Is Randall's Grocery Stores Going To Go Away?

[Houston19514]

I know from working with the Midtown Management District a few years ago that the Randall's has never been very healthy. It's not the brand -- although that has declined with the Safeway buyout and is a contributing factor -- it's the location. There just aren't enough sales at that store to offset operating costs. It's pretty well known among chains operating locally, too, so I'd think they'd avoid moving in if Randall's closed.

If Randall's overall is struggling and not very healthy (and I think that's pretty clearly the case), how can we really tell that this particular location's struggles are the fault of the location and not the fault of the overall Randall's struggle and management problems?

[TheNiche]

If Randall's overall is struggling and not very healthy (and I think that's pretty clearly the case), how can we really tell that this particular location's struggles are the fault of the location and not the fault of the overall Randall's struggle and management problems?

I think that that's a very valid question. ...but if I were a risk-averse grocer without a clear answer to that question, I'd be hesitant to take a gamble on that location if Randall's Midtown went belly-up.

Edited June 13, 2007 by TheNiche

[westguy]

Albertsons is the major chain that left the Houston market. No one's going to come back after that. I noticed that all the stores were bought by Kroger & Randall's, but none of them reopened as Randall's.

Whole Foods isn't a replacement for a real grocery store. The ones we have in Houston are pitiful.

[KinkaidAlum]

Albertsons is the major chain that left the Houston market. No one's going to come back after that. I noticed that all the stores were bought by Kroger & Randall's, but none of them reopened as Randall's.

Whole Foods isn't a replacement for a real grocery store. The ones we have in Houston are pitiful.

Houstonians don't know how good they have it with grocery stores. Krogers, Randalls, Rice Epicureans, Whole Foods, HEBs and their Central Market, Fiesta are all decent to incredible stores.

Houston wins big time compared to the Boston grocery scene.

[dbigtex56]

At the risk of being self-referential, here's what I said about Randall's in December of '04.

I agree with many of the complaints about Randall's (especially that 2/$5 milk thing!) The prices are somewhat higher than Kroger for most items. For produce, they're easily double what you'd pay at Fiesta. Even Spec's produce is cheaper, and of noticably higher quality.

In the interests of putting my money where my mouth is, I've tried to patronize the Midtown Randall's, but its shortcomings are too numerous. Hope someone else can make a go of it at that location.

[VicMan]

Houstonians don't know how good they have it with grocery stores. Krogers, Randalls, Rice Epicureans, Whole Foods, HEBs and their Central Market, Fiesta are all decent to incredible stores.

Houston wins big time compared to the Boston grocery scene.

Also include the lower budget chains and other chains such as Gerlands Food Fair (http://www.gerlands.com/locations.htm), Davis Food City ( http://davisfoodcity.com/ ), Foodarama, Sellers Bros., and Food Town.

Edited June 13, 2007 by VicMan

[cwrm4]

Whole Foods isn't a replacement for a real grocery store. The ones we have in Houston are pitiful.

I spoke with an executive with Whole Foods recently, and she said that their growth strategy is going to focus on 80,000 sq ft or larger stores - no more "little ones" like Kirby or Bellaire.

She said that means, with the exception of the one scheduled for the Eatzi's location, new stores in affluent burb areas. According to her there are NO PLANS, and I say again NO PLANS, for a store in downtown, Midtown, or anywhere near the Heights.

So, someone get that Trader Joe's letter writing campaign cranked back up.

[RedScare]

Part of the problem with supermarkets in Houston (and many other cities) is that they're not really trying hard to compete against one another.

According to Tory Gattis' op-ed piece on Sunday, Houston grocery prices are 16% lower than the national average for major metros. Sounds like competition to me.

[VicMan]

I spoke with an executive with Whole Foods recently, and she said that their growth strategy is going to focus on 80,000 sq ft or larger stores - no more "little ones" like Kirby or Bellaire.

She said that means, with the exception of the one scheduled for the Eatzi's location, new stores in affluent burb areas. According to her there are NO PLANS, and I say again NO PLANS, for a store in downtown, Midtown, or anywhere near the Heights.

So, someone get that Trader Joe's letter writing campaign cranked back up.

Kingwood would be a great location for a Whole Foods.

[barracuda]

People are passionate about their grocery stores! Who knew...

I've never noticed Randalls to be that expensive, especially when it comes to Organic products. They beat Kroger and Whole Foods hands down when it comes to the O Organics brand. They don't have much organic produce though, which is why I make occasional trips to Whole Foods...

I certainly hope they don't close down the Midtown store, it's so convenient and always busy.

[Poppahop]

Randall's has hands-down the worst instore piped-in music of any of the chains here. They are still playing Muzak.

[editor]

What "megamarket chains" are you talking about?

Meijer and Biggs are the two hypermarkets I shopped at. There were a couple of others.

Houston is widely considered to be one of the most competitive grocery markets in the country. I'm not sure what makes you say they are "not really trying hard to compete against one another." Note that there are ways in which to compete other than loss leaders and, for that matter, price.

