Retail Watchers

Family Dollar was not doing well. They got away from dollar items and started trying to be more like an everyday low price store such as a small discount store. That actually increased costs for them and caused them to lose money. Dollar Tree will probably convert the Family Dollar stores back into...

After being closed for a couple years, the 3rd Howard Johnsons remaining (in addition to Lake Placid, NY and Bangor, ME) has been leased to a new owner who will re-open the restaurant Friday:

http://blog.timesunion.com/business/lak ... pen/61048/

Didn't Burger King have some kind of powdered seasoning for fries once? Not sure about giving a bag to shake them in, though. McDonalds is testing shake fries in Sacramento, CA. The shake fries have been sold at McDonalds in certain other countries for a while. The fries are still prepared as normal...

Of course, they could start with an easier way to save money - teach the people bagging how to do that, so that buying 10 items doesn't require 6 bags. That could save quite a bit just in the bags not used. Another thought - offer up boxes (those that the merchandise came in) - Aldi does this all th...

submariner wrote:

klkla wrote: #5 - Trader Jose 4.7%

Can't tell if intentional or mistake

Well, they do use that name on some of their Mexican products (like Trader Giotto for Italian ones etc.)

Yesterday, I was with a friend in Hillsboro, Oregon, and we decided to stop at the Target there. The store was up to date, and seemed busier than many that I have been to recently (possibly due to Walmart's relatively weak presence in the Portland area). However, I did notice that the restaurant (w...

There was a "kinda, sorta" similar situation in my area. Rite Aid had a store in Gloversville, NY since the early 70's and eventually built a replacement unit maybe a couple blocks away from the original location. The new store opened in early 1997. A couple years later, Eckerd built a ne...

Alpha8472 wrote: Set up a 1950s full service gas station out front.

Not quite 1950's, but a couple of the new ShopRite stores in Albany do have gas stations and offer full service (which is otherwise rare in the area).

Super S wrote:When I see things like sauce packets etc. sporting one of the older logos though, it makes me question the freshness of such items.

Might be that, or maybe somebody just had a zillion packets printed up (not filled, just the printing) shortly before the logo change and didn't want to waste them.

Plus, at least in this area, they have a number of older stores which tend to be on the small side and thus quite often are rather a mess and hard to get around. The newer stores, on the other hand, are just fine. So that may be a big part of it - simply closing older less efficient (and thus less p...