Ralphs Fresh Fare..................lol

[steps]

Downtown LA Ralphs "Fresh Fare" is abosolute garbage. They need to convert it to a Food4Less at this point.

[storewanderer]

Downtown LA Ralphs "Fresh Fare" is abosolute garbage. They need to convert it to a Food4Less at this point.

Is it extremely understaffed?

Do you think it is doing enough sales volume at this point to be viable?

[steps]

Downtown LA Ralphs "Fresh Fare" is abosolute garbage. They need to convert it to a Food4Less at this point.

Is it extremely understaffed?

Do you think it is doing enough sales volume at this point to be viable?

It's a very, very busy store but it's homeless central. The homeless hang out around in and outside the store. HBA is in a walled off section with a check stand, any hot foods from service deli have to be paid before before you can get it, they also do not carry many of the FF salads or hot foods, the store is cramped, anything of value is locked up (Kroger coffee??) the staff is indifferent and not friendly like they used to be. They got rid of all the ladscaping outside the store and the outside is dirty. Its just very bland and not a fun place to shop anymore. This used to be my favorite store to shop at. They got rid of most of the FF amenities (hot bar, salad bar, soup bar). You'll see all kinds of opened food around the store. It's just lousy now.

Whole Foods down the street keeps the homeless at bay and will kick them out immediately.

[ClownLoach]

Downtown LA Ralphs "Fresh Fare" is abosolute garbage. They need to convert it to a Food4Less at this point.

Is it extremely understaffed?

Do you think it is doing enough sales volume at this point to be viable?

It's a very, very busy store but it's homeless central. The homeless hang out around in and outside the store. HBA is in a walled off section with a check stand, any hot foods from service deli have to be paid before before you can get it, they also do not carry many of the FF salads or hot foods, the store is cramped, anything of value is locked up (Kroger coffee??) the staff is indifferent and not friendly like they used to be. They got rid of all the ladscaping outside the store and the outside is dirty. Its just very bland and not a fun place to shop anymore. This used to be my favorite store to shop at. They got rid of most of the FF amenities (hot bar, salad bar, soup bar). You'll see all kinds of opened food around the store. It's just lousy now.

Whole Foods down the street keeps the homeless at bay and will kick them out immediately.

This is how Kroger lost the Ralphs Fresh Fare on 7th St in Long Beach. Same indifference towards the problem, which turned into indifferent employees, and eventually the customers abandoned the store despite being at the #1 intersection in the city.

And to be clear, this store got a floor to ceiling complete gut rebuild for the fresh fare conversion, not just new signage and decor. Every fixture, every refrigeration unit. Every perimeter department was torn down and fully rebuilt plus they moved departments including refrigeration. They spent millions of dollars on this project only to change gear and let it fall apart.

[storewanderer]

Downtown LA Ralphs "Fresh Fare" is abosolute garbage. They need to convert it to a Food4Less at this point.

Is it extremely understaffed?

Do you think it is doing enough sales volume at this point to be viable?

It's a very, very busy store but it's homeless central. The homeless hang out around in and outside the store. HBA is in a walled off section with a check stand, any hot foods from service deli have to be paid before before you can get it, they also do not carry many of the FF salads or hot foods, the store is cramped, anything of value is locked up (Kroger coffee??) the staff is indifferent and not friendly like they used to be. They got rid of all the ladscaping outside the store and the outside is dirty. Its just very bland and not a fun place to shop anymore. This used to be my favorite store to shop at. They got rid of most of the FF amenities (hot bar, salad bar, soup bar). You'll see all kinds of opened food around the store. It's just lousy now.

Whole Foods down the street keeps the homeless at bay and will kick them out immediately.

I have not been to this store for some time. The last time I was there it was still a nice store with the FF amenities and an above average food service operation (even by FF standards)... There were some homeless around but little in the store was locked up.

Sometimes stores like this look busy but the sales volume they do is surprisingly low due to low transaction amounts (and then high theft or shrinkage for other reasons only makes the problems worse). Add in extra costs for security and you get a store that isn't viable anymore in its current form. Obviously this location is viable for a grocery store but there need to be some changes...

