I think we are comparing apples and oranges with grocery stores and gas stations. Most people have a regular grocery store they go to at predictable intervals. However, most people will just get gas at whatever station is close and whenever they need it. People see a new or remodeled grocery store in their neighborhood and begin to use that one as their primary; whereas a person will get gas anywhere along their commute or when they are just driving around town. I certainly have preferences to which gas stations I use, but I don't treat them the same as a grocer.

I agree with this. I typically get gas at this awful Circle K because it's what is close to where I work and it's convenient. There's also an OnCue and a new format 7-11 nearby but the Circle K is a bit closer so I just go there.

Based only on the threads on this forum, you're both outliers. People are flocking to OnCue like flies to honey. My personal experience is my 'preferred' OnCue is generally out of my way, but I'll still go there.

Based on how the market has played out, I'm going to say it's more like comparing Honeycrisp to Red Delicious.

Sure, I prefer OnCue as well and wil go a few blocks out of the way to fill up there, but getting gas and getting groceries are still two incomparable errands. Gas can be aquired at any station around the city at any time and many people have a brand preference, but groceries are typically only gotten close to home and as a final stop because those groceries need to be put back into a fridge or freezer relatively quickly.

While I was talking about the business practices of the two companies, I now believe you were talking about consumer preferences. In which case, the last few pages are filled with comments saying shopping at the location in question would have been more convenient, but they still did not shop there. I personally drive past multiple grocery stores to get to my regular ones, as do most people.

I think trying to compare why someone buys at a particular service station to why someone selects a grocery store is pointless. They are very different buying strategies.

I think trying to compare why someone buys at a particular service station to why someone selects a grocery store is pointless. They are very different buying strategies.

Off-topic, as well. Not sure how it got diverted, but back to the point, Homeland would do very well to see this as the start of many such projects rather than the end.

If I was CEO of Homeland, I would really be thinking about how to offer a superior beer/wine section than what Wal-Mart will be able to offer.

Bingo, my thoughts exactly

If I was CEO of Homeland, I would start thinking about the new liquor laws and how to implement a more extensive beer/wine selection than what Wal-Mart and Target will be able to offer. Mid-range grocers greatly benefit this way in other markets.

Bingo, my thoughts exactly
They have assigned a guy that I think is very good to study and implement how wine/ beer will be marketed.

They have assigned a guy that I think is very good to study and implement how wine/ beer will be marketed.

Good news! Every once in a while I forget that one-stop grocery shopping is only a few short months away.

Good news! Every once in a while I forget that one-stop grocery shopping is only a few short months away.

I was just going to say that this October change is sneaking up on us.

I'm really excited to see how grocers and specialty stores offer beer and wine.

In California, I bought almost all that stuff at Costco (fantastic items and prices) and that now seems like a distant memory.

Here's what a typical wine section at Harris Teeter looks like.

https://assets.rbl.ms/10565783/980x.jpg

I stopped by the Homeland at NW 18th & Classen yesterday in the middle of the afternoon and...

It was very busy. As in more cars and people than I had ever seen before the remodel, and this was on a Tuesday at 3:30PM.

Not only is the store a million times nicer, the employees seemed happier and the entire experience is like night and day.


I sure hope the new leadership at Homeland will continue to upgrade their exisitng stores. I know the middle-market grocers are struggling these days but there seems to be real need and demand for nicer, mainstream grocery stores in OKC.

^^^^ good news, we always run the 23rd st gauntlet from uptown to Warr acres to hit Aldi, Crest, and the little Morelo’s Mercado (which I HIGHLY recommend for butchered meats and Mexican staples) weekly. This sounds promising that I can go buy some fresh veg or supplemental.

I stopped by the Homeland at NW 18th & Classen yesterday in the middle of the afternoon and...

It was very busy. As in more cars and people than I had ever seen before the remodel, and this was on a Tuesday at 3:30PM.

Not only is the store a million times nicer, the employees seemed happier and the entire experience is like night and day.


I sure hope the new leadership at Homeland will continue to upgrade their exisitng stores. I know the middle-market grocers are struggling these days but there seems to be real need and demand for nicer, mainstream grocery stores in OKC.
Yes, it's so so so much better, I find myself in there quite often now, and stumble upon new finds to pick up. Really glad this happened

18th & Classen has started to display their new wine selection, with signs stating no sales until October 1st

18th/Classen parking lot already falling apart. Not sure if shoddy workmanship or something else. A big stretch of the lot has huge cracks. And they've torn up another part, presumably for repairs.

