mrfootball Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Sad to see so many Randall's stores going the way of Safeway's earlier Houston boondoggle 'Appletree'. One must wonder how Safeway manages to stay in business. Randall's, was pretty much regarded as one of, if not the best major grocery chain in Houston when they took over, then they began compromising quality to better fit Safeway's High Price/Mediocre Quality service model.Huge Vacant Stores. I'm afraid we're going to see the same thing that happened to all of the old Albertson, Eckerd Drugs, and Wal-Mart stores...as these huge parcels, some with brand-new VERY NICE new buildings....will just sit idle...because deep pocketed Safeway doesn't want to sell off to a competitor such as HEB or otherwise. Instead, littering the landscape with dead retail developments.I would imagine some cities have already addressed this type of problem. Any solution for Houston? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torvald Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I would imagine some cities have already addressed this type of problem. Any solution for Houston?i am hoping that some of them can be purchased by arts or hobbyist groups. there's a large warehouse type building on shepherd street that's used for soccer. maybe some entrepreneur can convert them into that sort of venue (or for something like gymnastics or karate) for folks to enjoy. maybe other art groups like local theatre companies or bobbindoctrin type groups could somehow get funding to aquire them to strengthen houston performance arts. a longshot surely but maybe a possibility... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westguy Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Highway 6 is a particulary big graveyard for big box stores. There's too many of them to reuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonfella Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Big Lots moved into the vacant Albertson's on the East Belt. I guess the food market is saturated with grocery stores (7) within driving distance from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I would imagine some cities have already addressed this type of problem. Any solution for Houston?The market will find a solution.It is pretty obvious what will happen, some other store will lease the space and try to sell something else. Too many grocery stores, not enough [fill in] stores... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Highway 6 is a particulary big graveyard for big box stores. There's too many of them to reuse.What part of Hwy.6, westguy ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Sad to see so many Randall's stores going the way of Safeway's earlier Houston boondoggle 'Appletree'. One must wonder how Safeway manages to stay in business. Randall's, was pretty much regarded as one of, if not the best major grocery chain in Houston when they took over, then they began compromising quality to better fit Safeway's High Price/Mediocre Quality service model.Huge Vacant Stores. I'm afraid we're going to see the same thing that happened to all of the old Albertson, Eckerd Drugs, and Wal-Mart stores...as these huge parcels, some with brand-new VERY NICE new buildings....will just sit idle...because deep pocketed Safeway doesn't want to sell off to a competitor such as HEB or otherwise. Instead, littering the landscape with dead retail developments.I would imagine some cities have already addressed this type of problem. Any solution for Houston?Appletree is owned by Safeway? We have Appletree here in Bryan/College Station, but I don't see them in other places. They don't even have a website. About a year ago I remember Appletrees of Bryan/College Station saying that a big new Appletree would be openig in Houston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I think it is so funny how Randall's used to be #2 in houston with 20% of the market. This is while H.E.B. was here with there tiny "pantry" stores.Then H.E.B. did a serious upgrade in size and made nice looking urban warehouse store that feel airy and clean.I wish other stores like Walmart and Kroger would take cue and forget about installing nasty cheap highschool tiles in the floors and just leave it as stained concrete.But Randalls was expensive and just old and tired looking.Replacing a sign upfront that says "flagship" does not make it look any cooler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Appletree is owned by Safeway? We have Appletree here in Bryan/College Station, but I don't see them in other places. They don't even have a website. About a year ago I remember Appletrees of Bryan/College Station saying that a big new Appletree would be openig in Houston.No, Appletree is not owned by Safeway. I believe what happened is that Safeway used to be in the Houston (and other Texas) markets, but completely pulled out. When they pulled out, they sold the operation to a newly-formed company that named themselves Appletree. Appletree went bankrupt, in the early-mid 90s and its Houston stores were sold off at that time... Kroger bought some, I think Randall's bought some, I think Rice bought some...) I'm surprised to hear they still exist at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Funny, I thought the same thing that Appletree was owned by Safeway, since all the Safeway stores turn to Appletree in the early 90'sbtw, this topic is mislocatedThis is "Going Up", not "Going Down!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west20th Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Funny, I thought the same thing that Appletree was owned by Safeway, since all the Safeway stores turn to Appletree in the early 90'sbtw, this topic is mislocatedThis is "Going Up", not "Going Down!"I think when Safeway pulled out they sold their stores to an employee group who then changed the name of the stores to "Appletree". They couldn't make a go of it and were gone within a couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I think there's also still an Apple Tree on I-45 up around Cypresswood or Louetta.And yes, Safeway never owned Apple Tree. Apple Tree was the group that purchased the Houston area Safeway stores when Safeway pulled out of here the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 i think the appletree on 45N is there but vacant...the appletree name change was announced around 89... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 The Spring and a part of FM 1960 are victum to these store collapses.At the corner of 1960 and Kuykendahl, ever since the Fiesta left, everything in that strip center has slowly died off. All that remain, are NuAge Liquor, Chucky Cheese, and a doller store. (And a papadeux, but its not "part of" the strip center). The Randalls at Kuykemdahl @ Louetta is closing, and already, many stores in the same strip center have left, even though, a street down, there building about 4 new strip centers.At Kuykendahl, between Louetta and Spring Cypress, the HEB closed down, and everything in that strip center is dead as well...I never understand, why so many new strip centers pop up, yet these slowly die off? Maybe the lease is more expensive then the new ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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