Sprouts Coming to East Memphis

Today's post highlights Shelby County, TN, retail.

Because my other post for this month was fairly short, I've decided to supplement it today with this other, equally short post. It's got some big news inside of it, though: Sprouts Farmers Market is officially confirmed to be taking over the lease at 576 S Perkins! As you might recall, this East Memphis space is near both Oak Court Mall and the now-demolished-Sears-turning-Nordstrom Rack, and formerly housed a Kroger that closed in early 2016 due to the presence of two other, larger Kroger stores within a mile. The store held an auction in June, which I attended and featured photos of on the blog at the time. Now, fellow blogger and flickr-er l_dawg2000 has sent me a few quick photos of construction already taking place at the site to turn it into a Sprouts store. (He didn't have the time to write the post himself, so he sends his apologies!)

Here l_dawg is approaching the store. As you can see, it's pretty small! The 28,000 square foot size kinda cramped Kroger's style, but should work just fine for Sprouts Farmers Market, which is more of a specialty organic/gourmet grocer than a traditional one. In fact, their own website touts the chain as a seller of "fresh, natural and organic groceries at incredible prices – and in an approachable setting that feels like an old-fashioned farmers market," hence the name. There's also a really cool interactive tour of a Sprouts store interior at that link, if you're interested!

A close-up shot of the store. Note how there already appears to be some construction work taking place on the roof just to the left of the main entrance façade. The Kroger sign is long gone, but the sign box for the Western Union sign remains. (For a picture - multiple pictures, in fact! - of how this store looked previously, both inside and out, please check out my flickr album here.) The overhang above the doors themselves looks to have been freshly removed - more on that later.

This view looks down the store's right-side wall, and shows how the property is situated right along some railroad tracks. The store is admittedly cut off here, but both l_dawg and I like this shot, haha! You can see the iBank-signed White Station Tower off in the background. I used that as a reference point in my blog post documenting the other two nearby Krogers that assumed this store's customer base after its closure, which you can visit here.

Finally, this last picture l_dawg sent in shows the store front-on, where we can see the lot is closed off by fencing. Some construction debris are already littering the parking lot, with Dumpsters located beside the store's entry doors as well. Somehow, though, the construction that was taking place on the roof has vanished from view, lol! I imagine the interior is being gutted also - and since all of the old Albertsons Industrial Circus décor from the Seessel's days (that survived during both Schnucks's and Kroger's respective reigns at this property) sold off during the auction, I don't feel as bad about that :P

It was rumored as early as September that this former Kroger, on the market for only three and a half months at the time, was a potential site for a new Sprouts store, which would become their third store in the area but first in Memphis proper. (Hat tip to blog commenter and guest contributor 11110 for first alerting me to that rumor, actually.) The rumor began to become reality as construction permits were filed in November and again in late December, as uncovered by the Memphis Business Journal, but Sprouts continued to deny (well, more like "neither confirm nor deny") that they were assuming the lease at the spot. I've still yet to see any confirmation from the chain itself, come to think of it, but the article I linked to at the top of the post (also shown at the bottom of this post for quick access) pretty well removes any doubt!

Speaking of the MBJ... not to call them out or anything, but I did want to feature this gaffe from a recent post of theirs regarding this store that I found humorous. The screenshot above is from an article published on December 29th, 2016, and as you can see, the caption to the picture notes that "[t]he blank green sign [above the doors] was recently added." The article itself goes further into detail, describing the recent installation of "what appears to be a future sign in a shade of Sprouts’ green — sans actually [sic] lettering — on the building." The trouble is, that's erroneous detail: that green curved overhang has been there for many, many years, likely ever since the current façade was installed on the building back in 1999! (As a matter of fact, the façade could potentially be even older than Albertsons' ownership of Seessel's, but I haven't been able to find anything definitive on that, and either way I digress...) Moreover, as was shown and mentioned earlier, Sprouts has already removed said green sign/overhang since the MBJ published that article. I don't doubt that a green sign will go on the building eventually... but that one certainly wasn't it! ;P

Screenshot of the leasing announcement, just for posterity. Courtesy

Anyway... that's what's happening at 576 S Perkins. l_dawg2000 has been keeping track of the nearby Sears saga, and suggested that he may get some more pictures of this store as construction progresses when checking up on the former, so keep an eye out for those to go up on the blog in the future as he gets them. And as always, until next time, have fun exploring the retail world wherever you are!

Retail Retell

A Quick Tour of IKEA Memphis

Today's post highlights Shelby County, TN, retail.

