The Kroger Co. has opened its first Main & Vine store, a concept that’s been described as “experimental,” at a former QFC location in Gig Harbor, Washington. The approximately 27,000-s.f Seattle-area store at 5010 Point Fosdick Drive NW debuted Wednesday. According to its website, “at Main & Vine, we love where we live…the people, places […]
Category: West
The Shelby Report of the West covers grocery retailers, wholesalers and suppliers in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Follow the latest store openings, remodels, leadership changes and market news from the region.
Posted in, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, West
Is Daikon Radish The New Cucumber?
by Karen Caplan/Special to The Shelby Report Each December, I get to visit New York City. It’s one of my favorite global destinations, and it is especially delightful during the holiday season. The weather is cold and brisk, the holiday lights are up, and everyone is in the spirit of the holidays. Several years ago […]
Posted in, Store News, West
WinCo Foods Opening Store In Grants Pass, Oregon, This Week
WinCo Foods will open its newest store on Thursday, Jan. 28, at 231 NE Terry Lane in Grants Pass, Oregon. The store is the company’s 105th location and is somewhat smaller than most traditionally sized WinCo stores, measuring approximately 72,000 s.f. WinCo says the store has a simple décor package that creates a solid, clean […]
Posted in, Center Store, Independent Store News, Marketing News, Suppliers, West
Associated Food Stores Partners With P&G To Combat Post-Holiday Sales Slump
Associated Food Stores of Salt Lake City, Utah, says it is determined to help their member retailers combat the post-holiday sales slump that many businesses feel. The grocery wholesaler is partnering with Procter & Gamble to sponsor “Marvel Universe Live!”, a superhero live-action show at the Vivint Smart Home Arena, Feb. 11-14. As part of […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Executive News, West
Fred Meyer Gets New President As Gust Retires After 45 Years
Lynn Gust, president of Fred Meyer Stores, will retire Jan. 31 after 45 years of service to The Kroger Co., which owns the banner. Jeff Burt, who currently serves as president of Kroger’s Central Division, will succeed Gust. Fred Meyer is based in Portland, Oregon, and operates 132 stores in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, Store News, West
Stater Bros. Building New Rancho Cucamonga Store
Plans are in place to build a new Stater Bros. Supermarket at the northwest corner of Baseline and Day Creek roads in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The 44,000-s.f. full-service store slated to open in the fall is being developed by Lewis Retail Centers in the Day Creek Marketplace, which also will include a full-service drug store […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, West
Specialty Food Retail Exec Wolpert Passes Away
Mr. Tracy Wolpert, VP of operations for Southern California’s Bristol Farms, died in Long Beach last month. Additional details about his passing and funeral arrangements were unavailable at the time of this report. “While he was only with us for a short period of time, he had a big impact on our Bristol Farms family,” […]
Posted in, Albertsons, Store News, West
Safeway Acquires Former Fresh & Easy Store In San Jose
Safeway has acquired a former Fresh & Easy store in Willow Glen Village Shopping Center at 1489 Bird Avenue in San Jose, California. The 23,200-s.f. vacant building will transform into a new Safeway, with construction beginning in the spring and a grand opening slated for summer 2016. “We are excited to open a second location […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Marketing News, Online Grocery Technology, Produce News, Suppliers, West
Pear Bureau Northwest Launches Redesigned Trade Website
On behalf of nearly 1,600 growers of Northwest pears, Pear Bureau Northwest has introduced a redesigned trade website focused on “the business of pears.” Providing pear category resources from crop information to training and marketing support, this mobile- and tablet-ready website provides a localized tool kit for growing pear category sales. “We have conducted a […]
Posted in, West
California’s Minimum Wage Increases On Jan. 1
The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) is reminding California’s employers and workers that, effective Jan. 1, the state’s minimum wage will increase to $10 per hour. “This increase in the minimum wage is California’s second increase in 16 months. Those earning minimum wage will now have a bit more to take home every paycheck,” said […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Independent Store News, Shelby Signature Content, Store News, Suppliers, West, Women In The News
