Bruno's grocery stores

[SFMD-]

Hi ALL,

Happy New Year to all. SFM is closing down some stores in B'ham (5-7 stores thats in B'ham). I have heard a rumor that a investment group is buying SFM and some of the Food World's and changing the SFM back to Food World that they bought rights too(the Food World name). In the next week or 2(or this week) there be a announcement made about it. But that is a rumor, of course. Thanks sharing the rumor with us Chris. C&S have bought new trailers to replace the Bruno's ones. That came from a C&S driver.

Thanks,

Paul

[snowbird203]

joshzwhite brings up some important points that other stores need to look at. With the Tullahoma SFM gone, that leaves us with Kroger, a small Food Lion, a Super Walmart, and a tiny Foodland.

Kroger is huge, has a very confusing layout, and very few employees to help you. It relies on store brands too much (they don't carry Del Monte's Very Cherry at all). You have to put your groceries on the belt yourself. There are usually only two cash registers open, even when there are long lines of people waiting. If the cashier makes an error, YOU are expected to go to customer service to straighten it out. Only once have I seen bag boys. Kroger ticked me off even before I moved here by charging huge prices for soft drinks if you didn't have one of their saver cards ($1.98 for a 2-liter bottle of Coke).

Food Lion is small, but it makes it easier to get through it quickly. All Food Lions could stand a paint job. The selection is okay, but some prices seem high. The specials are good, though. The stockers could use a refresher course on helping the customers instead of talking among themselves so much. Because of the neighborhood, it doesn't have a wide selection of produce.

Walmart is Walmart. Big, time-consuming, carries only what it can turn over quickly. At least it carries the Sara Lee bread I like. I'm stocking up on staples here (bread, cereal, yogurt, tea) but only go when I have no other choice. It took a half-hour to check out that day in spite of many cashiers. At least the highway widening project is complete so it is easy to get there.

I stopped at the Publix in Nolensville the other day on my way back from Nashville. The store is super bright, has a massive selection of everything from produce to cleaning products, self-checkout lanes if you want them, a nice selection of markdowns right out front (mostly Christmas baking goods), lots of cashiers and baggers, and everyone always seems willing to go out of their way to help you. The bagger even offered to take my one bag out to my car (no, I didn't look like I needed the help).

Other stores could learn a few lessons from a visit to Publix.

[Chris322]

joshzwhite brings up some important points that other stores need to look at. With the Tullahoma SFM gone, that leaves us with Kroger, a small Food Lion, a Super Walmart, and a tiny Foodland.

Kroger is huge, has a very confusing layout, and very few employees to help you. It relies on store brands too much (they don't carry Del Monte's Very Cherry at all). You have to put your groceries on the belt yourself. There are usually only two cash registers open, even when there are long lines of people waiting. If the cashier makes an error, YOU are expected to go to customer service to straighten it out. Only once have I seen bag boys. Kroger ticked me off even before I moved here by charging huge prices for soft drinks if you didn't have one of their saver cards ($1.98 for a 2-liter bottle of Coke).

Food Lion is small, but it makes it easier to get through it quickly. All Food Lions could stand a paint job. The selection is okay, but some prices seem high. The specials are good, though. The stockers could use a refresher course on helping the customers instead of talking among themselves so much. Because of the neighborhood, it doesn't have a wide selection of produce.

Walmart is Walmart. Big, time-consuming, carries only what it can turn over quickly. At least it carries the Sara Lee bread I like. I'm stocking up on staples here (bread, cereal, yogurt, tea) but only go when I have no other choice. It took a half-hour to check out that day in spite of many cashiers. At least the highway widening project is complete so it is easy to get there.

I stopped at the Publix in Nolensville the other day on my way back from Nashville. The store is super bright, has a massive selection of everything from produce to cleaning products, self-checkout lanes if you want them, a nice selection of markdowns right out front (mostly Christmas baking goods), lots of cashiers and baggers, and everyone always seems willing to go out of their way to help you. The bagger even offered to take my one bag out to my car (no, I didn't look like I needed the help).

