Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. No non-grocery posts.
architect
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 843
Joined: December 8th, 2015, 3:41 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 7 times
Status: Offline

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by architect »

Kroger update: This morning, the Kroger at Cypresswood/249 reopened. Based on Google photos, everything in the store was replaced outside of the ceiling tile grid and attached lighting. The floors, fixtures, and most of the drywall are all new. The decor package used is the "local" decor package (we really need an official name for it on here) seen at quite a few Ralph's locations along with a couple of DFW Kroger stores over this past year. However, this implementation seems to have far less local signage included.

Article: http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/tomba ... o-14660941

Side note, according to the Chronicle article above, the Cypresswood/Cypress Forest store is set to reopen on December 13th. That location will be interesting to see, as it noticeably larger than this store, with a warehouse ceiling in the bakery/deli/produce area.
SamSpade
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1570
Joined: September 13th, 2015, 4:39 pm
Has thanked: 374 times
Been thanked: 57 times
Status: Online

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by SamSpade »

Sure wouldn't recognize it as a former Albertsons now! Glad to see people are continuing to recover in Houston.
pseudo3d
Posts: 3852
Joined: November 12th, 2015, 7:01 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 77 times
Status: Offline

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by pseudo3d »

architect wrote: December 6th, 2017, 9:01 pm Kroger update: This morning, the Kroger at Cypresswood/249 reopened. Based on Google photos, everything in the store was replaced outside of the ceiling tile grid and attached lighting. The floors, fixtures, and most of the drywall are all new. The decor package used is the "local" decor package (we really need an official name for it on here) seen at quite a few Ralph's locations along with a couple of DFW Kroger stores over this past year. However, this implementation seems to have far less local signage included.

Article: http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/tomba ... o-14660941

Side note, according to the Chronicle article above, the Cypresswood/Cypress Forest store is set to reopen on December 13th. That location will be interesting to see, as it noticeably larger than this store, with a warehouse ceiling in the bakery/deli/produce area.
The Cypresswood/Champion Forest store was the first Signature Kroger ever with a lot of features that became standard later (like coffeeshops). It was mostly to compete with Randalls (and to a lesser extent Albertsons) in the 1990s as they were building huge, modern stores and Kroger was pushing around a fleet largely composed of small Greenhouse stores (or older).

The area around the bakery/deli area should be spacious because Kroger built a small food court there, featuring a KFC/Pizza Hut Express inside.
pseudo3d
Posts: 3852
Joined: November 12th, 2015, 7:01 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 77 times
Status: Offline

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by pseudo3d »

Well, it looks like Meyerland H-E-B is real after all.

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/new ... on-in.html

Interesting in that there will be "an elevator and skybridge" to connect with the adjacent JCPenney.
architect
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 843
Joined: December 8th, 2015, 3:41 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 7 times
Status: Offline

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by architect »

Update on the Cypresswood/Champion Forest Kroger: Based on Google photos, it appears that this store received far more extensive renovation than the Cypresswood/249 store. Outside of the service departments, this store formerly had a drop ceiling throughout. During the remodel, the ceiling was removed entirely, converting the entire store to a warehouse ceiling. In addition, this store used Marketplace decor instead of the new decor package seen at Cypresswood/249, along with the addition of a pizza bar, a specialty chicken stand, Prep+Pared meals, and Murray's cheese. Overall, the renovation looks to be a huge success, and I will definitely have to check it out next time I am in the area.
pseudo3d
Posts: 3852
Joined: November 12th, 2015, 7:01 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 77 times
Status: Offline

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by pseudo3d »

architect wrote: January 1st, 2018, 12:19 pm Update on the Cypresswood/Champion Forest Kroger: Based on Google photos, it appears that this store received far more extensive renovation than the Cypresswood/249 store. Outside of the service departments, this store formerly had a drop ceiling throughout. During the remodel, the ceiling was removed entirely, converting the entire store to a warehouse ceiling. In addition, this store used Marketplace decor instead of the new decor package seen at Cypresswood/249, along with the addition of a pizza bar, a specialty chicken stand, Prep+Pared meals, and Murray's cheese. Overall, the renovation looks to be a huge success, and I will definitely have to check it out next time I am in the area.
Is the Kroger Signature name even used anymore? I noticed the other Kroger replaced the Albertsons "Food" and "Drug" signage with their own version. (Interestingly, the previous version of this store used the block-lettering form of the logo with different "Food" and "Pharmacy" lettering).
architect
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 843
Joined: December 8th, 2015, 3:41 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 7 times
Status: Offline

