Retail Trends That May Affect Central Florida

[HankStrong]

50 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Oh my. I thought LL Bean were the “Outsiders”. 

The initial report (not mentioned in that link) is that he may have done some shady stuff trying to artificially pump up the stock and the house of cards seems to have fallen around him.  I'm sure it's been a stressful nightmare, but wow.

[spenser1058]

Just now, HankStrong said:

The initial report (not mentioned in that link) is that he may have done some shady stuff trying to artificially pump up the stock and the house of cards seems to have fallen around him.  I'm sure it's been a stressful nightmare, but wow.

Wow.

[jgardnerucf]

6 hours ago, HankStrong said:

house of cards seems to have fallen

You should've incorporated a jenga pun here instead. Would of hit much better. Missed opportunity. :-)

[HankStrong]

15 hours ago, jgardnerucf said:

You should've incorporated a jenga pun here instead. Would of hit much better. Missed opportunity. :-)

That would've taken it to Bed, Bath, and WAY Beyond.

 

 

[spenser1058]

“Endless Shrimp” is back at Red Lobster but Darden says no “Never Ending Pasta Bowl” for you this year at OG:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-red-lobster-ultimate-endless-shrimp-20220912-q2zl45sjznhtrp4fj5abq232yq-story.html

From The Sentinel 

The locally based “Magical Dining” is going on at restaurants around Central Florida, however. Scott J has been figuring out ways to maximize the value of that on his flog. 

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Bed Bath & Beyond to close its store in Sanford
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-bed-bath-beyond-sanford-closing-20220916-dumbsjlp5bhnvfmtmhiw2f5mni-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

[spenser1058]

A follow up to the WG thread and the possibility of a real Kroger rather than just delivery:

In cities where Publix goes head to head with Kroger, P seems to moderate their prices somewhat and has allowed double and triple couponing (I loathe non-digital couponing so we won’t encourage that).

Anyway, that doesn’t seem to have happened with Kroger Delivery in town.

Whether delivery attracts a different market or Publix simply has too high a market share in Central Florida to care, I’d like to know.

amazon Fresh could have a similar impact, I guess but unlike Kroger and P, I don’t expect them to carpet bomb the area with stores, so I don’t know if they’ll have enough impact to force the Pleasure People to mend their evil ways.

[spenser1058]

So, I clicked on an ad* for Mizzen and Main featuring upscale “performance” wear (read: polyester). A shirt goes for $138 and, for some reason, post-boomers think polyester (aka, petroleum) is a great fabric.

As a Boomer, just no. No unnatural fiber shall EVER touch my body. The shirts are attractive but have spread collars, also a deal-killer for me (embrace your preppy id - wear button-down collars!)

Anyway, I checked for locations and, of course, Orlando doesn’t have one. Tampa does - Hyde Park, of course. Their stuff is also available from Nordstrom, though (oh wait, we don’t have a real Nordstrom in O-town anymore, either. Grrrrr. ) I guess it’s good I’m meh about their selection.

* I’m not sure, but the ad may have popped up on UP. If so, it’s the first ad I’ve been remotely interested in since the ads began devouring the site. Generally, sites with as much clutter as UP have nowadays repel me, so for all of you who’ve been waiting for me to go away since 2006, you may soon get your wish. It used to be Neo would let you escape the tyranny of useless ads by subscribing, but for whatever reason the subscription link no longer seems to work.

 

Edited October 4, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

This is truly huge - for 70 or so years, Kissimmee-based Tupperware has eschewed selling its iconic products in favor of home parties. The lady who got them going, Brownie Wise, is known as one of the women in the ‘50’s who began to open the door for women in the workplace.

Even in the gay epic, “Tales of the City”, native Orlando protagonist Michael Tolliver has a friend in the Castro who hosts Tupperware parties and waxes enthusiastically about how his life was changed by one of the company’s “Velveeta keepers”.

Yes, Tupperware and its parties are that much a part of the culture in America and worldwide.

However, with US sales on a downswing for years, the world is changing and you’ll now be able to check out the ubiquitous Wonderlier (I still have that model my mom purchased back in the early ‘60’s)or similar products at - where else - Le Tarjay!

