Ukrop's Ivy Market (Richmond, Arlington, Roanoke: hotel, buyers, high school)

[Trevor92]

There was recently another good article on the future of the store, and shopping center there:
"The future is uncertain for a Richmond grocery chain that arrived in Roanoke 18 months ago amid much fanfare." ....
Full article at: http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/186427

I do hope the store is able to survive because I hate to hear of employees losing jobs and storefronts going empty, but I really don't think it sounds good. Even if it does survive, it sounds like the shopping center needs to meet some pretty lofty tax revenue goals to receive taxpayer funding to survive, and that'll be tough unless the economy changes quickly. It's an extremely nice, unique store, but it's the "closest grocery store" to so few people with 18 Krogers, 22 Food Lions, and 8 Wal-Mart supercenters in the area according to the article. That's also the same reason why it might be a waste of money to advertise heavily, because they'll be paying for tv commercials, radio ads, or flyers that reach many people that just wouldn't drive that far to a supermarket.

I do wish for the success of the Richmond-based grocer in Roanoke, but I'm also a shopper that watches pennies. Many of the people I talk to also consider themselves to have a similar viewpoint. I generally hit Kroger for the weekly specials and do the bulk of my shopping at the nearest Food Lion because it's closest and I can shop there and get what we need for a fair amount less.

[Midlo]

I have been reading a number of the threads relating to Ukrops in Roanoke. I have lived close to Richmond for the last 12 years, born and raised in Roanoke with family still there. I would like to think that most shoppers that have experienced Ukrops in Roanoke know first hand that their service, product availability, product quality, presentation and overall store aesthetics are consistently outstanding. Their staff alike there and here are well trained, professional and courteous. I would suspect that staff training and performance is paramount for continued employment. And even the older stores in my area are still well maintained and aesthetically pleasing. I really cannot state the same consistency for some of the grocery chains mentioned in the related threads- in Roanoke or here.

I am not an everyday shopper of Ukrops, but, I know that when I want the best quality (and locally grown) fruits and local vegetables, deli items, and meats I can always count on quality and product availability and someone standing ready to assist me. My family in Roanoke strongly supports Ukrops, but, they also shop other stores.

Roanoke needs businesses like Ukrops. The are good community neighbors and retail businesses enjoy being associated proximate to them. Given time, Ukrops will become deeply rooted in the Roanoke community. I am speaking from experience as to their support of so many community events, including soccer fields inspiring youth leagues here. People need good jobs and Roanoke needs strong businesses. Ukrops is/should be viewed as a part of an economic stimulus so needed by any community, Roanoke is no different. Ukrops also helps to spawn even more competition. And, I think Roanokers will see the value in the long run of having Ukrops as a community neighbor. Roanokers need to support Ukrops.

[whynot?]

I am stunned to read that Ukrop's does not advertise very much in Roanoke -- they appear to be co-owners of the Richmond paper, with endless ads and a preposterous amount of editorial coverage. Perhaps they'd buy ad space in the Times if they could have their own reporter there, too.

[Trevor92]

Originally Posted by Midlo

I am not an everyday shopper of Ukrops, but, I know that when I want the best quality (and locally grown) fruits and local vegetables, deli items, and meats I

Just to also throw this out, which I also just discovered. There's a new Super Dollar Discount Foods that just opened in Vinton in an old Winn-Dixie location.

It's the first store in the Roanoke area owned by K-VA-T Foods, based in Abingdon, VA a couple hours down I-81. It is their 'discount' chain as they also run Food City. They buy whatever they can from farmer's in Southwest Virginia, Northeast Tennessee, and Southeast Kentucky. They also carry locally grown produce, meats, and even ice cream and snack foods. Here's a couple articles which detail some of the other local companies they've helped revive: Kingsport Times-News Online - Kingsport, Tennessee Breaking News and Information
Food City builds success by flaunting its challenges : Business Journal : Knoxville News Sentinel

Since they just opened their 'discount' Super Dollar chain here, it'll probably compete more with Food Lion and Wal-Mart, whereas I see Ukrops competing more with Fresh Market and Kroger for a different subset of customers. They didn't arrive with the anticipation of Ukrop's and really aren't trying to provide that experience with Super Dollar. But I just wanted to throw it out as another source of a local chain that carries items from local farmers because I tend to prefer to support local businesses when I can rather than the more national grocery chains. It may be worth trying out for those of you who live near it and are keeping a close eye on the grocery budget.

[seanpecor]

Does the Richmond Ukrop's have as much entrenched competition as does the Roanoke Ukrop's location?

Richmond is a larger metro (1.2 million in the Richmond metro and only 300,000 in the Roanoke metro). So of course there are going to be more players in the grocery market space in Richmond. But it might be that Roanoke has more grocery store square footage per capita than Richmond does?

As for upscale groceries in Roanoke, you have Fresh Market (The Fresh Market, A Fine Neighborhood Specialty Grocer). Fresh Market is nearly a stone's throw from Ukrop's and had a 1-2 year head start. You also have the Roanoke Natural Foods Coop (Roanoke Natural Foods) on Memorial Ave, the largest natural foods coop in Virginia.

