Nob Hill Foods closing (Raleys) - San Ramon and Walnut Creek

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storewanderer
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Nob Hill Foods closing (Raleys) - San Ramon and Walnut Creek

Post by storewanderer »

Raleys is blaming a rent increase on the closures.

I think the San Ramon store is a potential redevelopment subject, like it had been targeted a few years ago by developers who wanted to demolish the shopping center and build apartments or something. But nothing came of that (maybe it just did?). Raleys states they are looking for a replacement site in San Ramon. This is too bad because I think this was a solid performing store.

Walnut Creek as previously reported, seems like a store they never cared much about and was poorly positioned relative to the other competitors at the intersection. Clearly a low performer.
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Re: Nob Hill Foods closing (Raleys) - San Ramon and Walnut Creek

Post by Alpha8472 »

The San Ramon store was well kept and did decent business. The problem is that Trader Joe's shares the same parking lot. The Nob Hill Foods was much higher in price than other nearby stores.

The Safeway in San Ramon nearby is about to finish the Pavilions decor remodel. That store and another nearby recently remodeled Florida decor store are taking business away from Nob Hill Foods. It is sad, as Nob Hill had much better Deli and Bakery products. The selection of prepared foods is vast and very different from Safeway.
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Re: Nob Hill Foods closing (Raleys) - San Ramon and Walnut Creek

Post by storewanderer »

Alpha8472 wrote: January 28th, 2022, 4:00 am The San Ramon store was well kept and did decent business. The problem is that Trader Joe's shares the same parking lot. The Nob Hill Foods was much higher in price than other nearby stores.

The Safeway in San Ramon nearby is about to finish the Pavilions decor remodel. That store and another nearby recently remodeled Florida decor store are taking business away from Nob Hill Foods. It is sad, as Nob Hill had much better Deli and Bakery products. The selection of prepared foods is vast and very different from Safeway.
Yes, Raleys seems to price at least some of Nob Hill higher than the rest of their chain. The Raleys ONE in Reno has the same pricing I am familiar with seeing at Nob Hill.

I don't really think that pricing strategy is a great idea; Safeway runs the same high pricing in San Francisco as they do in Sacramento. That Nob Hill price scale is mostly higher than Safeway's pricing while the standard Raleys scale is pretty close to Safeway. Modified everyday low pricing programs by Safeway in Redding, Reno, and Fresno (and some outlying places from those towns) but still mostly the same high pricing as they have in San Francisco. Raleys also has a third pricing scale (lower scale) they use in Nevada wherever Smiths is nearby but I've also seen it used in a few other stores like Yreka.
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Re: Nob Hill Foods closing (Raleys) - San Ramon and Walnut Creek

Post by Alpha8472 »

Nob Hill Foods in San Ramon closed on March 12 at 5 PM.

I visited the store on March 11 and there was still some food left. It was all full price except for some Bakery items such as cakes that were 50 percent off. Apparently, they are shipping most of the items in the store to other Raley's owned stores. There was no official closing sale.

It is sad, as the store was well staffed and clean. The Bakery and deli were much better than Safeway. Perhaps, if Nob Hill had lower prices, they might have survived.

I do not know who would want to take over this space. There are way too many grocery stores nearby: Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sprouts, Walmart, Target, etc.
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Re: Nob Hill Foods closing (Raleys) - San Ramon and Walnut Creek

Post by storewanderer »

Alpha8472 wrote: March 13th, 2022, 12:08 pm Nob Hill Foods in San Ramon closed on March 12 at 5 PM.

I visited the store on March 11 and there was still some food left. It was all full price except for some Bakery items such as cakes that were 50 percent off. Apparently, they are shipping most of the items in the store to other Raley's owned stores. There was no official closing sale.

It is sad, as the store was well staffed and clean. The Bakery and deli were much better than Safeway. Perhaps, if Nob Hill had lower prices, they might have survived.

I do not know who would want to take over this space. There are way too many grocery stores nearby: Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sprouts, Walmart, Target, etc.
I think the building in San Ramon is going to be lost and turned into apartments. I don't think this was a store that failed.

I suspect the Walnut Creek Store was an operational failure and closure due to poor performance. All it would have taken was a remodel... to fix it. Sometimes wonder if Raleys works for itself or works for Safeway.

They will pack up remaining goods and ship them to other stores by section (for instance, 12 feet of the baking goods aisle will be shipped to store 301, the next 12 feet of the baking aisle will be shipped to store 302, etc.). Interesting way to do it since not all locations sell the same items. But store 301 and 302 get to deal with the items they don't carry (and clearance them).
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Re: Nob Hill Foods closing (Raleys) - San Ramon and Walnut Creek

Post by Alpha8472 »

The employees of the San Ramon store are being transferred to the non-union Raley's in nearby Pleasanton. Supposedly the store might be replaced by housing. That part of the shopping center was previously planned for a huge condominium complex, but the plans changed to houses.
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Re: Nob Hill Foods closing (Raleys) - San Ramon and Walnut Creek

Post by storewanderer »

Alpha8472 wrote: March 13th, 2022, 9:49 pm The employees of the San Ramon store are being transferred to the non-union Raley's in nearby Pleasanton. Supposedly the store might be replaced by housing. That part of the shopping center was previously planned for a huge condominium complex, but the plans changed to houses.
I am confused by these non-union Raleys. I thought 10-15 years ago Raleys reached a deal with the union to unionize all of the non-union CA Raleys locations. Maybe it was only the Sacramento area local and not the bay area local.
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