Quality grocery stores in OKC

[Thomas Vu]

People always use the gas argument when the topic of shopping around is discussed, and the answer is always yes, it's worth it. I don't consider Dollar General to be a grocery store option at all (I'd think of Braums for grocery store before Dollar General), so when I discuss shopping options in Mustang I say there's just two. Fake Homeland (whatever they changed the name to when they went on their "cost plus 10%" scam, I don't care) and Walmart that doesn't know how to stock. So...basically no options. There's a weekly run to Yukon where the options are fake Buy For Less, Sprouts, Aldi, Walmart, Walmart Grocery, two real Homelands. About a monthly run to Sam's Club. I'll agree that it would be silly to drive to WinCo or Crest from Mustang just to shop, but that's really only due to time and distance, not prices. Even factoring in the cost of gas it would be worth the trip.

Here's the thing with gas. It's crazy expensive, but it's also not. At $4/gallon (nowhere in the metro is charging this that I know of, many places I drive past are below $2 for the last couple weeks) and 15 MPG (this car sucks, dude), you're looking at a touch over 26 cents/mile. We've already used ridiculous numbers but let's go ahead and raise that to 30 cents. If I drive 10 miles and save three bucks, it's worth it in the crappy gas-guzzling car that I filled up at double the normal price, after we rounded up.

So like I said, it's not the cost of gas, it's the cost of time. I'm looking at 25 minutes (one way) to the nearest WinCo, and a similar time to the Crest on 23rd (if I'm going to 39th and Portland, this would be the best option). I could go to Moore, where there's both stores, but about a 30 minute drive. I wouldn't have to save much to pay for the gas, it's the driving time and then the time in the two stores that's the real problem.

You beat me to the correction. I meant to say time AND gas.

[bluedogok]

If you have been in the Walgreen's at NW 23rd & May and wonder why it has more coolers than the others built around the same time this is why. The extra coolers were added late to the construction, it was about 75% complete at that point and about 45 days from fixturing. I drew it up and sent it to the contractor for a change order price as the additional coolers were across from the existing coolers and all power/plumbing and floor in place. Got the price and they went ahead with it which required cutting the slab for power, plumbing drain and refrigerant lines. They felt the additional cost was worth it based on demographics and competition in the area.

[Bunty]

"
I'm rambling but it really sucks seeing people on EBT assistance spending a hundred dollars at a store like DG when they could get so much more for their buck at a Crest or even a Walmart".

I think with a lot of people it's just too big of an ordeal to shop for food at places like Wal-Mart, due to the huge size of the stores. Also harder to find a good parking place for a short walk to the door. It probably helps explain why convenience stores do good, besides the fact they also sell gas. People are also likely too lazy to comparison shop the prices. Maybe Wal-Mart hopes to compete well with the dollar stores through its Neighborhood Markets in the bigger cities, but even they may be too big.

[d-usa]

Distance is always a very big factor. It doesn’t matter how much more someone could get at Walmart if they don’t have the transportation to go shopping there.

[bchris02]

Does OKC have a 24-hour grocery store anywhere in the urban core anymore?

Since Wal-Mart stopped being open 24-hours I don't think there is any.

[SEMIweather]

Not sure if NW 39th and Portland counts as the urban core but the WinCo there is open 24 hours, same with the Crest at NW 23rd and Meridian.

[bchris02]

Not sure if NW 39th and Portland counts as the urban core but the WinCo there is open 24 hours, same with the Crest at NW 23rd and Meridian.

Oh I forgot about the WinCo. I ended up going to NW 23rd and Meridian. Still, that's a long ways from downtown.

[Pete]

Very few downtowns have 24/7 grocery stores.

In OKC, there are several convenience stores that serve that need.


And if you were counting the 23rd & Penn Walmart as the core, 39th & Portland is only 3 miles away.

[BoulderSooner]

Very few downtowns have 24/7 grocery stores.

In OKC, there are several convenience stores that serve that need.


And if you were counting the 23rd & Penn Walmart as the core, 39th & Portland is only 3 miles away.

and the bell isle supercenter is even closer than that

[Pete]

and the bell isle supercenter is even closer than that

No longer open 24/7. They now close at midnight.

[BoulderSooner]

No longer open 24/7. They now close at midnight.

thanks i didn't know that

[John1744]

I was able to spend a few hours picking the brain of Kim Eskew the CEO of Harps Food (a 91 chain ESOP grocery company), he also is on the board of directors for AWG. Harps is primarily growing by acquisition, buying up stores that independent grocers are selling as they're ready to retire and sales have slipped for them. I was able to ask him if he had any interest in the OKC area since they acquired a couple stores last year just outside OKC, and he kind of admitted the OKC market is a pickle for grocery companies currently. I know Harps has scouted the OKC area quite thoroughly, and he did say he's in talks with two chains, one of which is in Oklahoma for potential acquisition but any deal is probably years off.

Some of his observations were:

You've got Walmart with 50% of the market, you have a fair number of Aldi's but they haven't really taken off in the area like they normally would in a sprawling metro. They do fine, but they're not setting records or anything. People would be dumb to ever count out Crest Foods he said, Bruce would probably go bankrupt fighting to keep their last penny. They also have the low price but great customer service part of the business on lockdown in the area. From the data he can get Winco was expected to generate $750,000 - $1,000,000 a week in sales at each location, and he currently believes they are doing half that if not 1/3 of that. With the majority of Winco's business happening on EBT days. In fact he has heard the OKC market expansion went so poorly for Winco they put on hold expansion ideas in similar markets. And companies like Buy For Less are essentially going bankrupt building $11 million dollar stores to cater to a market that may not quite be there yet for the area. He sees potential in 28,000-40,000 sq foot nice, well maintained stores in quieter suburbs rather than over the top marble castles that take you 25 years to profit off of.

