Trader Joe's passing on Greensboro again?

In 2011, we reported that Trader Joe's was interested in Greensboro.  The fact is, they were/are only interested in one site, a currently residential site adjacent to Friendly Shopping Center, which is currently home to both a Whole Foods Market and Harris Teeter.  Today, the low price natural/organic/quirky retailer stated they are "no longer interested" in other sites in Greensboro.  To the dismay of many, this continues the roller coaster that Trader Joe's has put Greensboro through.

Trader Joe's has opened stores in Wilmington, Asheville and nearby Winston-Salem in recent years, so there's no reason that they couldn't open a Greensboro location.  We think this is just a bump in the road to Trader Joe's, and eventually they will come.   More from the Triad Business Journal.  In the meantime, Greensboro residents, keep driving to Winston-Salem and Chapel Hill for your Trader Joe's fix.

Tweet us your opinions @Grocerying or leave a comment below.

Whole Foods coming to South Charlotte

Grocerying speculated on its twitter page last year that Whole Foods would open a location in South Charlotte at Ardrey Kell Road and Providence Road.  Fast forward half a year, and the organic an natural foods supermarket has announced it will open a 40,000 square foot store off of Providence Road in a new development called Waverly, just south of Interstate 485.

This will be the third Whole Foods Market in the Charlotte area, after the SouthPark location adjacent to Phillips Place, and a new location going into a soon to be former Food Lion in Huntersville, next to Birkdale Village.

The Providence Road Whole Foods Market is set to open in 2016.

Harris Teetering

Recently, there has been a wild amount of frenzy regarding a potential sale of Matthews-based grocer Harris Teeter.  Speculation is ablaze about what might happen to the regional upscale grocer, which has stores in the Mid Atlantic region and the Southeast.  When The Wall Street Journal reported that Harris Teeter was exploring options for a sale and the chain consulted with J.P. Morgan financial advisors, other chain grocery store names such as Kroger and Publix were mentioned.  However, it is our thinking that the most likely scenario is that a private equity firm will buy the chain and keep its name and branding as-is, and retain the headquarters just outside of Charlotte. 

If a sale occurred to Kroger, which is the second-largest grocery chain after Walmart, then we would see a return of the mid-market grocer to the Charlotte market, as well as a return to other markets that have experienced Kroger’s absence, like the Washington, D.C.-metro area.  Kroger, however, is the most typical mid-market grocer in America, which a price point that is more on par with Bi-Lo than Harris Teeter.  Kroger only has a handful of stores in North Carolina currently, in Raleigh and Durham, and if a takeover of Harris Teeter were to occur, this would make Kroger one of the most dominant grocery store chains in the state.

With Publix expanding into the Charlotte metro area, one would think that the quickest takeover for Harris Teeter, its most formidable competitor, would give them a stronghold of the market.  We don’t see this happening either though, because Publix grows a little more organically rather than through acquisition.  Publix is planning on opening stores in Charlotte’s Ballantyne and South End communities soon.

Ultimately, much of the speculation is just that, and like we said our prediction is that the customer won’t notice any changes if and when a transaction occurs.  With the store-swap with Lowes Foods last year in the Charlotte area, we think that Harris Teeter has worked hard to keep its core footprint of suburban markets and up and coming urban areas.

Whole Foods Market plans new North Carolina store

Whole Foods Market announced their latest round of store openings this week.  Of all the stores announced, the North Carolina location is the only store that doesn't have a city listed yet.  According to the grocer, the city won't be announced just yet leaving the speculation to be open-ended.  Currently, Whole Foods Market has store locations in the following cities in NC: One location in Asheville, Cary, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro, Wilmington and Winston-Salem, and two locations in Raleigh.  Whole Foods is continuing their expansion into mid-sized cities, as a Columbia, SC location is opened recently.

With that said, what are your thoughts? Do you believe that Whole Foods' next NC location will be in a suburban location of Charlotte such as Ballantyne or Lake Norman, or will another mid-sized city like Fayetteville or Greenville be landing a Whole Foods? Leave a comment below!

Lowes Foods' new look

A competitive grocery market calls for grocers to be on their toes at all times.  In keeping with the trend, Winston-Salem based Lowes Foods stores is rolling out a contemporary look at some of their locations. This store in Greensboro on New Garden Road is one of the first Lowes Foods stores with the new, modernized look.  Gone are the tall, bulky shelving units on the aisles, replaced with low-rise shelves and wider aisles.  Additionally, new sleek signage is displayed all around the store and throughout the center of the store, directing customers to where they can find newly-relocated items.  At this time, it is unclear how many of their stores will get this look, but our guess is that most of them will.

Charlotte's Whole Foods set to open August 29

The highly anticipated opening of Charlotte's first Whole Foods Market store is August 29th, just in time for the Democratic National Convention.  The store is located off of Fairview Road, near SouthPark Mall and next to Phillips Place shopping center.  It will feature an underground parking garage and a cart escalator.

