Grocery Stores: What's up (San Antonio, Austin: co-ops, school, prices)

[TexasHorseLady]

I have a Costco card and a Sam's card. For groceries, Sam's wins - I buy meat in large amounts there and cut it up and freeze it in meal-sized portions.

[Zzyzx]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

I haven't heard anyone here mention Costco yet. Costco blows away HEB in terms of value for so many items. I get most of my groceries there and shop at HEB for items that I need in smaller sizes.

Costco is great and agree on the value. You just can't get carried away. I purchase 2.5lbs blocks of Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheese for $7.49 at Costco. That exact same cheese at Central Market is $18.99 I actually had them check that price and they confirmed it.
I also purchase good quality fruits and vegetables there that the grocery stores can't touch in pricing. I buy the rotisserie chicken @ 4.99 for my cats, they love it! I don't really eat meat so don't know what the price difference would be at either.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by Moonlady

It's one of my pet peeves about Austin. For a town this size to only have 2 major grocery shopping options is wrong. Whole Foods, Central Market, Fiesta, Sun Harvest, Newflower and Super Target provide some options, but they are not one-stop shopping like HEB. I buy some things at Randalls but their overall prices are too high. I wish we had a Kroger.

I wouldn't consider Whole Foods and such to be a "grocery store", per se,
actually more like a huge, corporate version of a organic-leaning grocery co-op, like Wheatsville...

Wheatsville Co-op

Truth be told, Whole foods started as a co-op, called Clarksville Natural Grocery...and somehow morphed into a Home Depot-like monstrosity like you see here...

[TexasHorseLady]

Any possibility of getting that photo replaced with one that's a smaller file size? It's taking FOREVER to download (and I'm on broadband, not dial-up - I'm typing my reply and it's STILL downloading).

And, yes, it's nothing like it started out as, in so many ways. It was much smaller than Wheatsville when I first went there, though. I also remember when Wheatsville was in its original location, over near 29th/Lamar - don't know what's there now but it was a bicycle store at one point - and it was a true co-op, and I think before it was Wheatsville it was an army-navy store - you couldn't shop there unless you worked your shifts. Whole Foods started out closer to that in spirit.

[mimimomx3]

Tom's Tabooley. Why my HEB won't carry it, I don't know. They just opened up a HUGE lactose intense unhealthy cheese island....and they can't carry an unoffensive item like tabooley??? arghh. I've asked and asked. CM carries it!

[jeffari-al-texani]

Originally Posted by latikeriii

I miss Sun Harvest, I used to shop there quite a bit when I lived in Austin. Small store but good prices and a decent selection. Super Wal-mart is HEB's biggest threat, they will probably take some of the market share but what may happen is Randall's will fall victim like Albertson's and exit the market all together leaving Super WM and HEB as the 2 main grocery chains. Target is not building anymore Super Target stores, the Greatland stores are more practical and profitable.

You have some faulty information there. The Greatland stores are no longer being built. Target is still building Super Targets.

[latikeriii]

Originally Posted by jeffari-al-texani

You have some faulty information there. The Greatland stores are no longer being built. Target is still building Super Targets.

No, my friend was in upper management with Target and told me that the Super Targets with a full grocery section don't compete well with local grocers and Super Wal-marts. I should have said, slowed down the building of Supercenters. Greatlands are still being built though, the regular Target stores are no longer being built and many are being converted into Greatland stores. The Greatland stores have a higher profit margin than the supercenters. Some of the Supercenters are successful but too many are not therefore Target is slowing the building of them.
Check this article out
As target searches for a supercenter strategy, the competition keeps lengthening its lead | DSN Retailing Today | Find Articles at BNET

[jeffari-al-texani]

Originally Posted by latikeriii

No, my friend was in upper management with Target and told me that the Super Targets with a full grocery section don't compete well with local grocers and Super Wal-marts. I should have said, slowed down the building of Supercenters. Greatlands are still being built though, the regular Target stores are no longer being built and many are being converted into Greatland stores. The Greatland stores have a higher profit margin than the supercenters. Some of the Supercenters are successful but too many are not therefore Target is slowing the building of them.
Check this article out
As target searches for a supercenter strategy, the competition keeps lengthening its lead | DSN Retailing Today | Find Articles at BNET

There are no Greatlands being built. Last one opened in 2006. I don't know where you (or your friend) get that no regular Targets are being built and that many of them are being remodeled into Greatland stores, but that is just not true. For an Austin specific example, look at the store at 290 and MoPac, it was a Greatland when it opened, but when it was remodeled in 2005, the Greatland tag went away.

[Dr.Mom]

Originally Posted by latikeriii

No, my friend was in upper management with Target and told me that the Super Targets with a full grocery section don't compete well with local grocers and Super Wal-marts. I should have said, slowed down the building of Supercenters. Greatlands are still being built though, the regular Target stores are no longer being built and many are being converted into Greatland stores. The Greatland stores have a higher profit margin than the supercenters. Some of the Supercenters are successful but too many are not therefore Target is slowing the building of them.
Check this article out
As target searches for a supercenter strategy, the competition keeps lengthening its lead | DSN Retailing Today | Find Articles at BNET

A "regular" Target opened in May in my neighborhood here in PA. They carry frozen and refrigerated items, but nothing close to a Super Target. I don't know that they could get the zoning for that here or find a commercial space large enough.

[latikeriii]

Originally Posted by jeffari-al-texani

There are no Greatlands being built. Last one opened in 2006. I don't know where you (or your friend) get that no regular Targets are being built and that many of them are being remodeled into Greatland stores, but that is just not true. For an Austin specific example, look at the store at 290 and MoPac, it was a Greatland when it opened, but when it was remodeled in 2005, the Greatland tag went away.

I agree, I just spoke to my friend, I got mixed up. They are building mostly Prototype 2004 Targets which I confused with Greatlands. They are basically the same as Target Greatlands which are NOT being built anymore, they are phasing out the Greatland moniker which essentially is the same as the Prototype 2004 Targets being built now. They appear to be regular Targets but they are larger than the traditional Target stores, which are not being built anymore. The new Target stores are basically Greatlands without the label. However, he stated that Super Targets are not being built as fast as before because they are not as profitable as the Prototype 2004 Target(which I confused with Greatland stores).