Richmond Grocery Wars

[whw53]

Yea more coverage of Amazon Fresh slowing it's roll. If they are pumping the brakes in DC then that doesn't bode well for any Richmond expansion plans. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2023/02/07/amazon-fresh-jassy-grocery-slow.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/02/amazon-is-shutting-some-fresh-and-go-stores-as-the-company-cuts-costs.html

https://annandaletoday.com/amazon-fresh-store-in-limbo/

[Flood Zone]

13 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

My friends who want to save time were using Amazon/Whole Foods' delivery services. I never did because it wasn't worth it for my budget...and I actually like going to the store. 
Kroger has started a $100/year service to delivery food within two hours to me (I live in fan area). Even I signed up for that being a young family. Whole Foods is getting competition and the competition is much cheaper in my view. 

Based on a sample size of the Kroger at Willow Lawn, I think Kroger's Click List service (i.e., curbside) is still getting some good run. Nowhere near height-of-COVID levels, of course, but those five spaces are still pretty well occupied. I too like going to the store but have certainly used it when we've got a long list and time is of the essence.

At any rate, I think it would be hilarious if the old Food Lion in Libbie Place was just being replaced by a nicer looking Food Lion.

[KJHburg]

does anyone have an update on the new Wegmans distribution warehouse north of town?  The completion of this warehouse is important to their movement further south into NC and beyond and to the Charlotte region.   If someone can snap a photo of it (and with their permission) I will post on the Bring Wegmans to Charlotte Facebook group LOL.   We suspect they have at least 2 sites under consideration here for their first stores but it is all dependent on the completion of this Richmond  distribution center.  

[eandslee]

41 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

does anyone have an update on the new Wegmans distribution warehouse north of town?  The completion of this warehouse is important to their movement further south into NC and beyond and to the Charlotte region.   If someone can snap a photo of it (and with their permission) I will post on the Bring Wegmans to Charlotte Facebook group LOL.   We suspect they have at least 2 sites under consideration here for their first stores but it is all dependent on the completion of this Richmond  distribution center.  

Last I heard, construction is ongoing although there is a group looking to halt the work. Just don’t think they will be successful. I haven’t been to that side of town to confirm the work that is supposedly ongoing. 

Edited February 11, 2023 by eandslee

[whw53]

Here's the latest on that-

https://richmond.com/news/local/hanover-county-residents-file-appeal-against-wegmans-rezoning-decision/article_1c3e1ae7-00f3-562a-b4df-fb820bd37cdd.html

 

https://www.virginiamercury.com/2023/02/02/supreme-court-of-va-rules-hanover-residents-can-sue-over-wegmans-warehouse/

 

I'm pretty sure the site is already construction however I'll try to make a trip over there next week see what I can snag.

[skinsfan]

8 hours ago, KJHburg said:

does anyone have an update on the new Wegmans distribution warehouse north of town?  The completion of this warehouse is important to their movement further south into NC and beyond and to the Charlotte region.   If someone can snap a photo of it (and with their permission) I will post on the Bring Wegmans to Charlotte Facebook group LOL.   We suspect they have at least 2 sites under consideration here for their first stores but it is all dependent on the completion of this Richmond  distribution center.  

A friend from work who lives near the location has told me that it’s the largest building he’s ever seen. Lol. He  has said that it looks like it goes on forever.  I would not expect any disturbance on the project due to a few residents.  Hanover residents fight every single little thing. It’s rather annoying.  With that being said, I can try to swing by this weekend and take some pictures.  

[whw53]

False alarm - facility off Brook Rd will host FeedMore and is not infrastructure for any new grocery chain.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/03/08/feed-more-to-relocate-to-40m-warehouse-planned-near-st-josephs-villa/

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[whw53]

Well at first I regretted naming this thread 'grocery wars' because market competition in a free, voluntary society under the rule of law is the exact opposite of armed state conflict of which that term should be reserved for.