Nearly every wealthy family that lives inside the Roanoke City limits can just about coast down the hill and land in Ukrop's. But for the rest of Roanoke, the location isn't ideal, and I bet the traffic at that intersection can be daunting for old folks?

Sean

[whynot?]

Ukrop's and Richmonders are kind of like -- I'm thinking (and my Roanoke frame-of-reference is dated, but) -- the K&W and Roanokers. It's not a perfect comparison, but when I think of Roanoke, I think of the K&W being the kind of place that's full, familiar, and you might see anybody there.

No, they do not have entrenched competition in the Richmond market. Only in the past ten years have Food Lion -- and more recently -- Kroger gotten a toe-hold in the market. Prior to that, their "chain" competition here was Safeway and Winn Dixie. The Safeways were closed in one of their union/financial fiascos, and I think the Winn Dixie locations went down under similar circumstances. Food Lion came in rather timidly, and was able to position itself as "the alternative" until Kroger arrived a few years ago. They've been very assertive, and with the combination of exurban development and masses of new residents from other areas, it's paid off.

We also have a Fresh Market on each side of the river. (This is a major factor here. People tend to live/work on one side of the James or the other. It's very hard to break into the market without opening a store on each side because both have large influential neighborhoods.) Trader Joe's and Whole Food Market opened in September. There is also a thriving local "health food" store -- Ellwood Thompson -- in Carytown that's expanding even as WFM arrives. For the past 15 years, Ukrop's had reasonably successfully "competed" with Elwood-Thompson by carrying the same things they did in a boutique-y niche corner of their stores. (One of Whole Foods' predecessors -- Fresh Market -- briefly ran a store here in the mid-90s. It never "caught on," despite being a huge success in NoVa. Weird location, though, and only in the West End -- not close to VCU/downtown and nothing south of the James.) The Ukrop's parking lot nearest the Whole Foods in the West End was 2/3 empty today at lunch. The Whole Foods parking lot was packed. This is a new development.

Far and away, however, the most important factor is that the Ukrop's family lives here. There is at least one member of the founding generation's family that still lives in town, and the sons and many of their sons and daughters run the stores in a very hands-on way. Like K&W in Roanoke, it's not unusual to see Bobby or one of the boys in your local store on any given day. They are also community pillars here -- something neither Kroger nor Food Lion can really replicate. They are intrinsically "of Richmond" and Richmond is very loyal to them.

[Diamond Dave]

Stopped by Ukrops today to pick up a six pack of 24 oz. Diet Pepsis. These are always 3/$11.00 at Food Lion, or $3.67 each. Not sale price or MVP--normal price.

Ukrop's price--$3.89 on sale. (However, there was a "one day only" sale today, so they were $3.00. )

There was a great quote in this week's Newsweek:

"In a better economy, customer service, quality, selection are the key selling points. But this year it's really all about price."

--Ellen Davis, VP, National Retail Federation

Is there a lesson for Ukrop's there?

[whynot?]

Today in/outside of Richmond, Diet *COKE* (admittedly -- not Diet Pepsi) $3.99/12-pack "on sale." (I didn't buy any.)

It's hard to judge grocery stores by loss leaders and particularly strong brand preferences. They have little to do, actually, with the pricing since the manufacturers/distributors are basically leasing space on their shelves. I agree with the Newsweek quote, however. Price v. convenience or service or similar will drive purchases in a slow economy.

[Midlo]

Diamond Dave wrote:

There was a great quote in this week's Newsweek:

"In a better economy, customer service, quality, selection are the key selling points. But this year it's really all about price."

--Ellen Davis, VP, National Retail Federation

Is there a lesson for Ukrop's there



I think everyone agrees and so do I that price is driving many decisions in this unfortunate economy. But, I also think that customer service and product availability (selection) are even more paramount in the long run, particularly in this economy. In my opinion, if customers are not satisfied the first time, chances are they won't be back anytime soon. It has been my experience (way too many times) in chasing prices, that I , at times, find empty shelves and then end up spending more valuable time getting the product and or returning at a later date to claim my rain check savings. What I am saying is that consistency in quality service and selection in good time and bad times is important and in my opinion Ukrops is able to maintain a balance of customer service and quality and selection, and perhaps that does come at a slightly higher price. Perhaps Ukrops can reevaluate and pricing may become more favorable in the near term without compromising service and selection.

[Diamond Dave]

Originally Posted by Midlo

Ukrops is able to maintain a balance of customer service and quality and selection, and perhaps that does come at a slightly higher price

You've just described Kroger.

What is Ukrop's niche? Roanoke's population growth is nearly flat. Are folks willing to drive past several Krogers on their way from SW Roanoke County and Botetourt to shop at Ukrop's?

If it were a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe's (or the Roanoke co-op), sure. But I don't see Ukrop's being that big a draw.

I hope I'm wrong. All we need is a big empty box on Franklin Rd.

I keep coming back to, what is Ukrop's doing to make that splash it needs to make to pry customers from Kroger?