Retail Watchers

marketreportblog wrote: ↑February 11th, 2024, 5:23 pm An interesting update in Albertsons Mid-Atlantic: apparently there's a new decor package coming into at least one Balducci's in VA. It's extremely bland, at least based on a rendering posted to Broden Design Group's website (scroll down to Upcoming Projects). The current decor package is a variation on the Kings decor. If you look at Broden's other work, there's definitely lots more exciting decor, like this.

I don't know if that means renovations might be coming to other Balducci's (there are only 8) or any of the Kings stores. There are 19 Kings stores, and one was renovated (Millburn) in 2022. It was a very minor renovation, though, and only consisted of new floor and fixtures in produce, some new lighting, a wall being removed, and a reset.

The Millburn Kings never held a grand reopening, but the Livingston Kings did. There was no renovation there, though, other than removing some produce fixtures and replacing them with grocery shelving, replacing a few cases in deli and bakery, adding self-checkout, and switching the liquor store to a kosher department. Neither Millburn nor Livingston had a decor change. As far as I know, none of the Balducci's got new fixtures or decor since Albertsons bought the chain in 2020.

I can't imagine Balducci's and Kings are very profitable -- with a few exceptions, the locations I have been to regularly are always deserted and very slim on the perishable offerings (for a gourmet store especially), making me think they're quite low-volume. I also can't imagine that, if a Kroger deal goes through, they would want to keep the two chains. What would Kroger want with 10,000-40,000 square foot gourmet supermarkets?

pseudo3d wrote: ↑February 12th, 2024, 9:56 pm

marketreportblog wrote: ↑February 11th, 2024, 5:23 pm An interesting update in Albertsons Mid-Atlantic: apparently there's a new decor package coming into at least one Balducci's in VA. It's extremely bland, at least based on a rendering posted to Broden Design Group's website (scroll down to Upcoming Projects). The current decor package is a variation on the Kings decor. If you look at Broden's other work, there's definitely lots more exciting decor, like this.

I don't know if that means renovations might be coming to other Balducci's (there are only 8) or any of the Kings stores. There are 19 Kings stores, and one was renovated (Millburn) in 2022. It was a very minor renovation, though, and only consisted of new floor and fixtures in produce, some new lighting, a wall being removed, and a reset.

The Millburn Kings never held a grand reopening, but the Livingston Kings did. There was no renovation there, though, other than removing some produce fixtures and replacing them with grocery shelving, replacing a few cases in deli and bakery, adding self-checkout, and switching the liquor store to a kosher department. Neither Millburn nor Livingston had a decor change. As far as I know, none of the Balducci's got new fixtures or decor since Albertsons bought the chain in 2020.

I can't imagine Balducci's and Kings are very profitable -- with a few exceptions, the locations I have been to regularly are always deserted and very slim on the perishable offerings (for a gourmet store especially), making me think they're quite low-volume. I also can't imagine that, if a Kroger deal goes through, they would want to keep the two chains. What would Kroger want with 10,000-40,000 square foot gourmet supermarkets?

This is a direct link to the rendering. Even so, there's not much to see.

Either way, it IS interesting to see them put some investment into Balducci's, but the real issue is that they (Albertsons, not Kroger) probably just need to offload the chain to reduce debt. Its like the Safeway Florida debacle, renovating and rebranding the stores was useless if they weren't actually going to do anything with them. (Maybe the original plan was to merge with SEG somehow, but that would take a substantial effort just to fix existing problems, much less try to get close to what Safeway-FL was offering).

The same thing applies here. If they can't make and keep an "upscale" counterpart to ACME/Safeway, then what's the point?

storewanderer wrote: ↑February 12th, 2024, 11:44 pm
I think it operates as a part of Acme similar to how Haggen operates as a part of Safeway Seattle Division or how Andronico's operates as a part of Safeway NorCal Division, but has some very limited separate buying/merchandising still. And dedicated field management, like those stores get their own region/district type of thing.

