Ukrop's Ivy Market

[PaperTrail]

This has been an immensely interesting thread -- and reading the comments on both sides of the argument have been (in most ways) insightful and grounded.

I would love to see Ukrop's succeed. Whether real or perceived, the impression most people have is that the store is forward progress for the region. I tend to agree.

That said, I admit to being one of those who doesn't shop there. I am part of the camp that doesn't like that the store is closed Sundays, not open 24 hours and doesn't serve alcohol. I rarely buy alcohol, but I'd want that option. And being as blue collar as the Roanoke area is, I think a lot of people who do shift work like the option of a store that's open all day and all night.

But I think that places like Ukrop's and Fresh Market have other difficulties to contend with. (Sidebar: I've been to FM just once, and as they didn't sell any of the local wine I was looking for nor had the organic food I wanted and had such awful lighting, I said goodbye for good.) Someone had mentioned before whether it's worth it to drive past several Food Lions and Krogers to get to a place like Ukrop's and Fresh Market. Well, with the work that at least Kroger has been doing, the answer is becoming more and more a "no."

I live in Bedford County, and when I moved there, I was disappointed that I wasn't closer to the Smith Mountain Lake Kroger, one of the nicest grocers I had ever been in. It was new, and very inviting. I settled for the crummy Kroger in Vinton. I didn't like it. It was dirty and ugly and had a mediocre selection. But, its saving grace was that from the first time my wife went to the pharmacy there, the pharmacist remembered her, was overly nice to her and made her visits and questions worthwhile. He even knew me before I even handed him a prescription. That was the person and respectful service we were looking for.

So, despite the lackluster duds, we stayed at that Kroger. It has paid off as the store and the shopping center is undergoing a massive renovation. The Kroger is nearly doubled in side -- and infinitely cleaner. For someone like me, who works evenings downtown and drives by Ukrop's often, I can't see making the effort to work around its schedule unless I see some effort to cater to mine.

And, when it comes to the best freshness, if that's what I'm looking for, I shop at one of the many farmers markets that exist from Salem to Bedford, or at the growers who sell their fruits and vegetable at their farms. That's where I want my money going the most.

Teebyrd, your loyalty and support for your company is amazing. More companies need employees like you. And I don't want to dig against Ukrop's because it certainly has an audience -- it's just that that audience isn't me, for better or for worse. And I can understand why so many others in the Roanoke area aren't pumped up to shop at Ukrop's.

Best of luck to Ukrop's. Truely. I hope you outlast Fresh Market, that's for sure

[spark240]

Originally Posted by richmondpics

I'm guessing the Roanoke store receives daily shipments of fresh bakery and prepared foods just like the Richmond area stores... only the trip to Roanoke from the central kitchen and bakery is substantially longer and one truck can't hit multiple stores along the way.

Originally Posted by Teebyrd86

What your saying is correct. We recieve 3 trucks a day from Richmond!

Well, that is obviously nuts. Baking bread and preparing foods in Richmond, and then trucking them to Roanoke? Um, why not bake the bread in Roanoke. Cheaper that way and fresher too.

And people wonder why America is falling apart...

Originally Posted by badger74

WalMart pays people in Virginia, pays local property and sales taxes

But of course this will be more or less true of any company doing business in the area.

Wal-Mart doesn't pay people in Virginia very much, and the vast bulk of its receipts leave the state. Wal-Mart is a net drain on the economy of any place it's located, both through its removal of wealth to the Walton family and China, and by its destruction of local businesses.

In the larger talk of the merits of this or that big grocery store versus the other, I don't see that much of a qualitative difference between places that are variations on the same general model. Maybe Ukrop's is the best of these several choices that are all pretty much alike.

I'd rather have small local shops to fill each particular niche--a produce stand, a bakery, a dry-goods, a pharmacy, etc. Maybe when one of these giant chain locations goes under, the building should be subdivided into a market of many shops.

[badger74]

By actually being successfuul, Wal_Mart is able to generate LOTS of sales tax revenue to the local area, hires lots more people than some marginal store--or 10 marginal stores that pay no better, and offers great values to all the peopkle in the area. The net savings to the public are large and measurable. Saving on goods at Walmart allows one to spend more of their income on other things such as restaurants, cars, etc. and that's good too. Oveypaying for goods does nothing for the local economy as just as many goods at Many's or Ukrops are imported from outside the area as at Walmart. There are few retail goods actually made in Central Virginia or all of Virginia for that matter. WM works off a very tight margin so only a few pennies of every $$$ go back to headquarters. And all that money actually goes to the shareholders of which you may be one. WM is a public company you know.

[Teebyrd86]

Originally Posted by spark240

Well, that is obviously nuts. Baking bread and preparing foods in Richmond, and then trucking them to Roanoke? Um, why not bake the bread in Roanoke. Cheaper that way and fresher too.
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All the bread baked at Ukrop's is baked in store. Items that come in on truck are your grocery items, perishables, as well as all food made in the central kitchen. And all of these central kitchen items are very fresh actually made on the day they are sent to the store. (made during the day and sent out that night).

[Teebyrd86]

New article about Ukrop's in todays paper. I only keep praying! Thanks for everyones support.

Ukrop's: Courting customers with extra promotions - Roanoke.com

[roanoker 4]

I will continue to shop at Ukrops, even though they constantly make me mad about no Sunday hours or wine/beer sales. I don't understand why they remain so hard-headed with so much grocery competition here and more on the way! Good luck Ukrops, I hope you can stay here!!