Local competition includes the flagship Harris Teeter store, the Earth Fare store at Morrison, and The Fresh Market at Strawberry Hill.  Other recent Whole Foods Markets that have opened in North Carolina include a Greensboro store in April and a Wilmington store in June.

Harris Teeter and Lowes Foods plan major shakeup in Charlotte and western NC

Breaking News: Harris Teeter and Lowes Foods are swapping stores in the Charlotte region and in Asheville.  We are working on the story, here are the stores that effected:

Harris Teeter stores converting to Lowes Foods

401 Cox Rd, Gastonia

1751 Neil Hawkins Rd, Gastonia

1145 E Marion St, Shelby

3010 N Center St, Hickory

210 Avery Ave, Morganton

Biltmore Center Parkway, Asheville

Lowes Foods converting to Harris Teeter

11124 Reniassance Dr, Davidson

17001 Kenton Dr, Cornelius

13018 Eastfield Rd, Huntersville

8445 Davis Lake Parkway, Charlotte

5939 Weddington-Monroe Rd, Wesley Chapel

15080 Idlewild Rd, Stallings

7036 Brighton Park Dr, Mint Hill

16045 Johnston Rd, Charlotte

10828 Providence Rd, Charlotte

867 Stockbridge Dr, Ft Mill

Publix scouts Rock Hill location

(Publix under construction in Tega Cay, photo courtesy Mike K.) 

With two Publix stores already under construction just south of Charlotte, in Tega Cay and Indian Land respectively, a third store may be heading to Rock Hill.  Still remaining south of the N.C.-S.C. border, this store would be along Herlong Ave as developers scout a location.  Publix notes that Rock Hill is underserved by upmarket grocers--the city only has one Harris Teeter store, which Publix considers to be its most formidable competitor, and they have one Earth Fare store.  What is most significant about this news is the seriousness of Publix decision to expand in the South Carolina side of the Charlotte market, eventually prompting a potential move into the North Carolina side and into the city of Charlotte itself.  As for the two stores currently under construction, both the Tega Cay store (at 45,000 sq. ft.) and the Indian Land store (at 50,000 sq. ft.) should open before the end of this year. 

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Greensboro's Whole Foods sets opening date; Winston-Salem to get Trader Joe's

Greensboro's long-awaited Whole Foods Market is set to open soon. Finishing touches are being put on the store, which is in part of the Sears building at Friendly Center. The 34,000 square foot store takes up half of the lower-level footprint of Sears' department store. The store will open on April 12th.

Above: Trader Joe's Winston-Salem store rendering

Above: Trader Joe's Greensboro store rendering

On the other end of the Triad, Winston-Salem is gearing up for a Trader Joe's. The store will locate in approximately 13,000 square feet of the former Borders Bookstore at Thruway Center, and is scheduled to open sometime later this year. This will be Trader Joe's first store in the Triad, and perhaps the most sought-after specialty grocery store in the region too. The news of Trader Joe's comes amid opposition regarding a rezoning at a potential Greensboro location.

Trader Joe's Winston-Salem rendering via Triad Business Journal/Thomas H. Hughes architecture
Trader Joe's Greensboro rendering via Greensboro News & Record/Regency Centers

Li Ming's Global Mart opening in Greensboro

Above: Li Ming's in Durham in the former Circuit City

Li Ming's Global Mart, which already has two locations in the Triangle (one in Durham [photos] and a sister store in Raleigh, respectively), will soon breathe some life into the High Point Road corridor in Greensboro. Scheduled to open in the Fall of 2012, the Asian grocery store will encompass nearly 52,000 square feet in the Greensboro South Shopping Center, next to T.J. Maxx. High Point Road, an ever-evolving corridor has seen a shift to ethnic-oriented businesses in recent years.

Above: the former Lowes Foods on High Point Road

The location that Li Ming's is moving into has gone through many incarnations. The store originally opened in 1969 as a branch of discount store Zayre, later was an Ames (another discount store) briefly. As a grocery store it has been a Buy For Less and a Lowes Foods. It has been empty for a number of years since Lowes Foods vacated, so this is certainly a welcome announcement for that shopping center. The Li Ming's in Durham opened last year in a former Circuit City space across from South Square Shopping Center.

Breaking News: Bi-Lo merges with Winn-Dixie

In an effort to save two struggling grocery chains, Mauldin, South Carolina-based Bi-Lo and Jacksonville, Florida-based Winn Dixie have announced a merger. Winn-Dixie retreated from the Carolinas in 2005, and Bi-Lo has downsized their footprint as well. Currently, the two stores will keep their names and consumers probably won't see many changes. More here

Trader Joe's set for Wilmington

On the heels of the Trader Joe's hoopla in Greensboro, another North Carolina city, Wilmington, is going to see the specialty grocer. Trader Joe's plans call for a store on an empty lot at Oleander and College, one of the city's busiest intersections, and a location that is not too far from the soon-to-come Whole Foods Market. The demand for both Trader Joe's and Whole Foods has been increasing, as both are very popular and have loyal patrons. The new Trader Joe's is set to encompass 13,000 square feet.

