Charlotte Supermarkets

[bigboxstore]

I went to the Super Bi-Lo tonight and was not that impressed. I thought their produce section was excellent. I think the classic HT across the street still has a better deli.

Sorry, to rehash an old topic, but I've been in the store now that it's a Publix, and all I had say is wow!  Impressive what they've done in 6 months.  Same general layout as the old Super Bi-lo, but what an upgrade!  And the HT across the street is being renovated (as well as giving my good coupons).

[Miesian Corners]

I've spent a lot of time in Florida and Georgia.  Can someone please tell me again just what makes Publix so great?  I've been to stores in Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Tampa, Atlanta, and Columbia and I just don't see what the big deal is.  HT's are much more aesthetically pleasing inside and the prepared foods sections are always nicer.  I do give Publix a big thumbs up when it comes to urban store design, though.  They build most of those stores with the retail square footage above at-grade parking.  HT could have taken a cue from them with both the Myers Park and PM stores.  

[Jael]

They're clean and well-stocked.

[Temeteron]

I've spent a lot of time in Florida and Georgia.  Can someone please tell me again just what makes Publix so great?  I've been to stores in Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Tampa, Atlanta, and Columbia and I just don't see what the big deal is.  HT's are much more aesthetically pleasing inside and the prepared foods sections are always nicer.  I do give Publix a big thumbs up when it comes to urban store design, though.  They build most of those stores with the retail square footage above at-grade parking.  HT could have taken a cue from them with both the Myers Park and PM stores.  

Their bakeries! When you walk into a Publix bakery it actually smells like bread! That is very rare for supermarkets in this country.  In Europe it's common to smell bakeries, smell butcher shops, florists, fish markets, etc.  Here people don't like smells;  they think it's gross.  If you notice at International markets like Super G Mart, Cedarland, and Compare Foods, most of those stores have a smell, because their foods are actually fresh and REAL.  The culture is just different I guess.  We've discussed this in my International Business course. 

[Miesian Corners]

They're clean and well-stocked.

And the Teeter's not?  I've NEVER been in a dirty HT.  I HAVE been in a dirty Publix (N Miami Beach).

Edited April 27, 2014 by Miesian Corners

[NCMike1981]

I've heard that Publix is in the Harris Teeter price range (which means a bit on the expensive side for most items but has pretty good sales to help offset if you are so inclined) but does not double coupons in the Carolinas. To me that would put them at a disadvantage...especially in the Triangle where both Harris Teeter and Lowes Foods are a bit on the pricey side but double coupons w/ a face value of up to 99 cents every day....not to mention having Super Double (up to $2 face value) and Triple Coupon (Harris Teeter) events every few weeks. The only stores around here that don't double coupons tend to be stores that are on the lower end of the pricing scale anyway (Food Lion, Kroger, the Superstores). Do y'all think not doubling coupons will end up hurting Publix in North Carolina or do you think it will just help existing chains compete?

Edited April 27, 2014 by NCMike1981

[Jael]

And the Teeter's not? I've NEVER been in a dirty HT. I HAVE been in a dirty Publix (N Miami Beach).

Keep your shirt on. I wasn't referring to Harris-Teeter. We don't even have one here in Spartanburg any more, but I do go to the one at Harris and Mallard Creek with my sister when I'm visiting. You just asked why people liked Publix, and I answered.

My experience with both has been that they are roughly the same level of store in cleanliness and availability of what I want to buy at a reasonable price. Those are the main things I look for in a grocery store. Every Kroger that I've ever been in felt a little grimy. I hope they will leave HT to be HT.

[go_vertical]

I'm from Orlando and Publix is headquartered in nearby Lakeland so in central Florida they are the local grocer that most people have memories of going to as a kid. They have the primo locations locked down and therefore are some of the more convenient to get to. A vast majority are extremely clean and aesthetically pleasing (very similar to HT). They also beat every other grocer hands down with their selection of international/ethnic foods. And yes, their bakeries and made to order subs are pretty darn great.

In regards to store cleanliness I will say that when I was young I do remember occasionally going into a random Publix that seemed run down. Not sure if that was maybe a recent competitor acquisition that hadn't been brought up to their standards yet or what. If you ask me Harris Teeter and Publix are damn near identical on price points, selection, variety, customer service, and store cleanliness.

[Miesian Corners]

Both chains win for having the worst grocery store names ever (and both names lead me down the road of juvenile humor).

[15895]

It took me a while to guess the immature Publix name until I said "Harry Peter" :0

[AuLukey]

I grew up with Publix in North Florida.  So, for me, it may just be memories of my youth that keep me so enthused about Publix compared to other grocers.  Then again, there's just something about those stores; they're brighter, their delis are top-notch (if you like sugar cookies, you may never go anywhere else again... seriously,) and, like Teets, their stock is impeccable.  Having moved from Florida to Charlotte in the 90's, I remember hearing my parents complain that HT was more expensive than Publix; but it couldn't be by much because that didn't stop them from going.  They were the kinds of people that would go to different grocery stores based on their departments (like Winn Dixie for their meats,) so I know they were ridiculously particular about where they shopped and why.