Other stores could learn a few lessons from a visit to Publix.

[joshzwhite]

Actually in Manchester our Bi-Lo/SFM was set up to where you pulled up your buggy and the cashier removed everything from the buggy. It was the only store in town like that. They would always have a bagger and they always offered to take it out (or atleast inquire if you need help). My biggest thing with the store is the shelves where always stocked,managers always on the salesfloor, amazingly fresh produce, and fair prices. It was clean. The loss of this store creates many issues in Manchester. Now we are down to Wal-Mart, Food Lion, and a small local market. There is also a humongus free standing store that is now setting completely empty and is creating a blight on the city. Empty buildings are now setting everywhere and whats more is that the old Bi-Lo/Red Foods location is still setting empty.

Don't get me wrong Bi-Lo/SFM had its own issues, but I do wish that Kroger or Publix one would bring a new store to the area.

I did contact Kroger.com through an email and they had commented that they are always looking for new locations, but they were not aware of any plans to open a new store in Manchester.

[canstacker]

the ol canstacker here. sfm is all but dead. get the shovels out to bury this dinosaur. sfm management in bham has no clue. these people are the same ones who first ran bruno's into the ground, then c&s hired them when bruno/bilo didn't want them, then they "resigned" (i.e. were fired) last january, then when c&s brought B.w. back from the junk heap to run the company, the first thing he does is hire the departed ones back to run it with him. well, results speak for themselves....88 stores to 43. sounds like they've done a heck of a job. the rank and file at the stores were mere pawns in this sad tragedy. lookout if bw and his exbruno/sfm cronies land somewhere else.c&s's biggest mistake was keeping all of the b-rejects in bham to run a company that was dead before it started. the same management style that destroyed brunos was applied to sfm, why?, because the same ones running the show trying the same old losing ideas that killed brunos. the little bird tells me c&s is trying to unload sfm and broker a deal with them and bruno/bilo so as to be out of owning stores in the south but keep a supply agreement with the new owners. if c&s loses supply agreements, then they have warehouses full of product with basically no one to sell to. many vendors have written sfm off too, they are afraid of a bankruptcy filing which would leave vendors holding the bag.

[SFMD-]

the ol canstacker here. sfm is all but dead. get the shovels out to bury this dinosaur. sfm management in bham has no clue. these people are the same ones who first ran bruno's into the ground, then c&s hired them when bruno/bilo didn't want them, then they "resigned" (i.e. were fired) last january, then when c&s brought B.w. back from the junk heap to run the company, the first thing he does is hire the departed ones back to run it with him. well, results speak for themselves....88 stores to 43. sounds like they've done a heck of a job. the rank and file at the stores were mere pawns in this sad tragedy. lookout if bw and his exbruno/sfm cronies land somewhere else.c&s's biggest mistake was keeping all of the b-rejects in bham to run a company that was dead before it started. the same management style that destroyed brunos was applied to sfm, why?, because the same ones running the show trying the same old losing ideas that killed brunos. the little bird tells me c&s is trying to unload sfm and broker a deal with them and bruno/bilo so as to be out of owning stores in the south but keep a supply agreement with the new owners. if c&s loses supply agreements, then they have warehouses full of product with basically no one to sell to. many vendors have written sfm off too, they are afraid of a bankruptcy filing which would leave vendors holding the bag.

[Chris322]

Canstacker---you are right. The dinosaur is dead. Also, you are right about C&S. Since they service bruno/bilo, if they lose them, the warehouse is dead also. The rumor about Kroger possibly acquiring most of Bruno/Bilo is getting stronger. Since b/b is owned by an investment firm, Lonestar funds, I could see this happening, because they surely didn't buy it to be in it for the long run. If Kroger buys them, they are going to ship out of their dc not somebody else's. So C&S is in a very bad position. If they lose b/b as an account, then the 43 sfm stores cannot support a warehouse built to service 300-400 stores.

