Charlotte Supermarkets

[grodney]

Speaking of "green" grocery stores, has anyone checked out the new HT in south Charlotte(off Audrey Kell rd., I think). A friend of mine told me that CNN news was there a couple of days ago because it was the nations first green grocery store. Anybody got any info on this?

This is probably what you heard about:

http://carolinanewswire.com/news/News.cgi?...d=3235&op=t

The store is on Ardrey Kell at 521. It opened yesterday. According to the article, they have some Advanced Refrigeration System that is the first of its kind in the country. It also says they are using LED lighting in the freezer cases, and ultra low-flow toilets.

I will be visiting today in order to compare and contrast the beer selection with the other 14 HT's that are within 2 miles of my house.

[davidclt]

Talley's has been a Dilworth mainstay for years. They were locally owned and had a devoted following even with their secluded location. The support just was not large enough to keep them competitive against the big guys. Their selection had been getting more limited. Their fish dept dissapeared completely recently and the signs were just not looking good. It will be interesting to see what replaces them.

I hate to say it, but Talley's just didn't keep up. They had no real niche like Berrybrook (supplements). The Home Economist, EarthFare and Trader Joe's all ate their lunch because of fresher stores, better prices, better selection, better service and overall quality.

It would appear to me that they had been slipping for years. I even commented to my partner when I went in there a while back that it looked like they were in a slow death spiral . . . this was a year ago. She commented that they seemed to have a revolving door of employees and she rarely saw the same faces twice when she shopped there regularly and the employees working there over the past few years always (and I do me always) looked glum. None of this was a recipe for success.

I am sad a local business has closed but I'm not sure what they did to survive.

[voyager12]

I heard many similar complaints about their cleanliness and product. The employees always seemed depressed to me too, the whole store had that vibe actually. The only time it seemed busy and had a good buzz was on the yearly free samples day. No surprise there. I have no doubt that Earthfare played a large role in doing them in as the owner claimed in the Observer article, but their low standards probably did not help much either.

[DigitalSky]

So I have a theory- with the closing of Myers Park Hardware Store, I think Harris Teeter will expand their "express" store at the corner of Providence and Providence onto that site...

[Guest]

So I have a theory- with the closing of Myers Park Hardware Store, I think Harris Teeter will expand their "express" store at the corner of Providence and Providence onto that site...

I can confirm to a 75%-90% certainty that this will be the case. I made a pitch a couple weeks ago to a friend who owns a restaurant near MP Hardware to open a clothing store there, and they told me that it was going to fall victim to a Harris Teeter Expansion that would double the size of the store to around 42k sq feet.

Edit: On another note, Charlotte has been taken off the future expansion list on Whole Foods' Website and Triangle has been added to get their third and forth stores. Charlotte now remains one of the only stores of its size in the country to not have one. Heck even Greenville, SC has one! What on earth is with this injustice!

Edited January 7, 2009 by Guest

[DigitalSky]

Whole Foods seems to be "Pulling a Saks" on Charlotte... lol

[tozmervo]

Evidently Bi-Lo filed Chapter 11 today. Guess I shouldn't hold my breath on any kind of renovation to their Park Rd store....

[suburban george3]

Evidently Bi-Lo filed Chapter 11 today. Guess I shouldn't hold my breath on any kind of renovation to their Park Rd store....

Probably not anytime soon, but maybe when and if they exit bankruptcy protection. They are citing difficult credit markets as their reason for filing chapter 11 and a large debt coming mature soon.

[voyager12]

Evidently Bi-Lo filed Chapter 11 today. Guess I shouldn't hold my breath on any kind of renovation to their Park Rd store....

I went to that store for the first time ever last month. Wow. The entire place is frozen in a time warp from the 60s. It's clean though and was deserted and I was in and out in no time.

[DigitalSky]

Yeah Bi-Lo's news really comes as no surprise, a lot of people are speculating/hoping for other grocers to enter the region (a la Publix, Wegman's, Kroger) among some names I've heard thrown around, but I don't see that happening.

[monsoon]

There is something about Bi-Lo's older style store that appeals to me. They kinda remind me of the Piggly Wiggly stores that you find in Charleston. I have gotten where I don't like the visual assault that you get in the modern store like Harris Teeter which also charges equivalent very high prices to go with it. I really don't care for Food Lion because it can't decide which market it serves and as a result it's shopping environment doesn't match it's prices. LFPINC is just a memory now. I also think that Foodlion has a lot of execution issues that are directly related to the poor quality of their store management.

I would like to see a new retailer come in there, but I don't see it happening. Bi-Lo returned to Charlotte, when Kroger (which I also liked) pulled out of the market. They bought up all the Kroger stores in Charlotte. These days however they are all faced with the specter of Super Walmart which is quickly taking over the lower end and Costco/Sams/etc which grabs a segment of the middle class which leaves just the higher end that Harris Teeter and Lowes plays in. Super Walmart, IMO these days are probably also hitting these stores.

[DigitalSky]

I have to says though, I try to comparison shop and with Harris Teeter's coupon tripling/unreal deals, they've often beat prices at Lowes Foods, Bi-lo and Food Lion--especially in FL's Organics... overall i've seen Food Lion's price going up the most. The Wal-mart/Costco effect, as you mention, is definitely a factor in Bi-Lo's situation.

