Ingle's Markets #70, East Andrew Johnson Highway, Greeneville, Tennessee: Thread #2 (Johnson City: 2015, construction)

[Carolina Knight]

This thread is a continuation of "Ingle's Markets #70, East Andrew Johnson Highway, Greeneville, Tennessee," focusing on the reconstruction of Ingle's Markets #70, 2845 East Andrew Johnson Highway, Greeneville, Tennessee 37745-0957.

Ingle's Markets #70 closed for business Sunday. The temporary closing will allow for demolition of the existing store to convene in order to make way for the new replacement store onsite. The process is expected to take approximately one year.

The Greeneville Regional Planning Commission unanimously approved Ingle's Markets #70's reconstruction plans in March.

Ingle's Markets #21, Greeneville West Shopping Center, 615 Asheville Highway, Greeneville, Tennessee 37743-5401, remains open for business.

Note:

Ingle's Markets #70 is the on topic subject for this thread. Off topic subjects inclusive of competitors and rants and raves of food retailers are discouraged and not permitted in this thread.

The original poster has no association with Ingle's Markets.

Further reading:

• Gregory, Sarah R. "New Development Topic of Greeneville Planning Meeting." The Greeneville Sun. 2015-03-11.
• Reneau, Michael. "East Andrew Johnson Highway Ingle's Will Close While New, Larger Store is Built." The Greenville Sun. 2015-05-21.

[Ted Bear]

Here's a tip for Ingles: Don't do what Kroger did with their "University" store. They brought that place right out of the sixties and landed squarely in the middle of the 80's. Why waste the money to end up with a store that is 30 years out of date?

Hint: Modern grocery stores look, and feel, like a series of small shops, categorized by department. They have lost that industrial, fluorescent lit, warehouse feel, and instead have a more intimate, personal feel to them. Take a look at The Fresh Market in Johnson City, for example. They don't sell anything in there that your regular grocery store doesn't sell, but they have the place decorated a little more nicely (NOT more expensively) and they choose to charge a HUGE markup on the products to make it "seem" upscale.

Wegmans sets the standard nationally for the best grocery stores--both from a customer and employee perspective. Their stores are way more productive per square foot of floor space, but yet have the feeling of a high quality, "we care" grocery store. Some of the local outfits ought to go take a look, and learn. The closest Wegmans is going to be Charlottesville, VA....it will definitely be worth the drive for a once a month shop--just for real bread, if nothing else.

[Carolina Knight]

The existing Ingle's Markets #70 and similar stores have the fresh food departments, delicatessen and bakery, combined in the A (front)/B (left side) corner of the store. Stores constructed from the mid-1990's to the present have both departments separated and along the D (right) side of the store with produce. The delicatessen will be divided into sub sandwiches, hot foods, delicatessen meat and cheeses cut to order, and cheeses.

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by Ted Bear

Here's a tip for Ingles: Don't do what Kroger did with their "University" store. They brought that place right out of the sixties and landed squarely in the middle of the 80's. Why waste the money to end up with a store that is 30 years out of date?

Hint: Modern grocery stores look, and feel, like a series of small shops, categorized by department. They have lost that industrial, fluorescent lit, warehouse feel, and instead have a more intimate, personal feel to them. Take a look at The Fresh Market in Johnson City, for example. They don't sell anything in there that your regular grocery store doesn't sell, but they have the place decorated a little more nicely (NOT more expensively) and they choose to charge a HUGE markup on the products to make it "seem" upscale.

Wegmans sets the standard nationally for the best grocery stores--both from a customer and employee perspective. Their stores are way more productive per square foot of floor space, but yet have the feeling of a high quality, "we care" grocery store. Some of the local outfits ought to go take a look, and learn. The closest Wegmans is going to be Charlottesville, VA....it will definitely be worth the drive for a once a month shop--just for real bread, if nothing else.

We have some Marsh and Kroger stores in Indy that have a different color scheme or ceiling height in different departments - produce has a far less warehouse feel than the canned veggie aisle.

[Ted Bear]

Here's a couple of pictures which help to demonstrate what a modern grocery store looks like:

Anyone else shop at Wegmans? - Bodybuilding.com Forums

Anyone who can paste the pictures into this thread, please feel free.....

[rccrain]

JMO - I'll pass on "the look". I just want good, fresh food at reasonable prices.

[Ted Bear]

Originally Posted by rccrain

JMO - I'll pass on "the look". I just want good, fresh food at reasonable prices.

Isn't that the truth!

Locally, we get "none of the above". Oddly, food cost is high, quality of both the food and the establishment is poor, and availability/selection is weak.

But the people....the employees...they try SO hard to be helpful. Their hands are tied. One has to feel for them: caught between frustrated customers and poor management.

[Rangerred]

Eh, it's not really that bad here; at least in JC. Kroger is fine and fresh market and Earth Fare have good stuff and decent prices if there is a sale. Combined with the local farmers markets it is certainly possible to get fresh food at good prices. Outside JC however, things are pretty bleak.

[Carolina Knight]

Going back on topic...

The existing Ingle's Markets #70 should be undergoing cleaning at the moment. Inventory could be distributed to other Ingle's stores in the area or to Sav-Mor #870 (1625 East Andrew Johnson Highway, Greeneville, Tennessee 37745-5804). Fixtures and equipment could be stored away or divested.

I do not know if Ingle's Markets will use similar checkout stands in the existing store #70 for the new store #70. Conveyor belts are used in checkout lanes at its newest store: Ingle's Markets #148, 2130 East Main Street, Lincolnton, North Carolina 28092-3921.

[Carolina Knight]

The now former Ingle's Markets #70 has been demolished. It appears the parking lot is undergoing some grading, and stakes are in the ground likely marking out the new store.