Winnipeg Retail

[rtotheitz0]

Originally Posted by CoryB

As for Garden City mall, if I was placing bets it would be on Lucky's open up another location. I recall all the rumors and speculation about the old Maples IGA takeover...

It's 100% Seafood City

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by laumag

Stitches has left the Garden City Shopping Centre Sears building. It will now be subdivided into one "Asian" grocery store and 5 or 6 smaller units as rumor has it.

the stitches store was that big it can become a grocery store plus 6 more units? thats a big stitches store

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

the stitches store was that big it can become a grocery store plus 6 more units? thats a big stitches store

It was occupying the former Sears space. I never actually went in there, but I'm guessing it didn't take up the entire space.

[pegcity]

I’ve been to Seafood City’s in the States, there not that very big. I believe the Mississauga location is 50,000 sf. The old Sears location at Garden City is around 92,000 sf.

[South248]

https://www.chrisd.ca/2018/07/19/fre.../#.W1EIHdVKiM8

Safeway locations on Regent and Jefferson will close on October 13th. Re-open as FreshCo next Spring.


I had a gut feeling about Jefferson, given the proximity to Superstore and Save-On Foods. Regent also makes sense, given it's not far off from Wal-Mart, Superstore and Sobeys nearby.

[horrorbro123]

Bootlegger At CF Polo Park Has Re-Open

[esquire]

Originally Posted by South248

https://www.chrisd.ca/2018/07/19/fre.../#.W1EIHdVKiM8

Safeway locations on Regent and Jefferson will close on October 13th. Re-open as FreshCo next Spring.


I had a gut feeling about Jefferson, given the proximity to Superstore and Save-On Foods. Regent also makes sense, given it's not far off from Wal-Mart, Superstore and Sobeys nearby.

I always thought it was a bit odd that a deal-loving city like Winnipeg didn't have any discount banners except the one lonely Price Chopper outlet which is now gone.

The FreshCos that I've seen are fairly modest-sized establishments, though... the two Safeway locations they've pegged for conversion must be some of the biggest ones in the city. It'll be interesting to see what they end up looking like... I think they'll do well.

[CoryB]

The conversion of the Jefferson Safeway to FreshCo is definitely a surprise. The Sobeys/Safeway banners will have gone from seven full line stores in northwest Winnipeg to two with that conversion.

The other piece here is I think this is the start of the conversion of all the Safeway banners. It doesn't make sense to run to nearly identical full line/top price stores near each other. Converting to a full line banner and a discount banner is a smart long term play.

In terms of discount banners seems people often forget about the number of No Frills stores around the city.

[borkborkbork]

I wonder what their plan is for the Osborne/River and South Osborne Safeways. Both seem to have been left to languish.

[CoryB]

The River/Osborne Safeway is running their current image so any issues would just fall into general maintenance. I can't imaging they let that location go.

As for south Osborne, not really sure as I haven't seen that store in a long time.

I except the next round(s) will focus on Safeway to FreshCo conversions. Once those are done look for the remaining Safeway stores (ie River and Osborne) to convert to Sobey's similar to how several Garden Market IGA stores made the conversion.

[buzzg]

Ya I’d imagine River will become Sobey’s. South Osborne is interesting because the area can definitely support a full line store, but it’s extremely small that I don’t think Sobey’s would want it. Would make sense for it to become FreshCo, but then there’s no major grocer in the area.

[cllew]

The South Osborne store is owned by Sobey's (thru their Crombie REIT) so it may give them a little flexibility in what they do to it. As the the River /Osborne location

They are part of the 12 or so Winnipeg stores that were owned by Safeway's Real Estate Investment Dept and transferred ownership when Safeway sold out. The Jefferson store being rebranded is also one of the REIT owned locations.

[South248]

Aside from River, there could be a few others that flip to Sobeys (or stay as Safeway for the short term). Stores with no immediate competition like Tyndall or only a No Frills nearby like Sargent or Marion, might stick around for a bit, until they figure out what format is more appropriate.

Here in Ontario, people tend to shop around, many do their groceries in discount stores, but will still to go to nearby Sobeys/Safeway format stores for the deli, bakery and meat (since its done in-house, whereas discount stores tend to have product shipped in) The key seems to be offering something different from the nearest competitors.

I suspect Sobeys will cherrypick locations across the prairies to become FreshCo, both from existing Sobeys and Safeway locations. I know in Regina's south end, there's a Sobeys that in the past several years have seen a Co-op, Superstore and a Save-On Foods all pop up within 5 minutes in different directions of it. The closest Safeway on the other hand, has no immediate competitor. I agree that the Safeway brand will likely cease to exist, but I think it will take several years of chipping away it (much like how Loblaw has slowly chipped away at Extra Foods over the past ten years, making conversions to Superstore, No Frills and Independent)

[Urban recluse]

As a frugal Ukrainian, I do not believe in paying more for groceries. Save the bells and whistles, give me the best possible price.

[michelleb]

Well sure, as long as you're happy with lower quality food and goods.

Those savings come from somewhere and it's not from "bells and whistles".

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by michelleb

Well sure, as long as you're happy with lower quality food and goods.

Those savings come from somewhere and it's not from "bells and whistles".

Umm no, Safeway's produce area is designed to have minimal stock on the floor for aesthetic appeal – so they have to have more stockers on shift to keep it filled. Both Safeway and Sobeys have extra staff on to bag your groceries, walk you to your car, do parcel pickup, make the ready-to-eat meals... I could go on. Safeway has full-time florists on staff. There's a lot of "bells and whistles" at both – especially Safeway.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Umm no, Safeway's produce area is designed to have minimal stock on the floor for aesthetic appeal – so they have to have more stockers on shift to keep it filled. Both Safeway and Sobeys have extra staff on to bag your groceries, walk you to your car, do parcel pickup, make the ready-to-eat meals... I could go on. Safeway has full-time florists on staff. There's a lot of "bells and whistles" at both – especially Safeway.

Extra staff to bag groceries doesn't happen anymore. The cashiers having baggers slowly started to go away after the strike in 1978 as Safeway had to cut staff cost somehow.

Same as take out help, that's gone too.

With the advent of Wal-Mart, Costco, etc customers are now use to taking their bags out to their vehicles. The stores may have one low level PT person during prime hours to bring carts back into the store and maybe do takeout if he hears the page for help.

[Urban recluse]

Originally Posted by michelleb

Well sure, as long as you're happy with lower quality food and goods.

Those savings come from somewhere and it's not from "bells and whistles".

Get over yourself. What a load of BS.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by cllew

Extra staff to bag groceries doesn't happen anymore. The cashiers having baggers slowly started to go away after the strike in 1978 as Safeway had to cut staff cost somehow.

Same as take out help, that's gone too.

With the advent of Wal-Mart, Costco, etc customers are now use to taking their bags out to their vehicles. The stores may have one low level PT person during prime hours to bring carts back into the store and maybe do takeout if he hears the page for help.

I was at Sobeys yesterday and there was a second staffperson on bagging my groceries. And I often see people taking groceries to peoples' cars.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I was at Sobeys yesterday and there was a second staffperson on bagging my groceries. And I often see people taking groceries to peoples' cars.

Ok Sobey's...most of their locations are not under a UFCW contract so they can afford to have the staff that Safeway does not.

I think that Sobey's only have one unionized store in the Winnipeg area, and that's the Sopbey's extra on Pembina that replaced the Safeway that was there.