Shaw's now Star Market again in some stores!?

[professeurpablo]

I think the prices seem to have come down since the rebranding, but I've only recently rediscovered Star due to the whole Market Basket fiasco. The sales are halfway decent, and to me, the stores have a nicer feel than most Stop & Shops do. I must say that I am glad that they brought the old name back; it does have a certain classic old Boston feel to it, at least to me - I grew up with a Star nearby.

I wonder if this will be an across the board switch close to Boston? I know there are still Shaw's stores in East Boston, Melrose, Newton and Waltham, among other places. As they renovate and upgrade, will they all switch over? They may have an opportunity to reinvent themselves as a viable - and maybe even cheaper, now that they've ditched the loyalty card thing - alternative to Stop & Shop.

[snatale1]

Originally Posted by yaeger07

They are owned by the same company. Shaw's owns Star Market.

They are both owned by the same company, But Shaw's does not own Star. They are both subsidiaries of Albertsons.

[yaeger07]

Originally Posted by snatale1

They are both owned by the same company, But Shaw's does not own Star. They are both subsidiaries of Albertsons.

Shaws acquired Star Market in 1999. See: Shaws » Our History

I suppose that doesn't mean Shaw's owns Star Market, per se, but it's nestled somewhere below Shaws in the corporate hierarchy.

[bostonguy1960]

As of last week, it's still Shaw's in the Fenway area, but their remodeling is slowly coming along.

Their plastic bags are now Star Market.

[UsAll]

Originally Posted by MikePRU

I live pretty close to the Chestnut Hill Wegmans and I can say since it opened that I have noticed an effort by other area stores to lower some prices. The lower prices do seem to be more in the form of sales than permanent price changes though. On a day-to-day basis Wegmans is definitely lower in price on many things than other area stores.

I thought Wegman's had a reputation nationally as a higher-priced supermarket chain (with upper-middle-class or upper-class prices . . . like Whole Foods charges). Hence, they open a location in the very-upscale Chestnut Hill. And they are set to open a store in the becoming-pricier-and-pricier Fenway (near Park Drive/Landmark Center). So you are saying that I am wrong and Wegman's is actually a lower-priced chain (more along the lines of Market Basket or Super Walmart)? Are you sure about that?

[yaeger07]

Wegman's is not priced like Whole Foods. They have a more upscale atmosphere but not upscale prices. They also have a lot of organic items but certainly sell regular name brand food as well. The prices aren't low like Market Basket or Walmart but I do notice lower prices than at Stop and Shop. As far as prices going down at local stores, since Wegmans opened my local S&S lowered their prices on bananas, for example, for $0.70/lb to $0.39/lb.

[UsAll]

Originally Posted by yaeger07

Wegman's is not priced like Whole Foods. They have a more upscale atmosphere but not upscale prices. They also have a lot of organic items but certainly sell regular name brand food as well. The prices aren't low like Market Basket or Walmart but I do notice lower prices than at Stop and Shop. As far as prices going down at local stores, since Wegmans opened my local S&S lowered their prices on bananas, for example, for $0.70/lb to $0.39/lb.

I've read on the web that ALDI, Price Rite, Sav-A-Lot, and Price Chopper (supermarket chains) are allegedly low or lower-priced. In the eastern half of Massachusetts (per this writing), they are listed on the web as having stores as follows:

1. ALDI: Medford, Worcester
2. Price Rite: Lynn, Revere, Worcester
3. Save-A-Lot: Roxbury, Roslindale, Chelsea
4. Price Chopper: Worcester, Shrewsbury

[yaeger07]

Wegmans is not a discount grocery store like the ones you listed. You keep bringing up only two types of grocery stores--upscale and discount.

Wegmans fits in with Star, Shaws, and Stop and Shop. In my experience with that category, prices are highest at Star/Shaws, then S&S, with Wegmans being the cheapest.

I don't know where Market Basket fits in. I don't want to call them a discount chain but they blow the rest of the middle category out of the water with prices.

[495neighbor]

The Belmont Shaws is now a Star Market.

Is the new old branding supposed to represent "cheap?"

[kingeorge]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

The Belmont Shaws is now a Star Market.

Is the new old branding supposed to represent "cheap?"

Good one 495neighbor!