Buy For Less

[reverend]

So I found out the Buy For Less at 23rd and Penn will be closing. I thought it just was going to be a switch to their Smart Saver brand, but after talking to the manager at the grocery store I once worked at, it appears the store was underperforming. He also told me that OCU wants the property for a parking garage. I called the store and they told me the last day of operation would be October 7th. Anyone have any info on the validity of the OCU rumors?

Also, is Buy For Less doing a major restructuring? They are converting stores they have been operating for decades into Smart Saver (NE 23rd & MLK, SE 44th & High) or shutting them down completely (NW 23rd & Penn, Penn & Hefner). The Kings Crossing Uptown Market project seems dead. They acquired Hometown Market at NE 23rd & MLK, Grider's at SW 29th and May, the hispanic Buy For Less at 37th and S. Western, and built the two Uptown Markets. Wonder if their expansion has been too much too fast?

[jn1780]

I think their regular Buy for Less stores, especially the more run down ones are feeling a lot of pressure from Walmart. We will probably see more Uptowns be built, but in areas that that the owners see as " less risky" like more locations in Edmond, NW OKC, or far south OKC closer to Moore.

[terryinokc]

I think their regular Buy for Less stores, especially the more run down ones are feeling a lot of pressure from Walmart. We will probably see more Uptowns be built, but in areas that that the owners see as " less risky" like more locations in Edmond, NW OKC, or far south OKC closer to Moore.

Well...my thoughts are that it will be a very long time.....if ever....we see any more Uptown's built. Sounds like the whole chain is in survival mood now.

The perfect answer to Buy for Less and Homeland and United is Kroger coming in and buying them all....keeping the ones that have potential...and giving us another grocery option with a company that is generally well run, clean stores, and decent pricing.

[terryinokc]

Appears that the Buy For Less in Midwest City and the Buy For Less Hispanic store at 36th and MacArthur could be the next Smart Saver Stores.

[Brett]

Just saw the new ad for Smart Saver, its like black and white TV but in paper format.

[Pete]

Lost Ogle article today on this company:

http://www.thelostogle.com/2017/02/0...-buy-for-less/

[FighttheGoodFight]

Lost Ogle article today on this company:

http://www.thelostogle.com/2017/02/0...-buy-for-less/

Dang if that is true they are thinking of going bankrupt for not building that Midwest City store that would be crazy.

[Pete]

They have clearly been struggling as a company for a while which is why I said a while ago that I doubted that King's Crossing would ever happen, nor the proposed Uptown Grocery for Midtown.

[stile99]

The Yukon location seems to be more and more of a ghost town whenever I drive past. I predicted the other day that when/if the rumor Crest opens at 10th and Czech Hall, that Smart Saver would be gone within six months.

Now it seems a good bet it'll be gone in six months, regardless. Yet that article suggest the locations that stayed Buy For Less are doing a smashing business. It's almost like people aren't dumb enough to fall for the "Plus 10%" fad.

[stratosphere]

I shop at the B4L at NW Expressway and Portland and it always seems busy

[riflesforwatie]

I was sorry to read the Lost Ogle story, and I hope it's not really that bad. I stop in the Uptown Grocery on May for an item or two about once a week, and I do have to admit it's rarely if ever "busy", which is a shame, because I really like that grocery store.

[traxx]

I was sorry to read the Lost Ogle story, and I hope it's not really that bad. I stop in the Uptown Grocery on May for an item or two about once a week, and I do have to admit it's rarely if ever "busy", which is a shame, because I really like that grocery store.

I've been to the one in Edmond and it's really nice. I've heard the one on May is even nicer. What's the issue. Was it just built in the wrong location. I'm obviously no grocer, but I was surprised that they would build on May before Midtown. It just seems to me like an Uptown in Midtown would get more business than where it is on May. But that's just me.

[TheTravellers]

I was sorry to read the Lost Ogle story, and I hope it's not really that bad. I stop in the Uptown Grocery on May for an item or two about once a week, and I do have to admit it's rarely if ever "busy", which is a shame, because I really like that grocery store.

We go to Uptown on May almost weekly for our full shopping trip (during the weekday and in the evenings, but not on weekends, generally) and it's not really packed wall-to-wall with people, but there are plenty there - easily 4-5 folks on each aisle, 4 or so cashiers open with people in line, parking lot about 1/3 full or fuller. So it's not super-busy, but I'd think it would be busy enough to pay the bills, but maybe not.

[Pete]

Margins in the grocery business are very thin these days.

Hard to make money in that business unless you are operating on a huge scale and/or are a specialty store.

There are some exceptions, but not many.

[bchris02]

Margins in the grocery business are very thin these days.

Hard to make money in that business unless you are operating on a huge scale and/or are a specialty store.

There are some exceptions, but not many.

If they can hang on until SQ 792 goes into effect, that will be a major help. That has long been one of the issues with getting better grocery stores in Oklahoma. What is already a business model with a very thin profit margin is much thinner here without all the profit from beer/wine sales. If they can't last that long, hopefully somebody like Crest, Reasor's, or somebody national buys them out because that would be a huge blow to OKC's grocery market to lose them.

In other grocery store news, I heard from an employee at the 18th and Classen Homeland that a remodel might finally be on the horizon.

[Canoe]

In other grocery store news, I heard from an employee at the 18th and Classen Homeland that a remodel might finally be on the horizon.

Fool me once shame on me, fool me twice...

[shawnw]

They should shut everything down , regroup, and build a downtown grocery, rebuild outward from there as they can based on the downtown success. Time the downtown opening with legal alcohol sales and to beat Walmart and they could do very well. No competition.

[SomeGuy]

I have to admit I miss the 23rd and Penn Buy For Less because they had great deals on their reduced grocery. If they did go under, I could see someone like Crest taking over the NW expressway and Uptown locations.

[TheTravellers]

I have to admit I miss the 23rd and Penn Buy For Less because they had great deals on their reduced grocery. If they did go under, I could see someone like Crest taking over the NW expressway and Uptown locations.

I (and lots of other folks, I assume) really would like that *not* to happen, so tired of shopping at Crest (for many reasons), so glad we don't have to any longer and have Uptown as our main store.

[Pete]

I cannot wait for the new Winco at 39th & Portland and the Aldi at 50th & May.

Add in Sam's, TJ's, Whole Foods and Sprouts at 63rd & May, and I will have a lot of great grocery choices within a couple of miles. And pretty much all of those just in the last few years.

[bradh]

The NWE and HP B4L (can I use a few more acronyms lol) is my favorite grocery in the city.

[Teo9969]

I went to the NW Expressway store a couple weekends ago.

While it certainly could use some updating, they have a great fromagerie.

[LocoAko]

I know this is a ridiculous complaint, but for some strange reason, nothing about the layout of the NW Expwy B4L makes sense to me. Every time I'm in there nothing is where I intuitively think it will be and I find myself wandering back and forth around the entire store multiple times. My problem though, not theirs.

[Pete]

I've been in that store once and never felt compelled to return.

[bradh]

It does have a stupid layout, at least they hand out maps if you want