Minyard Sun Fresh Markert (former Albertsons) photo

[storewanderer]

This still really looks like a lifestyle store. I guess they did turn around pretty fast on the remodel. The produce area looks sort of empty, I suspect it looked better as a lifestyle produce area. It is interesting Kroger changed the produce fixtures but kept all the other old stuff. Glad to see the photos, this will be a unique store.

[architect]

This still really looks like a lifestyle store. I guess they did turn around pretty fast on the remodel. The produce area looks sort of empty, I suspect it looked better as a lifestyle produce area. It is interesting Kroger changed the produce fixtures but kept all the other old stuff. Glad to see the photos, this will be a unique store.

I completely agree with you and the produce area, it felt quite empty. However, when I was walking through the store, I noticed that there were very few freestanding product displays compared to other Kroger locations, so I am sure that these empty spaces will be filled over time. Overall, there were portions of the store which still felt incomplete, and I even saw a few construction workers wandering the store. Working in the architecture/construction industry, I feel that Kroger may have had a short turnaround time for construction since the sell from Minyard went through so quickly, and part of the time since would be spent putting together the renovation plans.

In general, this store leans on the smaller end of grocery stores today, especially in Texas where there is plenty of land to build. It will be interesting to watch this location evolve over the coming months, especially being located in such an affluent area of Plano. A Fresh Fare format would likely work well here.

[pseudo3d]

This still really looks like a lifestyle store. I guess they did turn around pretty fast on the remodel. The produce area looks sort of empty, I suspect it looked better as a lifestyle produce area. It is interesting Kroger changed the produce fixtures but kept all the other old stuff. Glad to see the photos, this will be a unique store.

I completely agree with you and the produce area, it felt quite empty. However, when I was walking through the store, I noticed that there were very few freestanding product displays compared to other Kroger locations, so I am sure that these empty spaces will be filled over time. Overall, there were portions of the store which still felt incomplete, and I even saw a few construction workers wandering the store. Working in the architecture/construction industry, I feel that Kroger may have had a short turnaround time for construction since the sell from Minyard went through so quickly, and part of the time since would be spent putting together the renovation plans.

In general, this store leans on the smaller end of grocery stores today, especially in Texas where there is plenty of land to build. It will be interesting to watch this location evolve over the coming months, especially being located in such an affluent area of Plano. A Fresh Fare format would likely work well here.

Fresh Fare doesn't really seem to exist in the Southwest division (well, Dallas division now--they split). Not too long ago I got into an argument on this website where it turned out that Fresh Fare really was a distinct format elsewhere but not so much in these parts.

[architect]

Update on the Park/Preston Kroger: I have visited this location several times over the past couple of months (during days/times that would typically be high traffic for grocers), and traffic seems to be consistently slow after the grand opening rush. Often, there are only 2-3 checkouts open (and backed up at that), and the lack of self checkouts doesn't help things. Early reviews of the store seem to agree that the store looks nice, but pales in comparison to the Market Street across the street. It is going to be interesting to see what happens with this location long term, as if the store can't increase it's traffic counts, then I don't see how it can survive.

If Kroger was ever to expand Main & Vine or a similar specialty format, this location would be great for that, due to the demographics and other specialty grocers in the area (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods). Realistically, the space is simply too small for a mainstream grocery store today, especially in Texas where land is cheap and plentiful.

[storewanderer]

Any idea why there are no self checkouts? Size can't be an excuse.

They squeezed self checkouts into a 16,000 square foot Ralphs in San Diego that occupies a former Vons. This Ralphs only has 3 "regular" conveyer belt checkstands but also has some drugstore-style counter checkstands against the front wall.

[architect]

Any idea why there are no self checkouts? Size can't be an excuse.

They squeezed self checkouts into a 16,000 square foot Ralphs in San Diego that occupies a former Vons. This Ralphs only has 3 "regular" conveyer belt checkstands but also has some drugstore-style counter checkstands against the front wall.

Honestly, I think that both size and demographics may play a role here. This store is located in an extremely upscale area, so shoplifting is likely not the problem. Instead, Kroger likely sees self checkouts as simply being too low-brow for the area. In addition, the layout of the store's front end would make adding self checkouts difficult. Along the front wall behind the registers, there is a service desk and other services, which leaves little wall space to accommodate self checkouts like the Ralph's you are describing. The register area itself is quite tight (there are only 5-6 checkouts total), and is not deep enough to accommodate 2-3 self checkouts back to back like Kroger usually prefers. If they were to be turned in the other direction (parallel to the front wall of the store), then they would take up almost all of the front-end space, leaving room for only 1-2 additional registers. The store's Starbucks kiosk also crowds things.

