Hopefully Kroger enters back into area

[mgsports]

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/n ... j=75614552

[flyingember]

I worked at one of their stores in Springfield. I don't hope they'll re-enter the market because they wouldn't survive in KC

They left Springfield. They returned to St. Louis only with an Aldis style of store.

That's not a chain that is seriously looking at Kansas City.

[aknowledgeableperson]

As a pharmacy who knows but doubt it. As a grocery store definitely not.

[earthling]

I've heard margins for general grocery stores are very tight in KC compared to other markets due to a lot of competition (not the high end stores like Consentinos, Whole Foods, etc). Also heard Schnucks pulled out because they couldn't compete on price - they have much higher prices/margins in STL market. Kroger and Schnucks are pretty generic compared to some superstores in KC that have much broader product lines, like a lot more ethnic goods and more specialty produce. I don't see how Kroger could compete unless finding areas with few stores.

[WSPanic]

If they can figure out how to supply decent produce, I'd welcome them anywhere in midtown/Westport area. Sunfresh is brutal and there aren't many close options for decent fruits/vegetables.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Way back when KC was one of the few markets that had all of the national chains present. A&P, Kroger, Safeway. And it had as a local Milgrams. Associated Wholesale Grocers was/is too dominating. For Schnucks it wasn't just the competition but also supplying the stores. Not enough stores to have a decent warehouse operation.

[flyingember]

I don't buy the supply situation. Hy-Vee bought Schnucks stores in 97 and then became a powerhouse in the city. They still supply stores out of Iowa and they're in Springfield

They probably weren't making enough money relative to the distance.

[mgsports]

Dillions use to be here and was a nice Grocery store so is Gerbes, Winco would be good so would Ramey Price Cutter and others.

[flyingember]

Dillions use to be here and was a nice Grocery store so is Gerbes, Winco would be good so would Ramey Price Cutter and others.

Dillons is not a nice chain. That's where I worked at in Springfield and I've been in their stores in several cities. They're all somewhat dirty and poorly staffed.

Price Cutter is worse. I shopped at Dillons over a Price Cutter and that's saying a lot.

[earthling]

Way back when KC was one of the few markets that had all of the national chains present. A&P, Kroger, Safeway. And it had as a local Milgrams. Associated Wholesale Grocers was/is too dominating. For Schnucks it wasn't just the competition but also supplying the stores. Not enough stores to have a decent warehouse operation.

Yeah, the higher efficiency of AWG distribution compared to other grocers probably has a lot to do with local owned stores able to operate with lower margins than non-local chains. Non-local general grocery chains generally don't survive here unless a specialty store like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, etc.

[flyingember]

Hy-Vee isn't local and it's doing decently well. In Liberty two local chains closed after they came into town.

Now Liberty/Shoal Creek has one locally owned chain and a bunch of national ones and people drive past other grocery stores to go to it.

[earthling]

Yeah, Hyvee is an exception but they aren't your typical generic store like Kroger or Schnucks. There aren't quite a specialty store but they raise the bar with services/products offered and mini store within store offerings.

[warwickland]

Yeah, Hyvee is an exception but they aren't your typical generic store like Kroger or Schnucks. There aren't quite a specialty store but they raise the bar with services/products offered and mini store within store offerings.

schnucks stores are highly specialised in st. louis county/city. some stores have massive kosher sections, others are more foodie or have massive italian (with a crucifix over the entrance), bosnian/eastern euro sections, etc.

the schnucks stores in columbia or like illinois i imagine are much more generic.

[taxi]

maybe albertsons thom thumb king sooper piggly wiggly a and p and so on

[mgsports]

I second Albertsons,Publix,Winn Dixie and also Deibergs to.

[warwickland]

fuckin' dierbergs is a piece of shit.

[warwickland]

parking lots of publix at 2 AM in suburban florida is a great place to have scary coke deals go wrong.

[longviewmo]

Dillions is a Kroger store, Lawrence is "in the area", and they have a Dillons.

[warwickland]

my "area" has been in lawrence.

[mgsports]

Yes and it was in Olathe should have never left. Marino's? Meijer?