Food 4 Less Norwalk-Imperial Highway- closed 3/26/22

California. No non-grocery posts.
Bagels
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 823
Joined: August 20th, 2018, 11:54 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 12 times
Status: Offline

Re: Food 4 Less Norwalk-Imperial Highway- closed 3/26/22

Post by Bagels »

storewanderer wrote: April 16th, 2022, 10:16 pm
Bagels wrote: April 15th, 2022, 10:16 pm

It did have a security guard stationed out front, and recently Woke Kroger stopped locking up most items previously under key, and added a second security guard to patrol the store. I wouldn’t be surprised if high theft + the added security sealed this store’s fate.
Have the quit locking up liquor too? Lots of locked up liquor in the FoodsCo units. If areas are not staffed properly, this set up of locking stuff up doesn't work out. In the case of Kroger I never heard about any problems with people being unable to access locked up products (just some folks got offended about what was being locked up), but I am sure we will start hearing problems with people not finding what they needed because the stuff all got stolen and was not promptly replenished.
No, the items that were unlocked were the items that aren’t typically locked at Ralphs - deodorant, ethic products, etc. The items that are typically locked up at Ralphs - liquor, Tide Pods (!), razors, etc. - remained locked.
ClownLoach
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts: 2689
Joined: April 4th, 2016, 10:55 pm
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 288 times
Status: Offline

Re: Food 4 Less Norwalk-Imperial Highway- closed 3/26/22

Post by ClownLoach »

storewanderer wrote: April 17th, 2022, 11:16 am
ClownLoach wrote: April 17th, 2022, 8:52 am

This was a small old Lucky that I suspect was also an Alpha Beta in previous life.

The second Albertsons announced that closure - it was like magic - Ralphs announced the F4L conversion. That was when they knew they dominated that neighborhood and could cut back to a bare bones format.

The aggravating part is that they absolutely did not run any kind of price cut against the Ralphs pricing on Anaheim St. To this day my Aunt has to walk to this store because she is vision impaired and can't drive, and I am appalled by the pricing. They basically are taking advantage of the neighborhood. The store was always somewhat of an oddity in that Ralphs had clearly recognized the international nature of the neighborhood - a real melting pot including a large Cambodian population - and offered a great assortment. The store was like a bit of a mix of a regular Ralphs plus meat/seafood had somewhere between a Hispanic and Asian mix - a significantly expanded selection. Deli was normal Ralphs stuff but everyone loved the sandwiches and there was a long line most days at lunchtime. This was back when their sandwiches were similar format to Subway but with good meats cheeses and produce.

The closest full service Ralphs now is the real oddball at 4th and Orizaba about 8 blocks south. If it has more than 75 parking spaces I'd be shocked. Another old 7 aisle Alpha Beta mostly torn down and expanded, but it is probably only 35K Sq ft and jam packed with customers.
Yes, that Albertsons was an old Alpha Beta (and Lucky) as well. Not sure how Lucky ended up with it though. But that was not a great store (those old Alpha Betas were quite lousy). It looked healthy for what it was when I was there but obviously wasn't healthy. Closed with Lucky interior in 2012.
Photo591.jpg
Photo592.jpg

So it is ironic Ralphs felt a beat down undersized old Lucky was such competition for them that they needed to have a large modern 55k square foot store as Ralphs, but the second that Albertsons went away, then they decided it was perfectly fine to downgrade the place to a F4L.

Almost seems like they would want to consider converting the F4L back to Ralphs, but I highly doubt that would happen. Do they own or lease the real estate?

Ralphs has some very diversely merchandised stores up in San Gabriel Valley Area as well so they definitely have the ability to do it. If they want to.
This one is a lease. So now that we seem to have the dates right - the rebuilt store opened in early 2005 and converted to F4L in 2012. It was closed for construction most of 2004. Where I got confused was the statement of a F4L liquor license starting in 2004 - they must have actually updated the name on record for the liquor license. I know the chains don't always do that (hence the Albertsons stores that technically are Lucky Stores #XXXX on the license etc.). And it definitely wasn't built to be converted to F4L later as they rebuilt with the lowered t-frame ceiling tiles around the perimeter with the raised ceiling in center store with skylights. If they wanted to be a F4L later they would have just done all warehouse ceiling. That's why it doesn't look anything like a normal Food4Less.
Post Reply