Fry's Food Stores coming to downtown Phoenix (Mesa, Chandler: coupons, home)

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by grmi66

Right now my only option within a 10 minute drive of 7th Street and McDowell are a Safeway and a Basha's. The selection and prices make me hate walking in. So now I have to stock up at the Fry's on Highland on the weekends and try to go to Safeway only if I really, really need something during the week.

Same here. I think I went to that Safeway two times in the four or five years I've lived down there. Three times at the most. I figured since I had to get in the car to go to a grocery store anyway, I might as well go somewhere better, which is basically anywhere. I used to shop a lot at Fresh & Easy just across from the Melrose neighborhood. Now it's mostly the Super Target at 19th and Montebello, or the Trader Joe's and Whole Foods at 20th and Highland.

[sargeant79]

The likelihood of the project ultimately being completed and the store opening there depends on what stage of lease negotiation they are in. In the grocery industry, it's rare for a public announcement to be made on a retail location without the lease being signed, so I'd be very surprised if this didn't actually go through.

[43north87west]

If Fry's falls apart, something else is going to pick up that location or another. Between the hotels, daytime lunch traffic, and all of the residential that has popped up, there is a very big demand for a grocery store, and CVS just doesn't cut it (although they do sell booze). And the McDowell Safeway sucks, and it's not close to downtown, the university, or all of the residential in and close to downtown.

[TempeAZnative]

I work at Colliers Center and this will be a welcome addition, but they need to use this to link cityscape and Colliers. Right now Colliers is pretty much vacant, and it would be nice to create that link which could help fill those vacancies.

[pbenjamin]

It's clear with the large amount of apartments being built that the Safeway stores at 7th St/McDowell and 7th Ave/Osborn, along with the Basha's at 7th Ave/Osborn are not going to be enough. Kroger has been discussing a downtown location for a while now, they had also been mentioned in the Central Station planning. They opened a King Soopers in downtown Denver last year, so a similar Fry's in downtown Phoenix makes a great deal of sense.

The proposed location is not perfect, but it is likely to succeed. In addition to the proposed residential component, Summit at Copper Square, Orpheum Lofts, 44 Monroe and CityScape Residences are all within 6 blocks. Something farther north, though, would work a bit better.

The downtown store really needs to be a full service supermarket, not a niche store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Those would be nice as well, but you just can't buy everything you need in such places.

I currently shop at the Safeway at 7th Avenue and Osborn and frankly, when we moved here, I did not notice much difference in price or selection from the one I used to shop at at 64th St and Greenway.

[Renegade007]

That Safeway (7th St/McDowell) is hyper expensive compared to Walmart. I'd rather keep riding the light rail north to the Walmart at Christown Spectrum Mall. You can get the same items for half the price. Same goes for the CVS at Central and McDowell. Downtown stores and shops are legalized highway robbery.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by Renegade007

That Safeway (7th St/McDowell) is hyper expensive compared to Walmart. I'd rather keep riding the light rail north to the Walmart at Christown Spectrum Mall. You can get the same items for half the price. Same goes for the CVS at Central and McDowell. Downtown stores and shops are legalized highway robbery.

I disagree, but even so, to me avoiding WalMart is worth whatever it costs me.

[stasi_crystals]

Originally Posted by observer53

It's about time!


Officials: 55,000-square-foot Fry's grocery store coming to downtown Phoenix - ABC15 Arizona

Ain't that the same spot where they had planned on making a 2 story Target? What happened to that?

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by elcajones

It seems in quite a few parts of town there's a Frys every 2 miles or so. They are expanding quick. Thankfully, I'm a fan.

I agree. I like Fry's. They are the good grocery store here in Tucson that's affordable... The other option is Safeway and Sprout's. Walmarts down here carry food but a lot of times the produce isn't that fresh, or a lot of the food is out of stock.

At least in Phoenix there are other options, like Albertson's and Bashas, but they are also a little pricier. Fry's is a sweet spot in my opinion for good quality and pricing.

I think Fry's would be the best option for the Downtown area.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Renegade007

That Safeway (7th St/McDowell) is hyper expensive compared to Walmart. I'd rather keep riding the light rail north to the Walmart at Christown Spectrum Mall. You can get the same items for half the price. Same goes for the CVS at Central and McDowell. Downtown stores and shops are legalized highway robbery.

Safeway is more expensive than other stores for most things no matter where it is located. I don't think the 7th St/McDowell store and the 7th Ave/Osborn stores are different in terms of prices from each other or any other Safeway. The Osborn store is bigger and nicer thanks to a remodel a few years ago.


I love my neighborhood Safeway and the people who work there (and buy some things there) but for major shopping, I drive another mile to go to Fry's.