Rise of the Discounters

Above: Both Bottom Dollar (top) and Just $ave Foods (bottom) have corny taglines throughout their stores reminding patrons of how far their dollar will go.

With names like 'Bottom Dollar,' 'Save-A-Lot,' and 'Just $ave Foods,' discount grocers with limited assortments and no-frills shopping experiences are rapidly expanding. With the popularity of ALDI, other stores have taken off on this concept here in North Carolina:

St. Louis-based Save A Lot (a division of SuperValu) opened a distribution center in Davidson County, and has also committed to opening a store in East Greensboro's food desert. Photos of the north Greensboro location:

Walmart opened some of their first "Express" stores in North Carolina, stores that are approximately the size of a CVS or Walgreens. These express stores work in communities that are too small to support a full scale Walmart. Photos of the Richfield, NC store:

Just $ave Foods is Lowes Foods' discounter, as former some Lowes Foods stores are being converted into this format. Photos from the Graham, NC store (former Winn Dixie)

And Bottom Dollar is Food Lion's discount counterpart. Recently a large expansion was announced for this concept. Photos from the Asheboro Store (formerly Food Lion)

They even sell Hannaford Drinking Water - to differentiate between Food Lion's own brand.

More Bloom and Bottom Dollar

The Charlotte Observer ran an article today comparing the three Food Lion brands: Food Lion itself, Bloom and Bottom Dollar. We did a post comparing the three markets too, one post about Bottom Dollar and other Food Lion ventures, and one about Bloom. The photos are from the Wikipedia article for Food Lion, the Bloom store is from Accokeek, Maryland and I'm assuming the Bottom Dollar is their Hickory location, but I am not quite sure about it.

Fast facts from the Observer's article:

BLOOM

• 52 stores, four states.• Features high-tech gadgets that allow shoppers to print recipes, find their way around the store or tally their purchases while shopping.

• Features a fresh meat and seafood market; large selection of organic and international foods and store-baked pastries.

• Store rewards card gives customers a 1 percent rebate for each dollar spent.

FOOD LION

• 1,151 stores in 11 states.

• Stores are undergoing a redesign to widen aisles and lower shelves. Upgrading produce and wine departments.

• Smaller selection of international and organic foods; seafood is fresh but prepackaged.

• MVP card gives discounts on select items.

BOTTOM DOLLAR

• 18 stores in three states.

• Customers bag their own groceries. Polyester cloth bags cost $1 each, heavy plastic bags go for 5 cents each, and boxes are free.

• No on-site deli or bakery.

• At most stores, no card required to receive discounts. Hickory store is testing a free membership card.

Stock 'N Save - W Arrowood Rd, Charlotte; Bottom Dollar and other Food Lion ventures.

If it looks like a Food Lion and smells like a Food Lion, is it a Food Lion? Well not quite. This is a $tock 'N $ave store in southwest Charlotte, and according to Funding Universe, the store is actually a concept that is like Aldi, a no-frills market that carries only a fourth of what a normal grocery store would, keeping pricing and overhead low. This is akin to the concept of Food Lion's new Bottom Dollar stores (and this Stock 'N Save may become a Bottom Dollar, if it already hasn't). Bottom Dollar's reception has been cold, to say the least. Most patrons who've had their former Food Lion turned into a Bottom Dollar are thoroughly disappointed.

Interestingly enough, Food Lion also owns two other discount grocers in the south, Reid's in South Carolina (which to our knowledge, has no web presence except for an online ad on a local newspaper's website.) and Harvey's throughout Georgia. Grocerying reader Elizabeth expressed her displeasure about Harvey's saying their grocerying needs are "retro" and "they don't even have a loyalty card." She also went on to comment about the store's condition, stating "the dust is caked on the expiration date and the shelf life has really outsone itself."

Links:
Funding Universe
About Bottom Dollar