Happy 2017, everyone! It's been almost a month now since the occurrence of arguably the biggest retail event in the metropolitan area last year - the opening of IKEA Memphis! So, if it's such a big deal as I claim it is, then why on earth hasn't it been featured on the Mid-South Retail Blog yet?! In this post, I attempt to rectify that... albeit quickly, through a very short photographic tour. I visited the megastore for the first time last week, and let me tell you, it was definitely an experience! I was able to get only a few photos, though. Nevertheless, those are all featured below...

The store's front façade. If it looks big in this view, you should realize this picture conveys nothing close to the entire size of the building! The store is HUGE.

The floorplan of the store is laid out in numbered sections, so that you can follow them through in order all the way to the exit. (More on that later.) Up first are the showrooms, where you can browse through furniture laid out in displays either akin to the one pictured above or more tastefully organized into examples of how rooms could be decorated with IKEA merchandise.

Beyond the showrooms is the IKEA café, which serves some pretty good food cheap! Naturally, I tried the famed Swedish Meatballs :P  Shown here is the "pay here" sign for the small grocery section adjoining the café. (Yes, you read that right: there's even a small grocery section here!!) I thought this sign in particular was interesting because it reminded me - being a retail geek, of course - of Walmart's latest décor package. See for yourself.

Past the café, you enter the self-serve furniture area. As you're walking the showrooms, you're invited to take down item numbers and such, and then (after a pit stop at the café, haha!) you're encouraged to track them down in this department, hence the phrase "You're about to have your hands full" printed on the wall here! I was especially pleased with how this photo turned out.

And here it is: a glimpse into said self-serve furniture department. It is nothing but massive! There are 40-something aisles; this shot takes a look from near the end back down to where we saw that cartwell, just around the corner in the background to the right in this view. Major warehouse feel here - a stark contrast from the showrooms!

At the checkouts, I decided to snap a pic of one of the register lights - one that wasn't open, so that I wouldn't look suspicious, of course. Equally naturally, I chose to photograph register 12! Though I didn't upload this photo to my flickr account, it joins my album of 12s in spirit :P

You can see earlier in the post we entered here in the daytime, but by the time we had left, it was night! This shot is of the exit - located right next to the entrance - and features a billboard sized advertisement for those aforementioned Swedish Meatballs, too.

A nighttime neon shot of the store's signage as we take one last look at its exterior. I was also proud of how this photo turned out, especially since my phone rarely likes to cooperate with nighttime shots!

Before leaving, I made sure to grab a pamphlet to showcase on the blog also. These are readily available throughout the showroom portion of the store - along with those branded golf pencils - and allow you to make notes regarding item numbers (as mentioned earlier) with dedicated spaces on the back of the pamphlet.

Inside the pamphlet is this flap showing a store overview of IKEA Memphis. This should give you some idea as to how the store is laid out. Once you enter, you kind of snake through the entire right side of the store to the back, and then return again to the front by traversing the store's left side. This explains why the entrance and exit are so close together! (Apologies for the crooked picture here.)

Despite how open the floorplan might appear in the diagram shown previously, it's actually fairly difficult to navigate, at least on your first visit. As long as you follow the arrowed paths, though, you'll be okay. The folded-out full interior of the pamphlet, shown here, also helps guide you through all the numbered sections to find what you're looking for.

So I hope you enjoyed that quick little tour. It wasn't much, but rest assured there's much more to see (and then some!) if you actually visit this store in person!! IKEA was definitely a major "get" for Memphis, and I know Memphians are proud to host the store, the Swedish chain's first in the state of Tennessee.

If you can remember back to my previous post (the last one of 2016), I mentioned how I hoped that this month I would be showcasing fellow flickr member Memphis Retail's photos of IKEA Memphis in the making. Obviously, as you can see, that wasn't the case. That's because Memphis Retail has graciously agreed to write his own post featuring his pictures of the store, both under construction and past the grand opening! That'll definitely be a cool post to read, and I invite you back to see it once it's posted in the future. :)

In the meantime, if you'd like a more extensive tour of this store's interior, there are some online slideshows you can check out, such as those posted on the respective websites of the Memphis Business Journal and WMC Action News 5.

That's what's going on at IKEA Memphis... until next time, be sure to check out today's other blog post, and have fun exploring the retail world wherever you are!