With the recent remodel, they merely did a top coat of asphalt to what was already there.

oh dang, well that was definitely an error in judgement

oh dang, well that was definitely an error in judgementSame error the city makes ALL the time. They’re doing Rockwell from the Expressway to Hefner right now and it done just a few years ago.

It looks like they are putting in a drain or something by the front door. The concrete is all torn up. It has been flooding often with all of the rain this year.

Just went on a trip up May, the Homeland at Britton has done some changes, the entire cheese island up front is gone, as well as the fresh(which they usually weren’t) organic section, and the bakery has been greatly reduced.

Just went on a trip up May, the Homeland at Britton has done some changes, the entire cheese island up front is gone, as well as the fresh(which they usually weren’t) organic section, and the bakery has been greatly reduced.

They rearranged almost the entire store. Shoppers are wandering around like lost mice in a maze.

Thought there might be some discussion on this thread about the new Homeland planned at 36th and Lincoln. I think their main warehouse is slightly west of it on NE 36th. I'm thrilled to see this happening for NE side. I gave up on Homeland back when the store at Classen and NW 18 fell into disarray and price points shot up. The CEO and Councilor Nikki Nice's ability to get this going, make me consider giving Homeland another chance because I think this is a great investment in local community.

^

The new CEO has done all the right things IMO.

It's a very tough business yet they are spending money and seem genuinely interested in the community.

If you haven't been to the remodeled store at 18th & Classen, you should. It's pretty great.

This is off topic, but I couldn't find a thread discussing this. Does anyone know what is taking the place of the former Buy For Less on Pennsylvania just north of NW 23rd? Some construction is obvious but I could not find any signs of what is happening. I guess that it is too much to hope for a Crest market.

This is off topic, but I couldn't find a thread discussing this. Does anyone know what is taking the place of the former Buy For Less on Pennsylvania just north of NW 23rd? Some construction is obvious but I could not find any signs of what is happening. I guess that it is too much to hope for a Crest market.

VASA Fitness:

https://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=621-VASA-Fitness-coming-to-23rd-Penn

Edit: Moved to VASA thread

Thought there might be some discussion on this thread about the new Homeland planned at 36th and Lincoln. I think their main warehouse is slightly west of it on NE 36th. I'm thrilled to see this happening for NE side. I gave up on Homeland back when the store at Classen and NW 18 fell into disarray and price points shot up. The CEO and Councilor Nikki Nice's ability to get this going, make me consider giving Homeland another chance because I think this is a great investment in local community.
Their warehouse is behind the corporate office on 36th just west of Lincoln. They’re planning on moving the warehouse when they move the
corp office but last I heard they don’t know where it will be.

is that where the former Safeway warehouse/offices are?

is that where the former Safeway warehouse/offices are?
The offices yes. The warehouse I’m not sure. They’ve been in 3 warehouses in the last ten years.

I just saw on Facebook that people are saying Homeland has bought or is going to buy three current grocery stores in Ponca City.

They must be pretty optimistic on the future success of their company.

I just saw on Facebook that people are saying Homeland has bought or is going to buy three current grocery stores in Ponca City.

They must be pretty optimistic on the future success of their company.

Yes. More than those three actually.

I just saw on Facebook that people are saying Homeland has bought or is going to buy three current grocery stores in Ponca City.

They must be pretty optimistic on the future success of their company.

They are also purchasing the Food Pyramid stores in Stillwater and Bartlesville. One of the Ponca City stores use to be Homeland, then Albertsons, and presently Food Pyramid. The other non Food Pyramid store in Ponca City is less than a mile from Food Pyramid they are purchasing.

In a town of 25,000 or so, it seems odd they would be able to operate three stores all under the same flag. To my knowledge, the only other large grocery store in town after this purchase would be Walmart?

Bartlesville already has two Homeland Stores, a Food Pyramid (which they purchased) and a United on the west end of town, and a WalMart SuperCenter on the east side.

Stillwater has two Walmart SuperCenters, Walmart Neighborhood Market, and the Food Pyramid (Homeland).

