Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

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Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by Super S »

http://www.sanduskyregister.com/Busines ... nt&lp=&p=1

The article has several pictures of the store.

Sandusky is a town that has a well-established Kroger presence, as well as a Meijer and Walmart. It is interesting that Kroger is rolling out the Marketplace format more and more, and is almost like Kroger is more or less rolling out a modified version of the Fred Meyer format to suit the midwest. The timing is also interesting as Sears just announced they are closing their Sandusky Mall location.
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Re: Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by arizonaguy »

Super S wrote:http://www.sanduskyregister.com/Busines ... nt&lp=&p=1

The article has several pictures of the store.

Sandusky is a town that has a well-established Kroger presence, as well as a Meijer and Walmart. It is interesting that Kroger is rolling out the Marketplace format more and more, and is almost like Kroger is more or less rolling out a modified version of the Fred Meyer format to suit the midwest. The timing is also interesting as Sears just announced they are closing their Sandusky Mall location.
This "modified" Fred Meyer format seems to be what Kroger is rolling out in all of its new build Marketplace stores.

I was at an almost identical store to this one in Savannah, GA back in September.

Kroger is also building 6 new/replacement stores of this same basic design in Arizona. Up until these new stores open, Arizona's marketplace stores have been the former Smitty's stores (which are kind of a "Marketplace lite" format) as well as a handful of new build Marketplaces that were smaller than this (opened in the mid - late 2000s).
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Re: Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by architect »

arizonaguy wrote:
Super S wrote:http://www.sanduskyregister.com/Busines ... nt&lp=&p=1

The article has several pictures of the store.

Sandusky is a town that has a well-established Kroger presence, as well as a Meijer and Walmart. It is interesting that Kroger is rolling out the Marketplace format more and more, and is almost like Kroger is more or less rolling out a modified version of the Fred Meyer format to suit the midwest. The timing is also interesting as Sears just announced they are closing their Sandusky Mall location.
This "modified" Fred Meyer format seems to be what Kroger is rolling out in all of its new build Marketplace stores.

I was at an almost identical store to this one in Savannah, GA back in September.

Kroger is also building 6 new/replacement stores of this same basic design in Arizona. Up until these new stores open, Arizona's marketplace stores have been the former Smitty's stores (which are kind of a "Marketplace lite" format) as well as a handful of new build Marketplaces that were smaller than this (opened in the mid - late 2000s).
This is also the same design that has been used for the Texas Marketplace stores so far (I was actually at the Wylie location earlier today). So far, they are primarily concentrated in the far-flung DFW suburbs, with several also in the Houston market. There are rumors of a Marketplace opening in Longview, adding a second store to the city (the current location is an old Kroger Family Center).
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Re: Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by wnetmacman »

architect wrote:There are rumors of a Marketplace opening in Longview, adding a second store to the city (the current location is an old Kroger Family Center).
Longview is more than a rumor. The new store is to be built on the north side of town, where almost all the other retail has moved. The Family Center store is huge in its own right; around 75,000 square feet. It is, at least at this point, to stay open. There is a Marketplace just across the border in Bossier City, LA, and another planned in Shreveport.

The moral of what I'm saying here: Kroger is betting high on the Marketplace, and it appears to be paying off for them.
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Re: Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by architect »

wnetmacman wrote:
architect wrote:There are rumors of a Marketplace opening in Longview, adding a second store to the city (the current location is an old Kroger Family Center).
Longview is more than a rumor. The new store is to be built on the north side of town, where almost all the other retail has moved. The Family Center store is huge in its own right; around 75,000 square feet. It is, at least at this point, to stay open. There is a Marketplace just across the border in Bossier City, LA, and another planned in Shreveport.

The moral of what I'm saying here: Kroger is betting high on the Marketplace, and it appears to be paying off for them.
That's going to be a great addition for Longview, in that case! I predict that the two locations will be able to coexist well, as they are located far-apart from one another and the Family Center has a market essentially all to itself (the closest competitor is the Super 1 Foods east of downtown). Although the Family Center is old, it still seems to be well-trafficked and the facility is holding up well considering its age (it even received a renovation a couple of years back).