[pkrikard01]

Hi Chris,

The C&S drivers are still using the Bruno's, Food World,& ect. trailers. Some of the SFM workers in B'ham that are in the closing stores will get to go back to Bruno's (most fulltime SR. Workers) so all the workers will not loose their jobs. I was told by my union rep. that he talk to the HR at Bruno's and he said that Bruno's will make an announcement at the end of Jan. about what is going on.

Thanks,

Paul

Have you heard anything to support the rumor, or is it just your insight? I agree that it would paralyze the warehouse. However, C&S does service some other stores, including some A&P stores in Mississippi and Louisiana. A truck driver told us one night that he had to start going to New Orleans to some kind of A&P store, I think it was a Save-A-Center, or something like that (I know it wasn't Sav-A-Lot, that's Supervalu). They still haven't told us anything at work. Bi-Lo has put a freeze on all hiring and C&S does not use Food World/Foodmax/Bruno's trucks anymore. And we also are not getting our new shirts that Bi-Lo promised us. All in all it sounds like they are ready to sell to someone else and do not plan on spending anymore money than necessary. It is at the point where we just want to know something. If nothing else we need to know whether we need to look for a new job or not. I remember when C&S first started buying stores, we wanted to be bought out by them because they were an actual grocery company, not just an investment firm. It quickly became apparent that SFM was not the best route to go.

[Chris322]

Hi Chris,

The C&S drivers are still using the Bruno's, Food World,& ect. trailers. Some of the SFM workers in B'ham that are in the closing stores will get to go back to Bruno's (most fulltime SR. Workers) so all the workers will not loose their jobs. I was told by my union rep. that he talk to the HR at Bruno's and he said that Bruno's will make an announcement at the end of Jan. about what is going on.

Thanks,

Paul

[SFMD-]

Have you heard anything to support the rumor, or is it just your insight? I agree that it would paralyze the warehouse. However, C&S does service some other stores, including some A&P stores in Mississippi and Louisiana. A truck driver told us one night that he had to start going to New Orleans to some kind of A&P store, I think it was a Save-A-Center, or something like that (I know it wasn't Sav-A-Lot, that's Supervalu). They still haven't told us anything at work. Bi-Lo has put a freeze on all hiring and C&S does not use Food World/Foodmax/Bruno's trucks anymore. And we also are not getting our new shirts that Bi-Lo promised us. All in all it sounds like they are ready to sell to someone else and do not plan on spending anymore money than necessary. It is at the point where we just want to know something. If nothing else we need to know whether we need to look for a new job or not. I remember when C&S first started buying stores, we wanted to be bought out by them because they were an actual grocery company, not just an investment firm. It quickly became apparent that SFM was not the best route to go.

[Chris322]

Actually, it came from a very reliable source. There is an investment firm instead of Kroger trying to buy Bruno/Bilo and SFM. I guess they would either try to put them back together or sell them off. You are right, something is about to happen, should be announced by the end of the month. Sounds like a very complicated deal to me. It still leaves C&S in a very precarious position. They don't control their future of the Birmingham warehouse.

[SFMD-]

Seriously, if it's just another investment firm, we will be no better off than we are now. The Bruno's company has been scattered like puzzle pieces for the last ten years, with some pieces getting thrown away and some trying to fit in where they just can't. I really think putting that puzzle back together is almost impossible. Let's face it, Bruno's has had its day and it's time for it to be laid to rest. Let someone like Kroger come in and adopt what they can and just let the rest be taken off life support. If we are acquired by another investment firm, it will be just like with KKR in 1995 and with Lonestar in 2004. I wouldn't mind seeing Ronnie Bruno come back to the table and buy some of the stores back to run himself again. It couldn't be much worse. I just have a bad feeling about going to another investment firm. They are never in it to make the stores work, they just want to drain them for every penny they can get out of them. However, an investment firm buyout would most likely allow C&S to keep servicing the BI-LO/Bruno's stores and SFM. Who else would do it?