What is the staffing level you see like? Does it seem understaffed? The indifferent/not friendly staff- do they seem stressed out or just worn out?

I am thinking this store has turned into one of those high traffic/low ticket type stores so it ends up understaffed...

It is interesting how Whole Foods is better equipped to handle stores like this. I also feel like customers don't cause as much trouble at Whole Foods, maybe the chain has a reputation for more security and more eager to trespass, use facial recognition, etc.

[ClownLoach]

Is it extremely understaffed?

Do you think it is doing enough sales volume at this point to be viable?

It's a very, very busy store but it's homeless central. The homeless hang out around in and outside the store. HBA is in a walled off section with a check stand, any hot foods from service deli have to be paid before before you can get it, they also do not carry many of the FF salads or hot foods, the store is cramped, anything of value is locked up (Kroger coffee??) the staff is indifferent and not friendly like they used to be. They got rid of all the ladscaping outside the store and the outside is dirty. Its just very bland and not a fun place to shop anymore. This used to be my favorite store to shop at. They got rid of most of the FF amenities (hot bar, salad bar, soup bar). You'll see all kinds of opened food around the store. It's just lousy now.

Whole Foods down the street keeps the homeless at bay and will kick them out immediately.

I have not been to this store for some time. The last time I was there it was still a nice store with the FF amenities and an above average food service operation (even by FF standards)... There were some homeless around but little in the store was locked up.

Sometimes stores like this look busy but the sales volume they do is surprisingly low due to low transaction amounts (and then high theft or shrinkage for other reasons only makes the problems worse). Add in extra costs for security and you get a store that isn't viable anymore in its current form. Obviously this location is viable for a grocery store but there need to be some changes...

What is the staffing level you see like? Does it seem understaffed? The indifferent/not friendly staff- do they seem stressed out or just worn out?

I am thinking this store has turned into one of those high traffic/low ticket type stores so it ends up understaffed...

It is interesting how Whole Foods is better equipped to handle stores like this. I also feel like customers don't cause as much trouble at Whole Foods, maybe the chain has a reputation for more security and more eager to trespass, use facial recognition, etc.

Whole Foods in my experience uses a third party security service that is very much allowed to engage with the customer throughout the store independently. They are trained and experienced guards. They do not wait for the WF employees to call for help. The security is also a permanently assigned crew, which makes a big difference as they get to know the store, the customer, and the problems so they can give and enforce no trespassing orders. By being given free reign and working independently, this also shields WF from liability when the security decides to go after thieves. I assume that they have bonds and other insurance that protect the company. This kind of security of course costs much more than the average, which is what Kroger uses.

Ralphs where I see security is a guard that is hired to stand like a lamp post and do nothing unless engaged by the store. Those services send a different person each day because of their high turnover. They are basically just there to call the police if there is a real problem. Unfortunately this strategy is a waste of everyone's time. This is why they're having these problems in Downtown LA, and also La Jolla that used to be the gem of the company, the closed Long Beach store, etc.

[storewanderer]

Whole Foods in my experience uses a third party security service that is very much allowed to engage with the customer throughout the store independently. They are trained and experienced guards. They do not wait for the WF employees to call for help. The security is also a permanently assigned crew, which makes a big difference as they get to know the store, the customer, and the problems so they can give and enforce no trespassing orders. By being given free reign and working independently, this also shields WF from liability when the security decides to go after thieves. I assume that they have bonds and other insurance that protect the company. This kind of security of course costs much more than the average, which is what Kroger uses.

Ralphs where I see security is a guard that is hired to stand like a lamp post and do nothing unless engaged by the store. Those services send a different person each day because of their high turnover. They are basically just there to call the police if there is a real problem. Unfortunately this strategy is a waste of everyone's time. This is why they're having these problems in Downtown LA, and also La Jolla that used to be the gem of the company, the closed Long Beach store, etc.

It seems like Whole Foods has enough of these locations that they understand how to secure them. The question is why doesn't Kroger understand? Or Walgreens... In the case of Kroger I could give the excuse they have few locations like this in their entire network so they just are inexperienced. But that still isn't an excuse.