On a related note, I wonder if Kroger would ever consider reentering the Tyler market with a Marketplace? Back when Kroger originally left Tyler, there was far more grocery competition than there is now. By comparison, the only competitors today would be Brookshires (which despite being it's home market, many residents are growing increasingly dissatisfied with) along with Wal-Mart. Things could shake up though if HEB ever decides to move further into East Texas.
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Re: Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by wnetmacman »

architect wrote: That's going to be a great addition for Longview, in that case! I predict that the two locations will be able to coexist well, as they are located far-apart from one another and the Family Center has a market essentially all to itself (the closest competitor is the Super 1 Foods east of downtown). Although the Family Center is old, it still seems to be well-trafficked and the facility is holding up well considering its age (it even received a renovation a couple of years back).

On a related note, I wonder if Kroger would ever consider reentering the Tyler market with a Marketplace? Back when Kroger originally left Tyler, there was far more grocery competition than there is now. By comparison, the only competitors today would be Brookshires (which despite being it's home market, many residents are growing increasingly dissatisfied with) along with Wal-Mart. Things could shake up though if HEB ever decides to move further into East Texas.
Longview had two Kroger stores in the past; there was a remodeled acquisition store on South Mobberly. As that neighborhood turned (and the Gibson's next door sold out to Howard's), that store was closed in favor of the Family Center. Also, the lone Albertsons in town is actually a quicker drive from the Kroger than the Super 1 is. In its early days, there was an A&P just up McCann road, a Brookshire's store less than a mile away on Judson Road, and a massive Safeway/Super S combo downtown. The Safeway later became a County Market, which was sold to Super 1 Foods in 1990 (I worked for the latter two). Super 1 moved to East Marshall in 1992, replacing another Brookshire's store there. Longview south of US 80 is highly underserved; where there were once 5 supermarkets, there is now one other Super 1 Foods.

I would say now is the right time for Kroger to go back to Tyler, but to say they are dissatisfied with Brookshire would not be accurate, because other than Walmart, there are no other chains in town. Once upon a time, Albertsons, Skaggs (when the two were separate), Kroger, Safeway, A&P and Weingarten all operated there.

HEB has a small (former Pantry) store in Carthage (that I also worked at for its predecessor). It's a former Safeway that had no Bakery, Deli, or Pharmacy. It's just a basic 28,000 sf supermarket. It did well for a long time, owing to that there was (and still is) very little competition. Only Walmart and Brookshire Brothers operate there. Two similar stores in Nacogdoches and Center were closed.
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Re: Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by architect »

wnetmacman wrote:
architect wrote: That's going to be a great addition for Longview, in that case! I predict that the two locations will be able to coexist well, as they are located far-apart from one another and the Family Center has a market essentially all to itself (the closest competitor is the Super 1 Foods east of downtown). Although the Family Center is old, it still seems to be well-trafficked and the facility is holding up well considering its age (it even received a renovation a couple of years back).

On a related note, I wonder if Kroger would ever consider reentering the Tyler market with a Marketplace? Back when Kroger originally left Tyler, there was far more grocery competition than there is now. By comparison, the only competitors today would be Brookshires (which despite being it's home market, many residents are growing increasingly dissatisfied with) along with Wal-Mart. Things could shake up though if HEB ever decides to move further into East Texas.
Longview had two Kroger stores in the past; there was a remodeled acquisition store on South Mobberly. As that neighborhood turned (and the Gibson's next door sold out to Howard's), that store was closed in favor of the Family Center. Also, the lone Albertsons in town is actually a quicker drive from the Kroger than the Super 1 is. In its early days, there was an A&P just up McCann road, a Brookshire's store less than a mile away on Judson Road, and a massive Safeway/Super S combo downtown. The Safeway later became a County Market, which was sold to Super 1 Foods in 1990 (I worked for the latter two). Super 1 moved to East Marshall in 1992, replacing another Brookshire's store there. Longview south of US 80 is highly underserved; where there were once 5 supermarkets, there is now one other Super 1 Foods.