As far as Kroger goes, it'll probably take them a while to even know what these stores are.

marketreportblog wrote: ↑February 11th, 2024, 5:23 pm An interesting update in Albertsons Mid-Atlantic: apparently there's a new decor package coming into at least one Balducci's in VA. It's extremely bland, at least based on a rendering posted to Broden Design Group's website (scroll down to Upcoming Projects). The current decor package is a variation on the Kings decor. If you look at Broden's other work, there's definitely lots more exciting decor, like this.

I don't know if that means renovations might be coming to other Balducci's (there are only 8) or any of the Kings stores. There are 19 Kings stores, and one was renovated (Millburn) in 2022. It was a very minor renovation, though, and only consisted of new floor and fixtures in produce, some new lighting, a wall being removed, and a reset.

The Millburn Kings never held a grand reopening, but the Livingston Kings did. There was no renovation there, though, other than removing some produce fixtures and replacing them with grocery shelving, replacing a few cases in deli and bakery, adding self-checkout, and switching the liquor store to a kosher department. Neither Millburn nor Livingston had a decor change. As far as I know, none of the Balducci's got new fixtures or decor since Albertsons bought the chain in 2020.

I can't imagine Balducci's and Kings are very profitable -- with a few exceptions, the locations I have been to regularly are always deserted and very slim on the perishable offerings (for a gourmet store especially), making me think they're quite low-volume. I also can't imagine that, if a Kroger deal goes through, they would want to keep the two chains. What would Kroger want with 10,000-40,000 square foot gourmet supermarkets?

buckguy wrote: ↑February 13th, 2024, 7:03 am The "more exciting" decor you link includes something similar to what Giant-Landover uses which seems pretty cheap and simple.

marketreportblog wrote: ↑February 11th, 2024, 5:23 pm An interesting update in Albertsons Mid-Atlantic: apparently there's a new decor package coming into at least one Balducci's in VA. It's extremely bland, at least based on a rendering posted to Broden Design Group's website (scroll down to Upcoming Projects)....

rwsandiego wrote: ↑February 13th, 2024, 9:41 pm

marketreportblog wrote: ↑February 11th, 2024, 5:23 pm An interesting update in Albertsons Mid-Atlantic: apparently there's a new decor package coming into at least one Balducci's in VA. It's extremely bland, at least based on a rendering posted to Broden Design Group's website (scroll down to Upcoming Projects)....

I hope the trend of bland, character-less design being synonymous with "upscale" ends soon. It isn't just stores. Home decor and the exterior of houses are bland, bland, bland.

storewanderer wrote: ↑February 14th, 2024, 12:50 am

rwsandiego wrote: ↑February 13th, 2024, 9:41 pm

marketreportblog wrote: ↑February 11th, 2024, 5:23 pm An interesting update in Albertsons Mid-Atlantic: apparently there's a new decor package coming into at least one Balducci's in VA. It's extremely bland, at least based on a rendering posted to Broden Design Group's website (scroll down to Upcoming Projects)....

I hope the trend of bland, character-less design being synonymous with "upscale" ends soon. It isn't just stores. Home decor and the exterior of houses are bland, bland, bland.

The worst is that gray color. Don't forget hotels too... And I like gray- wear gray clothes all the time. But I've sure gotten to hate gray interior decor.

ClownLoach wrote: ↑February 20th, 2024, 8:15 pm

storewanderer wrote: ↑February 14th, 2024, 12:50 am

rwsandiego wrote: ↑February 13th, 2024, 9:41 pm

I hope the trend of bland, character-less design being synonymous with "upscale" ends soon. It isn't just stores. Home decor and the exterior of houses are bland, bland, bland.

The worst is that gray color. Don't forget hotels too... And I like gray- wear gray clothes all the time. But I've sure gotten to hate gray interior decor.

The trend is moving back to colors and real woodwork, especially deep intense colors and dark colors. All the people who painted their kitchen cabinets white to be trendy are going to hate themselves. Real woodgrain is in, farmhouse (including millennial gray etc) is out.