Publix coming to Richmond (Chester, Colonial Heights: construction, living, cost of living)

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by tylerSC

And I wonder if Harris Teeter may be interested in acquiring those Martin's stores, since there is a gap from NC to the DC area of Northern Virginia. This would allow them to infill their void and help thwart the predicted Publix expansion.

But perhaps Publix could be interested in those stores as well. Will be interesting to see how this develops.

Kroger and Harris Teeter co-exist in several markets in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. I do not know if both Kroger Mid-Atlantic and Harris Teeter divisions want to co-exist in Richmond, where the options could be Kroger, Kroger Marketplace, or Harris Teeter.

Publix usually builds its stores organically unless it wants to take on better performing stores from departing participants in markets.

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by aquest1

Harris Teeter is actually building a new distribution center in Caroline County in the northern part of the Richmond metro. Funny thing is they don't have any stores (yet) in Richmond and just announced a new store in Stafford. Perhaps they and Publix will strategically split the Martin's properties and Richmond will end up with two new players in the market.

Harris Teeter has stores in Charlottesville, northern and Hampton Roads, Virginia; Maryland; Delaware; and the District of Columbia. I do not know how many stores the new Carolina County distribution center will be supporting.

I would not be surprised to see Publix proceed with a distribution center somewhere in Virginia to handle many stores.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

Eyebrows in the grocery industry are raised in concern of possible divestiture of Giant-Landover and Martin's stores over Food Lion stores.

Food Lion has a quantity of stores in the Richmond, Virignia, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Those stores have significant shortcomings that make Giant-Landover and Martin's more desirable. First, most of its stores lack pharmacies. I know at least two stores in the metropolitan area have pharmacies. Second, Food Lion has struggled with higher prices. It claimed to have "extra low prices" years ago. I doubt increasing prices to make up for lost sales is a wise idea. Third, Food Lion has talked about getting better, but it has not walked the walked to getting better. "Easy, Fresh, and Affordable" is another campaign to get customers in the doors only to notice minimal updates.

Food Lion has struggled against and has been obliterated by Publix. If its stores are staying the course of not improving, Food Lion may have fewer stores than Publix in several years.

My guess is there was a buyer for the Martin's stores but not the Food Lion stores. The Martin's stores are generally in more attractive locations.

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by sls76

My guess is there was a buyer for the Martin's stores but not the Food Lion stores. The Martin's stores are generally in more attractive locations.

Martin's stores are more valuable than Food Lion stores indeed. Food Lion's stores would not attract any interest because of their shortcomings.

[Carolina Knight]

Publix announced it has entered into an agreement with Ahold to acquire Martin's stores:

• Martin's #6421, Short Pump Crossing, 3460 Pump Road, Henrico, Virginia 23233-1111 (Pharmacy)
• Martin's #6429, Richmond Shopping Center, 3522 West Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia 23221-2729
• Martin's #6433, Cross Ridge, 10250 Staples Mill Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060-3251 (Pharmacy, Bank)
• Martin's #6434, John Rolfe Commons, 2250 John Rolfe Parkway, Henrico, Virginia 23233-6913 (Pharmacy, Fuel, Bank)
• Martin's #6435, Virginia Center Marketplace, 10150 Brook Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23059-6514 (Pharmacy, Bank)
• Martin's #6438, Harbor Point Village, 13700 Hull Street Road, Midlothian, Virginia 23112-2000 (Pharmacy, Fuel, Bank)
• Martin's #6439, The Village, 7035 Three Chopt Road, Richmond, Virginia 23226-3606 (Bank)
• Martin's #6494, Colonial Square, 3107-15 Boulevard, Colonial Heights, Virginia 23834 (Pharmacy, Fuel (offsite), Bank)
• Martin's #6498, Westpark, 9645 West Broad Street, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060-4116 (Pharmacy, Fuel, Bank)
• Martin's #6499, White Oak Village, 4591 S Laburnum Avenue, Henrico, Virginia 23231-2421 (Pharmacy, Bank)

Further reading
"Publix Announces Further Expansion Into Virginia." Lakeland, Florida: Publix. 2016-07-13.

[tylerSC]

How many Kroger stores exist in the Richmond area? I wonder if some could could convert to the more upscale Harris Teeter to more effectively compete with Wegmans and the arrival of Publix? And I still think some of the Food Lion stores should be converted to one of the more dominant Giant brands, but that would require renovation, expansion, or rebuilds. Just seems like Giant is the much stronger brand in the Mid Atlantic region.

[Carolina Knight]

I think Kroger has 18 stores in the Richmond area.

It would be interesting to see Harris Teeter enter the Richmond market. I could see its stores and Kroger's Mid-Atlantic Division overlapping.

[Carolina Knight]

It appears Publix may reopen the ten Martin's stores it is acquiring as Publix stores as early as next year.

Further reading
Smith, Tammy. "Biz Buzz: Publix planning to open some stores in Richmond area next year; helping to sponsor Anthem Richmond Marathon." Richmond Times-Dispatch. 2016-08-21.

[Carolina Knight]

Three Henrico County Martin's stores will close Monday, 28 November 2016, to begin their conversion to Publix:

• Martin's #6433, Cross Ridge, 10250 Staples Mill Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060-3251
• Martin's #6434, John Rolfe Commons, 2250 John Rolfe Parkway, Henrico, Virginia 23233-6913
• Martin's #6499, White Oak Village, 4591 South Laburnum Avenue, Henrico, Virginia 23231-2421

Further reading
Smith, Tammie. "Publix spending millions of dollars renovating first three Martin's grocery stores in Henrico." Richmond Times-Dispatch. 2016-11-08.

[Carolina Knight]

Four of ten Martin's stores being divested to Publix will close on or later than Monday, 6 February 2017, to begin conversions:

• Martin's #6421, Short Pump Crossing, 3460 Pump Road, Henrico, Virginia 23233-1111
• Martin's #6435, Virginia Center Marketplace, 10150 Brook Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23059-6514
• Martin's #6438, Harbor Point Village, 13700 Hull Street Road, Midlothian, Virginia 23112-2000
• Martin's #6494, Colonial Square, 3107-15 Boulevard, Colonial Heights, Virginia 23834

Further reading
Bryan, Alix. "Closing date announced for 4 more Martin’s to be sold to Publix." Richmond, Virginia: WTVR-TV. 2016-12-06.