Charlotte Supermarkets

[davidclt]

2 hours ago, Matthew.Brendan said:

Ahh ok. That makes sense then. 2 stores in Charlotte proper. Cotswold and Whitehall. I guess Ballantyne makes 3.

I hope, South End is legitimately Charlotte proper, I mean it does have clear views of the skyline and sits 1.75 miles (as the crow flies) from the intersection of Trade and Tryon.

https://www.publix.com/locations/1453-shops-at-southline

[KJHburg]

General article about grocery growth in the Carolinas

https://shoppingcenterbusiness.com/national-regional-grocers-expand-across-the-carolinas-to-satisfy-demand/?oly_enc_id=2804E1496378F3V

[davidclt]

35 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

General article about grocery growth in the Carolinas

https://shoppingcenterbusiness.com/national-regional-grocers-expand-across-the-carolinas-to-satisfy-demand/?oly_enc_id=2804E1496378F3V

Clearly I'm felling geographically pedantic today. I blame being shut in or I missed a major relocation in the past few weeks. It's clear I need to get out into my neighborhood and look around.

[KJHburg]

1 minute ago, davidclt said:

Clearly I'm felling geographically pedantic today. I blame being shut in or I missed a major relocation in the past few weeks. It's clear I need to get out into my neighborhood and look around.

to an outsider they don't know a Southend from a NoDa to Optimist Park its just Charlotte.  This  publication comes out of Atlanta what do you expect LOL. 

[Third Strike]

Earth Fare is coming back under new ownership. So far, only stores in South Carolina are coming back, but at least one location in Rock Hill will return. Hopefully the rest in Charlotte follows:

https://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/article241975746.html

[KJHburg]

the other Queen City business journal Cincy interviewed CEO of Kroger subscriber article but here are some highlights and of course Kroger is the parent of Harris Teeter. 

""McMullen said he has “regular calls” with CEOs of supermarkets in China, Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Canada.  “We’re all trying to understand what long-term customer behavior is,” he said.   McMullen sees consumers going through three phases of behavior:   When the coronavirus outbreak began to spread across the U.S., customers began to stockpile items in what McMullen called a “surge.” That happened in early to mid-March.   Then demand backed off a bit but remained stronger than usual as customers stayed at home. That occurred later in March and into April. Kroger had a 30% increase in same-store sales excluding fuel in March. Analysts had projected sales would grow by around 2.5% this year.
The new normal, but it remains to be seen what that will look like.""

""In-demand items: Toilet paper is one. So are sanitizing products. But McMullen said shoppers are quickly snapping up easy-to-cook items such as pasta, beans and rice as well as fresh items such as produce and meat. “I have no idea how much toilet paper people have in their houses,” he said. “For weeks on end we’ve sold multiples of what we traditionally would. Every day we’re making progress with our supply chain and every day we’re making progress with CPGs (consumer packaged goods companies).”""

""Shopper behavior: Shoppers go to Kroger less frequently but spend more per trip. “In the past they would pick up what’s for dinner tonight,” he said. “Now they’re shopping for a week or two.”Shoppers are picking stores based on what they have in stock. Kroger is finding its manufacturing capabilities give it an edge on competitors. “In some categories that are hard to find that’s been a huge advantage because we’re able to be in stock better than some of our competitors.”""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/04/17/kroger-ceo-talks-about-booming-sales-shopping.html

My thoughts I shop at Walmart neighborhood market and Harris Teeter and I find them fairly well in stock even of the shortage type items like TP.  (Not normal stock but at least some variety of toilet paper for example.   However my family is reporting that Food Lion has had less stock but even now that is correcting.   What are you finding right now about items in stock who is better in your experience? 

 

[JRNYP2C]

4 hours ago, KJHburg said:

the other Queen City business journal Cincy interviewed CEO of Kroger subscriber article but here are some highlights and of course Kroger is the parent of Harris Teeter. 

""McMullen said he has “regular calls” with CEOs of supermarkets in China, Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Canada.  “We’re all trying to understand what long-term customer behavior is,” he said.   McMullen sees consumers going through three phases of behavior:   When the coronavirus outbreak began to spread across the U.S., customers began to stockpile items in what McMullen called a “surge.” That happened in early to mid-March.   Then demand backed off a bit but remained stronger than usual as customers stayed at home. That occurred later in March and into April. Kroger had a 30% increase in same-store sales excluding fuel in March. Analysts had projected sales would grow by around 2.5% this year.
The new normal, but it remains to be seen what that will look like.""

