by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest, Southwest Albertsons on Broadway opened its doors 79 years to the day that Joe Albertson opened his first cutting-edge, innovative store just a few miles down the road at 16th and State streets. In his obituary in 1993, the amenities in that first store were described as “unheard of in markets of […]
Tag: Shelby Signature Content
Larkin: Independent Grocers Are Vitally Important To Political Process
by Peter Larkin/ president and CEO, National Grocers Association Special to The Shelby Report The 2018 midterm elections are quickly approaching, as observed by all the political ads that currently pepper our airwaves, and much is on the line for both political parties. A look at historical data on congressional elections suggests that Democrats will have an […]
Hometown Food Markets Makes Grocery Shopping A Sensory Experience
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Southwest Hometown Food Markets, owned by Ed and Dana Sowards, operates two Colorado stores. The towns they serve, Pagosa Springs and Antonito, are located on either side of the Continental Divide. Both are tourist towns and sit at about 8,000 feet above sea level. “Both of them are the last stops before you […]
Utah Market Profile: Strong State Economy Supports Store Growth
by Stacy Weichel/contributing writer Utah has a strong economy and a strong stable of grocers, both chains and independents. Chains include Smith’s (a Kroger banner),Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market; independents include Lee’s Marketplace, Harmons and Associated Food Stores (AFS), which has both wholesale customers and its own corporate stores. A new Trader Joe’s will […]
The Shelby Report Salutes Our West Retailer Exec Of The Year: Pat Posey, Bristol Farms
Everybody Likes Pat Patrick “Pat” Posey, VP of non-perishable procurement and merchandising for Southern California-based retailer Bristol Farms, seems to be one of those guys everybody likes, as you’ll see from comments provided to us by his colleagues (friends). In addition to managing a successful career in the grocery business that started at Ralphs Grocery […]
Raley’s Strategic Initiatives Focus On Customers, Concepts, Team Members
Kevin Konkel, who was appointed to the newly created role of chief operations officer at Raley’s this past March, kicked off a trio of executives from the West Sacramento-based grocery who addressed the audience at the Western Association of Food Chains annual convention in May. Konkel was followed by Deirdre Zimmermann, SVP of marketing, and […]
WinCo, Heeb’s Among Those Building In Montana
by Lorrie Griffith/editor–West The Montana grocery landscape features a mix of chains like Walmart, Costco, Smith’s, Albertsons, Safeway and Lucky Markets as well as some strong local independents. Shoppers in the Billings area may get a new grocery option, as it was reported in February that WinCo Foods is planning to build a new grocery […]
Wayfield Foods Unveils Eden Fresh Market Concept Store
Atlanta-based Wayfield Foods has opened a new-format store called Eden Fresh Market. True to its name, the store offers a broader selection of fresh foods than a traditional Wayfield Foods store. Eden Fresh Market is located southwest of Atlanta, at 12160 County Line Road in Fayetteville. It had a soft opening at the end of […]
Deep Community Roots, Family And Beer Have Kept John’s Grocery Thriving
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest If only the walls of John’s Grocery could talk. The grocery store has been in business for 70 years, which is impressive for a small, family-owned independent retailer. But the building where John’s Grocery is located has been a cornerstone in Iowa City history going back another 100 years. “Iowa was founded […]
California Perspective: State Showed Its Purple In June Polling
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association Californians went to the polls in June to determine matchups for November’s General Election. Despite California’s reputation as being solidly blue and progressive, this election showed the shades of purple that exist up and down the state. While a vast majority of Californians remain socially very liberal […]
More Help Is Available For Kansas’ Struggling Rural Grocers
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest Many independent grocers in Kansas’ rural communities struggle to remain open. This year alone, at least five independent grocers already have closed, according to David Procter, director of the Center for Engagement and Community Development (CECD) at Kansas State University (KSU). “We know of several stores that have closed this year, so […]
Missouri General Assembly Has ‘Most Successful Session In The State’s History’
Last year about this time, Dan Shaul told The Shelby Report that while the General Assembly had done some good work in 2017, it could have done a whole heck of a lot more. This year, that heck of a lot more got done, and there is more to come. A lot of work got […]
Junior’s Super Market Readies For The Future
Junior’s Super Market is a seven-store chain based in Pharr, Texas, where it now operates three stores: one Junior’s Express and two Junior’s Super Market locations. Other locations in the Rio Grande Valley include Edinburg, San Juan, Hidalgo, Penitas and Alton. The Shelby Report’s Jan Meade caught up with owner Felix Chavez Jr. for a […]
The Future Of Retail Is Want-Driven Vs. Need-Based
First of all, brick-and-mortar stores are “never, ever going away.” But what they need to become may make some people uncomfortable. That is according to Michael Rogosa, global research director at Planet Retail RNG, who spoke to ROFDA members about the long-term future of retail during the group’s spring conference. He said that as brick-and-mortar […]
HR & Benefits News: Feds Step Up I-9 Audits—Be Ready
Editor’s note: HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. It’s The Law “All U.S. Employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens.” –U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of […]
Indiana Grown Makes Life‑Changing Connections For Producers
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest Austin and Kristen Witt have been growing blackberries on their District 6 Farm in Jasonville, Indiana, since 2015. It isn’t easy to grow blackberries in the state, but for the Witts, it was a lot easier than selling them. “This is all new to us,” said Austin Witt. “I didn’t even know […]
With Retail Store Openings Down And Closings Up, Employees Appreciate Leadership
by Art Patch/a retired retail executive & regular columnist for The Shelby Report There is so much happening in retail businesses, it’s no wonder employees are concerned about their future. Most distressing is a recent industry study by Jones Lang LaSalle showing new store openings down 28.8 percent in 2017. Most of us follow the […]
Washington Market Profile: Challenges, But Growth, Too
by Lorrie Griffith/editor-West One of the dichotomies in a state like Washington is that while there are major metropolitan areas like Seattle, there also are extremely rural areas. But, of course, both are subject to the same state laws, like the $12 an hour minimum wage that went into effect this year that will go […]
California Perspective: Relationship-Building Plays Important Role In The Political Process
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association Success in government relations often is rooted in the connections developed with legislators over the years. While politics, and lobbying specifically, is by its nature an adversarial pursuit, good government relations separate the conflict from the person you conflict with. Legislation comes and goes, but legislators stay […]
Brookshire Grocery Co. Celebrates 90 Years In Business
At 90, Brookshire Grocery Co. continues traditions established in 1928 Brookshire Grocery Co. has a rich history dating back to 1928 when Wood T. Brookshire opened a small, 25-ft. x 100-ft. store in downtown Tyler, Texas. In the beginning, Wood was in a partnership with five brothers operating under the “Brookshire Brothers” name. In 1939, […]
