Why are there no quality grocery stores in OKC? (Oklahoma City: rent, price)

[Zachj7]

Originally Posted by debzkidz

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I read today that Sunflower Market has announced they are putting a store in Norman, on Main St. Downtown. Great News.

Edmonds new Uptown Grocery opened today. It's very nice. Lots of organic options as well as traditional groceries. Tons of fresh prepared meals. The only problem I see is that it's just not big enough to do both the extensive natural/organic thing and the traditional grocery thing very well. They don't carry some of the brands/variety of items I typically buy, so I will still have to shop elsewhere to get some items. But, heck, it's better than Homeland or Walmart.

Thanks so much for the information! I am really happy Norman is getting a nice store. We have Natural Grocers which is nice, but their selection is small. If it is anything like the Sunflower Market in OKC now, that will be great!

[stiffnecked]

Originally Posted by ou_norman

The issue of selling liquor in grocery stores is not just about "joining the 21st century" and shedding antiquated moralistic laws. In fact, I wouldn't even say that makes up a majority of the opposition to allowing liquor in groceries.

The real problem is what would happen to the liquor store industry, which is made up of hundreds of mom-and-pop locally owned businesses who have been protected from international chains like Walmart. Imagine if Walmart had all the liquor and strong beer- what would happen to some of these businesses- many of which are the last thriving business left in some towns.

Only in the State of Oklahoma would this be seen as a good thing.

[e_cuyler]

Does Wal-Mart sell liquor anywhere? I live in California and the only difference here is that Wal-Mart stores here can sell wine. We do have liquor in grocery stores, just not stores like Wal-Mart and Target.

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by e_cuyler

Does Wal-Mart sell liquor anywhere? I live in California and the only difference here is that Wal-Mart stores here can sell wine. We do have liquor in grocery stores, just not stores like Wal-Mart and Target.

I'm not sure. In Texas they only sell beer and wine, but liquor can only be sold in liquor stores there. I've been in one Wal-Mart in New Mexico, where liquor can be sold in grocery stores, but I don't recall seeing liquor there, but it wasn't even a Super Wal-Mart, so I'm not sure about the rest of the stores in the state. I've been in a couple of Wal-Marts in Fayetteville, AR. I don't think they sell liquor in their stores there. I'm not too sure what their liquor laws are. However, the Sam's Club in Fayetteville has a separate entrance on the front of their store, which leads into a liquor store, not accessible from the rest of the store. Don't know if it's run by WalMart or what the deal is.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by e_cuyler

Does Wal-Mart sell liquor anywhere? I live in California and the only difference here is that Wal-Mart stores here can sell wine. We do have liquor in grocery stores, just not stores like Wal-Mart and Target.

Don't give Wally World another dime!

Get your Jack-D at the liquor store like a good lush should.

[Plutonic Panda]

I heard Uptown Grocery is suppose to be amazing.

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by Plutonic Panda

I heard Uptown Grocery is suppose to be amazing.

I would say amazing is a really big stretch. The building is nice and all but the it's definitely not the cross between Whole Foods and HEB that they touted it to be.

[kennedycooks]

Originally Posted by e_cuyler

Does Wal-Mart sell liquor anywhere? I live in California and the only difference here is that Wal-Mart stores here can sell wine. We do have liquor in grocery stores, just not stores like Wal-Mart and Target.

I went to school in Missouri and the wal-marts around town sold liquor. We never actually bought from there, however, we'd go to the local-chain of liquor stores, just because it was usually cheaper.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yea I have to agree with you on that. I spoke too soon, as I just visited there and nothing really to special about it you know. PS sorry for taking to long to respond

[bchris02]

Bottom line on this is Wal-Mart decimated OKC's grocery market in the early 2000s. OKC was their test market for its market saturation strategy with Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets causing a bloodbath for existing supermarkets across the metro. There used to be national chains in OKC like Albertson's and Food Lion but pretty much everything was run out by Wal-Mart. The tables are starting to turn though when Whole Foods came in and now people are demanding more quality stores. I also believe Wal-Mart's marketshare is taking a beating from the 60+% they had in their peak. The liquor laws in and of themselves have nothing to do with it as plenty of 3.2 states have nice grocery stores. It may however play a factor when Wal-Mart's dominance is taken into consideration as smaller supermarkets may need to rely more on alcohol sales for profitability amidst that type of cutthroat competition. If a company like Kroger or Publix opened a few stores in strategic locations in OKC in addition to the recent improvements seen with Crest, Sunflower, etc, the problem would be solved.