""In-demand items: Toilet paper is one. So are sanitizing products. But McMullen said shoppers are quickly snapping up easy-to-cook items such as pasta, beans and rice as well as fresh items such as produce and meat. “I have no idea how much toilet paper people have in their houses,” he said. “For weeks on end we’ve sold multiples of what we traditionally would. Every day we’re making progress with our supply chain and every day we’re making progress with CPGs (consumer packaged goods companies).”""

""Shopper behavior: Shoppers go to Kroger less frequently but spend more per trip. “In the past they would pick up what’s for dinner tonight,” he said. “Now they’re shopping for a week or two.”Shoppers are picking stores based on what they have in stock. Kroger is finding its manufacturing capabilities give it an edge on competitors. “In some categories that are hard to find that’s been a huge advantage because we’re able to be in stock better than some of our competitors.”""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/04/17/kroger-ceo-talks-about-booming-sales-shopping.html

My thoughts I shop at Walmart neighborhood market and Harris Teeter and I find them fairly well in stock even of the shortage type items like TP.  (Not normal stock but at least some variety of toilet paper for example.   However my family is reporting that Food Lion has had less stock but even now that is correcting.   What are you finding right now about items in stock who is better in your experience? 

 

In Belmont/Cramerton/Gastonia - mid-March, the HT in Belmont, and the Walmart Neighborhood Market were WIPED OUT!  I'd say that was about a month ago.  No bread. No meats/dairy.  I cannot speak for the produce section of the WMNM by Ashbrook High School, but I'd place a bet that the produce was probably left intact.  HT produce was about 75 % gone.  Fast forward to two weeks ago, HT was back to normal (less the salad bar and asian bar along with the pizza section - stuff made daily for obvious reasons).  HT did have some TP and paper towels, but NO cleaning supplies (i.e bleach, hand sanitizer).  WM was also back to normal with bread, meat, cheeses and frozen food.  Much different story.  At the very onset, i found to containers of Clorox wipes at the WM, and bought two of the four that were on the shelf, mainly b/c I didn't want to be THAT person.  I am using them sparingly, since those items are still in extremely high demand.  I think I was in HT before they initiated the one-way structure for the aisles and possible limitation on how many people can be in the store.

I haven't been to the Food Lion on New Hope Road yet.  Was trying to limit my exposure to everyone as much as possible.

On a side note - I read on FB that the Starbucks in Belmont in front of Planet Fitness has temporarily closed - even for drive through.  The Starbucks in HT was still open, but pretty much was resigned to just drinks - basically no food.

[CLT>]

6 hours ago, KJHburg said:

the other Queen City business journal Cincy interviewed CEO of Kroger subscriber article but here are some highlights and of course Kroger is the parent of Harris Teeter. 

""McMullen said he has “regular calls” with CEOs of supermarkets in China, Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Canada.  “We’re all trying to understand what long-term customer behavior is,” he said.   McMullen sees consumers going through three phases of behavior:   When the coronavirus outbreak began to spread across the U.S., customers began to stockpile items in what McMullen called a “surge.” That happened in early to mid-March.   Then demand backed off a bit but remained stronger than usual as customers stayed at home. That occurred later in March and into April. Kroger had a 30% increase in same-store sales excluding fuel in March. Analysts had projected sales would grow by around 2.5% this year.
The new normal, but it remains to be seen what that will look like.""

""In-demand items: Toilet paper is one. So are sanitizing products. But McMullen said shoppers are quickly snapping up easy-to-cook items such as pasta, beans and rice as well as fresh items such as produce and meat. “I have no idea how much toilet paper people have in their houses,” he said. “For weeks on end we’ve sold multiples of what we traditionally would. Every day we’re making progress with our supply chain and every day we’re making progress with CPGs (consumer packaged goods companies).”""

""Shopper behavior: Shoppers go to Kroger less frequently but spend more per trip. “In the past they would pick up what’s for dinner tonight,” he said. “Now they’re shopping for a week or two.”Shoppers are picking stores based on what they have in stock. Kroger is finding its manufacturing capabilities give it an edge on competitors. “In some categories that are hard to find that’s been a huge advantage because we’re able to be in stock better than some of our competitors.”""