But I'll have to say the phrase has taken on a new application and is starting to fit in regards to the ceaseless Wegmans land use battles- more from the RTD ....

WEGMANS REQUESTS VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT TO REHEAR CASE
https://richmond.com/business/local/wegmans-hanover-county/article_2aa93364-bdf6-11ed-a780-ff132a0c5e7f.html

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[eandslee]

1 hour ago, whw53 said:

Well at first I regretted naming this thread 'grocery wars' because market competition in a free, voluntary society under the rule of law is the exact opposite of armed state conflict of which that term should be reserved for.

But I'll have to say the phrase has taken on a new application and is starting to fit in regards to the ceaseless Wegmans land use battles- more from the RTD ....

WEGMANS REQUESTS VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT TO REHEAR CASE
https://richmond.com/business/local/wegmans-hanover-county/article_2aa93364-bdf6-11ed-a780-ff132a0c5e7f.html

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I can’t read the article due to the paywall, but from what I know, I just don’t understand the huge fight against this Wegman’s wearhouse.  Wegman’s has done virtually everything it can to be a good neighbor to the local residents in the area. They’ve even been respectful to the burial grounds that were there. I really hope Wegman’s comes out victorious here.  It’s just a shame the fight continues in court. It sends the wrong message that Virginia (specifically, the Richmond area) is not open for business. 

[wrldcoupe4]

It's well under construction, so I can't imagine they would rule that the facility can't be operated.

[whw53]

It's well under construction, so I can't imagine they would rule that the facility can't be operated.

tell that to the pipeline industry ha. But in all seriousness any chance of denial of occupancy would send a horrible market signal .

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[whw53]

Kroger swapping out its location in Mechanicsville and enlarging it to its Marketplace format.

I think this would be their 5th Marketplace location in the metro region. 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/03/10/kroger-revisits-plans-for-new-grocery-store-in-mechanicsville/

[Flood Zone]

RVA Redditor says Huang’s Express cashier says it’s Trader Joe’s that is coming to Willow Place

Edited March 13, 2023 by Flood Zone

[wrldcoupe4]

Haha I am pretty sure it was supposed to be an Amazon Fresh. Would love to see another TJs in town though. 

[whw53]

Tjs here in Willow Lawn is the strong favorite at this point..an im leaning toward the two Chesterfield locations both being Whole Foods , not Amazon Fresh.

There is more momentum behind Amazon's flagship brand than this Fresh format. Fresh expansion has ground to a halt. Even planned locations are being tabled - not so for WF-

https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com/stores/whole-foods-jason-buechel-bullish-brick-mortar-expansion#:~:text=Whole%20Foods%20Market%20is%20ramping,Show%20in%20New%20York%20City.



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[Downtowner]

4 minutes ago, whw53 said:

Tjs here in Willow Lawn is the strong favorite at this point...but what if the 2 Chesterfield locations are to be Whole Foods , not Amazon Fresh. It seems like there is more momentum behind Amazon's flagship brand than this Fresh format. Fresh expansion has ground to a halt. Even planned locations are being tabled - not so for WF-

https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com/stores/whole-foods-jason-buechel-bullish-brick-mortar-expansion#:~:text=Whole%20Foods%20Market%20is%20ramping,Show%20in%20New%20York%20City.



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Would they really put one right down the road from the one at sauers center? I can’t imagine it being a Whole Foods. 

[wrldcoupe4]

It’s a 43,000 sf grocer based on Bizsense reporting. Trader Joe’s is typically 8,000 -  15,000 sf. Unless we are about to get the world’s largest TJ’s, it’s going to be another grocer. The center is owned by Sauer who we know has a relationship with Amazon/Whole Foods. It’s always possible that given their internal reshuffling with Fresh something changes, but that was the plan. 

