Brookshire Grocery to open 51st Super 1 Foods store

[wnetmacman]

Today, Brookshire Grocery Company announced that they would be taking over a dark store at 2240 Ambassador Caffrey Parkway in Lafayette, LA. The store, most recently run by the Baton Rouge-based Shoppers Value Foods franchisee, is a 1997 Winn Dixie Marketplace store, the last to close in Lafayette proper.

BGC did not give a timeline on reopening the store, but it is less than a mile from an Albertsons, 2 miles from the busiest Walmart and Sam's, but relatively isolated from everyone else. It will be interesting to see how the store does when it opens, because neither WD or SVF did particularly well with this store; WD for 20 years, and SVF for the last 5. I've attached photos below; don't let the WD pic fool you.

[retailfanmitchell019]

I honestly think Brookshire's will expand to DFW and get divested stores out of Albertsons/Tom Thumb/Kroger.

[wnetmacman]

I honestly think Brookshire's will expand to DFW and get divested stores out of Albertsons/Tom Thumb/Kroger.

BGC has tried that strategy before, first expanding Super 1, and then by buying several WD castoffs in 2005. Neither worked, and there are no longer any stores in DFW proper. And with HEB coming in like gangbusters, it would just be another losing proposition. DFW wants something BGC doesn't offer in any of its banner (Brookshire's, Super 1 Foods, Fresh by Brookshire's and Spring Market) - convenience and consistency. A typical Brookshire's and Spring Market are really meant for smaller communities. Super 1 Foods cannot beat WinCo Foods at their own game, and Fresh by Brookshire's is too much like Market Street and Central Market (there's not room for a third wheel).

[pseudo3d]

I honestly think Brookshire's will expand to DFW and get divested stores out of Albertsons/Tom Thumb/Kroger.

BGC has tried that strategy before, first expanding Super 1, and then by buying several WD castoffs in 2005. Neither worked, and there are no longer any stores in DFW proper. And with HEB coming in like gangbusters, it would just be another losing proposition. DFW wants something BGC doesn't offer in any of its banner (Brookshire's, Super 1 Foods, Fresh by Brookshire's and Spring Market) - convenience and consistency. A typical Brookshire's and Spring Market are really meant for smaller communities. Super 1 Foods cannot beat WinCo Foods at their own game, and Fresh by Brookshire's is too much like Market Street and Central Market (there's not room for a third wheel).

Market Street and Central Market are very different supermarkets. Market Street essentially is a more upscale United Supermarkets, so it's got better perishable programs and all that (it does, or at least used to, have a gift department called "Dish" that was later adapted by Albertsons for "Albertsons Market Street"; however, I can't find mention of it on the website). Central Market on the other hand is designed to funnel you through the perishables and usually has things like a chocolate bar or gelato bar, with most of the items not being your typical grocery store items. Nothing like the typical Walmart-esque H-E-B experience.

[wnetmacman]

Market Street and Central Market are very different supermarkets. Market Street essentially is a more upscale United Supermarkets, so it's got better perishable programs and all that (it does, or at least used to, have a gift department called "Dish" that was later adapted by Albertsons for "Albertsons Market Street"; however, I can't find mention of it on the website). Central Market on the other hand is designed to funnel you through the perishables and usually has things like a chocolate bar or gelato bar, with most of the items not being your typical grocery store items. Nothing like the typical Walmart-esque H-E-B experience.

My point about this is that Fresh by Brookshire's is similar to these two stores. Each is a different take on the upscale supermarket - something that DFW would not support more of.

HOWEVER

This is not the topic at hand. Let us please steer back to the original one - Super 1 Foods in Lafayette.

[storewanderer]

Shoppers Value is one of those shelf price + 10% fee added at checkout stores.

What happened with this store and why did it close? I recall Shoppers Value was in bankruptcy a few years ago due to issues with the Winn Dixie units it bought.

If Shoppers Value failed in this building, how will Super 1 do better?

It does appear the store was perhaps too large for Shoppers Value?

[wnetmacman]

Shoppers Value is one of those shelf price + 10% fee added at checkout stores.

What happened with this store and why did it close? I recall Shoppers Value was in bankruptcy a few years ago due to issues with the Winn Dixie units it bought.

If Shoppers Value failed in this building, how will Super 1 do better?

It does appear the store was perhaps too large for Shoppers Value?

The SVF franchisee based out of Baton Rouge ran this store. There are a few factors for its failure:

1. The aforementioned WD purchased - they bought out several leases in BR and New Orleans that were just bad stores for WD in the first place. It bankrupted them. Every one has closed. This store was a separate purchase when WD left Lafayette. At the time, there were two others that were doing well. Now that has dwindled to one that is hanging on by a thread.

2. Dulles Drive running alongside the store was under construction for three years, and was closed. This is the official story.

3. SVF has a bad reputation here. The stores smell and are poorly stocked. It never attracted the business it was supposed to.

Now, I believe BGC's Super 1 division can indeed make it work. First, the area is relatively underserved. The closest is an Albertsons a mile or more down Ambassador Caffrey. Super 1 has two other Lafayette locations, plus stores in Scott, Carencro and Broussard/Youngsville. All do well; Carencro was once #1 in the company. They have fresher food, friendlier staff and a cleaner environment. It will depend on how much they spend renovating this one. SVF's "renovation" was a modification to the Marketplace decor package. BGC may come in and blow it away from the floor to the ceiling,, or may put a new decor package and some new refrigeration. It remains to be seen.

[storewanderer]

Is the Cost+10% format perhaps not well received in LA?

I know a lot of AWG operators in OK, MO, KS, etc. seem to love the format. Lowe's Markets out of TX also have quite a few stores in that format that seem to work.

I have never seen that format used in the west (CA/NV/AZ/UT/ID/OR/WA).

[wnetmacman]

Is the Cost+10% format perhaps not well received in LA?

I know a lot of AWG operators in OK, MO, KS, etc. seem to love the format. Lowe's Markets out of TX also have quite a few stores in that format that seem to work.

I have never seen that format used in the west (CA/NV/AZ/UT/ID/OR/WA).

Every one of these operators that have been here with the Cost Plus idea have operated subpar stores - dirty, low stock; and the prices after the Plus aren't any better than Walmart or Super 1 Foods, which has taken a large part of the state now. Brookshire works with AWG on some concepts, but does not embrace this at all. They tried ALPS, but it was a failure.

[dallaz]

I honestly think Brookshire's will expand to DFW and get divested stores out of Albertsons/Tom Thumb/Kroger.

BGC has tried that strategy before, first expanding Super 1, and then by buying several WD castoffs in 2005. Neither worked, and there are no longer any stores in DFW proper. And with HEB coming in like gangbusters, it would just be another losing proposition. DFW wants something BGC doesn't offer in any of its banner (Brookshire's, Super 1 Foods, Fresh by Brookshire's and Spring Market) - convenience and consistency. A typical Brookshire's and Spring Market are really meant for smaller communities. Super 1 Foods cannot beat WinCo Foods at their own game, and Fresh by Brookshire's is too much like Market Street and Central Market (there's not room for a third wheel).

There’s a Super 1 in Seagoville in Dallas County on Hall St. It was originally a Minyard’s and became a Brookshire’s. Brookshire’s converted it into a Super 1 a few years ago.