Search found 1425 matches

by Brian Lutz
October 3rd, 2017, 11:00 am
Forum: Non Region-Specific
Topic: Albertsons to raise $720 million in store sale-leaseback
Replies: 15
Views: 5772

Re: Albertsons to raise $720 million in store sale-leaseback

Especially in the Seattle market I can see this happening quite a bit. Within the last couple of years A number of the former Safeway manufacturing operations (dairy and bakery) in Bellevue have been closed down, and I suspect that these will either be sold of at some point or have already been sold...
by Brian Lutz
September 24th, 2017, 10:03 pm
Forum: Specialty Retail Chains
Topic: Profile: John Jackson Started with One Store
Replies: 3
Views: 2387

Re: Profile: John Jackson Started with One Store

I haven't seen a lot of the older Maverik stores, but some of their newer ones are very nice, quite a bit nicer than an average ExtraMile, AMPM or 7-Eleven type store.
by Brian Lutz
September 22nd, 2017, 9:36 pm
Forum: Specialty Retail Chains
Topic: Profile: John Jackson Started with One Store
Replies: 3
Views: 2387

Re: Profile: John Jackson Started with One Store

When Jackson's showed up in the Seattle metro area, they did so basically overnight, taking over a fairly large number of existing Shell stations. One thing the article notes is that they aim to have eight construction projects going on at a time, which would explain why a Jackson's Shell station on...
by Brian Lutz
September 21st, 2017, 1:14 pm
Forum: Restaurant Chains
Topic: Taco Bell to open 300 new locations with alcohol, no drive thru
Replies: 5
Views: 3133

Re: Taco Bell to open 300 new locations with alcohol, no drive thru

Last year a Taco Bell in the Totem Lake area of Kirkland was torn down and replaced by a new build store on the same spot, which has some aspects of an open kitchen design (the main assembly line is parallel to the dining area with large windows.) There really isn't much to see there since the worke...
by Brian Lutz
September 20th, 2017, 12:27 am
Forum: Restaurant Chains
Topic: Taco Bell to open 300 new locations with alcohol, no drive thru
Replies: 5
Views: 3133

Taco Bell to open 300 new locations with alcohol, no drive thru

http://www.king5.com/mobile/article/amp/life/food/taco-bell-to-get-rid-of-drive-thru-add-booze/477033799 It sounds like these will be primarily urban locations (where drive thrus are probably not practical anyway) and seem to be an attempt to keep up with some of the Chipotles and Qdobas of the worl...
by Brian Lutz
September 15th, 2017, 1:16 pm
Forum: Non Region-Specific
Topic: If you could bring one supermarket chain to your area which one would it be?
Replies: 26
Views: 11878

Re: If you could bring one supermarket chain to your area which one would it be?

If we're not worried about anything like practicality, it would be interesting to see how Publix would do in a different area. They seem like a pretty strong operation in their home area but also seem like they benefit from generally weak competitors.
by Brian Lutz
August 24th, 2017, 3:59 pm
Forum: Department Store Chains
Topic: Phoenix Flexible Format Target Opens
Replies: 33
Views: 12550

Re: Phoenix Flexible Format Target Opens

To me, it seems that Target has been positioning itself for years as the store for people who are too cool to shop at Walmart, and over time it is becoming cost that this is not a winning strategy in the long term.
by Brian Lutz
August 18th, 2017, 5:51 pm
Forum: Restaurant Chains
Topic: New Skippers location (update: closed 2019)
Replies: 19
Views: 14814

Re: New Skippers location

Digging up an old thread here... While spending a few days in Utah I came across a fairly new Skippers location on State Street in Orem, and was surprised to see how well it seems to be doing compared to other Skippers locations I've been to. The interior was clean and fairly modern, and the locatio...
by Brian Lutz
August 17th, 2017, 9:10 am
Forum: Northwest, Rockies, & Alaska USA
Topic: QFC Stores on Broadway in Seattle
Replies: 16
Views: 8057

Re: QFC Stores on Broadway in Seattle

I also recently saw that the Downtown Everett (Broadway and Everett Avenue) QFC store just ended 24 hour operations, having changed their hours to 5am-1am as of August 5th. I also saw uniformed loss prevention officers patrolling the store when i was there, which is rather unusual for grocery stores...
by Brian Lutz
August 13th, 2017, 6:21 pm
Forum: Northwest, Rockies, & Alaska USA
Topic: QFC Stores on Broadway in Seattle
Replies: 16
Views: 8057

Re: QFC Stores on Broadway in Seattle

Not too familiar with the other QFC on Broadway, but I know the Broadway Market store has been around for a long time, and Capitol Hill isn't exactly a cheap place to live either (probably among the most expensive in Seattle, which is fast becoming one of the more expensive cities to live in.) In ge...