Group Carries On Industry’s ‘Little Joe’s Christmas Party’ Tradition
In 1957, three men—Sam Guzzo of Oroweat Baking Co., Charlie Dragna of Barbara Ann Bread Co. and John Fusano of San Fernando Valley Olive Co.—started what would become an annual Christmas party. The event was held during the holiday season and hosted at Little Joe’s Italian Restaurant in Chinatown Los Angeles. The party quickly became […]
Posted in, Center Store, Nonfood Items, Suppliers, West
Bradshaw To Acquire SHYE Food Storage Biz
Bradshaw International, a leading housewares supplier, has reached an agreement to purchase SHYE/LHS Inc., a Fullerton, California-based maker of food storage containers, lunch boxes and tabletop products, HomeWorld Business reports. Started in 2000 by founders Leonard Stamper and Brian Sykes, SHYE Inc. has evolved into a branded and private label business selling across all trade […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, West
Associated’s Fresh Market Store In Price, Utah, Gets Rebranded
The Fresh Market in Price, Utah, located at 760 West Price River Drive, will become Lin’s Fresh Market on Wednesday. The new Lin’s store has been updated with new décor, expanded fresh departments, including a larger produce department, a fresh new butcher block and fish case, updated service deli with new menu options, a new doughnut […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, Store News, West
Gelson’s To Reopen Its First Former Haggen Stores Next Month
by Bob Reeves/The Shelby Report Southern California grocer Gelson’s will reopen the first of its newly acquired Haggen stores next month. Executives tell The Shelby Report that the Del Mar store at 2707 Via De La Valle will open Jan. 14 and the Rancho Mirage store at 36-101 Bob Hope Drive will open Jan. 28. […]
Posted in, Marketing News, Produce News, West
December Marks National Pear Month And Peak Season
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially declared December as National Pear Month, a time to celebrate the abundance and variety of USA Pears, now at their peak and available nationwide. Pears can star in festive appetizers and holiday feasts, gifted fresh, preserved as jam or chutney, and as portable, healthy snacks throughout this active […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Independent Store News, West
Former Gelson’s President Passes Away
Mr. Robert (Bob) Stiles, who served as president of Southern California supermarket chain Gelson’s from 1996-2011, has died. He worked for the company for more than 51 years. According to Gelson’s, Mr. Stiles started his career with the company in Burbank in 1960 as a grocery clerk, rising through the ranks before assuming the president’s […]
Posted in, Amazon Fresh, Industry News, West, Whole Foods
Amazon Prime Now Comes To San Diego, Offers One-Hour Delivery
Amazon Inc.’s Prime Now one-hour delivery service has expanded to San Diego, California, and surrounding areas in time for Thanksgiving. Amazon Prime members in San Diego now have access to one-hour delivery on thousands of daily essentials, such as paper towels, milk, diapers and electronics, which can be ordered through a mobile app. Through the […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Online Grocery Technology, West
Unified Grocers Launches CART Portal
Wholesaler Unified Grocers has launched the CART platform in partnership with CART (the Center for Advancing Retail & Technology) at advancingretail.org/unified, a new service for member retailers to find, learn about and connect with the best Unified-recommended solutions for their business. The CART portal also includes a large and growing number of resources, including case […]
Posted in, Suppliers, West
Bay Valley Foods Plans To Close City Of Industry, California, Facility
Bay Valley Foods, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TreeHouse Foods, intends to close its City of Industry, California, facility. Oak Brook, Illinois-based TreeHouse says the closure of the facility was determined after carefully reviewing the operation and identifying opportunities to lower production costs. Production is expected to cease in the first quarter of 2016 with full […]
Posted in, California Perspective, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, West
Company Culture Is The Most Important Factor For Success, Says ‘Happiness Expert’
Shawn Achor, founder and CEO of GoodThink Inc. and author of “The Happiness Advantage,” keynoted the California Grocers Association’s recent Strategic Conference to share a simple message: When it comes to a company’s chances for success, “culture eats strategy for lunch.” Achor spent 12 years with Harvard University as a researcher in the field of […]