Retail Watchers

Coffee Bean has a small base of Las Vegas locations that seem to be hanging in there. Also some in the airport that have been there forever. These have always been franchises. Airport units are run by I don't know who- but it isn't one of the other airport food service operators and they are leased...

My local Stockton, CA JCP has been receiving some attention in the form of refreshing the store. The entirety of the first floor has been re-carpeted, including areas where it was removed during the Johnson era, and the registers were consolidated on the side nearest the parking lot. They've also b...

In stock condition is getting worse and worse for this chain. I don't know what they are doing or how they will possibly even get their stores restocked again at this point. One store I have gone into a few times lately on Marconi in Sacramento- I'm not even sure if this store has a 40% in stock ra...

What do you mean by allowed? That is a state lawsuit, the DOJ can't stop or control it in any way. Colorado probably wanted to file their own lawsuit because they are concerned the federal government might want to settle the case, and they don't want to have to go along with it. Wasn't there some m...

This may sound wild, but hear me out. If Kroger wants to expand in California, they should introduce the Ruler Foods format. Their attempts at conventional supermarkets clearly aren't working, but small, limited assortment stores might. Aldi had a great concept that seemed to be doing incredibly we...

Meanwhile, the DOJ has allowed the Colorado antitrust suit to continue in the courts, meaning now there's at least three more hearings and trials for the merger. What do you mean by allowed? That is a state lawsuit, the DOJ can't stop or control it in any way. Colorado probably wanted to file their...

My local Stockton, CA JCP has been receiving some attention in the form of refreshing the store. The entirety of the first floor has been re-carpeted, including areas where it was removed during the Johnson era, and the registers were consolidated on the side nearest the parking lot. They've also b...

This may sound wild, but hear me out. If Kroger wants to expand in California, they should introduce the Ruler Foods format. Their attempts at conventional supermarkets clearly aren't working, but small, limited assortment stores might. Aldi had a great concept that seemed to be doing incredibly we...

Coffee Bean used to have a lot of corporate operated stores, then did a program that refranchised a bunch of corporate stores and it seems like the brand has had some issues since then. I don't notice much in the way of advertising or anything. It doesn't feel like they are popular. I notice them i...

Kohl's has really cleaned up its merchandising in my area. In terms of basic housekeeping- the stores are clean, and presentation is looking a lot better. They were really looking awful for a number of years, they felt like a dead chain that had just given up. But they seem to have learned how to d...