Retail Retell

Fred's Becomes America's Third-Largest Pharmacy Chain

For [what I'm planning to be, anyway!] my final post of 2016, I wanted to share some news regarding a company based out of the Mid-South - founded in Coldwater, MS, and currently headquartered in Memphis, specifically. As I'm sure you've heard, Walgreens is currently undergoing an effort to merge with Rite Aid, and as a result of that merger, the FTC will require many stores in overlapping areas to be divested. What you may not have heard is that a deal has been struck with a buyer for those stores – none other than Memphis's own Fred's! The Memphis Business Journal has a nice write-up on the deal here, and here is an article from the Cincinnati Business Journal detailing how Fred's role in the Walgreens-Rite Aid merger will affect (Cincinnati-based) Kroger. Why Kroger? Well, Kroger was reported to be interested in purchasing some of the stores, especially since many will likely be in the northeast (where Kroger currently doesn't have a presence), but ultimately it would've been a bit much for them to take on, given they don't operate under any similar store format. Fred's, on the other hand, is a key player (at least locally – and maybe will grow to be nationally!) in the pharmacy and discount retail markets. In addition to the 865 Rite Aid stores they will operate following the merger (keeping the Rite Aid name under a two-year changeover plan, as well as their employees), Fred's reportedly will also take ownership of any other stores that may need to be divested in the future. Even without the additional stores, this purchase makes Fred's the third-largest drugstore chain in the United States.

As some of my flickr contacts have noted over at my photostream there (where I've cross-posted this information), speculation has abounded since the sale as to whether or not Fred's can survive as a chain following this deal. After all, as recently as last week it was reported that they will be closing some 40 of their stores in the new year, yet this purchase more than doubles their store count. Some are even calling the sale "Haggen II," referring to supermarket Haggen's assumption of the divested stores from the Albertsons-Safeway merger last year. Evidently, Haggen took on more than they could handle and ended up declaring bankruptcy; many of the stores they closed wound up going right back into the hands of Albertsons, giving them a (legal!) monopoly in several places. Walgreens may well have even had this in mind as a strategy when selling the Rite Aid stores to Fred's. In any case, I have to assume Fred's was chosen as the highest bidder more so than as a potential failure, and while I don't doubt they will encounter some struggles with this hefty purchase, I do hope they find the necessary abilities to pull it off. Given that they are a local company, I'd sure like to see them succeed!

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Changing subjects... I know many of my most recent posts have been largely focused on news stories or other content that is not my own. I've also almost entirely neglected to mention a major Mid-South retail occurrence over the past few months: the construction of IKEA Memphis, which finally opened its doors to the public just a couple of weeks ago! For January, I hope to have a post covering IKEA's construction, but at a cost - the photos would again not be my own content but that of my flickr friend Memphis Retail. In fact, I'm running slightly low on content/ideas for the blog myself, which is why I tend to push the fact that you can send in your own contributor posts to midsouthretailblog [at] gmail [dot] com. Nevertheless, I do have several posts with new content of my own in the works, and will begin posting those in the new year. As a programming note, however, I would like to mention that I am reducing my 'goal' number of posts per year to 10 from 12 (i.e. skipping two months instead of posting once a month). This is not to say that I won't exceed that number, just building in the excuse for if I don't.

Your continued patronage of the Mid-South Retail Blog is very much appreciated, and I hope my slowdown in posting doesn't turn you away! Thank you for continuing to visit and read for our first full calendar year on the web (!), and I hope you and yours have a happy holiday season and a prosperous 2017 :)

Anyway... that's what's going on with a major Mid-South retail chain. Until next time - next year, in fact! - have fun exploring the retail world wherever you are!

Retail Retell

Olive Branch Aldi and Other Retail Development

Today's post highlights DeSoto County, MS, retail.

Since many of you are likely all too familiar with your local grocery stores this time of year, what with Thanksgiving just days away, for this post I thought I would showcase a non-traditional grocer which opened a new store in Olive Branch, MS, on July 23, 2014. Aldi, for those of you unfamiliar with them, is a German discount supermarket chain whose US stores offer similar but off-brand popular items as a way to keep prices low. The Olive Branch location is DeSoto County's second, following a relatively long-established Southaven store.

 

 Some night shots of the store's exterior as we prepare to head inside...

 

Here are a few looks down the main aisle upon entering. The way the store is designed, you must pass through this aisle in order to access the rest of the salesfloor. Note how the décor incorporates the "A" logo symbol.

An example of an Aldi product. Obviously a knock-off version of brand-name Rice Crispy Treats, but I suppose you shouldn't knock 'em until you've tried 'em! (I haven't, so I can't speak to them either way, haha!)

A quick peek at the décor in the back left corner of the store, as well as a look down the second aisle, the left half of which is home to a changing selection of seasonal merchandise (i.e. not strictly just food).

Beyond the seasonal aisle, in the rear center of the store, is Aldi's produce selection. Produce isn't necessarily brand-name stuff, so if you're skeptical about the other products, at least you shouldn't have to worry about the produce! Personally, my favorite items at Aldi come from their cheese selection, which is located in the back right corner of the store - an area I, for whatever reason, did not get pics of. Maybe it's so popular a crowd of people was blocking me from getting the shot, lol!