[ClownLoach]

Whole Foods in my experience uses a third party security service that is very much allowed to engage with the customer throughout the store independently. They are trained and experienced guards. They do not wait for the WF employees to call for help. The security is also a permanently assigned crew, which makes a big difference as they get to know the store, the customer, and the problems so they can give and enforce no trespassing orders. By being given free reign and working independently, this also shields WF from liability when the security decides to go after thieves. I assume that they have bonds and other insurance that protect the company. This kind of security of course costs much more than the average, which is what Kroger uses.

Ralphs where I see security is a guard that is hired to stand like a lamp post and do nothing unless engaged by the store. Those services send a different person each day because of their high turnover. They are basically just there to call the police if there is a real problem. Unfortunately this strategy is a waste of everyone's time. This is why they're having these problems in Downtown LA, and also La Jolla that used to be the gem of the company, the closed Long Beach store, etc.

It seems like Whole Foods has enough of these locations that they understand how to secure them. The question is why doesn't Kroger understand? Or Walgreens... In the case of Kroger I could give the excuse they have few locations like this in their entire network so they just are inexperienced. But that still isn't an excuse.

There is a Time article that I won't link directly here about cheap private security services (due to very graphic and disturbing content). The article states Kroger had moved to a national contract with a company that is alleged to provide inadequate/poor training. There was a shooting by one of their guards that appeared to be racially motivated, and that moved Kroger to terminate that firm. But it doesn't seem like they've hired a better one.

The private security companies, which range from multinational corporations to mom and pop businesses, all have one thing in common. You get what you paid for.

I had a robbery problem store where corporate hired one of the big companies and it was musical chairs, quite literally, they'd send a new guard every day most of them bringing a folding chair to sit by the door. Of course if the robber came back the situation would likely be worse if the guard was attacked while seated. Useless and eventually the shopping center people figured out it was dumb for me to have to put my own guard out so they stepped up patrols, moved their patrol car to our curb, etc. and I let the guard service go after ensuring the team felt comfortable with the decision.

I had another store that was a homeless harassment, needles and worse on sidewalks, car break ins, etc problem and the landlord refused to provide permanent on site security. They just used a drive by firm that supervises multiple complexes, shows up a couple of times a day driving around the parking lot and receiving docks then leaves without ever setting foot on the ground. I kept pushing the issue and finally the landlord hired a permanent mom and pop firm to stay on site and they were amazing. Big guys always dressed in a suit, they greeted my customers, picked up litter, helped elderly customers load their purchases, collected carts, all without being asked. Customers for everyone in the strip mall loved it. They thought the mall owner had instituted VIP service. We could call or text for shoplifters and they would come in and the thieves would almost immediately ditch the product and walk out, terrified of the guard because they knew they meant business. Not sure what the guards would say and I'm probably better off not knowing. A drugged out person tried to start a fist fight with the guard one day and let's just say that they were hopelessly mismatched. The guard calmly blocked the punches with one hand while calling the PD with his other. It was hilarious, as if he didn't even feel the blows, but if he threw one back the assailant would have probably been knocked unconscious immediately. After a couple of months the problem folks had enough and moved on to other shopping centers.

[storewanderer]

I have noticed this also. There are a few "locally owned" security companies with a fleet of vehicles and obviously career level guards and they can be posted at a tough location and keep things in line.

Conversely at the major chain stores most of them that have security seem to use these national firms and I am not sure how they staff but my impression is they use gig workers or something. A work card is a requirement to be a security guard in Nevada but I am not sure all of these people the national firms send dressed to look like a security guard are even certified with the work card. Maybe they have some other name like "observer" or something and just wear what looks like a security guard uniform so they are not subject to the work card requirement.

[HCal]

Downtown LA Ralphs "Fresh Fare" is abosolute garbage. They need to convert it to a Food4Less at this point.

Interesting perspective. I was last there a few months ago and didn't notice any issues. It was quite busy, and yes there were homeless people around, but honestly to most Angelenos the homeless are basically invisible at this point. I don't recall anything about the staff, I don't think I interacted with any of them. The store was well stocked.

I don't think the Food4Less model would necessarily do well at this location. The perimeter departments like the deli are quite busy and help the store attract customers, who are willing to pay Ralphs-level prices.