Photographed: Trader Joe's in Chapel Hill

Trader Joe's finally coming to the Triad?

When Greensboro's newspaper, The News & Record, polled readers as to which store they would most like to see come to the Triad area - one retailer had an overwhelming majority, Trader Joe's. Since 2007 the specialty grocer has been on a slow but steady expansion throughout the Carolinas, with stores currently in Cary, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greenville (SC), and Charleston (Mount Pleasant). It has long been rumored that Trader Joe's is looking for a location in the Greensboro or Winston-Salem area, although those only amounted to what they were... rumors (including an unfounded but widely circulated rumor about the store taking space at the Target shopping center on Lawndale).
Now, the newspaper is reporting that Trader Joe's is interested in a site near Friendly Center. The Greensboro site is adjacent to The Shops at Friendly Center, which houses Harris Teeter, and right next to that is the Whole Foods Market that is set to open soon. Trader Joe's site would encompass the northwest corner of Friendly Avenue and Hobbs Road, which is currently six residential lots. Previously, The Triad Business Journal reported that Trader Joe's may have been interested in redeveloping the old City Motors site off of Westover Terrace. Despite an abundance of vacant space across town, the developers' hearts look to be set on Friendly.

March 2012 Update: Trader Joe's has signed a lease for a store in Winston-Salem at Thruway Center in part of the former Borders bookstore space, that location will open later this year. Plans for the Greensboro location are still at a standstill.

Transformation continues at Greensboro's Sears and Whole Foods Market

Sears at Friendly Center with new embellishments and a new logo masking the old facade on the Pembroke Avenue side.

Whole Foods' front on the Kathleen Avenue side continues to take shape.

Previously, we showed you pictures of how Greensboro's Sears department store is downsizing their foot print at their building (which they own) and leasing half of the bottom lower level to Whole Foods Market at Friendly Center. The building, which retained a lot of its brutalist 1970s elements for a long time, is still in the process of undergoing a drastic transformation. Whole Foods Market is still scheduled to open sometime in Spring 2012, along with the new Charlotte store as well.

The Sears portion of Friendly Center has been recast as 'Sears Plaza,' sporting the new logo. It should also be noted this Sears store is perhaps one of the first in the country, if not the first, to have the new logo. The entire process of this transformation is quite unique, as you don't see a 1970s department store downsize everyday to accommodate an upmarket grocer. Whole Foods is reaping the benefits of a prime location and Sears' woes.

September:

Up Close

October: Mysterious brick columns start to take shape in front of Sears, and a new second entrance has been carved out as well. We also get a glimpse inside Whole Foods' gutted interior.

November: Work continues to transform Sears in time for the shopping season:
December: The new Sears logo is displayed and awnings continue to go up around Whole Foods.

The Sears Auto Center still displays their old logo.

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.

Columbia set for Whole Foods Market in 2012

Whole Foods Market is continuing its Carolina expansion, this time planning a store in South Carolina's capital city Columbia. South Carolina already has two Whole Foods stores in Charleston (Mt. Pleasant) and Greenville.

The Columbia store is set to open in the Fall of 2012 by renovating and expanding the former Kroger at Cross Hill Shopping Center off of Fort Jackson Road near Devine Street. Its location places it in between The University of South Carolina and adjoining neighborhoods, and Fort Jackson. The Kroger opened in 1968 according to tax records.

Wilmington, Greensboro and Charlotte each have a Whole Foods Market that is currently in the works.

Image via Edens & Avant.

Harris Teeter closing store at Golden Gate Shopping Center in Greensboro

Greensboro's Golden Gate Shopping Center is one unique development. It is one of the few shopping centers in the state (if not the country) to be anchored by two full-service grocery stores. One of those stores, Harris Teeter, announced today that they are closing before the end of the month. That store opened as an A&P in 1960, later becoming a Bestway and eventually a Harris Teeter store in 1988. This is their oldest store that is still in operation in town, and has been for well over 20 years.

Harris Teeter's store prior to its current remodel (Bargerconstruction.com)

Harris Teeter's closure of this location will leave virtually no Harris Teeter on the east side of Greensboro. In the past few years they have shuttered other nearby locations such as their store at Executive Square, which originally began as a Kroger, and their store on Summit Avenue at Bessemer, which is now a Compare Foods Market. The Golden Gate store's square footage, approximately 30,000 square feet, and its inability to expand (typical Harris Teeter stores run on average about 48,000 square feet these days) is cited as a reason for this store's closure.

The other grocery store in the shopping center is a Food Lion that opened as a Kroger in 1960. This store is roughly the same size as the Harris Teeter, just over 30,000 square feet, and it will become the sole grocery anchor of the center.
Golden Gate shopping center is one of the closest shopping centers to downtown, and the two stores have been able to compete because its location straddles a line between a middle class area and a very high income area.