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How can this AC store afford to stay open? Do many people shop there regarless of the prices?
I've seen the pictures and it looks pretty nice in there. Very similar to the grocery store where I live.
This shouldn't be consider a negative reflection on the AC store. It is a big company that has stores in many Alaska communities. Due to the volume they do in grocery products I would think their prices are actually lower than other stores in similar communites. It's just simply not cheap do to transportation costs.
Anchorage is pretty much on par with Seattle prices. I think that trying to compare any other city in the United States to Alaska Communities is not doable. I went through Wyoming/Montana/SD over the past 5 days -- There are plenty of communities that I would never live in, they are just too hot for me... one of them only had 10 people in it... and was about an hour or two drive away from any decent sized town (1000+) I would rather live in Alaska.
I think that everyone has a place that they relate to -- and there is no one good or bad place. But Alaska kicks all the other places ass.
This shouldn't be consider a negative reflection on the AC store. It is a big company that has stores in many Alaska communities. Due to the volume they do in grocery products I would think their prices are actually lower than other stores in similar communites. It's just simply not cheap do to transportation costs.
Yes, I am aware of the prices being high due to transportation cost etc. But does the store get that many people walking through the door to purchase items, or do most people live off of the land for sustenance or order their food in bulk from other sources? It would be difficult to have large enough profit margins on your products if you factor in the high transportation and wholesale costs in general and not have many people purchase products at the store. They must be drawing in some kind of constant customer base if they are still able to make a profit.
I think that everyone has a place that they relate to -- and there is no one good or bad place. But Alaska kicks all the other places ass.
Did you make it up to Barrow? Thought I saw a post you were moving.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Minnesota Spring
Yes, I am aware of the prices being high due to transportation cost etc. But does the store get that many people walking through the door to purchase items, or do most people live off of the land for sustenance or order their food in bulk from other sources? It would be difficult to have large enough profit margins on your products if you factor in the high transportation and wholesale costs in general and not have many people purchase products at the store. They must be drawing in some kind of constant customer base if they are still able to make a profit.
There is no place or individual that I know of, or have even heard of, that is 100% subsistence in Alaska these days. Everyone uses the grocery store.
I don't get it. You have a small town in the middle of nowhere that you cannot even drive out of. The prices of everything is absolutely insane. There are no bars in town. The weather is absolutely horrible. Why does anyone live in Barrow??
People in Alaska come to work,barrow is a work town. Like my father made lots of money in barrow and now can retire in ease in the sunny south. Rural Alaska has a huge drinking problem, a bar is the last thing you want in Barrow. And personally I love the arctic weather.
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But Alaska kicks all the other places ass. 
