Posted on 02/19/2006 3:39:51 PM PST by SmithL
Northern California's food fight is coming to a store near you.
It's already hit Mary Thomatos, a loyal Albertsons customer until the chain closed its J Street store near her east Sacramento home last summer.
Now the future of the other 25 Albertsons in the Sacramento region is in doubt after their parent company was sold last month. With Ralphs Supermarkets closing eight area stores soon, the grocery landscape is shifting so rapidly that by summer many consumers may no longer recognize their neighborhood store. Such change, those in the industry say, is something most of us should get used to.
Here's how the area's grocery chain scorecard looks as of now:
Ralphs: Gone as of early April.
Albertsons: In trouble. Changes, including store closures, are possible by summer as new owners take over.
Raley's, Nugget and Safeway: Surviving - but looking warily over their shoulders.
What does it mean for shoppers?
* Lower prices, as more of Wal-Mart's tires-to-toothpaste Supercenters open locally.
* Fewer traditional grocery stores, farther apart, with survivors retooling to compete.
* More niche stores with unique goods and atmosphere.
* Non-grocery businesses filling spaces vacated by departing food stores.
Thomatos said she's not a Wal-Mart fan and hopes the world's largest retailer doesn't exploit Albertsons' and Ralphs' woes to further elbow its way into the region.
"I hate to see Wal-Mart beat up on the little guy," she said.
But it's Wal-Mart Stores Inc., based in Bentonville, Ark., that is forcing most of the changes in the industry, locally and nationally. The company "always has its nose in the wind and smells opportunity when it's there," said Michael Banks, owner and partner of Las Vegas-based retail consultant Select Marketing LLC. "They're going to sense an opening and move in."
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
...good looking guys who deliver my online orders. : )
While I will miss Albertsons if it goes, all I really want is for the store to have online shopping. I've gotten to hate going grocery shopping anymore when I can do it all from home and have a cutie bring it to my door.
a vacumn creates a need for business. watch how the phone and ELECTRIC companies begin to deliver high speed internet and TV via new or old wires. Competition in cable is about to get rough...my opinion.
And I got an 8 oz. block of Extra sharp Cheddar cheese for $1 at Kroger - it was $2.79 at WallyWorld. Plus Kroger, the new Super Kmart and Farmer Jacks (A&P everywhere else in the country) have a much wider selection of hard to find and gourmet items than does Wallmart.
Where I live in Florida, we have the BEST (imo) grocery store in the world- Publix. It's also a bit pricier than others. I shop at Walmart for many basics- but they don't carry a lot of what I use. So I still go to Publix for about 1/3 of my groceries.
Walmart has definitely made a dent in our local market- several Winn Dixies have closed (not a big loss) and of course Albertson's are re-arranging.
Off topic- I drove through a new housing development this weekend- an area of Orlando that was woods and ponds a couple of years ago. Mile after mile is being bulldozed and built. Though I've noticed this everywhere- I was struck by how EVERY new shop was a franchise I can find in Anytown, USA. There is nothing that makes this community..or any other..unique.
I like to do my grocery shopping at the Commissary. Usually the produce and meats are higher quality than those at WalMart, and the prices all around are comparable.
Hannafords is always good for an emergency beer run.
Sam's Club.
It's not the "Walmarts" causing this.
It's those damn "member cards" used by Safeway, Albertson's, King Soopers, and others.
The objective was to drive loyalty by pretending that "members" received "savings" not enjoyed by others.
As a single man, my shopping habits are pretty constant so when they switched to the "member cards" and the prices of my regular items went up even with the card, the lie was exposed.
Oh, sure, the sign said I was "saving money", but that was a lie compared to prices the week before.
I HATE HAVING TO CARRY A CARD FOR EVERY DAMN STORE I WALK INTO!
Ditch the cards and provide fair prices for everyone!
No coupons, no BS, just low prices!
THAT'S HOW THE GROCERS WILL GET THEIR CUSTOMERS BACK!!!
I found them where they sell the coffee machines, not where they sell the coffee.
All I can say is "good".
Yeah, it was a superstore. Snort.
You probably should ask that in a private reply. ;^)
Well, the only wal-mart superstore I've been to is in a different state, it was a massive grocery store, in my area all we have is the normal wal-marts with a comparitivly much smaller selection.
"I hate to see Wal-Mart beat up on the little guy," she said.
ummm...Albertsons is not "the little guy"
I adore clementines! I'm about to eat one. They peel so easily, they taste great, and they're the perfect size for juggling!
BTW, Kroger in Houston has 'em for $3.99 for a five-pound bag.
We got these at WM and they were about the same price. I like to make a fruit said with them and some other fruit. Whatever I have on hand seems to work. I had rather have fruit than sweets.
Huh? Wouldn't you think they'd be with the #4s?
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