SamSpade wrote:All seconded.architect wrote:Don't worry, I'm definitely not dissing the Longview store! I was actually working occasionally in Longview about a year ago and made a point to stop there every time I was in town (I was living in Tyler at the time). It's really a nice store after the recent renovation, and is impressive just based on the history alone and the fact that it still draws excellent traffic despite its age and location (considering Longview is primarily growing to the north). I hope that the upcoming Marketplace doesn't impact the former Family Center too badly. Honestly, I feel that the store that will be most left out in this situation will be the remaining Albertsons in Longview, considering that the store is old, has terrible pricing, and is the closest store to the future Marketplace. Also, I'm still hoping that Kroger decides to try for round 2 in Tyler with a Marketplace store, though I do not expect that to happen in my lifetime. Brookshires, although an excellent company, desperately needs some competition around here.
I was in Tyler for work reasons and honestly, I tried Brookshires (a few locations), FRESH, and Super 1 (which was hotel adjacent). Other than the Super 1, I was just kind of "eh" about Brook-shur's . I really disliked that the deli and meat counter were adjacent in the store, I don't like to think about raw and prepared foods being so close - but the staff level was good and the employees all more than willing to help. FRESH was a nice enough store but it's freaking out in the boondocks. The food I got for the "protein + 2 sides" that seems to be the new supermarket staple was high quality but cost a few dollars more than most grocers.
The Longview Kroger made me feel back at home except for the low-quality looking deli counter. I bought a few seasonal sugar cookies for Memorial Day before heading back to Tyler. This store also has a fuel center crammed into the lot.
By your description, I'm assuming that you were staying at the Hampton Inn at Cumberland Park? If so, the Super 1 you visited is brand new, having opened in the last year and is overall a very nice store (though the prices are barely lower than a traditional Brookshires store). Most of the national retail in Tyler is situated around Loop 323 and along the Broadway (69) corridor. However, the Old Jacksonville corridor where Fresh is located is actually growing into a major commercial corridor in its own right; it is just still in the process of being built out. Many of the nicest neighborhoods in Tyler are located in this area, hence the location. The Rice Road Brookshires is also a major south Tyler destination; it is a long-running store which is considered the company's flagship. When it first opened, this store was smaller than it is now; there was originally an Eckerd pharmacy in the area where the produce/bakery/deli are presently located. In the mid-1990's, Eckerd moved across Broadway (to the current CVS location) and Brookshires expanded into their space (I still remember this renovation from when I was younger). Then, this past year, Brookshires renovated this store again, revamping the decor and adding brighter lighting in many areas. The Roseland (Bergfeld Center) Brookshires in Tyler has also been extensively renovated over the past couple of years; prior to its renovation, it was another long-running store which was clearly in need of an update. Overall, Brookshires knows how to run their stores well, their prices are just simply too high on many products, especially in Tyler where they have a virtual monopoly (DFW-area Brookshires pricing is much more competitive).