Groceries, Grocery stores, & Supermarkets (Philadelphia, Howard: to live, estimate, park)

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Muinteoir

So is there any chance Wegmans will prop up a store in city limits? I am the native Upstate New Yorker who drives to KoP for Wegmans about once every couple of months, but I'd love to make it my weekly store.

I wouldn't hold my breath.

I see the problem as twofold: finding a place where they have enough space to open one of their stores and finding enough well-off customers to make the Wow! factor parts of the store work (prepared foods, the café and pub, the specialty counters and departments.

Our more affluent residents are concentrated in two places: Center City and Chestnut Hill. There are enough in Center City to support a Wegmans, but (a) there's no really good large-footprint site available (b) the Reading Terminal Market offers formidable competition for this crowd.

The Chestnut Hill residents could just as easily travel to, say, Whitemarsh Township were one to open there.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by Muinteoir

So is there any chance Wegmans will prop up a store in city limits? I am the native Upstate New Yorker who drives to KoP for Wegmans about once every couple of months, but I'd love to make it my weekly store.

Right now Wegmans is going into North Carolina. It's very unlikely to happen within the next 3 or 4 years.

[Fireshaker]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Our more affluent residents are concentrated in two places: Center City and Chestnut Hill. There are enough in Center City to support a Wegmans, but (a) there's no really good large-footprint site available (b) the Reading Terminal Market offers formidable competition for this crowd

Wasn't there a rumor that Wegman's was going to be one of the tenants in Bart Blatstein's Broad & Wash development? I don't know if it was more wishful thinking or something actually based in reality, but if it was the latter, it might indicate that Wegman's was at least considering some sort of urban format. Of course, now that Sprouts is killing it across the street, it lessens the chance of having another large-format grocer in that space (if that project ever gets back off the ground, of course).

[cpomp]

https://www.phillymag.com/be-well-ph...irloom-market/

Has anyone been yet? This store looks really cool. Hope Giant continues to invest in the city's market.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

He should find the Aldi near the Cherry Hill mall and lodge a complaint with them, in writing, about the Maple Shade store. The people at the Cherry Hill store will give his complaint to the district manager. They might give him a coupon.

I went to that store for years and the place was immaculate. I assumed that it was closed when Aldi moved into the former Bottom Dollar near the Cherry Hill mall.

They probably would. He said, "Yeah, whatever." Kids.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by Gerania

They probably would. He said, "Yeah, whatever." Kids.

When the Aldis near me closed for 6 weeks for the remodel they were handing out $5 coupons to people who didn't know that the store was closed and showed up. A $5 coupon goes a long way at Aldi.

[southbound_295]

Posts about Trader Joe's continue to be posted in the retail thread. They're just going to get lost there.

As far as a Cherry Hill location, it will do well. The only one on that side of the river was in Marlton. I hated the parking lot there so much that I went to Trader Joe's in Delaware. There was a very nice Trader Joe's in a shopping center behind the big Target at the intersection of Naamans Road and Concord Pike.

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by Muinteoir

So is there any chance Wegmans will prop up a store in city limits? I am the native Upstate New Yorker who drives to KoP for Wegmans about once every couple of months, but I'd love to make it my weekly store.

Wegmans business model is based on suburban supply chain management. They have a very rare urban store here and there. But they are overwhelmingly focused on sprawly suburban locations with the right economics.

[AJNEOA]

I would love for more Sprouts, Mom's and Heirloom Giants to pop up. So many are around Center City, which makes sense from an economic standpoint. Anyone else feel like Center City is becoming saturated?

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by AJNEOA

I would love for more Sprouts, Mom's and Heirloom Giants to pop up. So many are around Center City, which makes sense from an economic standpoint. Anyone else feel like Center City is becoming saturated?

No. There are still barren zones IMO. If you can walk more than 5 blocks without hitting some sort of grocery store, then there aren't enough.

Western Market needs a grocery store, ideal spot would be at 23rd and Arch where those new towers are being built.

The whole stretch of Spring Garden from the Delaware to the Parkway could use some grocery TLC.

The East Market development could us a traditional grocer.

Old City would also be ideal for a small format market.

I also think a Giant Heirloom between Broad and Fitler, closer to Rittenhouse would do very well.

I think there is plenty of room for move, just needs to be spaced properly.