Winnipeg Retail

[LilZebra]

...

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by vjose32

Maybe they will reopen the former Sobeys on Keewatin?

Not a chance that Empire is going to reopen any of their closed locations. Reportedly the shrink (theft) rate at the Burrows and Keewatin location was well above accepted standards.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Not a chance that Empire is going to reopen any of their closed locations. Reportedly the shrink (theft) rate at the Burrows and Keewatin location was well above accepted standards.

There are stores operating in sketchier areas than that.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by esquire

There are stores operating in sketchier areas than that.

Than Tyndall Park? Not many. There is a huge tract of public housing there.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Than Tyndall Park? Not many. There is a huge tract of public housing there.

It's less than 200 units, I don't know if I'd call that "huge". You can probably find that much public housing within 1 km of many supermarkets in this city. The rest is mostly working class (to the east) and middle class (to the west) single family homes.

[CoryB]

it might not be that "large" but the Gilbert Park area that was immediately east of the former Sobeys at Burrows and Keewaitn is said to be one of the worst neighbourhoods in the whole city. Not just a generalized "anything North of Portage" statement but that specific pocket seems worse than areas a little more north or a little further east.

As for grocery stores is rougher areas, I would imagine only the Sargent store is worse although the Mountain store is likely close too.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by CoryB

it might not be that "large" but the Gilbert Park area that was immediately east of the former Sobeys at Burrows and Keewaitn is said to be one of the worst neighbourhoods in the whole city. Not just a generalized "anything North of Portage" statement but that specific pocket seems worse than areas a little more north or a little further east.

As for grocery stores is rougher areas, I would imagine only the Sargent store is worse although the Mountain store is likely close too.

Mountain store is owned and not leased so its operating cost may be lower than the leased ones and may justify keeping it open, as I am sure that its mortgage was probably paid off when Canada Safeway still owned it.

There are about 5 Safeway stores and a few Sobeys that are owned outright in Winnipeg and the rest are leased locations according to the Information that I saw on the Sobeys REIT website.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by CoryB

it might not be that "large" but the Gilbert Park area that was immediately east of the former Sobeys at Burrows and Keewaitn is said to be one of the worst neighbourhoods in the whole city. Not just a generalized "anything North of Portage" statement but that specific pocket seems worse than areas a little more north or a little further east.

As for grocery stores is rougher areas, I would imagine only the Sargent store is worse although the Mountain store is likely close too.

That is what I was referring to. It is nasty in there, as bad as Charles Walk.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Than Tyndall Park? Not many. There is a huge tract of public housing there.

Is Jig Town considered part of Tyndal Park!

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by CoryB

That the FreshCo move was announced today was a surprise but that the plan is convert, likely the Safeway brand, into a discount banner isn't overall a surprise.

In terms of locations, look anywhere Safeway and Sobey's exist more or less across the street from each other. Chances are that Safeway is on the list to become a FreshCo. That said ones like the Sargent or Jefferson location where there isn't another Empire brand nearby are likely to stay as the top tier brand. This move doesn't seem to be so much about competing v other stores but rather doing some much needed brand differentiation.

Couple this with them admitting that Safeway's brand value wasn't as high as they thought, makes me wonder if they might just slowly shudder Safeway altogether and covert the ones with no Sobeys nearby into Sobeys.

I was going to ask you if you knew the "difference" between Price Chopper and FreshCo, but after doing some digging it seems they're working to slowly phase out Chopper altogether and have FreshCo as the only discount store. The Price Chopper wiki page actually redirects to FreshCo lol. Sounds like Chopper had a bad rep in Ontario.

Originally Posted by esquire

Yeah, I was thinking FreshCo conversions would make sense in situations like Kenaston near McGillivray where you have Safeway and Sobeys a stone's throw from each other. Or Portage West where you have both brands like 1 km apart. Or the smaller locations like the Safeway on South Osborne which probably don't make sense as full-line, full service stores anymore.

I think if anything we'd see both Osborne stores eventually become Sobeys. As the only grocery stores in their respective areas, I'd say it makes a lot of sense to be full-line. If you go to a FreshCo, you might end up forcing people to other stores to get certain items. Plus, they'll never be the opportunity to build a new big box grocery store with big lot in either area, so you almost have a guaranteed monopoly.