So stop in and wave to Bullseye and pick up the kitchen storage products that will likely still be usable several generations from now at Star Fleet Academy.

Live Long and Prosper!

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-tupperware-target-store-sales-20221005-tsh4pei2hzecpbkgzf2vifdpti-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

By the way, if you’re interested in more info about Brownie, former WESH reporter Bob Kealing has written a book about her, as well as one of Orlando’s other most important residents in the post-WWII era, Jack Kerouac. They’re both great reads about a very different time in The City Beautiful.

[spenser1058]

Could a super merger of Kroger and Albertsons be on the way? No doubt the Biden administration will be all over this one - it’s YUGE!

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/13/business/kroger-albertsons-merger-talks.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

From The New York Times 

https://youtu.be/udik1t-gahE

 

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Target’s focus is shifting away from smaller stores (although those will continue) to a larger footprint about 20,000sf  larger than its current average.

While this is good news (especially for those of us who use Drive Up and buy our groceries there, as both will be expanded), it likely means we’ve missed our best shot for a smaller Target downtown any time soon. Once again, a ship has sailed and our calcified city government had the boat tied up at anchor.

https://corporate.target.com/press/releases/2022/11/Target-Debuts-New-Larger-Format-Store-Featuring-Mo

Meanwhile, did you notice the East Colonial Target is upgrading its Drive Up with a covered waiting area? 
 

Edited November 17, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Southeastern Grocers is pondering putting itself up for sale:

https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-financial/southeastern-grocers-sale-here-s-what-could-look

From Supermarket News 

Will @HankStrong soon be able to go Krogering at Winn -Dixie?

 

[spenser1058]

This round of Target Circle Rewards required two $100 purchases for a $20 reward.

I rarely spend $100 at a time for groceries so I had to stock up on TP, paper towels and enough frozen Stouffer’s (it was on sale, too!) and fish to make it safely through Christmas.

Nevertheless, I made it and Bullseye already sent me my reward. Woof!

[spenser1058]

Unlike the free-for-all that is the amazon Marketplace (their third party vendors), the Target+ assortment is pretty heavily curated  and not easily located unless you come across its various participants scattered throughout target.com.

While wandering online for rugby shirts (LL Bean has stopped selling them for some reason), I happened to discover Lands’ End is now part of Target+.

Lands’ End stumbled badly after it was bought by Sears but seems to have regained their footing since Eddie Lampert spun them off before he destroyed yet another brand.

Anyway, I looked a few days ago and a perfect rugby was available for $77. A bit pricy, I decided to think about it. 

Lo and behold, while ordering groceries from Target this morning, I decided to check it again. It was marked down 40% for Black Friday (plus my 5% RedCard discount).

Thanks, Bullseye, for an early Christmas present! 



 

Edited November 25, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Another reason I like target.com so much better:

”The first page of Amazon results includes an average of about nine sponsored listings, according to a study of 70 search terms conducted in 2020 and 2021 by data firm Profitero. That was twice as many ads as Walmart displayed, and four times as many as Target.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2022/amazon-shopping-ads/

From The Washington Post 

I wonder if Bullseye growls at the ads when they try to take over?
 

Edited November 25, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Tampa Bay folks are desperate for another Trader Joe’s:

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2022/12/09/dear-trader-joes-please-open-more-stores-tampa-bay/

From The Tampa Bay Times 
 

[spenser1058]

Where to look for the latest fashions? Why, Aldi, of course!?!

https://apple.news/Afm7zO1BLSB-MxaHSySKcFA

From ABC News
 

[prahaboheme]

Ames is back after 2 decades!?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/iconic-department-store-returning-after-shutting-down-in-2002/ar-AA15IAFC?li=BBnb7Kz

Now bring back Woolworth! 

[spenser1058]

2 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

Ames is back after 2 decades!?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/iconic-department-store-returning-after-shutting-down-in-2002/ar-AA15IAFC?li=BBnb7Kz

Now bring back Woolworth! 

At least Woolworth cleaned their stores once in a while. Ames was the pits.