[JayGee]

I remember at one point Publix was supposed to come into Charlotte, but never did.

Closest they got was Greenville.

[HopHead]

I can't say that I would miss Bi-Lo... The only one I've been to is the one by Ed's Tavern in Dilworth. Many of the locals there call it "Crime-Lo" b/c of a lot of the issues that place has had. I've probably been in there 3x in the 2+ years I've lived in the area. Each time I've gone in there, I couldn't get out of there fast enough. It could just be that location, but I pretty much avoid that place like the plague.

[voyager12]

I really miss Publix. Living in Hilton Head and Charleston before moving to Charlotte I got used to their great bakery and bread selection. HT pales in comparison.

[tozmervo]

^ That's the frustrating thing. That store is just shabby. I've never felt in any kind of danger there. They have a great produce selection and so-so meat department, and in general a nice, small store. A new Publix in that location could do gangbusters, they've been taking the Nashville market by storm over the past few years.

[Justiceham]

^ That's the frustrating thing. That store is just shabby. I've never felt in any kind of danger there. They have a great produce selection and so-so meat department, and in general a nice, small store. A new Publix in that location could do gangbusters, they've been taking the Nashville market by storm over the past few years.

They really have. Murfreesboro has 6 stores and 2 more under construction. This is all within the past three years. Publix has really raised the bar with customer service and everything I come to buy is always in stock.

[DigitalSky]

It seems like Publix is the grocer people would like to see most, followed by Wegman's. And Piggly Wiggly for monsoon hehe

[Guest]

It seems like Publix is the grocer people would like to see most, followed by Wegman's. And Piggly Wiggly for monsoon hehe

Whole foods, then Wegmans, then publix, then Piggly Wiggly. I used to love shopping at piggly wiggly in georgia, they always had the best meat sections.

[DigitalSky]

Whole foods, then Wegmans, then publix, then Piggly Wiggly. I used to love shopping at piggly wiggly in georgia, they always had the best meat sections.

Oh yeah... Whole Foods, don't whole your breath

[monsoon]

I can't say that I would miss Bi-Lo... The only one I've been to is the one by Ed's Tavern in Dilworth. Many of the locals there call it "Crime-Lo" b/c of a lot of the issues that place has had. I've probably been in there 3x in the 2+ years I've lived in the area. Each time I've gone in there, I couldn't get out of there fast enough. It could just be that location, but I pretty much avoid that place like the plague.

This store was originally built as a Kroger SaveOn and was the first modern store built in Dilworth in decades. It was also loaded down with state of the art high tech equipment for the time. Bi-Lo took over this store when Kroger decided to pull out of Charlotte and really didn't invest much in it over the years. I believe this might be the only BiLo store left that was one of the original Kroger stores as Bilo eventually moved out of the rest and built newer stores. Maybe it has something to do with the cost of land in that area vs potential customers as to why they never bothered there.

[Eastman]

I remember too when Kroger was going in Dilworth they were very opposed to the store. It was quite a big deal in the day. The thing I loved about Bi-Lo is they use to put two plastic cows on the roof of their stores. I miss the cows.

[HopHead]

Well, apparently the Dilworth Bi-Lo already has a replacement: Bloom. This is a new store that is owned by Food Lion. Apparently there are a few in Charlotte already, but it's the first I've heard of it. It's described as a nameplate operated by Food Lion that integrates technology and gourmet and convenience foods into the shopping experience. It will also have a full service pharmacy. I'm intrigued by this... Has anyone been to one of these places?

[InitialD]

Well, apparently the Dilworth Bi-Lo already has a replacement: Bloom. This is a new store that is owned by Food Lion. Apparently there are a few in Charlotte already, but it's the first I've heard of it. It's described as a nameplate operated by Food Lion that integrates technology and gourmet and convenience foods into the shopping experience. It will also have a full service pharmacy. I'm intrigued by this... Has anyone been to one of these places?

When I lived in U City I shopped in the one on Tryon all the time. It is pretty much like some of the nicer Harris Teeters around town. It tries to be the Target to Food Lion's Walmart. They have a cool "make your own 6-pack" in the beer isle but the selection usually isn't as good as most HT. Expect a nice gourmet cheese selection, and a large natural & organic selection.

Edited April 16, 2009 by InitialD

[monsoon]

Well, apparently the Dilworth Bi-Lo already has a replacement: Bloom. This is a new store that is owned by Food Lion. Apparently there are a few in Charlotte already, but it's the first I've heard of it. It's described as a nameplate operated by Food Lion that integrates technology and gourmet and convenience foods into the shopping experience. It will also have a full service pharmacy. I'm intrigued by this... Has anyone been to one of these places?

Well yes. I wrote a topic about it 5 years ago when they opened the first one on Harris Blvd in 2004 or so. That store, was a purpose built Bloom from scratch. It was notible event as this was the first store of this nature in Charlotte. I believe they were giving away a couple of cars and all of the FL brass and programmers were on site to explain how it worked.

I think however the vast majority of the Blooms have been FoodLion conversions. In all honestly, I never saw a need to go back to one. I am not sure that I want to have to access a computer system to pick up some beer and chips in what is basically a FoodLion.