[pkrikard01]

SFMD

If there are some stores that are ONLY doing 30K a week. Then the Moulton, AL. (#121) should have stayed open. Because it was doing between 40-50k a week.

But I will take it as a rumor.

Thanks,

Paul

[SFMD-]

SFMD

If there are some stores that are ONLY doing 30K a week. Then the Moulton, AL. (#121) should have stayed open. Because it was doing between 40-50k a week.

But I will take it as a rumor.

Thanks,

Paul

[pkrikard01]

Hello Everyone,

Has anyone noticed some of the Best Yet product is being deleted? I am wondering if C&S is trying to sell out of the Best Yet product before they let the new owners take over.(if we have been sold)

Thanks,

Paul

[Chris322]

Well, January is nearly over and we have yet to hear anything as most of the rumors said we would. I have a new one to add to the rumor bin. The latest rumor says that Ronnie Bruno is considering buying some of the stores back in an attempt to rebuild the Bruno's empire. My personal opinion on this: Doubtful. However, in this day and time, anything is possible. We probably wouldn't be any worse off.

[Tatterdel]

Please excuse the intrusion on your conversation. I am a long time loyal customer of what was Bi-Lo in Tullahoma, TN. I've been searching the web trying to find out who to talk to about our loss. I have shopped at Bi-Lo here for seven years (we moved here seven years ago). I found the store to be clean, well stocked, and the greatest people working there! The employees at our Bi-Lo store made it a joy to shop (something I usually loth). Then in 2006 SFM took over. They started changing things, shelves were not properly stocked... not because the employees but because of SFM and there practices. They re-vamped the inter store! I only kept going there because most of the same people were still there. Wayne my favorite bagger always packed my groceries right in a mix of paper & plastic based on the items. He always took my groceries out and was always friendly! Linda in the deli always knew how I liked my meat sliced and always got it right. Heather came up the ranks from bagger, cashier to management and was always friendly and helpful.

What I'm saying is service really does count!

I miss them! I don't like shopping at our Kroger or Food Lion stores... there cashiers and baggers are not very good.

I could not believe that SFM closed the store at the end of Nov./ beginning Dec. and fired all those wonderful workers just before the holidays.

This may not be the right forum but ya'll were talking about similar things happening all across the southern area.

I wish I could get in touch with Linda and Heather and a few others that I never really learned their names but I know Linda knew. I am going to be opening a business in the Fall that Linda and Heather would be great at! I wouldn't be able to offer them the perks of the big businesses but it would be a fun place to work in a great atmosphere. If anyone has any suggestions on ways to track them down I could use some help.

If not... just take this posting as an example of how customers can be touched by the employees of the stores they shop at.

Thank you.

[Chris322]

Please excuse the intrusion on your conversation. I am a long time loyal customer of what was Bi-Lo in Tullahoma, TN. I've been searching the web trying to find out who to talk to about our loss. I have shopped at Bi-Lo here for seven years (we moved here seven years ago). I found the store to be clean, well stocked, and the greatest people working there! The employees at our Bi-Lo store made it a joy to shop (something I usually loth). Then in 2006 SFM took over. They started changing things, shelves were not properly stocked... not because the employees but because of SFM and there practices. They re-vamped the inter store! I only kept going there because most of the same people were still there. Wayne my favorite bagger always packed my groceries right in a mix of paper & plastic based on the items. He always took my groceries out and was always friendly! Linda in the deli always knew how I liked my meat sliced and always got it right. Heather came up the ranks from bagger, cashier to management and was always friendly and helpful.

What I'm saying is service really does count!

I miss them! I don't like shopping at our Kroger or Food Lion stores... there cashiers and baggers are not very good.

I could not believe that SFM closed the store at the end of Nov./ beginning Dec. and fired all those wonderful workers just before the holidays.

This may not be the right forum but ya'll were talking about similar things happening all across the southern area.