All three communities also have Aldi as a grocery option.

https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com/retailers/homeland-buys-5-stores-oklahoma

This account gives you an idea of the condition/look of the two stores in Ponca City, about a third of the way down on the photo page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7636026@N04/with/5309235266/

Their warehouse is behind the corporate office on 36th just west of Lincoln. They’re planning on moving the warehouse when they move the
corp office but last I heard they don’t know where it will be.

AWG (Homeland) , has, or did have, a fairly new warehouse on HWY 152 between OKC & Mustang, I think it’s Council.

It was open when I used to have to deliver there, I have not been out there in the last few years.

AWG (Homeland) , has, or did have, a fairly new warehouse on HWY 152 between OKC & Mustang, I think it’s Council.

It was open when I used to have to deliver there, I have not been out there in the last few years.
Yes and no. Homeland and AWG have a very weird relationship. They’re connected but not. My wife has tried to explain it to me for years and I still don’t understand it.

AWG is a co-op that supplies their respective owners. So AWG is owned by companies like Homeland, Buy For Less, Crest, Food4Less, Cash Saver, Harps etc and in turn AWG supplies those companies. One of the nice things about AWG is it's a completely equal co-op in that no matter how big you are from a 2 million dollar a week Crest Food to a $30,000/week Piggly Wiggly in the boonies you get essentially the same pricing on goods. What does happen though is some companies like Crest or Homeland will eventually get big enough and be enough of a percentage of warehouse movement that they can begin to influence what get's put in that warehouse. So if Crest is 1/4 of AWG OKC's business and they want to cross dock and store Crest branded products in that warehouse you're probably going to listen to them. Or if Buy 4 Less and Homeland start going all organic / all natural this takes space away from maybe a lower quality item a lower volume store carries but does well with. This can make it hard for smaller stores to get unique items in also. The OKC warehouse is almost always at max capacity since they absorbed AWG Fort Worth a few years ago.

AWG also does ad printing, signage, they have chemical programs. And essentially you try to go through AWG if you are supplied by them because they may have 1,000 stores on a program getting a massive bulk discount and getting a better price than your 20 stores alone can. Also the better the co - op does, the better you do because you get a share of the profits at year end from the warehouse.

Hope that makes sense, I can try to explain further if anyone has questions.

AWG is a co-op that supplies their respective owners. So AWG is owned by companies like Homeland, Buy For Less, Crest, Food4Less, Cash Saver, Harps etc and in turn AWG supplies those companies. One of the nice things about AWG is it's a completely equal co-op in that no matter how big you are from a 2 million dollar a week Crest Food to a $30,000/week Piggly Wiggly in the boonies you get essentially the same pricing on goods. What does happen though is some companies like Crest or Homeland will eventually get big enough and be enough of a percentage of warehouse movement that they can begin to influence what get's put in that warehouse. So if Crest is 1/4 of AWG OKC's business and they want to cross dock and store Crest branded products in that warehouse you're probably going to listen to them. Or if Buy 4 Less and Homeland start going all organic / all natural this takes space away from maybe a lower quality item a lower volume store carries but does well with. This can make it hard for smaller stores to get unique items in also. The OKC warehouse is almost always at max capacity since they absorbed AWG Fort Worth a few years ago.

AWG also does ad printing, signage, they have chemical programs. And essentially you try to go through AWG if you are supplied by them because they may have 1,000 stores on a program getting a massive bulk discount and getting a better price than your 20 stores alone can. Also the better the co - op does, the better you do because you get a share of the profits at year end from the warehouse.

Hope that makes sense, I can try to explain further if anyone has questions.

Thanks. Very informative. So, does AWG stand for "Associated Wholesale Grocers", or something like that? Is this something like IGA was 30-60 years ago?

Thanks. Very informative. So, does AWG stand for "Associated Wholesale Grocers", or something like that? Is this something like IGA was 30-60 years ago?

That is indeed what it stands for and rose from the ashes of Fleming essentially. AWG bought the the old Homeland warehouse back in like 1995 right after Fleming collapsed and hired up a ton of Flemings best employees and quickly took the place of Fleming for the independent grocers in the area. IGA is a brand that independents can use. You still get your groceries from AWG but you brand as an IGA store and they are based I think in Chicago. It gives you access to their name, their marketing and a lot of the same programs AWG features. IGA is more of a branding deal than a supply deal.

