Crucial times for Shoppers

[pseudo3d]

The TRU revivals weren't very long, the mall stores only got to what, two?

The union issue complicates re-hiring employees and bumping rights and all that.

Well there is one now, but I think it's far-removed from the 2018 closings enough.

Also, does the union issue have to do with TRU or Shoppers?

Shoppers Food & Pharmacy. The "bumping" rights that unions have in place would mean that they would have much higher labor costs from day one rather than just starting out new.

[BatteryMill]

In a (somewhat shocking) turn of events, the McKays chain which had previously bought into Shoppers is no more, with none other Shoppers themselves taking over their last three sites. This reclaims one store in the process, but also adds two entirely new locations.

https://thebaynet.com/saying-goodbye-to ... -shoppers/

[storewanderer]

In a (somewhat shocking) turn of events, the McKays chain which had previously bought into Shoppers is no more, with none other Shoppers themselves taking over their last three sites. This reclaims one store in the process, but also adds two entirely new locations.

https://thebaynet.com/saying-goodbye-to ... -shoppers/

How did McKay's go from opening a "flagship store" in 2021 to shutting down?
https://thebaynet.com/mckays-opens-new- ... arys-html/

Nothing shocks me when it comes to Shoppers and UNFI... they found very questionable buyers to take stores over but for some strange reason with Shoppers they opt to reopen stores when said buyers go belly up. I am suspicious UNFI somehow financially backed all of these "buyers" who took over Shoppers stores (probably were given the stores for free as long as they'd keep buying groceries wholesale from UNFI) and UNFI must be so hard up for wholesale volume that they need to reopen the stores.

It is odd since when they did those Shop N Save things in former Food Lions and Farm Fresh and the questionable buyers went belly up, they did not re-assume operations of those stores.

[BatteryMill]

How did McKay's go from opening a "flagship store" in 2021 to shutting down?
https://thebaynet.com/mckays-opens-new- ... arys-html/

Nothing shocks me when it comes to Shoppers and UNFI... they found very questionable buyers to take stores over but for some strange reason with Shoppers they opt to reopen stores when said buyers go belly up. I am suspicious UNFI somehow financially backed all of these "buyers" who took over Shoppers stores (probably were given the stores for free as long as they'd keep buying groceries wholesale from UNFI) and UNFI must be so hard up for wholesale volume that they need to reopen the stores.

It is odd since when they did those Shop N Save things in former Food Lions and Farm Fresh and the questionable buyers went belly up, they did not re-assume operations of those stores.

I have heard rumors on the SoMD forum that Tommy McKay, the latest heir was poor at managing McKays; not to mention the chain having a bad reputation for unkept stores probably did them in. There may be more pieces to the puzzle though.

That is an interesting idea but there's a few complicating factors. The stores given to Lidl for instance are more than likely not intertwined with UNFI nor are reverting to Shoppers, while the Charlotte Hall/Leonardtown sites are entirely new to SFW and UNFI. Also speaking of the whole SnS ordeal and intertwining with my Winchester/Front Royal grocery thread, I don't think either would be a bad frontier for Shoppers. Mind you that was the era when SuperValu was adamant on exiting the retail side of business.

[storewanderer]

I have heard rumors on the SoMD forum that Tommy McKay, the latest heir was poor at managing McKays; not to mention the chain having a bad reputation for unkept stores probably did them in. There may be more pieces to the puzzle though.

That is an interesting idea but there's a few complicating factors. The stores given to Lidl for instance are more than likely not intertwined with UNFI nor are reverting to Shoppers, while the Charlotte Hall/Leonardtown sites are entirely new to SFW and UNFI. Also speaking of the whole SnS ordeal and intertwining with my Winchester/Front Royal grocery thread, I don't think either would be a bad frontier for Shoppers. Mind you that was the era when SuperValu was adamant on exiting the retail side of business.

I suspect buyers like Lidl and Safeway actually paid UNFI/Supervalu for the stores and UNFI/Supervalu is gone from those locations no strings attached.

It is some of these other buyers like the Key Food and now this McKay's that I think there is more to the story. It is very odd Shoppers is gaining 2 stores now that were never even Shoppers in the first place... that is a very odd turn of events.

[BatteryMill]

Looks like the Waldorf location, once operated by McKays under the Shoppers banner is now being reopened by the real SFW.
Perhaps the chain's biggest expansion period since the early-mid 2000s, I wonder where UNFI will try to make inroads next or to improve the existing store experience.

http://shashoconsulting.blogspot.com/20 ... dates.html

[storewanderer]

I wonder how the interiors of these new Shoppers Stores will look. If UNFI is actually spending significant money on the interiors it will be very interesting... would almost imply they want to keep them long term...

[BatteryMill]

I wonder how the interiors of these new Shoppers Stores will look. If UNFI is actually spending significant money on the interiors it will be very interesting... would almost imply they want to keep them long term...

The Shoppers stores reopened thus far have kept the previous Fresh & Healthy 3.0 decor from their original stints (yellow walls with multi-colored departments). However, a new decor package has been revealed which is quite similar to the previous, but with more photographic elements and a gray motif. It has been implemented at the two Forestville, MD locations.

[mjhale]

I have to wonder if UNFI is realizing that the current stable of Shoppers stores could actually be successful in the long run. When Supervalu sold off to UNFI they purged the stores that were in upscale neighborhoods that didn't theoretically fit the Shoppers "image" along with stores where they were facing stronger competition from other traditional grocers. That left them with stores where they don't have a lot of nearby competition and/or they "fit" the neighborhood they operate in. I go to the Fairfax County store on Route 1 and the store in College Park, MD every so often if I am having a colossal donut urge (lol). Unless I am there super early in the morning the stores seem to have good volume and people are buying good amounts of stuff, not just a thing here or there. If UNFI can find success with Shoppers in the markets they are in, I'm all for it. Those area will retain access to a traditional grocery store for whatever time Shoppers is around.

[rwsandiego]

I wonder how the interiors of these new Shoppers Stores will look. If UNFI is actually spending significant money on the interiors it will be very interesting... would almost imply they want to keep them long term...

The Shoppers stores reopened thus far have kept the previous Fresh & Healthy 3.0 decor from their original stints (yellow walls with multi-colored departments). However, a new decor package has been revealed which is quite similar to the previous, but with more photographic elements and a gray motif. It has been implemented at the two Forestville, MD locations.

Do you have any photos? I'd love to see the decor packages.