I wish I could get in touch with Linda and Heather and a few others that I never really learned their names but I know Linda knew. I am going to be opening a business in the Fall that Linda and Heather would be great at! I wouldn't be able to offer them the perks of the big businesses but it would be a fun place to work in a great atmosphere. If anyone has any suggestions on ways to track them down I could use some help.

If not... just take this posting as an example of how customers can be touched by the employees of the stores they shop at.

Thank you.

[snowbird203]

Hey, Tatterdel.

Snowbird here. Glad to hear another Tullahoma resident who misses Bi-Lo and its employees just as much as I do. Here is a suggestion on tracking down our favorite employees. Wayne has a family member that owns the Subway. I'd bet you could find out something through them. They might not give you the names, but I'd bet they would forward your phone number to have who you want call you. Good luck on your search, and let me know what you are opening.

By the way, everybody,

I used the "contact us" feature at Bi-Lo's website a week or so ago and asked if they would "please, please!!" consider reopening their stores in Tullahoma and Manchester. So far, no response, which actually might be good news. If the answer was "no", I figure they'd have shot back an answer right away. The key to reopening them is rehiring the former managers and employees. I've heard from relatives in other cities that they HATE their Bi-Lo. Sounds like personnel issues to me.

Also, if the Best Yet products are disappearing, that is NOT good news. That's the way the SFMs in TN started their demise. If you don't have store brands, you don't have choices and people head for places with store brands.

Best wishes to y'all.

Snowbird

[Tatterdel]

Hey, Tatterdel.

Snowbird here. Glad to hear another Tullahoma resident who misses Bi-Lo and its employees just as much as I do. Here is a suggestion on tracking down our favorite employees. Wayne has a family member that owns the Subway. I'd bet you could find out something through them. They might not give you the names, but I'd bet they would forward your phone number to have who you want call you. Good luck on your search, and let me know what you are opening.

Best wishes to y'all.

Snowbird

[GAOnMyMind]

All Food Lions could stand a paint job.

[snowbird203]

The empty Tullahoma Bi-Lo/SFM property now has a "for lease" sign in the window. Bummer.

[canstacker]

The empty Tullahoma Bi-Lo/SFM property now has a "for lease" sign in the window. Bummer.

[Chris322]

I have enjoyed some good laughs at some of the posts wondering if Ronnie Bruno would get back involved and buy back stores to rebuild his "empire." Or if an ownership change would bring back dead stores..... Trust the canstacker, that is all wishful thinking. It ain't gonna happen.

SFM is dead and Bruno/BiLo is on lifesupport. Look for SFM to change ownership soon, possibly Bruno/Bilo as well. Both C&S and Lonestar want out. Lonestar just wants cash and C&S just wants a supply agreement with a new owner. Look for more SFM closings to come if a sale doesn't finalize soon. Just to show you how screwed up a company SFM is, in Brewton, Alabama, the manager at SFM recently told the local paper that he had no comment regarding a new WalMart Supercenter to be constructed there. He referred comment to SFM's corporate office in Greenville, SC. SFM is located in Birmingham....Bruno/Bilo is in SC. SFM has now been around nearly two years, but the manager (as well as a lot of people in that organization) still think and wish they were part of Bruno's....and some obviously act the part too. Change just comes tough to some people.

[snowbird203]

The Bruno's stores have been told that at the start of the second quarter, we will revert back to the old Bruno's system. Some of you may know about the conversions that Bruno's stores went through in 2005 to be put on the BI-LO system. Our lives were basically hell for about a week until we finally got everything to work right. Basically everything went wrong. Cashiers were confused because the registers changed, prices were wrong, and many items were not in the system. Now that we have it worked out, we are told that everything is going back to the way it was. In my opinion, I think the only explanation for that is that Bruno's has been sold and is separated from BI-LO. Either we have sold to another company and they just want us off of their system, or we are truly going back to just being Bruno's. Who knows at this point. Stay tuned.