Retail Watchers

It's all speculation at this point, but the speculation comes as they begin opening stores in Louisville.

https://www.wcpo.com/money/local-busine ... blix-store
https://www.wcpo.com/money/local-busine ... dependence
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/l ... 826290007/

I don't think they will do very well in that market. They should go elsewhere.

storewanderer wrote: ↑September 22nd, 2023, 12:10 am I don't think they will do very well in that market. They should go elsewhere.

Why? It is because this is Kroger’s home turf? Or is Jungle Jim a factor?

retailfanmitchell019 wrote: ↑September 22nd, 2023, 11:26 pm

storewanderer wrote: ↑September 22nd, 2023, 12:10 am I don't think they will do very well in that market. They should go elsewhere.

Why? It is because this is Kroger’s home turf? Or is Jungle Jim a factor?

Yes, it is Kroger's home turf, Jungle Jim is fantastic but not enough locations to have a big impact. I think the product mix expectations in Cincinnati are a little different than a typical Publix market. Maybe the smaller Publix store will be well received by some customers since other than some Kroger units that are, compared to a marketplace store, outdated, such stores don't really exist in the market.

I can kind of see why they'd try- last I checked Kroger had something in the range of 50% market share in Cincinnati and Wal Mart was around 20% and Meijer around 10%. At one point Meijer's share was in the mid teens, not sure why they lost share, probably due to Kroger putting up more large stores/marketplace stores. Publix may think if they could pick off 10% market share it would be worth their while.

Florida is a common winter destination for many living in Ohio, and many of those people are probably already familiar with Publix. If they can maintain a level of consistency, Publix might do well in Ohio.

Publix has been competing with Kroger since the 90s and have entered markets heavily dominated by Kroger before. The familiarity with Publix from snowbirds and the like would help them with any more northerly movement. Kroger's dominance is at least partly a function of its competition's stumbles (a familiar story). Colonial and A&P did not move aggressively toward large stores when they were still there; more recently Winn-Dixie ran Thriftway (formerly owned by the local Lindner family) into the ground.

The other conventional operator in the area is Remke's which is mostly in the Kentucky suburbs----they've had ups and downs and most recently were sold to Fresh Encounter, which mostly operates in small markets in Ohio and Indiana.

buckguy wrote: ↑September 19th, 2023, 4:48 am It's all speculation at this point, but the speculation comes as they begin opening stores in Louisville.

https://www.wcpo.com/money/local-busine ... blix-store
https://www.wcpo.com/money/local-busine ... dependence
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/l ... 826290007/

Publix has one confirmed store in development in Boone County, Kentucky. Several stores proposed in the area look like Publix stores.

Publix in Cincinnati and possibly Ohio and Indiana is a doable idea.

storewanderer wrote: ↑September 22nd, 2023, 12:10 am I don't think they will do very well in that market. They should go elsewhere.

Who doubted Publix would do well in the Atlanta area? Publix displaced Kroger.

Knight wrote: ↑September 25th, 2023, 7:14 pm

storewanderer wrote: ↑September 22nd, 2023, 12:10 am I don't think they will do very well in that market. They should go elsewhere.

Who doubted Publix would do well in the Atlanta area? Publix displaced Kroger.

Kroger's Cincinnati operation is very different from Kroger's Atlanta operation. Higher operating standards in Cincinnati.

Further, at the point Publix went into Atlanta, and during the time period Publix built up its share in Atlanta against Kroger, Kroger did not have Marketplace Stores, did not have Boar's Head, did not have Simple Truth private label, did not have Murray's Cheese, most Kroger Stores had no fuel centers... Kroger today is a much stronger competitor with a much more compelling offer than the Kroger that Publix initially met in Atlanta.

storewanderer wrote: ↑September 26th, 2023, 12:20 am Kroger's Cincinnati operation is very different from Kroger's Atlanta operation. Higher operating standards in Cincinnati.

Further, at the point Publix went into Atlanta, and during the time period Publix built up its share in Atlanta against Kroger, Kroger did not have Marketplace Stores, did not have Boar's Head, did not have Simple Truth private label, did not have Murray's Cheese, most Kroger Stores had no fuel centers... Kroger today is a much stronger competitor with a much more compelling offer than the Kroger that Publix initially met in Atlanta.

Kroger has been competing against Publix through its Atlanta, Mid-Atlantic, and Nashville divisions and Harris Teeter. The competition will increase for the Cincinnati and Louisville divisions. Operating at higher standards can occur at any location or any level.