I was unaware that Houston's supermaket industry is considered competitive. As a consumer the only way I have to judge the competitiveness of the markets in a market is by what I see. Meijer and Biggs competed hard in both advertising and in prices. Also, as a consumer, I don't care if cheap milk is a loss leader or not. It saves me money and tastes the same whether I paid 99 cents on a loss leader or the regular price of $4.29.

[editor]

I spoke with an executive with Whole Foods recently, and she said that their growth strategy is going to focus on 80,000 sq ft or larger stores - no more "little ones" like Kirby or Bellaire.

That goes hand-in-hand with what I've heard about the new Whole Foods in London. All week the BBC has been falling all over itself about the new Whole Foods (I think in Kensington or Hyde Park) that's the first in Britain. They keep going on about how "massive" it is. Bloomberg noted that this ONE STORE is expected to account for 2% of the entire chain's revenue. Though I expect some of that has to do with the exchange rate. Still, a different Bloomberg article noted that it's a sign of an economic bubble that an American chain store can sell antique vinegar to Britons at 32x the price of champagne.

[Drewdog]

I may be in the minority, or maybe Im not picky about grocery stores, but I like this Randalls. I never have to worry about a parking spot, the lines are short, I can get everything I need (basic staple items for the most part) and be out in a jiff. Its about 7 blocks from my condo so I dont have to drive far, and the store is clean - thats all I really look for in a grocery store. The prices dont seem that much higher, and If I want to buy beer or wine or liquor, I just head by Spec's warehouse on the way home.

The only minor complaint I would have would be the check-out service, but what do you expect from minimum wage employees?

[musicman]

I may be in the minority, or maybe Im not picky about grocery stores, but I like this Randalls. I never have to worry about a parking spot, the lines are short, I can get everything I need (basic staple items for the most part) and be out in a jiff. Its about 7 blocks from my condo so I dont have to drive far, and the store is clean - thats all I really look for in a grocery store. The prices dont seem that much higher, and If I want to buy beer or wine or liquor, I just head by Spec's warehouse on the way home.

The only minor complaint I would have would be the check-out service, but what do you expect from minimum wage employees?

you're not picky you're normal.

[Vertigo58]

Randall's has been considered a more upscale grocery for years. That only means its a store that has more top of the line items that you would not find at a Fiesta or Sellers. That simple. It also means it way more expensive than your average grocery. Randall's made more $ off the public over the years so they have more to splurge. Ever go to a Randall's Flagship around the holidays? There was one on Westheimer that would go all out in just decorating the place. You would think they had Macy's decorate for them at Chrismas time. Pretty lavish.$$$

Houston has more people struggling (money wise) to afford stores like fancy, shmancy Randall's. The others like HEB, Sellers and Fiesta are simply more affordable to the avergae Joe. Houston has millions of average Joes. That simple.

[VicMan]

The Davis Food City on Stella Link closed. Does this mean that Davis Food City is in trouble?

[Vertigo58]

The Davis Food City on Stella Link closed. Does this mean that Davis Food City is in trouble?

Boy, I hope not. That's one of the last places left in existance where you can actually buy 4 cans of vegetables for one dollar. Easy shopping no over hype advertising and fast check outs. Like the good old days.

[Mack Tripper]

Boy, I hope not. That's one of the last places left in existance where you can actually buy 4 cans of vegetables for one dollar. Easy shopping no over hype advertising and fast check outs. Like the good old days.

maybe that's why they closed.

[MidtownVillager]

I like the Randall's because it's convenient. It is pricey,though so I don't do major shopping there. But it's also easy to park underground and the Starbucks patio upstairs is nice. I also go to the Kroger on Polk at Cullen for basic items. It's the cheapest store in the area by far, though I wouldn't go there after dusk.

[Reefmonkey]

RUMOR

A source that services the grocery industry tells me that Randall's is suffering and may be re-evaluating the midtown location. Has anyone else heard anything? That would be a major blow to DT/MT residential if that were to close. I'm thinking Kroger on West Gray or Fiesta on Fannin are the closest grocers otherwise? I can't imagine that would stay vacant too long until Kroger or HEB moved in. It is always busy when I go there.

I wouldn't be surprised. I lived right across the street from it, in the Camden Midtown, from Spring 02-Spring 03. It's a nice building, was well-stocked at the time (though Safeway is really ruining Randall's on that point), but the panhandlers really make it an unpleasant place to shop. You get hit up on your way in, you get hit up on your way out. One time a panhandler approached me in the frozen food section. I alerted security, but they will always be fighting that battle, and it chases away a lot of customers.

Of course, none of the Randall's are doing very well, thanks to Safeway. They are still more pricey, but their selection and service, which they used to pride themselves on, have gone way downhill.

Edited July 27, 2007 by Reefmonkey

[Jax]

I have the same problems at the midtown Fiesta. That's one of the many reasons I like Central Market more, but it's so far away.

[VicMan]

Maybe Randall's can hire guards to shoo away panhandlers. Perhaps they can be authorized to use physical force (i.e. punches and kicks) if the panhandlers persist or if they are repeat offenders.

