Quote Originally Posted by bchris02 View Post
What OKC needs is a grocer like Publix. H-E-B, Kroger, Harris Teeter, etc are very similar. It's mindnumbing that in a metro of 1.3 million you can count the number of that type of grocery store in the entire metro area on one hand. In other cities, even half the size of OKC, they are too numerous to count. WinCo appears to be another no frills type store similar to the stores already in the market, not the notch up that is lacking in OKC. Now its definitely a step forward because it will compete well with Wal-Mart and likely take some marketshare, possibly paving the way for a better grocer to enter the market in the future, but Winco isn't going to solve OKC's grocery woes.
I've shopped at many HEB's and Kroger and think they are decent grocery stores. I think OKC could also be well served with stores like HyVee and Publix. My main point is that some posters seem to think that having WinCo possibly come into the market is just horrible, when it isn't for exactly the reason you cited at the end of your post.

I can tell you right now that as long as the current liquor laws in this state remain unchanged, don't expect an onslaught of grocers like the one's you mentioned to take the Oklahoma market very serious when it comes to expansion.