AWG is a co-op that supplies their respective owners. So AWG is owned by companies like Homeland, Buy For Less, Crest, Food4Less, Cash Saver, Harps etc and in turn AWG supplies those companies. One of the nice things about AWG is it's a completely equal co-op in that no matter how big you are from a 2 million dollar a week Crest Food to a $30,000/week Piggly Wiggly in the boonies you get essentially the same pricing on goods. What does happen though is some companies like Crest or Homeland will eventually get big enough and be enough of a percentage of warehouse movement that they can begin to influence what get's put in that warehouse. So if Crest is 1/4 of AWG OKC's business and they want to cross dock and store Crest branded products in that warehouse you're probably going to listen to them. Or if Buy 4 Less and Homeland start going all organic / all natural this takes space away from maybe a lower quality item a lower volume store carries but does well with. This can make it hard for smaller stores to get unique items in also. The OKC warehouse is almost always at max capacity since they absorbed AWG Fort Worth a few years ago.

AWG also does ad printing, signage, they have chemical programs. And essentially you try to go through AWG if you are supplied by them because they may have 1,000 stores on a program getting a massive bulk discount and getting a better price than your 20 stores alone can. Also the better the co - op does, the better you do because you get a share of the profits at year end from the warehouse.

Hope that makes sense, I can try to explain further if anyone has questions.That’s a very good description of this business agreement. The day to day functions between the “owners” and AWG is complicated.

They are also purchasing the Food Pyramid stores in Stillwater and Bartlesville. One of the Ponca City stores use to be Homeland, then Albertsons, and presently Food Pyramid. The other non Food Pyramid store in Ponca City is less than a mile from Food Pyramid they are purchasing.

In a town of 25,000 or so, it seems odd they would be able to operate three stores all under the same flag. To my knowledge, the only other large grocery store in town after this purchase would be Walmart?

Bartlesville already has two Homeland Stores, a Food Pyramid (which they purchased) and a United on the west end of town, and a WalMart SuperCenter on the east side.

Stillwater has two Walmart SuperCenters, Walmart Neighborhood Market, and the Food Pyramid (Homeland).



Don't forget Sprouts in Stillwater, fomerly IGA.

Good job, John. You explained the AWG affiliation very well. It’s complicated for sure. But, what wasn’t mentioned is that Homeland is technically an HAC, Inc. company headed by CEO Marc Jones. Homeland was horribly mismanaged as they emerged from bankruptcy many years ago and now, by almost all accounts, have found a solid footing. What a difference a new management team can make.

I know Homeland gets a lot of flack here, but honestly, Homeland is now a very progressive company. They are highly thought of by many in the business and was recognized last year by one of the industry’s top publications as a Retailer of the Year. They’ve been called a turnaround miracle story by another. The manager at May and Britton, who has been there for quite a while, was a national Grocer of the Year (Manager category). The chain is employee-owned and employees receive regular cash payments into their ESOP accounts (essentially, profits paid directly to employees).

To me, Homeland is a very interesting company with leadership that will do them well beyond where they are today

Just adding a little more info to John1744’s posts.

Don't forget Sprouts in Stillwater, fomerly IGA.

Isn't there also an Aldi?

Good job, John. You explained the AWG affiliation very well. It’s complicated for sure. But, what wasn’t mentioned is that Homeland is technically an HAC, Inc. company headed by CEO Marc Jones. Homeland was horribly mismanaged as they emerged from bankruptcy many years ago and now, by almost all accounts, have found a solid footing. What a difference a new management team can make.

I know Homeland gets a lot of flack here, but honestly, Homeland is now a very progressive company. They are highly thought of by many in the business and was recognized last year by one of the industry’s top publications as a Retailer of the Year. They’ve been called a turnaround miracle story by another. The manager at May and Britton, who has been there for quite a while, was a national Grocer of the Year (Manager category). The chain is employee-owned and employees receive regular cash payments into their ESOP accounts (essentially, profits paid directly to employees).

To me, Homeland is a very interesting company with leadership that will do them well beyond where they are today

Just adding a little more info to John1744’s posts.Very well said. And the turn around has made my wife very happy, which makes me happy.

Yes, Marc Jones and his team deserve a lot of credit.