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/04/17/kroger-ceo-talks-about-booming-sales-shopping.html

My thoughts I shop at Walmart neighborhood market and Harris Teeter and I find them fairly well in stock even of the shortage type items like TP.  (Not normal stock but at least some variety of toilet paper for example.   However my family is reporting that Food Lion has had less stock but even now that is correcting.   What are you finding right now about items in stock who is better in your experience? 

 

I've noticed that HT stores tend to be better stocked with dry/canned/frozen goods than Publix stores are. I assume that is due to Publix's distribution center being further away. Also Publix has one way aisles, while HT doesn't.

[KJHburg]

1 hour ago, CLT> said:

I've noticed that HT stores tend to be better stocked with dry/canned/frozen goods than Publix stores are. I assume that is due to Publix's distribution center being further away. Also Publix has one way aisles, while HT doesn't.

that may be true of Publix as their closet warehouse right now is Gwinnett county Georgia NE of Atlanta until their Greensboro site opens.  Harris Teeter obviously has its Indian Trail and Greensboro warehouse.  Walmart has a food warehouse in Shelby and one in Chesterfield county one of them is mainly food can't remember which.   

[nashbill]

As far keeping shelves stocked, Food Lion wins as the least well stocked stores.  TP, paper towels, napkins, tissues, cleaning supplies, rice, beans, meat, eggs, milk, canned goods, and more.  They are doing a terrible job.  I don't understand after two months why they are so understocked.  There is not a shortage of food, there is a shortage of how to run a business.  And they are also terrible about safety.  They do not require there employees to wear masks.  It's up to the employee to wear a mask or not.  After my experience last week I am never going to set foot in a Food Lion.  Even after this pandemic is over.

Now, I went to Compare Foods.  I don't know if all of them are serving the Latino community, but the one at the corner of Tryon and Sugar Creek does.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The employees were wearing masks. Most of the customers were wearing masks.  The produce department was very well stocked.  Also, they had so much different fresh fruits and vegetables. And it looked so inviting.  A feast for the eyes.  It is small grocery store.  Maybe a little smaller than Food Lion.  I bought mexican toilet paper.  Mexican branded rice that was grown in USA and other items while I was there. The selection of different labeled items was smaller, but there shelves were well stocked.  Proving you don't have to be a large chain to play the grocery game. Now, I don't want any of you to go there.  This is my store, not anyone else.

[Temeteron]

39 minutes ago, nashbill said:

As far keeping shelves stocked, Food Lion wins as the least well stocked stores.  TP, paper towels, napkins, tissues, cleaning supplies, rice, beans, meat, eggs, milk, canned goods, and more.  They are doing a terrible job.  I don't understand after two months why they are so understocked.  There is not a shortage of food, there is a shortage of how to run a business.  And they are also terrible about safety.  They do not require there employees to wear masks.  It's up to the employee to wear a mask or not.  After my experience last week I am never going to set foot in a Food Lion.  Even after this pandemic is over.

Now, I went to Compare Foods.  I don't know if all of them are serving the Latino community, but the one at the corner of Tryon and Sugar Creek does.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The employees were wearing masks. Most of the customers were wearing masks.  The produce department was very well stocked.  Also, they had so much different fresh fruits and vegetables. And it looked so inviting.  A feast for the eyes.  It is small grocery store.  Maybe a little smaller than Food Lion.  I bought mexican toilet paper.  Mexican branded rice that was grown in USA and other items while I was there. The selection of different labeled items was smaller, but there shelves were well stocked.  Proving you don't have to be a large chain to play the grocery game. Now, I don't want any of you to go there.  This is my store, not anyone else.

Not to sound like an a%#hole but it’s Food Lion, what do you expect?  And Compare Foods has been around for years and yes they cater more to the Hispanic community although others shop as well.  I’ve been to the one off Arrowwood several times and there’s also one off Sharon Amity I believe.  Only thing with them is if it gets crowded it’s not a big space so be cautious.  I also like going to Super G Mart (Mostly Asian and Hispanic but also have Eastern European products), Cedarland (Lebanese market), Agora (Greek market),  Golden Key (Russian market), Yafa (Palestinian Market),  Bosna Market (Bosnian and Serbian Market), Zygma (Polish Market) and the Halal Market off Sharon Amity.  Most people don’t even know these places exist as they are the typical old school ethnic owners that don’t believe in socia media and websites unfortunately, but their products are awesome and carry things you may not find elsewhere.  