I would say now is the right time for Kroger to go back to Tyler, but to say they are dissatisfied with Brookshire would not be accurate, because other than Walmart, there are no other chains in town. Once upon a time, Albertsons, Skaggs (when the two were separate), Kroger, Safeway, A&P and Weingarten all operated there.

HEB has a small (former Pantry) store in Carthage (that I also worked at for its predecessor). It's a former Safeway that had no Bakery, Deli, or Pharmacy. It's just a basic 28,000 sf supermarket. It did well for a long time, owing to that there was (and still is) very little competition. Only Walmart and Brookshire Brothers operate there. Two similar stores in Nacogdoches and Center were closed.
Oh wow, I never realized that Longview has two Kroger stores at one point. Now that you mention it, you can actually see typical Kroger arches on a building at Mobberly and Gleen St, where a Dollar General is now located. Tyler also had two Kroger locations many years ago, one off of Gentry Parkway where a Super 1 is now located (store was completely rebuilt a few years back), and one just north of the Loop on Broadway (in the building where Hastings is now).

Although Tylerites are very supportive of Brookshires as a company, many residents have become frustrated by their often high prices and lack of selection at certain stores. I know many people in Tyler who frequently buy groceries out of town, and bring them back out of desperation (HEB/Central Market/Whole Foods/Trader Joe's are the prime shopping candidates). The reason most competitors have failed in Tyler is not as much a lack of business, as has been other factors. Skaggs, Safeway, A&P and Weingarten all closed due to larger struggles at the cooperate level. When Kroger left Tyler, they were not in a growing financial position, unlike today, and needed to shed stores that were even remotely marginal. In many ways, they were facing the same struggles which Albertsons is facing today. The Gentry Parkway location way in a declining part of town, while the Broadway store was old and relatively small. Albertsons leaving town was mostly due to poor planning and being a victim of circumstance, as neither of their Tyler stores were able to serve the city well. The newer of their two stores (based on construction date), at 113 N NW Loop 323, was placed at a bad location in a not-so-great area of town (at the time), and only lasted a few years before being sold to Brookshires (now a Super 1 Foods). Brookshires was able to make this store work by targeting the product mix towards the Hispanic population in the area. Albertsons' other Tyler store at Troup and the Loop was inherited from Tom Thumb, and simply did not receive any investment for years. For several years prior to closure, the store was known for high prices, a lack of cleanliness, outdated decor, and a particularly bad roof that caused many leaks when it rained.

Also, I am surprised that the Carthage HEB did not close when the Nacogdoches and Center locations closed (although I am certainly glad it stayed open), since it is so isolated from any other HEB stores. Although these small-town former Pantrys are tiny, HEB has been able to impressively make them work!
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Re: Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by wnetmacman »

architect wrote:Oh wow, I never realized that Longview has two Kroger stores at one point. Now that you mention it, you can actually see typical Kroger arches on a building at Mobberly and Gleen St, where a Dollar General is now located. Tyler also had two Kroger locations many years ago, one off of Gentry Parkway where a Super 1 is now located (store was completely rebuilt a few years back), and one just north of the Loop on Broadway (in the building where Hastings is now).

Although Tylerites are very supportive of Brookshires as a company, many residents have become frustrated by their often high prices and lack of selection at certain stores. I know many people in Tyler who frequently buy groceries out of town, and bring them back out of desperation (HEB/Central Market/Whole Foods/Trader Joe's are the prime shopping candidates). The reason most competitors have failed in Tyler is not as much a lack of business, as has been other factors. Skaggs, Safeway, A&P and Weingarten all closed due to larger struggles at the cooperate level. When Kroger left Tyler, they were not in a growing financial position, unlike today, and needed to shed stores that were even remotely marginal. In many ways, they were facing the same struggles which Albertsons is facing today. The Gentry Parkway location way in a declining part of town, while the Broadway store was old and relatively small. Albertsons leaving town was mostly due to poor planning and being a victim of circumstance, as neither of their Tyler stores were able to serve the city well. The newer of their two stores (based on construction date), at 113 N NW Loop 323, was placed at a bad location in a not-so-great area of town (at the time), and only lasted a few years before being sold to Brookshires (now a Super 1 Foods). Brookshires was able to make this store work by targeting the product mix towards the Hispanic population in the area. Albertsons' other Tyler store at Troup and the Loop was inherited from Tom Thumb, and simply did not receive any investment for years. For several years prior to closure, the store was known for high prices, a lack of cleanliness, outdated decor, and a particularly bad roof that caused many leaks when it rained.