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by architect »

pseudo3d wrote: January 2nd, 2018, 3:23 pm Is the Kroger Signature name even used anymore? I noticed the other Kroger replaced the Albertsons "Food" and "Drug" signage with their own version. (Interestingly, the previous version of this store used the block-lettering form of the logo with different "Food" and "Pharmacy" lettering).
Actually, this store never even had Signature signage to begin with, despite the fact that it was the first Signature format store. In recent years, I have seen Signature signage used for new-build stores which are smaller than a Marketplace but open with future Marketplace expansion in mind (two stores like this immediately come to mind in Rockwall and Corinth). However, other recent stores such as the (since closed) Park/Preston Kroger in Plano opened without Signature branding, so it seems to be somewhat inconsistent. In addition, Fresh Fare is another designation which seems to mean little in Houston/Dallas, particularly compared to other divisions where the banner stands for a distinct format.
pseudo3d
Posts: 3852
Joined: November 12th, 2015, 7:01 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 77 times
Status: Offline

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by pseudo3d »

Looks like the Kingwood H-E-B is opening January 18th. Gotta say, with the huge numbers between Kroger and H-E-B stores in the area and (to a much lesser extent) Randalls, with only five stores taken out between them (I'd say about 240 between all three), that's a tiny dent collectively in terms of mainstream grocers (and they've all reopened--no status on the Fiesta stores). Hopefully Randalls can keep the momentum going when H-E-B re-opens.
architect
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 843
Joined: December 8th, 2015, 3:41 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 7 times
Status: Offline

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by architect »

pseudo3d wrote: January 8th, 2018, 3:03 pm Looks like the Kingwood H-E-B is opening January 18th. Gotta say, with the huge numbers between Kroger and H-E-B stores in the area and (to a much lesser extent) Randalls, with only five stores taken out between them (I'd say about 240 between all three), that's a tiny dent collectively in terms of mainstream grocers (and they've all reopened--no status on the Fiesta stores). Hopefully Randalls can keep the momentum going when H-E-B re-opens.
Technically, they haven't all reopened if considering the Meyerland HEB. However, as a replacement store has been announced, I would not count that as a true loss.

Also, I'm curious to see if Randalls decides to upgrade their other Kingwood location, or if Kroger responds with upgrades. With two newly renovated stores in the city center, competition in Kingwood is going to be tough. I do think that HEB and Randalls can successfully co-exist, as the store sizes and layouts appeal to somewhat differing demographics.
pseudo3d
Posts: 3852
Joined: November 12th, 2015, 7:01 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 77 times
Status: Offline

Re: Store Locations Closed by Hurricane Harvey in Houston Area

Post by pseudo3d »

architect wrote: January 8th, 2018, 6:59 pm
pseudo3d wrote: January 8th, 2018, 3:03 pm Looks like the Kingwood H-E-B is opening January 18th. Gotta say, with the huge numbers between Kroger and H-E-B stores in the area and (to a much lesser extent) Randalls, with only five stores taken out between them (I'd say about 240 between all three), that's a tiny dent collectively in terms of mainstream grocers (and they've all reopened--no status on the Fiesta stores). Hopefully Randalls can keep the momentum going when H-E-B re-opens.
Technically, they haven't all reopened if considering the Meyerland HEB. However, as a replacement store has been announced, I would not count that as a true loss.

Also, I'm curious to see if Randalls decides to upgrade their other Kingwood location, or if Kroger responds with upgrades. With two newly renovated stores in the city center, competition in Kingwood is going to be tough. I do think that HEB and Randalls can successfully co-exist, as the store sizes and layouts appeal to somewhat differing demographics.
They might, but they're going to need to do more than just add Color Lifestyle. The Randalls in Kingwood must have done something right if it was able to survive against H-E-B in the first place. At this point, since Randalls is being supplied out of Dallas instead of being isolated like Dominick's had been, if Albertsons was going to give up on Randalls, they would definitely be taking the insurance money on this one, and slough off stores (much like what was happening under Safeway, actually) and then sell a handful if it can really work (which Safeway didn't do for this division but did do for Genuardi's, though again, they were able to sell a bunch to Giant-PA). Not they'd push around a bunch of stores that lose money, but despite the tiny market share I think that the main reason for Randalls Houston's continued existence is just because of being in that market, and if they lost Randalls, then they would permanently locked out of Houston (unless they bought Kroger's Houston Division or H-E-B, neither of which is ever going to happen). There's a lot I can talk about Randalls but as for the chain, it's getting a brand *new* store by the end of the week, so that's cool. :D
Post Reply