He thinks the OKC market needs to mature a bit more before anyone really tries to rock the boat. And with Walmart slowing expansion that may happen sooner than expected, but he did say he could see some success with a small (24,000 sq foot) upscale market integrated downtown that focused on ready meals and nightly shopping on the way home or to your hotel.

[TheTravellers]

^^^ Great info and actual facts/thought process from somebody in the business instead of just speculating on why our current situation is the way it is, thanks for posting that.

[OKC Guy]

I was able to spend a few hours picking the brain of Kim Eskew the CEO of Harps Food (a 91 chain ESOP grocery company), he also is on the board of directors for AWG. Harps is primarily growing by acquisition, buying up stores that independent grocers are selling as they're ready to retire and sales have slipped for them. I was able to ask him if he had any interest in the OKC area since they acquired a couple stores last year just outside OKC, and he kind of admitted the OKC market is a pickle for grocery companies currently. I know Harps has scouted the OKC area quite thoroughly, and he did say he's in talks with two chains, one of which is in Oklahoma for potential acquisition but any deal is probably years off.

Some of his observations were:

You've got Walmart with 50% of the market, you have a fair number of Aldi's but they haven't really taken off in the area like they normally would in a sprawling metro. They do fine, but they're not setting records or anything. People would be dumb to ever count out Crest Foods he said, Bruce would probably go bankrupt fighting to keep their last penny. They also have the low price but great customer service part of the business on lockdown in the area. From the data he can get Winco was expected to generate $750,000 - $1,000,000 a week in sales at each location, and he currently believes they are doing half that if not 1/3 of that. With the majority of Winco's business happening on EBT days. In fact he has heard the OKC market expansion went so poorly for Winco they put on hold expansion ideas in similar markets. And companies like Buy For Less are essentially going bankrupt building $11 million dollar stores to cater to a market that may not quite be there yet for the area. He sees potential in 28,000-40,000 sq foot nice, well maintained stores in quieter suburbs rather than over the top marble castles that take you 25 years to profit off of.

He thinks the OKC market needs to mature a bit more before anyone really tries to rock the boat. And with Walmart slowing expansion that may happen sooner than expected, but he did say he could see some success with a small (24,000 sq foot) upscale market integrated downtown that focused on ready meals and nightly shopping on the way home or to your hotel.

I never could see the Winco market. I have Crest and now Costco (was Sams). Winco kind of slots in between and I have no need. Thats my opinion. I can see Winco not surviving too many other choices plus you have to bag. Crest and Costco are both about customers where Winco is not.

[Plutonic Panda]

If Winco can't survive then that is embarrassing for OKC.

[jonny d]

I disagree with that man's take on Winco. EVERY time I go there, it has a lot of people (heck, any time I drive by it, there are a lot of cars). I doubt they are struggling as bad as he said. But whatever makes OKC look worst, I suppose.

[Pete]

I love Winco and the one at 39th & Portland is always very busy.

Every grocery chain is being squeezed by fierce competition and all are worried about where Amazon is headed, as they could stand the industry on its ear.

Aldi is actively scouting for more sites in OKC, so they are clearly doing well here.

And that 'Walmart has 50% of the market' stat gest thrown around a lot, but: 1) That's an old number and is for the entire state, not OKC; 2) It was long before Winco, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Sprouts and Costco came to town.

Think about this logically: Do you think fully half the groceries in the OKC market are bought at Walmart? I'd be surprised if it was 25%.

We complained about the lack of good grocery choices in this town, but things have changed dramatically in the last 5 years. I can now say that I have much better choices within 3 miles of my house than I ever did anywhere I lived in California.

[corwin1968]

Some time back, I think I read on this board that there was talk of a grocery store being built in far NW OKC, like in the area of May and 192nd. Has anyone heard anything about this?

[chuck5815]

Some time back, I think I read on this board that there was talk of a grocery store being built in far NW OKC, like in the area of May and 192nd. Has anyone heard anything about this?

I’ve heard a couple of different grocers were close to pulling the trigger on the NW corner of May and NW 164th. Something in that area will happen in due time. Obviously the 1-mile demographics are amazing and 3-mile ain’t half bad.

[Roger S]

I love Winco and the one at 39th & Portland is always very busy.

The one in Moore is never very busy but it's kind of located in a Bermuda Triangle of Crest's with the Moore (12th and Eastern), Norman (I-35 and Robinson) and, SW OKC (104th and May) in close proximity to it.

I pretty much only shop there for bulk items and meat when I'm doing a catering. Majority of my grocery shopping is still at Crest.

[scottk]

Some time back, I think I read on this board that there was talk of a grocery store being built in far NW OKC, like in the area of May and 192nd. Has anyone heard anything about this?

It's been in the "planning phase" for a while.

https://agenda.okc.gov/sirepub/cache...9122023404.PDF

[bchris02]

The new liquor laws are also definitely changing the dynamic of the grocery market here. Beer/wine is a huge profit generator and when grocers could only sell 3.2% beer that made it a challenge.

[Bill Robertson]

The new liquor laws are also definitely changing the dynamic of the grocery market here. Beer/wine is a huge profit generator and when grocers could only sell 3.2% beer that made it a challenge.

This must be true. Large sections of both of the Homelands we go to have been dedicated to wine.

[Pete]

But, almost all the new grocers came to OKC before the laws changed.

[jonny d]

The new liquor laws are also definitely changing the dynamic of the grocery market here. Beer/wine is a huge profit generator and when grocers could only sell 3.2% beer that made it a challenge.

I agree! With the extra revenue stream, stores don't have to solely rely on grocery sales (seems weird to say, but it is true). I always see people frequenting the beer and wine aisles of grocery stores now.