Also, I am surprised that the Carthage HEB did not close when the Nacogdoches and Center locations closed (although I am certainly glad it stayed open), since it is so isolated from any other HEB stores. Although these small-town former Pantrys are tiny, HEB has been able to impressively make them work!
The Longview Dollar General is in the next spot over; only the area to the left of that was Kroger. The DG was M.E. Moses. The area to the right was all Gibsons.

Albertsons wasn't able, in the very long run, to make either Tom Thumb they bought in Longview or Tyler work. They both pretty much fell apart the same way.

The Kroger on Gentry Parkway was a superstore, as was the one on South Broadway. They both closed at the same time, and were both bought by Brookshire's. The Broadway store became B-Mart, a watered down Brookshire store. The Gentry store was other things before becoming Super 1 Foods in 1989. The new store (the second prototype for Super 1, with the first just a couple of minutes from my house), was actually built next to this one, and it was torn down once the new one opened. The Albertsons store that is now Super 1 was actually a replacement store twice; the Brookshires store moved north on the loop from an older, outdated location. The Super 1 that occupies that store now was in a former Kmart north of the current store.

Brookshire does a really good job in all their stores in marketing to the specific area; my Super 1 doesn't have any hispanic stuff, but the Lafayette north store has a large hispanic selection.

HEB makes some stores work for the sake of making them work. Carthage is a prime example. That store really didn't work for any of its previous tenants well.
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Re: Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by architect »

wnetmacman wrote:
architect wrote:Oh wow, I never realized that Longview has two Kroger stores at one point. Now that you mention it, you can actually see typical Kroger arches on a building at Mobberly and Gleen St, where a Dollar General is now located. Tyler also had two Kroger locations many years ago, one off of Gentry Parkway where a Super 1 is now located (store was completely rebuilt a few years back), and one just north of the Loop on Broadway (in the building where Hastings is now).

Although Tylerites are very supportive of Brookshires as a company, many residents have become frustrated by their often high prices and lack of selection at certain stores. I know many people in Tyler who frequently buy groceries out of town, and bring them back out of desperation (HEB/Central Market/Whole Foods/Trader Joe's are the prime shopping candidates). The reason most competitors have failed in Tyler is not as much a lack of business, as has been other factors. Skaggs, Safeway, A&P and Weingarten all closed due to larger struggles at the cooperate level. When Kroger left Tyler, they were not in a growing financial position, unlike today, and needed to shed stores that were even remotely marginal. In many ways, they were facing the same struggles which Albertsons is facing today. The Gentry Parkway location way in a declining part of town, while the Broadway store was old and relatively small. Albertsons leaving town was mostly due to poor planning and being a victim of circumstance, as neither of their Tyler stores were able to serve the city well. The newer of their two stores (based on construction date), at 113 N NW Loop 323, was placed at a bad location in a not-so-great area of town (at the time), and only lasted a few years before being sold to Brookshires (now a Super 1 Foods). Brookshires was able to make this store work by targeting the product mix towards the Hispanic population in the area. Albertsons' other Tyler store at Troup and the Loop was inherited from Tom Thumb, and simply did not receive any investment for years. For several years prior to closure, the store was known for high prices, a lack of cleanliness, outdated decor, and a particularly bad roof that caused many leaks when it rained.

Also, I am surprised that the Carthage HEB did not close when the Nacogdoches and Center locations closed (although I am certainly glad it stayed open), since it is so isolated from any other HEB stores. Although these small-town former Pantrys are tiny, HEB has been able to impressively make them work!
The Longview Dollar General is in the next spot over; only the area to the left of that was Kroger. The DG was M.E. Moses. The area to the right was all Gibsons.