On the other hand, I feel like the lack of self checkouts may discourage shoppers from making quick trips into the store after work. Preston Road is a major north-south thoroughfare through Dallas, Plano, and Frisco which carries a ton of commuter traffic. Logically, this store would be in a great location to pick up after work shoppers due to the fact that it is on the east side of Preston heading north, but somehow Kroger has not been able to capitalize on this traffic. Notably, the Kroger to the south at Campbell/Preston is almost always busy during this time frame, and picks up many of the same shoppers as the Park/Preston store due to traffic patterns.

[pseudo3d]

Shortage on cashiers is usually the company scrimping due to volume at the stores being not enough. I know Albertsons/Safeway does this. You don't need self check-out if there's nobody in line.

The store was probably doomed to begin with. Albertsons sold Minyard a bum store, and Minyard sold Kroger a bum store. Realistically, I can't see this one lasting for much longer at all, and probably would've closed if Albertsons didn't buy Safeway.

[architect]

Shortage on cashiers is usually the company scrimping due to volume at the stores being not enough. I know Albertsons/Safeway does this. You don't need self check-out if there's nobody in line.

The store was probably doomed to begin with. Albertsons sold Minyard a bum store, and Minyard sold Kroger a bum store. Realistically, I can't see this one lasting for much longer at all, and probably would've closed if Albertsons didn't buy Safeway.

Honestly, I am surprised that Kroger has been unable to turn around this location, considering that they have plenty of money to invest if they wanted to. I think the biggest holdup is simply competition. At the Park/Preston intersection alone, there is Market Street, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's, all of which are highly successful. There is also a Walmart Supercenter and a SuperTarget at Park/Tollway, a Tom Thumb and a Kroger at Parker/Tollway (this Kroger is significantly larger than the Park/Preston store and has the same floor plan as the Rock Prairie location is CS, pseudo3D), a Walmart Neighborhood Market at Parker/Preston (in a former Albertsons), Central Market at Coit/Bush Turnpike, and the previously discussed Kroger at Campbell/Preston. Also, HEB has purchased land at Spring Creek/Preston and could easily fit a large store there, a store which could drastically change the competitive landscape in this area if constructed.

[storewanderer]

I guess the more fair comparison would be to compare traffic at this store to the traffic Albertsons had and traffic at this store to the traffic Minyard had. I am going to assume the current traffic level is similar to what Albertsons was doing and probably double what Minyard was doing. Since it sounds like they did not change a whole lot in the store and maybe the size of the store is causing mix issues where people come in and due to the small size store, the mix isn't what they expect from Kroger. The self checkouts are missing and now there are lines at checkout. I can see why this store is hindered.

I have seen in some smaller Safeway locations they installed 3 very small self checkouts to take up a space about the same as one regular conveyor belt checkstand. This may be a good option in this store.

[architect]

I guess the more fair comparison would be to compare traffic at this store to the traffic Albertsons had and traffic at this store to the traffic Minyard had. I am going to assume the current traffic level is similar to what Albertsons was doing and probably double what Minyard was doing. Since it sounds like they did not change a whole lot in the store and maybe the size of the store is causing mix issues where people come in and due to the small size store, the mix isn't what they expect from Kroger. The self checkouts are missing and now there are lines at checkout. I can see why this store is hindered.

I have seen in some smaller Safeway locations they installed 3 very small self checkouts to take up a space about the same as one regular conveyor belt checkstand. This may be a good option in this store.

Actually, this store was a Tom Thumb before being sold to Minyard. As a Tom Thumb, this store likely started off well, considering that this intersection was the primary shopping area for West Plano in the late 80's-mid 90's. However, as the Dallas North Tollway was extended northward during the 90's, many of the big-box stores at Park/Preston moved further down Park Blvd. next to the Tollway (Target and Walmart both relocated from Park/Preston), and both Kroger and Tom Thumb built large stores nearby at Parker/Tollway. As a result, the shopping centers at Park/Preston evolved into a collection of higher-end, specialty shops. Due to all of the retail that has been developed along the Tollway in the last 15 years, there is simply more competition surrounding this store then when it first opened. Also, Market Street being located at the same intersection certainly doesn't help things. When the Minyard sale to Kroger was first announced, Minyard claimed that the store had been struggling as a Tom Thumb for several years before they acquired it. They attempted to turn things around, but simply didn't have the financial resources to do so, hence the sale to Kroger.

As far as the product mix goes, I have actually been somewhat impressed. During a recent visit, I purchased several high-end items which I have never seen in a DFW Kroger before. Overall, the biggest holdup at this location seems to be the facility itself. Although Kroger's decor changes look good, the store still feels old and dark due to the drop ceilings and awkward lighting (the perimeter lighting is still somewhat dim, and the bulbs on the Safeway center-store fixtures don't match the color tone of those used on the perimeter at all). Overall, it is a nice store, but there just simply isn't enough to set it apart from other mainstream grocers in a heavily competitive submarket.