WinCo

[Pete]

When I lived downtown I shopped at that Homeland the the Walmart NM. Absolutely detested both of them but wasn't going to drive 5+ miles for a few groceries.

If you live in East Edmond, that's a different story as you are driving great distances to do anything at all.

Downtown, there is very little that requires you to travel more than a mile or two, which is the reason so many people pay over the market to live down there. Thus, the grocery thing is a complete outlier which is why is always discussed.

Unfortunately it looks like Walmart NM is the the one most likely to finally build down there and here's hoping that store is completely different than the one on 23rd.

[GISinOK]

I live in the neighborhood right behind the WinCo location on 39th. I'm super excited but also concerned about the traffic. St. Clair Ave @ 39th seems like it'll be an absolute nightmare to turn onto given the sharp curves of the road. Are they planning to do anything about that?

[Urbanized]

I'm not suggesting the options are great, and certainly not that there is not room for better and more walkable options. Only saying that all of the "there is no grocery store if you live downtown" arguments are intellectually dishonest.

[AP]

When I lived downtown I shopped at that Homeland the the Walmart NM. Absolutely detested both of them but wasn't going to drive 5+ miles for a few groceries.

If you live in East Edmond, that's a different story as you are driving great distances to do anything at all.

Downtown, there is very little that requires you to travel more than a mile or two, which is the reason so many people pay over the market to live down there. Thus, the grocery thing is a complete outlier which is why is always discussed.

Unfortunately it looks like Walmart NM is the the one most likely to finally build down there and here's hoping that store is completely different than the one on 23rd.

When I lived downtown, and even now in the core, the furthest thing I have to travel for is work. 8 miles.

[Pete]

I'm not suggesting the options are great, and certainly not that there is not room for better and more walkable options. Only saying that all of the "there is no grocery store if you live downtown" arguments are intellectually dishonest.

Completely understand but the options for downtown grocery shopping are very limited and/or terrible compared to the rest of the metro.

And I'm beginning to fear we are just going to get more of the same crappy Walmart NM down there and thus block out anything better.

[Pete]

I live in the neighborhood right behind the WinCo location on 39th. I'm super excited but also concerned about the traffic. St. Clair Ave @ 39th seems like it'll be an absolute nightmare to turn onto given the sharp curves of the road. Are they planning to do anything about that?

First post! Welcome the jungle.

No, they are not planning to do anything about that intersection and agree at busy times it is going to be snarled.

[LocoAko]

Sad to hear all the less-than-impressed reviews of Winco. I'm still pretty excited about the 39th & Portland location since I'm near 50th & Portland, so it will be quite close for me and hopefully a better shopping experience than the NW Expy Buy for Less or the Warr Acres Walmart NM (which is okay, but I'd rather shop elsewhere). I've seen plenty discussion of meats and the bulk items, but can anyone who's been to Winco comment on the produce? Quality? Freshness? Availability?

[Pete]

Sad to hear all the less-than-impressed reviews of Winco. I'm still pretty excited about the 39th & Portland location since I'm near 50th & Portland, so it will be quite close for me and hopefully a better shopping experience than the NW Expy Buy for Less or the Warr Acres Walmart NM (which is okay, but I'd rather shop elsewhere). I've seen plenty discussion of meats and the bulk items, but can anyone who's been to Winco comment on the produce? Quality? Freshness? Availability?

I loved Winco in California and found their produce and other fresh food like meats to be of top quality.

Big fan of the place and can't wait for the new location.

[stile99]

It's not that I'm less than impressed with WinCo, it's that it's not worth the drive from Mustang/Yukon. I very much enjoyed my experience there, the layout of the store took something on the order of milliseconds to understand, and I'm not bothered one bit about having to bag my own groceries.

I like Cheddar's as well, but right now I'm there maybe once or twice a year. When the Yukon location opens, that number will greatly increase. I'm not the first to say it: "Location, location, location".

[shawnw]

I live downtown and the vast majority of my shopping has been at TJs since it opened. If they don't have it I've popped down to Whole Foods or even gone over to Target. I would still shop at Homeland if I needed something quick/unplanned, but have only had to do that like once this year (but shopped there a lot when I lived closer to there).

[David]

I suspect a new Walmart NM downtown would be a significantly better shopping experience than the one at 23rd and Penn. Before I moved up into OKC proper I lived by the fairly new one in Norman on Rock Creek, and it was lovely to shop at.

[RustytheBailiff]

Sad to hear all the less-than-impressed reviews of Winco. I'm still pretty excited about the 39th & Portland location since I'm near 50th & Portland, so it will be quite close for me and hopefully a better shopping experience than the NW Expy Buy for Less or the Warr Acres Walmart NM (which is okay, but I'd rather shop elsewhere). I've seen plenty discussion of meats and the bulk items, but can anyone who's been to Winco comment on the produce? Quality? Freshness? Availability?

.

I think that Winco's produce is probably better than anyone else except Whole Foods. Sprounts may approach Winco's in quality and variety butt are likely price 20-25% higher. If you are partial to organic produce you will not find much at Winco and should stick to Sprouts. Oh and Winco has a dozen Bagels for $2.98!

[Pete]

For those used to a traditional grocery store, Winco takes some figuring out to find the things that make you want to come back.

It's a different model, just like Aldi or Sam's Club.

I hope Crest continues to succeed but am thrilled about Winco coming to town.

[Pete]

39th & Portland:

[MagzOK]

My wife and I are stoked about the upcoming WinCo on Portland since that's just a few miles from our house. We've been to the Midwest City location a few times and have really saved some cash.

[John]

The dirt has finally started to turn at Memorial & Penn.

[Pete]

First photo is of the Memorial / Penn location. You can see the new Aloft in the upper left as well.

Second photo is 39th & Portland.

[mshellj]

Signage is pretty much up and more of the parking lot has been completed as of an earlier drive by today.

[RedSoxFan]

Been to Winco a few times in Moore. Overall I am unimpressed and returned to shopping at Crest. I found the quality of their produce good but not great. Their meat selection was pretty bad. If you want to buy in bulk - yeah, there were deals. Otherwise, it didn’t work for me. Their deli is also small and they don’t slice cheese on request?!? (I.e., they prepackage sliced cheese). Also, I bought cod twice from their seafood counter. Both times - the fish was bad (nasty ammonia smell and taste when cooked). Also, much of their ‘seafood’ offerings is filled with imitation crab meat. Really?

I also didn’t find their prices that impressive. I get organic milk at Crest for $2/half gallon. It is $4/half gallon at Winco. Their yogurt selection was quite sparse as well.

Finally, the store layout - terrible. There doesn’t seem to be good logic to how it is laid out and why it is that way. Sometimes, it really feels random. Plus, walking into the store and having to go through an ‘aisle of bargains’ just to get to the produce is annoying.

[stile99]

I can't think of a more logical way to lay out the store. Go through the aisle (not the first store to do this, until the remodel most Aldi stores were this way), you get to the produce, then the bulk foods. Along the back wall is the deli, in the middle is the grocery, along the other wall is the frozen food. