Charlotte Supermarkets

[KJHburg]

Wegmans has to be looking in this market as they are going in big in Raleigh Durham area.  1 store in Chapel Hill, 2 in Cary and 1 in North Raleigh none are open as of yet but a couple of them are under construction.    Many of the developers here have great relationships with Harris Teeter but I am surprised one as not been announced unless they want to absorb their Raleigh Durham area openings first.  

[cjd5050]

2 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Wegmans has to be looking in this market as they are going in big in Raleigh Durham area.  1 store in Chapel Hill, 2 in Cary and 1 in North Raleigh none are open as of yet but a couple of them are under construction.    Many of the developers here have great relationships with Harris Teeter but I am surprised one as not been announced unless they want to absorb their Raleigh Durham area openings first.  

If Northwood ever goes all in on redeveloping Ballantyne into a truly mixed-use project....a Wegmans there would do amazingly well.   Even with the upscale HT and Publix nearby.  

 

[JRNYP2C]

I look forward to visiting family and friends in Northern VA/DC area, so I have an excuse to make a trip to Wegman's!  I hope they get over to the Charlotte area soon.  It is an AWESOME grocery store!!

[KJHburg]

3 hours ago, JRNYP2C said:

I look forward to visiting family and friends in Northern VA/DC area, so I have an excuse to make a trip to Wegman's!  I hope they get over to the Charlotte area soon.  It is an AWESOME grocery store!!

soon you can drive to Chapel Hill or Cary.   I believe it is when they come to Charlotte not if.   I don't think they plan on stopping at Raleigh Durham and not come to this area. 

[kermit]

I am surprised it took this long but Publix just announced it will build its distribution center in Greensboro. It will be their first DC north of Atlanta IIRC.

There are not a ton of implications for Charlotte but at a minimum:

• Faster restocking (although that does not seem to be a problem now)
• Publix is now officially here to stay (I believe their slowness on the DC was driven by their surprise at the competitive pressures in NC). This may slow the expansion of other stores like Wegmans and Sprouts (or maybe not)

And not particularly relevant to Charlotte, Publix will be able to speed their expansion into Virginia, Maryland and Eastern NC.

The former Teeter board made a great decision to sell when they did.

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2018/08/29/publix-picks-greensboro-over-south-carolina-for-1.html

Edited August 29, 2018 by kermit

[KJHburg]

went to my first local Lidl (had been in one in Greenville NC before) but this Concord Mills location was a madhouse 2nd weekend after it opened.  I would describe the frenzy as a hurricane is forecasted  with 4-5 inches of snow to follow.  I should have bailed from the parking lot alone.  BTW they charge 7 cents for each paper bag but free shopping carts!  Exclusive KJ interior shots as I had my camera with me and someone ran right into me while I was looking for something with their cart! 

 

Edited September 30, 2018 by KJHburg

[Third Strike]

14 hours ago, KJHburg said:

went to my first local Lidl (had been in one in Greenville NC before) but this Concord Mills location was a madhouse 2nd weekend after it opened.  I would describe the frenzy as a hurricane is forecasted  with 4-5 inches of snow to follow.  I should have bailed from the parking lot alone.  BTW they charge 7 cents for each paper bag but free shopping carts!  Exclusive KJ interior shots as I had my camera with me and someone ran right into me while I was looking for something with their cart! 

 

Wait, I thought Lidls were small like Aldi. That store looks massive. 

[KJHburg]

6 minutes ago, Third Strike said:

Wait, I thought Lidls were small like Aldi. That store looks massive. 

I think they around 36000 sq ft which makes much bigger than Aldi and about the size of Publix give or take some.  They have a lot of non food merchandise like tools and shoes and apparel in the center of the stores.  It is strange. 

[videtur quam contuor]

Lidl reminds me more of a European grocer/market than anything US origin.

[KJHburg]

Not a Charlotte supermarket story but  a NC one.  I do think Wegmans will head this way eventually as they just announced their 5th store in the Triangle area.  4 in Wake County and 1 in Orange County in Chapel Hill.  None of the stores are open yet the first being an inside the Beltline store in Raleigh opening next spring.

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2018/10/26/wegmans-has-plans-for-wake-forest-store-fifth-in.html?ana=e_me_set1&s=newsletter&ed=2018-10-26&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1540558957&j=84652831

[WCUP]

Much like the topics of schools or dealing with cold weather, I wish more transplants would talk about how good Wegmans and Wawa are and how the local groceries are insufficient.  Don't hear enough about them.    

 

[KJHburg]

QuikTrip > WaWa thats all I will say about that.  I am fine with my Harris Teeters and Publix. 

[Guest]

QuikTrip > WaWa thats all I will say about that.  I am fine with my Harris Teeters and Publix. 

I don’t know about quiktrip, but wawa is legitimately terrible. Sheets is definitely better, but also not good. My tastes just don’t jive with gas station tho. Unless it’s Shell station fried chicken, or the pizza at the Chevron on MLK and Oglethorpe in savannah (which is probably consider horrible now lol)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KJHburg]

The absolute best marketing for grocery stores the annual Publix Christmas commercial.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Publix?fbclid=IwAR2goYv0WBLwrnJ7p-iA-Y6r6MmvdW7BvVAi-CWMkTavl27xcw3FaXP-StY

[KJHburg]

NC grocery news but one day I think they will come to Charlotte in their march southward.  Wegmans announces their 6th store in the Raleigh Durham Chapel Hill market before even the first one opens later this year!

Locations north Raleigh by Beltline,  2 in Cary, 1 in Wake Forest, 1 in Chapel Hill and 1 just announced for Holly Springs.   Their stores up there are around 100K sq ft give or take a few thousand feet.  

[kermit]

Amazon says they will open grocery stores in "dozens of major cities" that are distinct from its Whole Foods brand. The stores will be at a lower price point than wholefoods and offer a more conventional selection of items. The stores are thought to be around 35,000 sq ft (small) but they mention strip center sites rather than more urban locations. Sounds likely that the stores will be used as part of thier last mile distribution system.  https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-to-launch-new-grocery-store-business-sources-say-11551461887   (No Charlotte specific content.)

This tidbit was in the article, it sounded interesting although I think most of the smaller chains in the area have been run out of business already:

Quote

Amazon is also exploring an acquisition strategy to widen the new supermarket brand by purchasing regional grocery chains with about a dozen stores under operation, one person said.

 

Edited March 2, 2019 by kermit

[videtur quam contuor]

The Urban Planet includes all people. To remind us of our equals check the Yelp review for Wayne's, a long time Charlotte grocer:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/waynes-super-market-charlotte

[HighRiseHillbilly]

4 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

The Urban Planet includes all people. To remind us of our equals check the Yelp review for Wayne's, a long time Charlotte grocer:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/waynes-super-market-charlotte

Thanks for posting this. I was just thinking about how I believe the majority of vocal posters here are college educated, middle to upper middle class white males (I, personally, have noticed only a small handful of variation). This also tends to be who is in charge of the development in this city.

Different types of people value different things, though. I believe this variation in culture and perspectives is what really makes a city interesting. Tall, shiny buildings are great, but so are little Salvadorian panaderías, unfabulous gay bars, and black owned barber shops. If we don't leave room for these places and the types of people who patron them, we paint ourselves into a very boring, homogeneous corner.

Basically, just because we all think something is a great idea here - and even in the board rooms and at the drawing tables, doesn't mean it's really what's best for the city at large or its growth as a livable place for all people. 

[KJHburg]

the tiny Teeter aka Harris Teeter uptown is going to all self checkouts to speed up check outs there.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/article228372729.html

[Crown]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

the tiny Teeter aka Harris Teeter uptown is going to all self checkouts to speed up check outs there.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/article228372729.html

My plaza midwood teeter recently doubled their self checkouts and made the "back door" self check out only with 3 registers. If I don't slit my wrists trying to find a parking space, these additions make shopping here slightly more comfortable than a colonoscopy. 

Tiny teeter still ranks dead last for me on my Teeter work to home hierarchy chart 

• Taj-ma-teeter still reigns supreme
• Two story providence teeter (easy to get in and out of on any typical day)
• Dilworth teeter (parking issues compounded by Yafo's recent opening)
• Cotswold Teeter (Parking issues, recently doubled their self checkouts, smallish meat/seafood counter)
• That weird teeter on park road near lucky lous that everyone forgets about (had zero self checkouts the last time i was there)
• Park Road shopping center teeter (tiny store, tiny meat/seafood counter)
• Plaza Midwood teeter (Arguably one of the most aggressive parking lots in Charlotte. They underestimated their parking needs by a factor of about 10)
• Tiny teeter that may or may not have what you're looking for but probably not. 

 

Edited March 25, 2019 by Crown

[DH17]

6 hours ago, KJHburg said:

the tiny Teeter aka Harris Teeter uptown is going to all self checkouts to speed up check outs there.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/article228372729.html

Honestly a fan of this improvement. I come here after work once in a while to grab 1-10 items that I can carry home or squeeze into my backpack. Parking can be a nightmare unless you go at off-hours.

I go to the HT or Publix in South End for a big trip once every other week or so for the bigger items.

[sakami]

On 3/25/2019 at 8:30 PM, DH17 said:

Honestly a fan of this improvement. I come here after work once in a while to grab 1-10 items that I can carry home or squeeze into my backpack. Parking can be a nightmare unless you go at off-hours.

I go to the HT or Publix in South End for a big trip once every other week or so for the bigger items.

I went to the tiny HT at 12:40 this afternoon and people were circling the parking deck. I had to park across the street (thanks to whoever posted that tip). The store was surprisingly crowded and full of people, the majority of whom were picking up lunch. I used to shop at this store a lot 10 years ago and it was never very crowded. It’s fascinating to see that this side of town really could support another store in the shape of a Publix. 

[Eightane]

2 hours ago, sakami said:

I went to the tiny HT at 12:40 this afternoon and people were circling the parking deck. I had to park across the street (thanks to whoever posted that tip). The store was surprisingly crowded and full of people, the majority of whom were picking up lunch. I used to shop at this store a lot 10 years ago and it was never very crowded. It’s fascinating to see that this side of town really could support another store in the shape of a Publix. 

This is largest reason I really wish the Publix in the vicinity of Skyhouse had taken off. Not only was the building itself a beautiful concept (at latest rendering released), but it would solve what Whole Foods just can't where it is. Much as I love having WF right next to the light rail, if you follow Stonewall down from there towards Metropolitan you have a 5 min. walk to Trader Joe's, and this benefits Fourth Ward's old neighbourhoods next to none.

It really does feel like the two best grocery options within practical stone's-throw of uptown are basically on the same street.

[KJHburg]

Kroger the parent of Harris Teeter is introducing driverless delivery cars for grocery deliveries in Houston.  this could work in some of their stores in Charlotte too (Harris Teeters)

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2019/04/16/photos-kroger-nuro-debut-driverless-delivery-in.html

[KJHburg]

Wegmans  needs to come further south.  They are building 6 new stores in  the Triangle:  Raleigh, Cary (2), Holly Springs, Wake Forest  and Chapel Hill. 

This one is in Richmond in Chesterfield they are such nice stores with cafes and it was really busy.  Prices are not too bad either. I went to a Wegmans up in the Philly area about 10 years ago but not one of their newer stores.   They will do well in NC but they need to move further south to Charlotte.

Wegmans based in upstate NY I think needs to expand south to find growing populations. 

 

Edited June 14, 2019 by KJHburg