The complaint about Homeland are almost always about the past. Everything they have done since Jones took over has been stellar.

Yes, Marc Jones and his team deserve a lot of credit.

The complaint about Homeland are almost always about the past. Everything they have done since Jones took over has been stellar.

Will definitely agree, we've been shopping at the 18th/Classen store pretty often as a very acceptable substitute for Uptown (our regular store). They have a great selection of made in Oklahoma stuff, found some Prairie Bomb cheese (by Lovera) there yesterday, should be interesting...

I would absolutely love to see this revitalized Homeland start expanding within OKC again.... The inner-city southside needs more options than a slew of Walmart Neighborhood Markets.

The complaint about Homeland are almost always about the past. Everything they have done since Jones took over has been stellar.

I agree with this. I live in Arizona now and the Homelands in OKC these days are as nice if not nicer than any Safeway out here. They did a stellar job on the 18th/Classen location. Now Fry's Marketplace, owned by Kroger, is another deal entirely. That's become my favorite grocery store.

I agree with this. I live in Arizona now and the Homelands in OKC these days are as nice if not nicer than any Safeway out here. They did a stellar job on the 18th/Classen location. Now Fry's Marketplace, owned by Kroger, is another deal entirely. That's become my favorite grocery store.

Congrats on getting out, hope you're happier there...

Congrats on getting out, hope you're happier there...

Thanks. Yeah I’m loving it out here so far.

Ah, I was thinking I haven't seen a lot of posts from you. Congrats on your move

Isn't there also an Aldi?

Yes. It fairly recently expanded its store.

Sounds like Holt met with Homeland and Black Lives Matter about the NE36th and Lincoln location without Nikki Nice in the room, and she’s definitely pissed.

But I’ve got to hand it to Holt. The guy knows how to work the photo ops to achieve max virtue signaling.

He posted something on Instagram reflecting that BLM requested a meeting with him and maybe Homeland. I don't think she was purposefully not invited, just never intended to be invited in the first place as BLM requested. I believe Holt and her will be working on it together.

And she voiced her frustration in a comment on Mayor Holts Instagram post. A VERY childish way to do so

Email him. Call him. Text him. A comment on Instagram isn’t the way to do this. I

And she voiced her frustration in a comment on Mayor Holts Instagram post. A VERY childish way to do so

Email him. Call him. Text him. A comment on Instagram isn’t the way to do this. I

Apparently this particular Homeland was slated to go elsewhere in OKC and Nice marshaled a number of incentives to convince Homeland to build it across from its HQ on Lincoln.

She likely views the siting of this location as a major accomplishment, so I could see why she might be upset with the Mayor for cutting her out of a key photo op.

Apparently this particular Homeland was slated to go elsewhere in OKC and Nice marshaled a number of incentives to convince Homeland to build it across from its HQ on Lincoln.

She likely views the siting of this location as a major accomplishment, so I could see why she might be upset with the Mayor for cutting her out of a key photo op.
The plan for putting a Homeland on 36th and Lincoln has been around since at least last August.

You can't force any company to build something. BLM's demand to put a grocery store there is weird at best. Unless the city built it, the city can't make anyone else do it. They can offer incentives but even with those, Homeland can't seem to make the thing happen.

I'm wondering why Aldi hasn't picked up on the market yet. No they dont have everything like a larger grocery store would, but they do well in all kinds of economic areas. It's good quality stuff unlike some places like Cash Saver or Save A Lot. Plus they do have some limited non-food items that are nice to pick up some times. I've gotten great deals on all sorts of camping gear that would have cost a WHOLE lot more at Academy.

Wanted to give a big thumbs-up to the Homeland on Classen.

Their deli is really quite good and I've bought sushi several times with very good results.

They have a sushi chef working right there when you buy the items and he'll make something fresh for you as you wait. Often, they have deals where all their rolls are $5. That's darn hard to beat.

What a leap forward this store has been over what had been there previously.

Wanted to give a big thumbs-up to the Homeland on Classen.

Their deli is really quite good and I've bought sushi several times with very good results.

They have a sushi chef working right there when you buy the items and he'll make something fresh for you as you wait. Often, they have deals where all their rolls are $5. That's darn hard to beat.

What a leap forward this store has been over what had been there previously.
I’m very glad to hear that. Now they need to get going on Lincoln.

and offer the same things