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Is it my imagination, or has Acme just hit the toilet in terms of prices, selection, availability, and quality? I can't believe how bad it's gotten in recent years. They advertise things for sale, but they don't have any of the sale items in stock (lobster, for example). They advertise produce for sale, such as cauliflower, but every single head of cauliflower they stock is moldy. They'll advertise a sale on boneless, skinless chicken breasts and then not stock a single other type of chicken (such as split, bone-in breasts).
I live in a Delco suburb, and short of a) travelling to Springfield and dealing with Baltimore Pike to go to Giant (which isn't that much better) b) going to ShopRite (which is bargain basement and rather gross) or c)driving up to King of Prussia to go to Wegmans, I'm out of options.
So, has anyone heard about Wegmans expanding in the suburbs? I heard they can't expand to Philly because they can't get a big enough footprint, but surely they could take over some old Pathmark building or something in the suburbs.
I'm not following Acme really but what's weird is how they took over some dead Super Fresh locations. How could they expand when they've been a "failed" super market model, imo, for ages?
Your issue here is that not all ACME's are created equal.
I think this is the key issue. ACME, much like Giant, can vary widely from location to location. Some can be very good, others ok, and others still can be outright terrible. Unless you have one of the more consistent high-end chains around, you're pretty much at the mercy of where you live and how well-run your local store is.
IMO, I'm not the biggest fan of ACME, even at their best. I've never been particularly impressed by their selection or their prices. But I don't think they're bad, per se. They're just an average grocery chain that's managed to outlast most of the competition.
I think a Wegmans would do great out in Edgemont/Newtown Square, since the other half of Delco is covered already.
I would agree with that. However, they are currently putting in a Whole Foods on West Chester Pike near Route 252 in Newtown Square, and it's a huge construction project. That will placate folks for awhile, I am sure, even though I don't necessarily agree that they are comparable. Wegman's, in my opinion, is just better.
I'm not following Acme really but what's weird is how they took over some dead Super Fresh locations. How could they expand when they've been a "failed" super market model, imo, for ages?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fireshaker
I think this is the key issue. ACME, much like Giant, can vary widely from location to location. Some can be very good, others ok, and others still can be outright terrible. Unless you have one of the more consistent high-end chains around, you're pretty much at the mercy of where you live and how well-run your local store is.
IMO, I'm not the biggest fan of ACME, even at their best. I've never been particularly impressed by their selection or their prices. But I don't think they're bad, per se. They're just an average grocery chain that's managed to outlast most of the competition.
Some actual business background on ACME might help to clear this up. ACME isn't a "failed" supermarket model by any means. At all.
ACME is the eastern division of Albertson's Companies, Inc- a MASSIVE Grocery chain that brings in about 57.5 Billion a year in revenue. Yes, that's Billion. with a B.
ACME was acquired by Albertson's in 1999- Prior to that it was owned by American Stores Inc. with about 19.9 Billion in yearly revenue in 1998- or about 29.9 Billion in 2016 Dollars.
ACME/Albertson's is doing quite well, especially when you contrast it to other local competitors like Genuardi's (acquired by Safeway, then sold to GIANT food stores), Safeway (Which owned Genuardis/A&P/Superfresh- the latter two which were bankrupt and liquidated, and Safeway itself sold to Albertsons), or Pathmark (Bankrupt). Even Walmart doesn't have much of a foothold in the area in terms of Grocery store performance- and not for lack of trying. ACME is simply too entrenched here and RARELY does a location go out of business. (edit: Wiki says Shoprite actually passed ACME as the largest grocer in the greater Philadelphia area, which is kind of a surprise.)
But yes- as Fireshaker points out ACMEs and pretty much all grocery stores vary widely from location to location. Grocery stores lose a ton of money on produce that is simply wasted, and the clientele is very price sensitive to coupons, sales etc. Even a difference of a few percent in inventory shrink or expired product can mean the difference between making a profit and not making a profit- which is why you will rarely if ever see large grocery stores opening up in distressed neighborhoods. It's an event when one moves into somewhere like west philly or Chester, because it takes a miracle more or less for the numbers to work out.
Last edited by Burger Fan; 06-14-2016 at 12:03 PM..
I would agree with that. However, they are currently putting in a Whole Foods on West Chester Pike near Route 252 in Newtown Square, and it's a huge construction project. That will placate folks for awhile, I am sure, even though I don't necessarily agree that they are comparable. Wegman's, in my opinion, is just better.
You think Wegman's is better than Whole Foods? Surely you are kidding.
