Why are there no quality grocery stores in OKC? (Oklahoma City: real estate, university)

[JasonandBranka]

I wondered myself because i'm a great fan of Trader Joe's but then i found this article: Will Oklahoma City Ever See a Trader Joe's Location? - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com
I don't see why Trader Joe's and other stores like it insist on carrying alcohol and why they don't improvise so the discerning public (discerning about good food and about their drinking) in states like Oklahoma can still enjoy good products they sell.

[Emery'sMommy]

Originally Posted by JasonandBranka

I wondered myself because i'm a great fan of Trader Joe's but then i found this article: Will Oklahoma City Ever See a Trader Joe's Location? - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com
I don't see why Trader Joe's and other stores like it insist on carrying alcohol and why they don't improvise so the discerning public (discerning about good food and about their drinking) in states like Oklahoma can still enjoy good products they sell.

I'm fairly sure the liquor laws here will be obsolete in the near future...and hopefully with those gone, more quality grocery stores will start moving in.

[Rasero]

Originally Posted by debzkidz

I was driving south on the Broadway Extension yesterday and I passed an HEB truck headed north, at about Hefner. At first I thought I was seeing things, but no, I looked in my mirror, and sure enough it was an HEB truck. Don't know where he was going, but I wanted to turn around and chase him down.

You should have done just that! Pulled him over, made him open up the back of the truck, and made an instant grocery store on the side of the freeway. Oklahomans would have been delirious and started chanting all the way to the Capitol "bring us HEB! bring us HEB!"

I would like to see HEB move into the area and knock out all of these Homelands and Buy For Less. They effectively took over the entire grocery market in San Antonio and I don't see why they couldn't do it here, given that San Antonio and Oklahoma City have two of the best recession-resistent and robust economies in the U.S.

I did end up moving to the far NW side of OK City instead of Edmond (long story for another post) and was pleasantly surprised to see a Crest right around the corner. Across from it is a Walmart neighborhood market, which, to my surprise, was very clean and had some stuff Crest did not. I also walked into the ALDI off of the Expressway and Rockwell the other day, much smaller store and interesting selection, but the prices on some of the produce was quite cheap.

A cable technician working here as a contractor from Dallas told me he sat for 30 minutes in front of a Homeland before he realized it was a grocery store.

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by Rasero

You should have done just that! Pulled him over, made him open up the back of the truck, and made an instant grocery store on the side of the freeway. Oklahomans would have been delirious and started chanting all the way to the Capitol "bring us HEB! bring us HEB!"

I would like to see HEB move into the area and knock out all of these Homelands and Buy For Less. They effectively took over the entire grocery market in San Antonio and I don't see why they couldn't do it here, given that San Antonio and Oklahoma City have two of the best recession-resistent and robust economies in the U.S.

I did end up moving to the far NW side of OK City instead of Edmond (long story for another post) and was pleasantly surprised to see a Crest right around the corner. Across from it is a Walmart neighborhood market, which, to my surprise, was very clean and had some stuff Crest did not. I also walked into the ALDI off of the Expressway and Rockwell the other day, much smaller store and interesting selection, but the prices on some of the produce was quite cheap.

A cable technician working here as a contractor from Dallas told me he sat for 30 minutes in front of a Homeland before he realized it was a grocery store.

I'm glad you guys made it. I hope you are enjoying your new home and adjusting your new surroundings and our cold weather. Crest is definitely the closest thing we have to an HEB. I just really miss things like the fresh, hot tortillas, the chef preparing/teaching new dinner ideas daily, and the great deli selections. I really miss the Boars Head meats and cheeses. The Crescent Market in Nichols Hills carries a very limited selection of it, but I mean very limited. And Crest doesn't carry certain brands of things.

Aldi is a very strange little store. I've only been in one a couple of times, but never really bought anything.

[AFwife04]

Debzkids: Do you have access to the commissary on Tinker? They carry Boar's Head meats and cheeses.

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by AFwife04

Debzkids: Do you have access to the commissary on Tinker? They carry Boar's Head meats and cheeses.

No, we have no affiliation with Tinker. Too bad.

[okie1962]

Whole Foods is expanding their Tulsa store for the 2nd time. I hope they expand their produce section. I think Whole Foods will be a big hit in OKC.

[bmoore1414]

I have lived in OKC area my entire life and I did not realize that our grocery stores were inferior until my wife and I visited stores in other cities where we travel. The better stores we visited do serve alcohol. I have been told the liquor laws, along with the income demographics (lack of highly paid people concentrated in a given area) make Oklahoma City a less profitable than other cities.

[debzkidz]

I was in the Homeland at Danforth and Bryant last week I and saw that they are now selling 14 day dry aged beef in their butcher shop. They have a case with several slabs of beef handing in it. Each one is dated, when it was put in to age and when they can start selling it. I guess they are trying to step up their game a bit.

[Zachj7]

So, when does whole foods open? Anybody know?