Publix expanding to Virginia

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Knight
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by Knight »

pseudo3d wrote: If I recall correctly, one of those "other" Martin's stores includes one built a few years ago, so I have to assume the stores are making money and won't be closed down, changed to the Food Lion, or just letting their leases run out. Maybe the stores weren't divested firstly because they weren't in competition to Food Lion stores.
Are there any Martin's and Food Lion stores currently in direct competition with one another?
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by Knight »

mjhale wrote: You're thinking of the Martins at US 60 and Charter Colony Parkway. That store was built to replace the store in Sycamore Square Shopping Center that started as a Ukrops in I believe in the 1970s. The new Martins is the only one in the Richmond area that has the standard Giant-PA/Martins interior design from Ahold. I'm really surprised this store was not sold to Publix. It is a new, modern store as you said and the area is right for Publix. Perhaps the store isn't doing well or the terms weren't right.

Ahold has said that they hope to sell the remaining stores to independents or other grocers but no one has come forward as of yet. Maybe Ahold will convert them to Food Lion or just let them close when leases are up. Every grocer on the east coast I can think of except Albertsons is in Richmond. Richmond is very competitive and there is no reason for someone who isn't fully committed to attempt to enter the market. I don't recall hearing if Lidl is planning stores in Rochmond but it would surprise me if they are in the long run.
If Publix has interest in the remaining greater Richmond, Virginia, area Martin's stores, it could make an offer after its initial stores are open. The remaining Martin's would have to close for conversions. Publix would have associates in its existing stores that could transfer to the remaining Martin's stores.

Converting remaining Martin's stores to Food Lion would be a risk. Food Lion has stores in the greater Richmond, Virginia, area, but none are up to par of Martin's.
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by pseudo3d »

It looks like Ahold Delhaize is not interested in operating the Martin's chain at all, as they're trying to sell down the remaining Martin's stores in Richmond, VA. The fate of the remaining Martin's stores should be coming soon as there are only three Martin's stores not yet closed for remodeling (a few more will close). Trying to sell to an independent usually means those stores close, Kroger likely wouldn't want all of them, and while selling them to Albertsons isn't off the table, Safeway would probably get eaten alive between Kroger and Publix (ignoring the fact Safeway pulled out in 1993 the first time).

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/ ... 22fdb.html
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by mjhale »

pseudo3d wrote:It looks like Ahold Delhaize is not interested in operating the Martin's chain at all, as they're trying to sell down the remaining Martin's stores in Richmond, VA. The fate of the remaining Martin's stores should be coming soon as there are only three Martin's stores not yet closed for remodeling (a few more will close). Trying to sell to an independent usually means those stores close, Kroger likely wouldn't want all of them, and while selling them to Albertsons isn't off the table, Safeway would probably get eaten alive between Kroger and Publix (ignoring the fact Safeway pulled out in 1993 the first time).

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/ ... 22fdb.html
Maybe Supervalu would attempt to do something?? Perhaps another Shop n Save sort of deal like they did when they bought the Food Lion castoffs. But that purchase seems to have been a failure and Supervalu still has not sold any of the Shop n Save stores to independent operators as they originally said they were going to try to. Or maybe Supervalu would want to expand the Farm Fresh banner further in Richmond. They currently have one store east of I-95 in downtown Richmond.
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by pseudo3d »

mjhale wrote:
pseudo3d wrote:It looks like Ahold Delhaize is not interested in operating the Martin's chain at all, as they're trying to sell down the remaining Martin's stores in Richmond, VA. The fate of the remaining Martin's stores should be coming soon as there are only three Martin's stores not yet closed for remodeling (a few more will close). Trying to sell to an independent usually means those stores close, Kroger likely wouldn't want all of them, and while selling them to Albertsons isn't off the table, Safeway would probably get eaten alive between Kroger and Publix (ignoring the fact Safeway pulled out in 1993 the first time).

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/ ... 22fdb.html
Maybe Supervalu would attempt to do something?? Perhaps another Shop n Save sort of deal like they did when they bought the Food Lion castoffs. But that purchase seems to have been a failure and Supervalu still has not sold any of the Shop n Save stores to independent operators as they originally said they were going to try to. Or maybe Supervalu would want to expand the Farm Fresh banner further in Richmond. They currently have one store east of I-95 in downtown Richmond.
SuperValu would be the worst choice for those stores. The Food Lion purchase has generally been a failure (as well as their purchase of two Albertsons in Washington...one is still closed, and another was sold off, but not before closing), and they've expressed interest in closing some of the Eastern division stores, not opening any (that being said I can still seem them buying Marsh for pennies on the dollar, but run them generally as a junker chain to keep supplying them). Honestly, with the exception of maybe Kroger buying a few, I feel that the castoff Martin's will all close down.
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by architect »

It's official: Martin's will be closing their remaining Richmond-area stores in two waves, on July 10 and August 2. It will be interesting to see if another buyer turns up for any of these locations, particularly Kroger. I am assuming that if Publix was interested in any of these stores, they would have already been acquired, but I could also see Publix taking a second look at certain locations, particularly if their initial stores in the market perform well.

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/ ... b517f.html
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by klkla »

I never understood why they dumped the Ukrop's name in the first place.

Ukrop's definitely had some issues, such as not being open on Sundays, but they were well know and well regarded in the community. They certainly could have built on that reputation and did a better job with pricing without abandoning a valued brand.
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by Knight »

architect wrote:It's official: Martin's will be closing their remaining Richmond-area stores in two waves, on July 10 and August 2. It will be interesting to see if another buyer turns up for any of these locations, particularly Kroger. I am assuming that if Publix was interested in any of these stores, they would have already been acquired, but I could also see Publix taking a second look at certain locations, particularly if their initial stores in the market perform well.

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/ ... b517f.html
Publix acquiring the remaining Martin's stores scheduled to close is something to look for. Publix should have its initial Virginia stores in Glen Allen open with more to open in the fall. It would be easier to take on the soon-to-be-closed stores, update them specific to Publix, and reopen them gradually.
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by Knight »

Publix #1566, Nuckols Place, 5400 Wyndham Forest Drive, Glen Allen, Virgina 23059-5942, is opening Saturday, 15 July.
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Re: Publix expanding to Virginia

Post by mjhale »

Knight wrote:Publix #1566, Nuckols Place, 5400 Wyndham Forest Drive, Glen Allen, Virgina 23059-5942, is opening Saturday, 15 July.
I'm looking forward to seeing this store and in the long term seeing how Publix does in the Richmond market. I see Publix as the closest parallel to the old Ukrops which many people still say they miss. If Publix does well in Richmond I think Washington/Baltimore will definitely be in their sights.

Incidentally the Nuckols Place store is being built on land that Ukrops did all of the prep work for including the parking lot but never actually built a store there. I've heard all of this happened in the years leading up to the sale to Ahold when the grocery side of the company was faltering.
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