I haven't shopped at an ACME in more than 20 years. I'm from the city near the DelCo line. As kid 40-45 years ago we:
-- were walking distance from ACME and A&P/Super Fresh across the street from each other
-- had a Shop-N-Bag near by, about a mile away
-- then a sad ShopRite replaced the ACME
-- the Shop-n-Bag closed (became various stores and is now a DollarTree)
-- the Super Fresh closed (eventually replace by a "bottom Dollar_ -- for about a year
We were technically in the city but did a lot of shopping in DelCo. We had a Pathmark in Glenolden (which became my favorite, and is now a great new ShopRite) (Oddly enough we never went to the ACME in Colingdale though) And in the last 15-20 years Save-Lot, and Aldi's have come along. And there was the Genardi's in Springfield.
But we're more the upscale shopper type.
As for Wegmans -- and nicer or upscale grocers -- coming to Philly. Call me a jaded, cynical defeatist -- but I just don't even expect that anymore. If the only Trader Joes and is downtown or in Media -- so be it. If the only Whole Foods is downtown or in ARdmore, then it is what it is. There's also Fresh Market. But NONE of them are ten close
I'd LOVE a Wegmans nearby (or a closer TJ's or WF) but I have to accept I don't live in an area where those chains fells they would make money. So I go where they are. I was visiting a friends in Springfield and went to the Wegmans in Glen Mills. LOVED IT, of course. But for the most part I just have to content myself with ShopRite, supplemented by TJ (and whole when I feels like it)
I haven't shopped at an ACME in more than 20 years. I'm from the city near the DelCo line. As kid 40-45 years ago we:
-- were walking distance from ACME and A&P/Super Fresh across the street from each other
-- had a Shop-N-Bag near by, about a mile away
-- then a sad ShopRite replaced the ACME
-- the Shop-n-Bag closed (became various stores and is now a DollarTree)
-- the Super Fresh closed (eventually replace by a "bottom Dollar_ -- for about a year
We were technically in the city but did a lot of shopping in DelCo. We had a Pathmark in Glenolden (which became my favorite, and is now a great new ShopRite) (Oddly enough we never went to the ACME in Colingdale though) And in the last 15-20 years Save-Lot, and Aldi's have come along. And there was the Genardi's in Springfield.
But we're more the upscale shopper type.
As for Wegmans -- and nicer or upscale grocers -- coming to Philly. Call me a jaded, cynical defeatist -- but I just don't even expect that anymore. If the only Trader Joes and is downtown or in Media -- so be it. If the only Whole Foods is downtown or in ARdmore, then it is what it is. There's also Fresh Market. But NONE of them are ten close
I'd LOVE a Wegmans nearby (or a closer TJ's or WF) but I have to accept I don't live in an area where those chains fells they would make money. So I go where they are. I was visiting a friends in Springfield and went to the Wegmans in Glen Mills. LOVED IT, of course. But for the most part I just have to content myself with ShopRite, supplemented by TJ (and whole when I feels like it)
Are you referring to Philadelphia proper? I don't think the region has any shortage of upscale grocers, but I am extremely dissapointed at Trader Joes for having only 1 city location. They are opening up in NYC left and right. The new larger and fancier Whole Foods on the Parkway is almost complete too.
Can't speak for Dover, but there's no significant difference in average income in Ridley vs. Secane. Population size is irrelevant. Philadelphia has tons of people in it, but much of that city is a food desert with few grocery stores of any size.
Wegman's only builds stores in areas with very high median incomes. There's one in concordville (median family income of about $121K), and Cherry Hill (105K), and the one in King of Prussia which is its own thing, since KOP is a mecca of high end luxury retail, surrounded by equally wealthy burbs.
Ridley township on the other hand has a median family income of about 54K. You will never, ever see a Wegman's there. Even Media is pushing it in terms of the kinds of demographics that store requires.
As a native Rochester, NY'er, I kind of have a love hate relationship with Wegmans.
They are very pleasant to shop in and their layouts/produce/departments are impressive. They draw huge crowds and generally have a very positive reputation. What I hate about them is that they essentially, make all their money pushing their low quality, slickly packaged wegmans brand products. In the new store in Rochester, they didn't even sell many name brand products chosing to only stock their house brands. It's a trade off I guess and you can't really blame them. The model works well.
As for a center city location, there would be plenty of spots they could build a successful one. The stretch between Callowhill and Spring Garden on 2nd street would absolutely kill. It's ready for development sitting right between old city and no libs, has easy access from 95/676, and there is plenty of square footage. There's talk of that area being developed and as an old city resident, I'd love it - not because of what wegmans is, but because there isn't a grocery store option in that area outside of a not SO bad acme in society Hill.
They never reuse space either, like an old grocery store. If they can identify an area that makes sense, they build. I lived about a mile from the new store in Rochester. They demolished their own existing building, bought another city block of existing businesses (all in beautiful old buildings) ripped it all down and put up a humongous new store with arguably, the worst parking lot design ever imagined.
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