[Kirzania]

The Midtown Randall's was ok for when we lived downtown. We really tried to avoid it (like so many other people have said) because the prices were MUCH higher than at the Kroger on W. Gray. I think for every 10 trips to W. Gray Kroger, we would go once to the Midtown Randall's. Now that we're in the Galleria area, we continue to avoid the Randall's on San Felipe (exactly 1 mile away.) We will drive the 9 miles to Costco for the staples that can be frozen - chicken, beef, pork - and most of all, eggs and milk. It's amazing how much cheaper they are compared to HEB/Randall's/Kroger. For produce we generally will hit up the regular grocery store; I've been having a lot of trouble with produce lately. HEB has really let me down, there's no close Kroger, and Randall's is hit or miss for the $$$$. I've even been forced to try to stop by the Uber-Wal-Mart on the way home without any luck. It's really frustrating. ... Is anyone else having this problem lately?

So, someone get that Trader Joe's letter writing campaign cranked back up.

Yes, PLEASE. I miss Trader Joe's and Wegmans of all the NE stores... Meijer: I could live without. They changed too much since I knew them from when I was a kid. (They used to almost be like Costco as far as ambiance goes and had a HUGE selection.)

[musicman]

Perhaps they can be authorized to use physical force (i.e. punches and kicks)

i think you've been watching too many jackie chan movies.

[editor]

Maybe Randall's can hire guards to shoo away panhandlers. Perhaps they can be authorized to use physical force (i.e. punches and kicks) if the panhandlers persist or if they are repeat offenders.

There's no reason there should be panhandlers outside Randalls. The main entrance and the parking garage entrance are both on private property. They should hire a guard to escort panhandlers off the property, and if they resist call police.

[barracuda]

It seems odd to me that for people living in Midtown, where $300k+ townhomes are the norm, the primary concern when grocery shopping is saving a couple cents on cans of vegetables. I've never found Randalls to be more expensive than Kroger if you use a free Randalls card, but maybe there are some unusual items I don't buy.

I like the Midtown Randalls for the sake of convenience. The amount of money spent on fuel would outweigh any savings, at least for me.

[ssullivan]

It seems odd to me that for people living in Midtown, where $300k+ townhomes are the norm, the primary concern when grocery shopping is saving a couple cents on cans of vegetables. I've never found Randalls to be more expensive than Kroger if you use a free Randalls card, but maybe there are some unusual items I don't buy.

I like the Midtown Randalls for the sake of convenience. The amount of money spent on fuel would outweigh any savings, at least for me.

I totally agree. From where I live, there's a Randall's Flagship and a Kroger nearby, as well as Super Target. All three are roughly the same distance, although the Randall's is slightly farther. Of the three, the Randall's store provides by far the nicest shopping experience. The store was recently renovated and is quite nice. On the other hand, the Kroger, a former Albertson's location, is very outdated and disorganized. As for prices, I've never really noticed much difference on the things I buy, but I also don't drive all over town comparing prices either. To me that's just a waste of time and gas. I hate to see Randall's doing poorly, and I do think that they were a much better grocery store when the Onstead family was in charge. I would really hate to see the Midtown store fail. I shopped in there quite a few times and it's always seemed busy, even though the selection is more limited due to the store's smaller size.

[silverartfox]

Although I like to cook, shopping for groceries is way down on my list of fun things to do. HEB is my choice for staple items; house brands are good quality and the Gulfgate store is closest to my East End neighborhood. Each Wednesday, Randall's and Kroger post their weekly specials online. Whichever one has the best buys gets my business that week. The popular term for shopping a grocery store primarily for its specials is "cherry-picking".

Yes, Randall's does tend to be pricey, but it's not as bad as Rice Epicurean. Now that's a chain whose continued existence looks shaky! I've been in their large Holcombe store several times on Friday and Saturday when you could count the number of customers on one hand. I wonder who shops at Rice, other than the Bushes when they're in residence here?

Finding a variety of fresh, affordable produce in Houston's neighborhood grocery stores is a problem. HEB used to do a good job, but no longer. Kroger and Randall's are usually expensive and limited in selection. Central Market and Whole Foods have wonderful things but are so upscale that I can shop there only for special occasion meals.

[Reefmonkey]

It seems odd to me that for people living in Midtown, where $300k+ townhomes are the norm, the primary concern when grocery shopping is saving a couple cents on cans of vegetables. I've never found Randalls to be more expensive than Kroger if you use a free Randalls card, but maybe there are some unusual items I don't buy.

I like the Midtown Randalls for the sake of convenience. The amount of money spent on fuel would outweigh any savings, at least for me.

I think for most of us the price differential would not be a big problem if we weren't aware of what Randall's used to be, and what a hollow shell of that it now is. For me there is a principle involved in not paying the same prices I used to when the service and selection are not what they used to be. I find the Kroger's signature stores to have much better selection now, a better shopping environment, and maybe slightly cheaper. For all that I will drive a little father, rather than letting myself get irritated when I find Randall's has stopped carrying yet another item they used to, which I happened to want/need that night.

Though I do agree the Krogers in the old Albertsons suck, as the Albertsons did before them.

Edited July 30, 2007 by Reefmonkey