Edited May 1, 2020 by Temeteron

[tozmervo]

My experience has been the exact opposite. My Food Lion is pristine compared to the Harris Teeter across the street. I feel like they're doing a far better job with cleanliness at touch-points, crowd control, and staffing. It also seems like the clientele were doing a much better job of wearing masks, where virtually no one in the HT was. 

[LKN704]

My family (who lives in Lake Norman) has consistently said their Harris Teeter and Lowes Food is fully stocked. They said they were out of toilet paper etc at the beginning but has since gone back to somewhat-normal in terms of supplies. They said the FL (whom my mother calls the Shi**y Kitty) near their house is pretty sparse, and the Publix is somewhat in between. 

Interestingly, here in DC, Harris Teeter is also fully stocked. They are the only grocery store that consistently seems to have paper towels/flour/yeast/toilet paper. I find that interesting because they only have 3 stores in the area, so their supply chain must be on point.

Safeway on the other hand (who is my preferred grocer here because they usually have the largest stores) is constantly out of everything, which is strange to me because they have the largest footprint of any grocery store in DC, although given that they are based in the San Francisco area, it could be a supply chain issue because their only stores on the East Coast are in the DC metro area. 

[JerseyBoy]

11 minutes ago, LKN704 said:

My family (who lives in Lake Norman) has consistently said their Harris Teeter and Lowes Food is fully stocked. They said they were out of toilet paper etc at the beginning but has since gone back to somewhat-normal in terms of supplies. They said the FL (whom my mother calls the Shi**y Kitty) near their house is pretty sparse, and the Publix is somewhat in between. 

Interestingly, here in DC, Harris Teeter is also fully stocked. They are the only grocery store that consistently seems to have paper towels/flour/yeast/toilet paper. I find that interesting because they only have 3 stores in the area, so their supply chain must be on point.

Safeway on the other hand (who is my preferred grocer here because they usually have the largest stores) is constantly out of everything, which is strange to me because they have the largest footprint of any grocery store in DC, although given that they are based in the San Francisco area, it could be a supply chain issue because their only stores on the East Coast are in the DC metro area. 

Not super surprised about HTs in DC. Sure, they have three stores in DC proper, but there are also around 25 others in the greater DMV (including Baltimore). They also have a  distribution center in Fredericksburg, Va., too, I think.

[KJHburg]

if I only could find just 1 can of Lysol but other than that my stores I shop BJ's, Walmart Neighborhood Market and the Teeter all have toilet paper now not fully stocked but I would say 50% stock.  BJs this week had pallets of toilet paper and there are still limits in place however no such restricitons at the neighborhood Walmart.  

Read or saw this somewhere toilet paper which is a very stable market saw its sales increase 109% in March which of course is unprecedented in just about  any item.  I guess locals are running out of room to put it.  90% of which is made in the USA.   CEO of Walmart said sales of hair coloring and trimmers are at "panic" levels I saw in an interview last week LOL.  

[kermit]

37 minutes ago, LKN704 said:

My family (who lives in Lake Norman) has consistently said their Harris Teeter and Lowes Food is fully stocked. They said they were out of toilet paper etc at the beginning but has since gone back to somewhat-normal in terms of supplies. They said the FL (whom my mother calls the Shi**y Kitty) near their house is pretty sparse, and the Publix is somewhat in between. 

Interestingly, here in DC, Harris Teeter is also fully stocked. They are the only grocery store that consistently seems to have paper towels/flour/yeast/toilet paper. I find that interesting because they only have 3 stores in the area, so their supply chain must be on point.

Safeway on the other hand (who is my preferred grocer here because they usually have the largest stores) is constantly out of everything, which is strange to me because they have the largest footprint of any grocery store in DC, although given that they are based in the San Francisco area, it could be a supply chain issue because their only stores on the East Coast are in the DC metro area. 

