So I see, and I understand about Aldi/Lidl. What are your sources for the Wegmans/HT/other chains having thought about said site though? I don't believe Wegmans would fit at all for one. I know about the site Safeway was in, perhaps another shot in Round Hill would suffice. I don't know it was an IGA for that long however.Bradford011 wrote: ↑August 25th, 2021, 6:16 pm TBH I have no idea if any actual building plans have ever been drawn up, the only real proof is a sign announcing the acreage for the shopping center on that corner that's been up for almost 30 years now.
I agree Harris-Teeter and Wegman's are just too big, Lidl gets my vote. There used to be a Safeway in Purcellville (for ages it was Purcellville's sole grocery store) but it closed when IIRC Food Lion came in, it then became an IGA until IIRC Harris-Teeter moved in and it too closed.
Publix would be interesting but as the only Northern VA location is in Stafford County (right now there are about 6 stores in Fredericksburg and 2 in Dumfries) I don't see that happening. An independent is possible, of course. But as I said I just don't see this shopping center ever getting built after all this time.
As I've said, Publix is definitely likely to make some inroads in the core of NoVA where other chains are missing (to think, Giant-MD forms a standard grocery monopoly in some areas now especially with Shoppers and Safeway going by the wayside). Concerning the chain, however, I would like to correct you on one account. There exists only one Publix in Fredericksburg, and none are located in Dumfries/Prince William County thus far.
If there was demand, Publix could go for small clippings of the area as opposed to dotting themselves all across Greater Washington. There have already been some sites teasing Publix, so I can see some going in as well as in remaining Shoppers.mjhale wrote: ↑August 26th, 2021, 7:56 pm Given all of the development in Purcellville and Round Hill if another new shopping center was going to be built I'd think it would have already been constructed. Just like with the center where Harris Teeter is located now.
As for Publix, if they fit into the Giant/Safeway/Harris Teeter sector of the market, we already have saturation there. I think it would take one of the three of those to leave the DC market to give Publix their entry. There just isn't much space in the more affluent areas that I perceive that Publix would be looking at to build an average size modern grocery store. There was speculation on this board that Publix might be interested in some of the old Shoppers locations. Most of those went to Lidl and Giant. Of the three, Giant/Safeway/Harris Teeter, my feeling is that Safeway is weakest. High prices, inconsistent stores and a blah, dated feeling in the stores even with the recent decor swaps. If Albertsons ever wanted to bail on Safeway and focus on Acme, Publix would be good fit for a lot of the Safeway locations in the DC area. The only conflict is the union seeing as how Publix doesn't have one.
Figures. Independents don't seem too common around here especially in that area.mjhale wrote: ↑August 26th, 2021, 8:07 pm
It seems that when SuperValu saw that no independents were going to pick up the stores and SuperValu wanted out of running the stores themselves something had to give. As was discussed in the sale request there was little to no competition in the areas where they were looking to sell stores back to Ahold. Also as you say the stores that would go back would not be near any Giant-PA (Martins) locations.
I have not been in the Berryville, VA store since it became a Martins. However I was in the Greencastle, PA Martins during its grand opening. From a layout and facilities standpoint the store is still a Food Lion. Ahold came in and hung up whatever the latest wall signs are for Giant-PA but left everything else as is. You feel like you are in a Food Lion not a Martins. It is really one of those cases where the store is on its third operator and it still feels like original operator's store. It reminds me of the Super G turned Stop and Shop locations in South Jersey that Ahold sold to Shop Rite. For about the first two to three years those store were operating as Shop Rite they still looked and felt like 1990s neon Giant-MD stores. It was actually kind of surreal being in South Jersey but entering a store that made you feel like you were in the DC area. Shop Rite finally remodeled the stores into their own designs. One has to wonder if Ahold is just running these stores it took back on the cheap to provide some grocery to the areas they are in or if Ahold will actually bring them up to par with the other Giant-PA/Martins locations.
Speaking of Super G- gotta love how it managed to extend Giant Food out before the Ahold buyout. The Galloway ShopRite still has such decor, albeit the "Fresh Ideas. Great Values." era.
Performance wise, I'm guessing the former, Ahold just gauging how successful a store is. Plus I will argue that bringing back the Food Lion brand is less convenient even in areas without the monopoly hassle given FL operations are no longer present in the area at all. Being much like a standard Food Lion, how do you feel these locations would differ service-wise from standard PA/Martin's stores?
Many have touted that it is likely Publix will expand north once their latest distribution center opens in Greensboro, NC this year. This is on the fact that these northernmost stores are currently being serviced by a distribution center in the Atlanta area.Bradford011 wrote: ↑August 27th, 2021, 6:43 am Given the location of their distribution centers it's unlikely they'll come further north unless the market permits it and another distribution center is built in the Fredericksburg/Falmouth area to service these stores.