 

Don't get me wrong, I go to HT more than anywhere else in Charlotte, but Publix just has something magical (by grocery store standards.)  It really might just be, as Temerton said, the bakery smell. 

 

In Harris Teeter's defense though, HT's general do have much more of a cozy "market" feel; while Publix's pretty much all feel like just a grocery store.  Though, the ambiance may just be a result of the way they use lighting.  Speaking of which, HT's cheezy fru-fru "Wine Room" lighting just annoys me more than anything else.  Just point me to the wine, you don't have to dress it up.

[NCMike1981]

^I do miss Winn Dixie's meat dept....they didn't call them "The Beef People" for nothin! Oh and of course I used to be fascinated by the lobster tank as a child....but I digress, obviously Winn Dixie is never coming back to the Carolinas (and probably for the best b/c by the time they left in 2005 most locations were pretty much like older Food Lions)...

[go_vertical]

Another thing interesting about Publix down in Florida, and I understand that this will probably sound odd to many of you who haven't experienced this, is the giant scale. In every store down there was a scale with a huge dial read out at the very front of the store where the registers are. For many it was almost a routine to walk inside, hop on the scale to check your weight and then grab your cart. Even as I type this I realize how strange that might sound, but it is just another one of those unique things that made shopping there a little unique. I haven't been to any of the new locations in the Charlotte area yet but I have been inside a couple of the stores that have opened in South Carolina and they don't have the scale. I was a little bummed out about that.

[Third Strike]

Another Publix is coming to the Charlotte area. This time, in Indian Trail:

 

http://www.indiantrail.org/planlog1.php?id=368&type=9

[DCMetroRaleigh]

The stock price of Whole Foods Market gained more than 4 percent Thursday, as rumors swirled that the Austin, Texas-based grocer could be bought by Publix Super Markets.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2014/06/05/publix-no-comment-on-whole-foods-rumors.html

[spenser1058]

While Publix stumbled on their GreenWise Market rollout just as the Great Recession got started and could use some expertise in fresh food, I just don't see this. Publix, which took 60 years to break out of Florida, all of a sudden having a presence in Manhattan? It doesn't even come close to fitting their m.o.

 

On the other hand, Whole Foods' CEO and Publix' management are kindred spirits politically, so maybe they've been hanging out at the beach together or something. Publix also has the cash to swing it, I suspect, if they wanted to.

 

Bottom line: no one ever lost money on betting Publix would take the most conservative route. My prediction of its likelihood? <20%.

[Third Strike]

If Publix buys out Whole Foods, I hope they keep the Whole Foods name/brand for the stores, plus change the name of their existing GreenWise Market stores to Whole Foods. If this purchase happens, Publix is going to have a very prominent presence in the Charlotte market.

[LKN704]

If Publix were to buy Whole Foods, which I think would be unlikely IMHO, they would likely operate Whole Foods as a wholly owned (no pun intended) subsidiary and change the name to Whole Foods by Publix or something like that.

[HopHead]

Wasn't quite sure where to to put this, so I'll do it here... 

 

Looks like Capital One is doing a large expansion at their Northern Virginia HQ... A part of that plan includes a smaller urban style Wegman's, which seems to be a fairly new concept for them as well. It will be near a Metro stop. I doubt we will see them down Charlotte anytime soon, but interesting they are going down the urban store path of Publix (Skyhouse) and Whole Foods (Crescent) here. 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2015/06/08/wegmans-coming-to-tysons-as-part-of-capital-one-headquarters/

[Neo]

I'm not sure if this is just a test for the area or if the chain is about to explode around here, but I'm fairly certain that Lidl is looking to place a grocery store in Concord at the corner of the new George Liles Pkwy and Weddington Rd. This would be across from the new Publix that is nearing completion.

[ah59396]

It looks like a fancy municipal hockey barn.  I love it.

[Prodev]

It is Lidl, and @ah59396 - I thought the exact same thing when I saw the first one of these. So far, I have 7 locations in Charlotte noted for them, so they're definitely going hard into the market. 

[jtmonk]

These are the same renderings they submitted to the City of Lexington a few months back.  They were approved back in June but they do not plan to start construction until 2016 and open in early 2017.  We're still working with them on a few additional elements to their site plan but for the most part this is what we're are going to get.  Not too bad actually, i just wish they were going in a more urban location in Lexington.

Edited August 20, 2015 by jtmonk

[Niner National]

It is Lidl, and @ah59396 - I thought the exact same thing when I saw the first one of these. So far, I have 7 locations in Charlotte noted for them, so they're definitely going hard into the market. 

IN Charlotte or in the Charlotte area?

[Prodev]

Sorry... Charlotte area as a whole.