[Child2021]

Take this with a huge grain of salt, but someone commented about the possibilty of weis expanding here.. on bizsense fb page

[I miss RVA]

29 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

It’s a 43,000 sf grocer based on Bizsense reporting. Trader Joe’s is typically 8,000 -  15,000 sf. Unless we are about to get the world’s largest TJ’s, it’s going to be another grocer. The center is owned by Sauer who we know has a relationship with Amazon/Whole Foods. It’s always possible that given their internal reshuffling with Fresh something changes, but that was the plan. 

I know this is getting a little out over the skis a bit, particularly with developers potentially slowing things down temporarily, but once things crank back up, what's the most reasonable size footprint-wise for any grocer that might look to (finally!) open in Manchester?

[Downtowner]

21 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

Take this with a huge grain of salt, but someone commented about the possibilty of weis expanding here.. on bizsense fb page

Interesting they are in West Virginia just over the va line. I’ve been to one when my wife and I go back to where she grew up in Winchester va. They have talked about coming to Winchester too a lot. About to move back up with my wife. Leaving Richmond for good on April 1st and no it’s not an April fools joke. It’s as real as it gets. We only have martins and Walmart in Winchester. We have three martins in the Winchester area if you include Stephen’s city. 

 

[whw53]

I would love to see Weis here but I don't see it in the cards - they aren't aggressively expansionist and have even closed stores in Culpeper and Spotsylvania within last few years. They are sort of the Food Lion of Maryland/southern PA and don't have an obvious niche in our crowded market. Those locations near Winxhester are closer to their home territory.

They never pushed naturally down 95 into Central Virginia tho - they are only in Fredericksburg for the same reason Publix is in Richmond - they saw an opportunity to swoop in and get a bunch of Ahold shells when they were forced to sell in certain markets from the merger with Food Lion. In that case it was 9 food lions that turned over- in our market it was all the Martin's that closed. I don't think they are well set up to expand south.



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[I miss RVA]

Hmmm... 

I wonder if it makes me a "grocery preservationist" when I'd be happy if we could somehow get Safeway and Ukrops back?

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by I miss RVA

[RiverYuppy]

I think we really lucked out that Whole Foods ended up going where it did. Sometimes it feels like the westward sprawl is unstoppable and can easily see it having winded up in Willow Lawn.

Now if you live downtown, you don't have to drive all the way out of the city to go to a name brand premium grocery store. In fact it probably brings some people into Richmond vs forcing them to drive out of Richmond.

Having Publix in Carytown and Whole Foods 5 minutes from Downtown is a huge win.

Now if only there was redevelopment of the Kroger on Lombardy and the Farm Fresh in Shockoe. 

Kroger could do something like they're doing in Mechanicsville. Jettison their old location and build a new & improved one nearby. Perhaps then they can also jettison the reputation of being the worst Kroger in the region, which is why so many people in the city drive by it to go to another grocery store.

Not to mention something like 70% of their current lot is asphalt and is a prime location for a mixed-use development. They could re-open in the Diamond District and sell the old lot to developers.

Edited March 14, 2023 by RiverYuppy

[Flood Zone]

3 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

wonder if it makes me a "grocery preservationist" when I'd be happy if we could somehow get Safeway and Ukrops back?

Ukrop's is "back" in a sense. The market hall is more or less just a small, Ukrop's-specific store without grocery store staples. Highly recommended if you're in town.

(Worked for Ukrop's back when they drove Safeway out of the Richmond market. Still feel like I contributed to a W.)

[Icetera]

2 hours ago, RiverYuppy said:

Perhaps then they can also jettison the reputation of being the worst Kroger in the region, which is why so many people in the city drive by it to go to another grocery store.

I doubt  building a new one nearby would change that reputation as the reputation has more to do with being primarily full of VCU kids rather than an issue with the store itself.  While being a little pricier (less support plus higher rent I am sure), Farm Fresh is also not all that bad and I think its bad rap comes from classism much like Lombardy Kroger.