Crucial times for Shoppers

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BatteryMill
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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by BatteryMill »

pseudo3d wrote: September 28th, 2018, 4:14 am Essentially Farm Fresh is a franchised name, and uses SuperValu as a supplier. If they broke from SuperValu, then they would probably lose it (or it might end up becoming County Market). I think part of the reason why Publix passed on Farm Fresh is probably the logistics of acquiring even more stores in a new area, and they may be taking a break on newer stores for now (especially if the Martin's stores were underperforming).
Well then, that's interesting- what does it cost for the brands to maintain the name and is there any chance it can be bought from them? That being said, I would understand Publix's decision not to enter the market for now.
buckguy wrote: September 29th, 2018, 6:06 am I can't beleive people have been debating the ultimate demise of Shoppers. No one is going to want their uneven collection of locations. A few that are large enough and well located enough may go to established chains, but the destiny for most of them is ethnic markets or other retail. Weis might be interested in some in the Baltimore area that Giant and Safeway skip, but they don't have the capital to buy everything and they never gained traction in the DC area.

Publix wouldn't want the geography, nor would Harris Teeter. Shopper's DC niche was young families with children and they did well with this group even in relatively well-off places like Rockville. Now Costco captures that group and they really have no profitable niche for themselves.

Unless they have really low volume stores, a relatively small operator is very likely to have more market share/store---DC has always had small players like Acme and Food Fair that accomplished this in the old days, without having particularly strong locations or identities. There really isn't much difference between Safeway and Giant in pricing (both are heavily promotional and their everyday prices, overall, are pretty similar even if they differ a bit by product line). Pre-Ahold, Giant had the edge in bakery/deli and although they still have a small edge here, it really depends on the item; neither was ever particularly good for produce. But, in the end, neither is going to want Shopper's.

When Wegman's opens in DC, it will be interesting to see what hapens to HT and Whole Foods. That will be more interesting than the ineveitable disappearnce of Shopper's.
It might be a shame that this brand is going under, they certainly made waves in their prime years and introduced some wonderful new concepts to the area. Growing up with this chain in the area, even in the SuperValu era it always used to be close by and have a decent environment. It’s been plundered over the course of the 2010s, even with remodeling reaching much of their storebase and the Shoppers Market concept coming to two stores very recently. That could be one signal that they might stay, but we’ll have to see on that.

For the lesser locations, I wouldn’t want many of them to be lost - many could end up going to Aldi, Price Rite and other upstart smaller retailers in addition. Otherwise I’d be open to all sorts of retailers going for their locations depending on the demographics and proximity to their other stores - I wouldn’t count out Publix and Harris Teeter.

Also about the Wegmans situation, I could imagine something going on with their stores there but I feel the opposite. Both won’t take major losses as Shoppers just might soon enough.
mjhale wrote: September 30th, 2018, 8:04 pm If ShopRite were to make a play for some or all of Shoppers do you think it would be a corporate purchase or would they encourage some of their current members to buy any Shoppers stores that are up for sale? There are ShopRite stores in Baltimore and Aspen Hill. Would those members be interested in taking on more stores especially in the DC suburbs? The DC area really does not have any independent grocers of any scale since Magruders closed. I've always been interested in seeing ShopRite make a play in the DC market. I think they are the closest we will get to having independents in the DC grocery arena. Something tells me in the right location a high volume store like ShopRite would do well. Their PriceRite discount stores seem to be doing good where they have opened.
I agree on that part too. Though as I might have said before, will this mean ShopRite replaces Shoppers? I only imagine they would stay in the event that they become a non-franchise chain under Wakefern. Overall I am not sure who will take who but I don't mind collecting different viewpoints and their highlights of each purchase option.
pseudo3d wrote: September 30th, 2018, 11:07 pm From what I've seen, the Safeways do better in the inner (core) Washington DC area and do poorer in the suburbs where Giant is, but Giant doesn't have the inner-city stores like Safeway does, and Shoppers only has suburban stores.
Very surprisingly, Shoppers has had no presence in the inner Washington D.C. city whatsoever. Shoppers' predecessor, Jumbo Food originated in D.C. proper and had a few stores, all which closed before Shoppers got going. Otherwise besides a scrapped Dakota Crossing suburban-style store in the 2000s, they have not entered the town and have no urban store concept whatsoever as they have been declining and land is expensive.
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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by Knight »