Originally Posted by Wolf13

Sounds discounty to me


Well that's an odd fit... is the Lada dealership on Main Street relocating?

Lada exited the Canadian market in the 90s.

[cllew]

I was in Transcona a few weeks ago and was wondering what had happened to the No Frills that was suppose to go into the old Safeway/Economart location on Regent as that location was still empty.

Today I was looking on the city website and see that a new No Frills is going to be built in the Park City Commons development that is replacing the former City works yards on PLessis and Transcona Blvd. Its designed to be 30,400 sq feet with a seasonal garden center.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I think if anything we'd see both Osborne stores eventually become Sobeys. As the only grocery stores in their respective areas, I'd say it makes a lot of sense to be full-line. If you go to a FreshCo, you might end up forcing people to other stores to get certain items. Plus, they'll never be the opportunity to build a new big box grocery store with big lot in either area, so you almost have a guaranteed monopoly.

The South Osborne store is definitely not a full line store in its current format... they may technically have the different departments that a larger store has, but in reality most people have to go to at least one other store because the selection there is so limited due to the store's small size. I don't think much would change in practice if it became a FreshCo... in some ways, it would be a better fit given the reality of that location.

[buzzg]

It's not as big as most Safeways but most certainly has far more selection, and more premium items, than a NoFrills or FreshCo would. What does that mean "the reality of that location?"

[esquire]

^ Small store flanked on the west by a middle to lower income neighborhood. Looks like a contender for the FreshCo treatment to me.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by buzzg

it seems they're working to slowly phase out Chopper altogether

Pretty sure Sobey's completely divested Price Choppers as part of the Safeway divestment. If it wasn't fully, it was either western Canada or Manitoba. I thought Northwest Company got the name with the Winnipeg store.

[South248]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Couple this with them admitting that Safeway's brand value wasn't as high as they thought, makes me wonder if they might just slowly shudder Safeway altogether and covert the ones with no Sobeys nearby into Sobeys.
.

What's interesting about this, is that the few locations that have converted to Safeway Extra, look identical in store decor to Sobeys Extra. Google the Moose Jaw location, then google up images of the Pembina Sobeys. Nearly identical decor. Keep in mind, that it would take a number of years to eventually get all the Safeways to switch over to this look. Shoot, at the time of Sobeys buying Safeway, I think there were a handful of locations left that hadn't even had the last Safeway remodel, and still have that 90s look/decor.




3 Price Choppers still exist in Toronto. Not sure why exactly, as the rest of the chain slowly converted over to FreshCo from 2010.

As an ex-Manitoban now living in Ontario, I can tell you that Price Chopper had a pretty bad reputation in Ontario, when compared to the other discount chains. The stores had a very dingy/dirty/rundown feel to them. When FreshCo came along, with a new bright/clean appearance and with price matching, many people started going there instead of their discount competitors.

Price Chopper as a chain, was being slowly being eliminated. All the locations in the Maritimes either closed or converted to Foodland (similar to IGA, small-town franchised grocery). The sole location in the prairies, was sold off to the Northwest Company. In terms of whether they own the name or not, I'm not sure.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Pretty sure Sobey's completely divested Price Choppers as part of the Safeway divestment. If it wasn't fully, it was either western Canada or Manitoba. I thought Northwest Company got the name with the Winnipeg store.

They didn't divest of it, they just have been slowly been converting them to FreshCo's. Apparently the reason is PC had really bad brand value/reputation in Ontario (where there used to be lots) so they've been phasing it out.

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by vjose32

I don't even know if the Lada dealership even exists anymore, though I do remember it. It's Auto something, they have a banner up.

Originally Posted by SKYSTHELIMIT

Was that the one in Middlechurch just past the Perimeter? I think it started doing marine stuff if that's the place.

Originally Posted by buzzg

Lada exited the Canadian market in the 90s.

It was the most sarcastic joke I may have ever told, but I appreciate being listened to, fellas

[vjose32]

Just reported today in the Freep that WK Chan is in default of their creditors and hasn’t been making payments but continues to operate, wonder how long that will last.

[jmt18325]

They have terrible quality - I'd never buy there again even if they did survive.