Albertsons wasn't able, in the very long run, to make either Tom Thumb they bought in Longview or Tyler work. They both pretty much fell apart the same way.

The Kroger on Gentry Parkway was a superstore, as was the one on South Broadway. They both closed at the same time, and were both bought by Brookshire's. The Broadway store became B-Mart, a watered down Brookshire store. The Gentry store was other things before becoming Super 1 Foods in 1989. The new store (the second prototype for Super 1, with the first just a couple of minutes from my house), was actually built next to this one, and it was torn down once the new one opened. The Albertsons store that is now Super 1 was actually a replacement store twice; the Brookshires store moved north on the loop from an older, outdated location. The Super 1 that occupies that store now was in a former Kmart north of the current store.

Brookshire does a really good job in all their stores in marketing to the specific area; my Super 1 doesn't have any hispanic stuff, but the Lafayette north store has a large hispanic selection.

HEB makes some stores work for the sake of making them work. Carthage is a prime example. That store really didn't work for any of its previous tenants well.
Speaking of the former Longview/Tyler Tom Thumb locations, do you know when these were sold to Albertsons? For as long as I can remember, the Troup & the Loop Albertsons was always branded as such, but I could just be too young to remember it as a Tom Thumb (I was born in the very early 90's). Also, I never knew that the former Kroger on Broadway in Tyler was operated by Brookshires. Did the Rice Road Brookshires exist at that point? If so, the stores seem like they would have cannibalized each other. I still remember when the Rice Road Brookshires was expanded in the mid 1990's; the store expanded into an adjacent Eckerd space after they moved across the street. Interestingly, about a year ago, I worked for an architecture firm that was doing some of the plans for the recent Rice Road store remodel. In a sense, I came full circle on that store, as we were renovating many of the same areas that I remembered from the 90's renovation as a kid.
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Re: Kroger Marketplace opens in Sandusky, Ohio

Post by wnetmacman »

architect wrote:Speaking of the former Longview/Tyler Tom Thumb locations, do you know when these were sold to Albertsons? For as long as I can remember, the Troup & the Loop Albertsons was always branded as such, but I could just be too young to remember it as a Tom Thumb (I was born in the very early 90's). Also, I never knew that the former Kroger on Broadway in Tyler was operated by Brookshires. Did the Rice Road Brookshires exist at that point? If so, the stores seem like they would have cannibalized each other. I still remember when the Rice Road Brookshires was expanded in the mid 1990's; the store expanded into an adjacent Eckerd space after they moved across the street. Interestingly, about a year ago, I worked for an architecture firm that was doing some of the plans for the recent Rice Road store remodel. In a sense, I came full circle on that store, as we were renovating many of the same areas that I remembered from the 90's renovation as a kid.
1988. It was an 8 store purchase from Tom Thumb, which included Longview, Tyler, and 6 stores in Austin:

Story Link

I remember that Albertsons didn't really do a good job remodeling the Longview store until much later. Within 2 miles of that same corner in there was a Winn Dixie and 2 Brookshire's stores. They just changed the names to cover Tom Thumb. It's a Mexican supermarket now, while Tyler is a Walmart Neighborhood market.

Just before this takeover, the original Longview Super 1 Foods store #606 opened, and had cannibalized all the other stores in the vicinity. Winn Dixie would close in 1989, and the two Brookshire's (#22 and #45) stores would later combine in the former Safeway that housed #606 once their new store was built in 1991. That store (the old #45) is gone today, with a CVS and Chick-Fil-A on the site now.

IIRC, Brookshire's did operate both on Rice Road and the old Kroger; the old Kroger was a B-Mart store. I never went in there, but my understanding was that B-Mart was a slightly watered down store. At the same time as they operated both of those, Safeway was at the corner of Loop 323 and Broadway in what is now Michaels and Big Lots. That was a Safeway/Super S combo store. It was similar to the downtown Longview store.
Last edited by wnetmacman on April 8th, 2016, 1:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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