Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

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Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by architect »

Last night, I briefly stopped in the Tom Thumb at 4010 N MacArthur Blvd. in Irving while in the area. While there, I encountered one of the more interesting decor packages I have seen. This store had received Colorful Lifestyle since my last visit, but instead of the letters being swapped for the script font used elsewhere, the existing sans-serif signage was kept in place. Overall, it looks quite good in person, and definitely works well in brightening up these aging Lifestyle stores more economically, in my opinion.

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While I was at the store, I also noticed a few other changes. At the front end, the Cowboys Pro Shop formerly located on a front wall behind the registers was greatly expanded into a former bank/customer service space. This also necessitated the movement of the customer service desk to the front end floor area as shown in the photos. The pharmacy consultation area installed by Safeway had been greatly downsized, with the remaining space used for a floral counter. A premium cheese counter was also added.

Side note, this store was extremely awkward to photograph as much of it was built at an angle. It is definitely a unique floor plan.
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Re: Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by storewanderer »

This looks good. The lifestyle color floor does not look great in all areas (I think it looks worst in dairy), but it looks okay in some. So basically this is using the Albertsons LLC department colors but recycling the lifestyle fixtures.

I think they should commence this program immediately in NorCal. Anything to freshen up the stores and remove the dated lifestyle interior. Then again this doesn't "remove" the lifestyle interior- it just brightens it and freshens it up. The store feels more lively with some colors.
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Re: Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by klkla »

I agree that adding color makes it look better. Are the lighting fixtures new? I don't recall seeing that type of lighting in previous Safeway Lifestyle stores.
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Re: Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by pseudo3d »

klkla wrote:Are the lighting fixtures new? I don't recall seeing that type of lighting in previous Safeway Lifestyle stores.
If I had to guess (and it looks like) it was one of the Tom Thumb stores built under Randalls ownership and with their style.
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Re: Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by architect »

pseudo3d wrote:
klkla wrote:Are the lighting fixtures new? I don't recall seeing that type of lighting in previous Safeway Lifestyle stores.
If I had to guess (and it looks like) it was one of the Tom Thumb stores built under Randalls ownership and with their style.
In Texas, many Tom Thumb/Randalls locations were built with warehouse ceilings, both under Randalls' leadership and after the Safeway acquisition up until the mid-2000's. This store had the typical Lifestyle lighting scheme under Safeway, but once Albertsons took over, this store (and essentially all Tom Thumb/Randalls stores at this point) received entirely new lighting around their perimeters, which either consisted of 1970's Kmart fluorescent strips in stores with drop ceilings, or these much more attractive hanging fixtures in the stores (or portions of stores) with warehouse ceilings. In this particular store, there are still some areas with lay-in ceilings which received the strip lighting at both the front end and around the meat counter. Ironically, these areas actually had fluorescent lighting even with the original Lifestyle lighting, but the fixtures were laid into the ceiling, making the new lighting a massive (and tacky) downgrade. Albertsons has been doing similar lighting changes in other markets, but at least along much of the West Coast, the fixtures are much higher-end and mostly match the existing fluorescent fixtures which Safeway used for their center-store areas under Lifestyle.
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Re: Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by rwsandiego »

Very nice decor refresh. I wish they would do that to some of the Phoenix stores.
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Re: Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by arizonaguy »

rwsandiego wrote:Very nice decor refresh. I wish they would do that to some of the Phoenix stores.
2 Phoenix Albertsons: Grand / Reems and now 83rd Ave / Deer Valley either have or are getting the Colorful Lifestyle scheme. I'd expect any Albertsons that isn't in the LLC decor may be a candidate for it.

As far as Safeways, the Anthem store and the Greenway / Tatum store (which was an ex-Albertsons) have Colorful Lifestyle now.

Once they get done with the remaining Albertsons renovations, I'd expect to see the regular Lifestyle stores as well as the LLC stores receive the Colorful Lifestyle renovation (or a new decor theme).
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Re: Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by architect »

Recently, I was at the Mansfield Tom Thumb (a mid-2000's typical Safeway layout) and noticed that they are receiving this same Colorful Lifestyle variation. At this store, the revamp was not just a simple decor swap, but rather a full blown renovation. Floors were being replaced throughout the perimeter of the store with a fake wood similar to what is currently being used in the DFW Albertsons locations. In addition, the floral area has been moved from a front corner of the store (the area with the drop ceiling and strip lights in the photo below) to the front wall behind the registers, opening up more space for expanded produce and bulk foods sections. Overall, the store seemed to be staffed well and seemed to be doing brisk business. Albertsons is likely upgrading this store in case HEB decides to build on owned land one exit to the south over the next couple of years.

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Re: Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by pseudo3d »

architect wrote:Recently, I was at the Mansfield Tom Thumb (a mid-2000's typical Safeway layout) and noticed that they are receiving this same Colorful Lifestyle variation. At this store, the revamp was not just a simple decor swap, but rather a full blown renovation. Floors were being replaced throughout the perimeter of the store with a fake wood similar to what is currently being used in the DFW Albertsons locations. In addition, the floral area has been moved from a front corner of the store (the area with the drop ceiling and strip lights in the photo below) to the front wall behind the registers, opening up more space for expanded produce and bulk foods sections. Overall, the store seemed to be staffed well and seemed to be doing brisk business. Albertsons is likely upgrading this store in case HEB decides to build on owned land one exit to the south over the next couple of years.

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I see that the store features the mini-office for Baylor Scott & White, a partnership that seemed to be more for BS&W's benefit than for Albertsons.
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Re: Yet another Lifestyle/Colorful Lifestyle decor variation Las Colinas (Irving) Tom Thumb

Post by architect »

Now for the third store in this Colorful Lifestyle variation, and a surprising one at that:

Last night, I was driving by the Tom Thumb in Preston Center and through the windows saw that the decor had been changed. When I went inside to check it out, I was very surprised. This store is most likely the smallest Albertsons-owned store in Texas with only five aisles (though it might be beat out by the Exposition Randalls in Austin), and was up for replacement a couple of years ago within the same retail area until neighborhood opposition to added traffic killed the plan (now there is a small Target going in the proposed location, go figure). Overall, the decor really seems to help this store feel much larger than it is, though the store definitely still feels obsolete just due to size alone.

It is interesting to see Albertsons converting these Lifestyle stores to Colorful Lifestyle gradually around DFW while reusing the old signage, as this seems to be the only market so far where they are doing so. The three stores that I have seen converted so far all seem to be facing either new or upcoming competition though, so that could be the impetus behind these renovations. Las Colinas has a new Whole Foods nearby, Mansfield has a potential HEB site which is poised to start construction by 2019, and this location in Preston Center is just down the street from a new Central Market opening at Midway/Northwest Highway next year. What do y'all think?

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