A closer look at the changeable produce price signage (which I think is very cool!), as well as a look across the store back toward the front from produce. This store is consistently well-organized and well-kept, as these photos convey.

 

Here you're looking at a shelf housing the store's fresh bread selection in the top photo, and some coffin cooler freezer cases dedicated to special deals in the bottom photo.

Some more décor along the right-side wall, which is home to dairy and frozen. It feels very modern in here.

Finally from the interior of the store, a shot of the checkout lanes. Notice along the front wall of the store is a counter. Aldi is able to keep its prices so low not only through its selection of off-brand items but also because its cashiers do not bag any items. Boxes are available for customers, similar to what one might find at Sam's Club or Costco, to do that themselves along that front counter if they desire.

 

Headed back outside, it's suddenly daytime now (!), as we take a look at some parting shots of the store. This Aldi isn't the only thing that's opened in growing Olive Branch over the past few years! In fact, much more retail has been developed, not least of which is Olive Branch Crossing. The remainder of this post explores some of that new development before ending with an update on Olive Branch Crossing's second phase of construction.

Popeye's is located beside Aldi to the right (east)...

...and a strip center, pictured above under construction in May 2015, to the left (west).

Another shot of the strip center under construction, joined by a Corky's BBQ location on the left edge of the pic

Fast-forward to March 2016, when we find the strip center open and with healthy crowds. Mellow Mushroom is the closest tenant to Aldi.

Another major tenant in the center is Paisley Pineapple, an existing Olive Branch retailer that moved from another, older location across the street.

The majority of this development was spurred by the construction of this Malco Cinema, which opened just before Christmas 2013. (Apparently I've been holding on to these photographs and news items for some time!)

 

A shot of the Malco at sunset. Like OB's Aldi, this is DeSoto County's second Malco; the first is another long-established Southaven location.

Farther west from the Malco/Aldi area, we find continued development in the "Target corridor," an area of retail growth spurred by the 2008 opening of DeSoto County's second Target (except this time the first was in Horn Lake, not Southaven!).

This is a December 2015 look at the same strip center seen under construction above in October 2015. Sprint relocated from elsewhere in Olive Branch; many of the other stores were new to the city.

The Great American Sleep Shop is the main left corner anchor of the center. This shot takes a look beyond its storefront to the adjoining strip center, which preceded its offshoot center that we've been focusing on.

 

Also near the OB Target, the southwest corner of Goodman and Pleasant Hill Roads, seen under construction here in October 2015...

...was developed into a Mapco gas station by early 2016. Prior to this being built, there weren't really any other gas stations located immediately close-by this now-major shopping area.

A look at the Mapco from the signaled intersection. Note the neat curved canopy!

A better look at the curved canopy, likely required due to the elevation and layout of the property. I think it adds some character!

 

Mapco wasn't the only one looking to take advantage of the relative lack of gas stations in the immediate area, as seen here in November 2015!

Pop's Express, a local convenience store chain, began building at the next intersection of Pleasant Hill Road south of the previously-pictured Mapco soon after that last photo was taken, and was pretty far along by July 2016 as can be seen here.

One year and four days since my first Pop's Express Pleasant Hill photo was taken, the convenience store and its Shell-branded gas station looked just about ready to open! Additional retail bays are available for lease, too.

Finally, as promised, here's an update on Olive Branch Crossing. The Fresh Market began construction early this year, with a projected - and highly incorrect! - opening of spring 2016, according to that sign out front.

 

Luckily, that sign had been corrected to say "spring 2017" by the time of my next photo two months later! It should be a lot easier to meet that deadline :P

A closer look at the storefront as it took shape in August 2016 (same date as the previous pic), as seen through a break in the construction fence.

Last but not least, my most recent look at the Olive Branch Crossing Fresh Market store, taken just this month, shows the construction fencing has been removed, the store's exterior has been all but completed, and even the roadside pylon has been installed, awaiting its signage. Once the store does open, I'll likely get some photos eventually, and will also likely put them up here on the blog...

I hope you enjoyed this post, everyone! Unfortunately, even though I was hoping to do a December post, this may well wind up being my last one of the year - this time not due to time constraints (although as always, that does play a role) so much as a lack of content!! I'll try to stock up on ideas/photos for future posts over the rest of the year, and definitely plan on having a new post go up in January. But in the meantime... if this is the last you hear from me (on the blog, anyway!) until 2017, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday season, no matter what you celebrate, and that you continue to have fun exploring the retail world wherever you are! :)

Retail Retell