Interesting, the East blvd teeter has only been so-so in terms of stock. They have done well on most staples (except for paper goods), but there are always strange blanks spots on the shelves like ramen, chicken stock, taco kits (??, for my kid, don’t mock me) and lettuce. Its certainly not a crises, but every trip a couple things  on my list are OOS.

[Vitamin_N]

On 5/1/2020 at 5:14 PM, kermit said:

Interesting, the East blvd teeter has only been so-so in terms of stock. They have done well on most staples (except for paper goods), but there are always strange blanks spots on the shelves like ramen, chicken stock, taco kits (??, for my kid, don’t mock me) and lettuce. Its certainly not a crises, but every trip a couple things  on my list are OOS.

I've found the South Blvd HT to be better stocked than the East Blvd one. I'm not sure why that would be.

[Temeteron]

1 hour ago, Vitamin_N said:

I've found the South Blvd HT to be better stocked than the East Blvd one. I'm not sure why that would be.

South blvd is higher volume, also they have overflow due to Park Road shopping center HT being closed for remodeling at the moment.  

Edited May 4, 2020 by Temeteron

[KJHburg]

Big grocery news yesterday for our locally based Food Lion of Salisbury.  Food Lion buys 62 stores from BiLo and Harveys including 2 in NC and most in GA and SC including a Gastonia and Lincolnton store.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/06/03/food-lion-acquiring-bi-lo-harveys-stores.html

in other news we still need one of these Wegmans.  This one the first store in Raleigh and I noticed they developed their own line of BBQ sauces including several Carolina style ones. 2nd area store opening in Cary this summer with 4 more to follow. 

 

 

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Big grocery news yesterday for our locally based Food Lion of Salisbury.  Food Lion buys 62 stores from BiLo and Harveys including 2 in NC and most in GA and SC including a Gastonia and Lincolnton store.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/06/03/food-lion-acquiring-bi-lo-harveys-stores.html

in other news we still need one of these Wegmans.  This one the first store in Raleigh and I noticed they developed their own line of BBQ sauces including several Carolina style ones. 2nd area store opening in Cary this summer with 4 more to follow. 

 

 

either the man in the middle's parents were eliminated from the space time continuum and he's fading away, or you still really need to wipe your camera lens.

Edited June 4, 2020 by Guest

[DMann]

[reggie4417]

17 minutes ago, Tyree Ricardo said:

either the man in the middle's parents were eliminated from the space time continuum and he's fading away, or you still really need to wipe your camera lens.

Man - that's HEAVY!!

[KJHburg]

Due to Corvid 19 I have been cleaning the outside of my camera with wipes and unfortunately sometimes the wipes leave drops on the lense.  I have corrected this and there will be no more time travel to grocery stores of the past.  

in other news when we finally going to get a 100K sq ft Wegmans here in the Charlotte area? 

[Vitamin_N]

I wasn't sure which southend thread this should go in, but here's an update from the Charlotte Ledger:

Plans for a new grocery store in South End are coming back to life, with discount chain Lidl telling The Ledger that it’s ramping up plans for a spot on South Boulevard.

The new store will be on a 4.3-acre parcel at South Boulevard near Hartford Avenue — right where South Boulevard splits to cross the light rail line, by Clanton Road. And get ready for more traffic congestion along South Boulevard, too, as the project will require a new traffic signal and perhaps a new turn lane.

Lidl spokeswoman Chandler Ebeier told The Ledger: “We are currently going through the approvals process for our South Blvd. site and expect to have more to share over the coming months.” She didn’t provide a timeline.

Plans filed with the city in May reveal that Lidl is proposing a 31,000 s.f. grocery store — that’s about half the size of a typical Harris Teeter. It will include parking and landscaping, plus a new public road connecting South Boulevard and Weston Street. It’s also proposing widening South Boulevard to install a southbound turn lane into the site. 

[KJHburg]

The Germans are coming in force.  New Lidl openings including the South Blvd location.

""Discount grocer Lidl continues to plot its expansion in the local market with plans for its next four stores revealed in city application permits, reports The Charlotte Observer. Those planned store sites are on South Boulevard, just north of Clanton Road; on Mallard Creek Church Road in the University City area; on Carmel Commons in south Charlotte; and on South Tryon in the Steele Creek area."" 

from Biz Journal today.