to Aldi. No word when they'll get to our little corner of the world:

https://amp.businessinsider.com/aldi-store-5-billion-investment-tour-2018-8

From Business Insider

[HankStrong]

There is one currently being built on Curry Ford @ Dean.  I'm assuming if you want to see a new style ALDI that would be the best one to check out.  It looks about 90 days from opening, but that's a guess.