Retail Watchers

This store opened in 2002 according to what I remember. It looked fine and didn't need to be remodeled. It is being remodeled into a scheme full of earthtones. Green around produce, blue in frozen foods, light brownish around bakery and deli, I forget around meat. They are removing the floor which was really nice and the floor is a black polished cement.

This wall decor actually looks pretty good. It looks better than I thought in photos. I'll wait until the remodel is done completely before saying if the store looked better before.

I couldn't get many photos due to various areas of the store being blocked off due to construction, plus it isn't done yet.

I still find Kroger's remodel allocation in this area very interesting.

Reno-S. Meadows: opened 2005, no remodel
Reno-Lemmon: opened 2002, currently remodeling
Dayton: Opened 1998, remodeled 2009
Gardnerville: Opened 1995, unremodeled
Carson City: Opened 1988: walls repainted and refrigeration, checkstands, deli cases, etc. replaced with equipment from closed CA Stores in 1997, otherwise unremodeled, awful looking and run down very poorly maintained
Sparks: Opened 1987: walls repainted and refrigeration, checkstands, deli cases, etc. replaced with equipment from closed CA Stores in 1997, otherwise unremodeled, awful looking but relatively well maintained

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7636026@N0 ... 855713043/

All done.

I still the like Ralph's decor the best. This new decor is sort of neutral. However, I really don't know what to think about the floor. Concrete reminds me too much of a warehouse. I really liked the tiles that Kroger used on their Ralph's stores.

Ralphs is also using this package as is Kroger. This new decor package at present seems to be limited to stores designated as upscale in clientele and merchandising.

The previous decor this Smith's had was a little reminiscent of Albertson's decor from the same time frame and similar to the Kings Soopers package used in the early 00's. The concrete floors work best in new builds, because in remodels you can often see the "tile scars" from the previous tiles. Also the concrete floors tend to clash with drop ceilings as the open industrial look fits more with the concrete flooring. There is a cost advantage of lower maintenance and not need chemical cleaners on the floors which also translates to being "greener" than tile flooring. The concrete floors are the source of one of the biggest complaints that Kroger receives, as most customers perceive them as dirtier, as they dull over time and skidmarks from carts show more in addition to seeming more warehouse and downscale than tile floors.