Who should buy Strack & Van Til? (Hammond, Merrillville: sale, lease)

[Dr. Blish]

Originally Posted by hellob

It's Jewel. Seems odd, not sure how they plan to compete with Ultra and Meijer which have lower prices or Whole Foods.

I'm pretty sure that means the Munster and Schererville Stacks will be closed as there are Jewels not far from those two locations. What will happen to the Ultra Food stores? Are Jewels converting those as well?

[CGab]

Ugh, I'm not a fan of Stracks but I don't care for Jewel either.

[richb]

Jewel (actually Albertson's) is buying and keeping open the following Strack and Van Tils.

source:

Jewel says it will keep all remaining Strack & Van Til stores open | Northwest Indiana Business Headlines | nwitimes.com

9632 Cline Ave. in Highland,
2800 Calumet Ave. in Valparaiso,
2168 W. U.S. 30 in Valparaiso,
12 Ridge Road in Munster,
200 W. Franciscan Drive in Crown Point,
10851 Broadway in Crown Point,
9825 Wicker Ave. in Saint John,
2080 E. Commercial Ave. in Lowell,
1515 U.S. 41 in Schererville,
1600 Pioneer Trail in Chesterton,
9605 Lincoln Plaza in Cedar Lake,
861 S. College Ave. in Rensselaer,
7760 E. Ridge Road in Hobart,
999 W. Old Ridge Road in Hobart,
1836 Calumet Ave. in Whiting,
115 Sibley St. in Hammond,
4725 Indianapolis Blvd. in East Chicago.

Jewel is also buying the Town & Country Markets at
1605 Calumet Ave. in Valparaiso
6046 Central Ave. in Portage.

Looks like all of them will be rebranded as Jewels. It will be interesting to see how or if they try to add Osco's to these stores, as Strack's never operated in-store pharmacies. I am guessing most will eventually have Osco's added, as they seem to avoid operating stand alone Jewels.

Jewel has picked out the best locations obviously, as most are recent heavily remodeled or ground up new construction.

I am guessing they will try to operate both the Schererville and Dyer stores. They are close, but there has to be enough business for both to be worthwhile. I am guessing they will at least give it a try. Munster, I am guessing Jewel will operate the Stracks and close their own store at Calumet and Ridge. Strack's has a bigger, more remodeled, much nicer store. I doubt they will allow another grocer in their building, so I am guessing that building will be redeveloped like the old Jewel store building in Dyer, divided for smaller tenants. In some ways its good its Munster, it won't stand vacant as long as it would if it was somewhere else.

Central is still trying to sell the Ultra stores in Highland, Merrillville on Broadway and Kankakee, Ill as operating stores. Those are the best remaining Ultra's so maybe an smaller operator like Walt's, Tony's or Pete's will buy those. I can see why Jewel isn't interested in those, as they don't have a discount brand, and would likely not work as a regular Jewel. At least they won't buy them and leave them vacant. I am guessing some of the already closed stores will eventually be picked up by other smaller operators.

We knew from the beginning that the large buyer would have to be a national or international operator. None of the smaller Chicago area grocer chains are big enough to take on the whole Strack's operation.

In a few months the only remaining store from the Strack and Van Til chain will be the single Van Til's on 169th in Hammond which Central Grocers never owned. They have a new suppler lined up and are planning on continuing business.

[Ned B]

Edit: Nevermind richb got there first

[skobabe8]

Originally Posted by richb

Jewel (actually Albertson's) is buying and keeping open the following Strack and Van Tils.

source:

Jewel says it will keep all remaining Strack & Van Til stores open | Northwest Indiana Business Headlines | nwitimes.com

9632 Cline Ave. in Highland,
2800 Calumet Ave. in Valparaiso,
2168 W. U.S. 30 in Valparaiso,
12 Ridge Road in Munster,
200 W. Franciscan Drive in Crown Point,
10851 Broadway in Crown Point,
9825 Wicker Ave. in Saint John,
2080 E. Commercial Ave. in Lowell,
1515 U.S. 41 in Schererville,
1600 Pioneer Trail in Chesterton,
9605 Lincoln Plaza in Cedar Lake,
861 S. College Ave. in Rensselaer,
7760 E. Ridge Road in Hobart,
999 W. Old Ridge Road in Hobart,
1836 Calumet Ave. in Whiting,
115 Sibley St. in Hammond,
4725 Indianapolis Blvd. in East Chicago.

Jewel is also buying the Town & Country Markets at
1605 Calumet Ave. in Valparaiso
6046 Central Ave. in Portage.

Looks like all of them will be rebranded as Jewels. It will be interesting to see how or if they try to add Osco's to these stores, as Strack's never operated in-store pharmacies. I am guessing most will eventually have Osco's added, as they seem to avoid operating stand alone Jewels.

Jewel has picked out the best locations obviously, as most are recent heavily remodeled or ground up new construction.

I am guessing they will try to operate both the Schererville and Dyer stores. They are close, but there has to be enough business for both to be worthwhile. I am guessing they will at least give it a try. Munster, I am guessing Jewel will operate the Stracks and close their own store at Calumet and Ridge. Strack's has a bigger, more remodeled, much nicer store. I doubt they will allow another grocer in their building, so I am guessing that building will be redeveloped like the old Jewel store building in Dyer, divided for smaller tenants. In some ways its good its Munster, it won't stand vacant as long as it would if it was somewhere else.

Central is still trying to sell the Ultra stores in Highland, Merrillville on Broadway and Kankakee, Ill as operating stores. Those are the best remaining Ultra's so maybe an smaller operator like Walt's, Tony's or Pete's will buy those. I can see why Jewel isn't interested in those, as they don't have a discount brand, and would likely not work as a regular Jewel. At least they won't buy them and leave them vacant. I am guessing some of the already closed stores will eventually be picked up by other smaller operators.

We knew from the beginning that the large buyer would have to be a national or international operator. None of the smaller Chicago area grocer chains are big enough to take on the whole Strack's operation.

In a few months the only remaining store from the Strack and Van Til chain will be the single Van Til's on 169th in Hammond which Central Grocers never owned. They have a new suppler lined up and are planning on continuing business.

Not sure. Jewel just remodeled the Munster store too.

[ta1064]

Hope Jewel uses Strack's cake recipes. Strack's cakes > Jewel's cakes

[CGab]

Originally Posted by ta1064

Hope Jewel uses Strack's cake recipes. Strack's cakes > Jewel's cakes

I actually like Jewels cakes better. I hot cupcakes at Stracks for my daughter's birthday party and they were dry. Maybe it was a fluke for Stracks, but Jewel is pretty consistent with good cakes!

[ta1064]

Originally Posted by CGab

I actually like Jewels cakes better. I hot cupcakes at Stracks for my daughter's birthday party and they were dry. Maybe it was a fluke for Stracks, but Jewel is pretty consistent with good cakes!

Hmm, really? Haven't had Jewel's cakes in a while, as I started getting Strack's cakes.

[Alchism]

A group of containing the strack and van til families is buying back the stores except for the ultra's in highland and kankakee!! Great news for the region! Strack, Van Til families buy back Strack & Van Til in auction | Retail | nwitimes.com

[richb]

Great news for the region! Stays a local company!