BatteryMill wrote: September 27th, 2018, 7:04 pm
pseudo3d wrote: September 27th, 2018, 3:55 pm I don't think that Shoppers will be sold whole. My guess is that the better half will split between Safeway, Weis, Giant, and a few independents, with the other half closing altogether. (I can't imagine Publix going for them, not if they turned down Farm Fresh).
I could assume that as well, why not. Then again overall, it's really hard to put together the case for Shoppers. Only time will tell...
If any independents take in this feeding frenzy, as in the case of Farm Fresh could there be someone trying to hold on to the Shoppers name? Interestingly Farm Fresh is now split between two owners in Richmond and in Norfolk.
Also Publix, have they made a push into Norfolk? I don't know if they would have gone there with just Farm Fresh stores.
Publix has not entered Norfolk yet.

After Publix acquired Martin's stores in the Richmond area, the Kroger Company went on notice. When SuperValu put Farm Fresh stores up for sale, the Kroger Company's Kroger Mid-Atlantic and Harris Teeter divisions acquired a quantity of stores. The acquisition allowed the Kroger Mid-Atlantic and Harris Teeter divisions to increase its store count and put Publix in a position to build new stores when it enters Hampton Roads.
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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by BatteryMill »

Knight wrote: October 4th, 2018, 8:51 am Publix has not entered Norfolk yet.

After Publix acquired Martin's stores in the Richmond area, the Kroger Company went on notice. When SuperValu put Farm Fresh stores up for sale, the Kroger Company's Kroger Mid-Atlantic and Harris Teeter divisions acquired a quantity of stores. The acquisition allowed the Kroger Mid-Atlantic and Harris Teeter divisions to increase its store count and put Publix in a position to build new stores when it enters Hampton Roads.
That I can concur with since they are going over a vast stretch of land and must get to other cities first before reaching Norfolk.

For the second portion, is this to benefit Publix or just Kroger's move to get to the closed stores first?
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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by Knight »

Kroger Mid-Atlantic and Harris Teeter acquiring Farm Fresh stores were to benefit them instead of Publix. If Publix acquired Farm Fresh stores, Kroger Mid-Atlantic and Harris Teeter would have issues.
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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by BatteryMill »

Knight wrote: October 4th, 2018, 11:26 pm Kroger Mid-Atlantic and Harris Teeter acquiring Farm Fresh stores were to benefit them instead of Publix. If Publix acquired Farm Fresh stores, Kroger Mid-Atlantic and Harris Teeter would have issues.
That I know now. It seems like a friendly, yet quite a competitive mode in your words. I'm certainly not against anything here, they'll all do better than SuperValu did here. :lol:

But for one, I still do not understand - they are putting Publix in a position to build stores, but could that somehow be Publix's advantage? The only downfalls I would consider on that would be either the quality of locations (or lack thereof).
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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by Knight »

Publix is in a position to build stores in Hampton Roads.
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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by buckguy »

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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by storewanderer »

buckguy wrote: March 21st, 2019, 12:06 pm Looks like Shoppers is finished:

https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/ ... tores.html
It will be very interesting to see who the buyer is, or if we have "buyers."

What is left, Cub?
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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by SamSpade »

Isn't Hornbacher's still out there too? Or did I forget news of them selling it?
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Re: Crucial times for Shoppers

Post by bm11k »

Hornbacher's did get sold,
So Cub is the only chain left
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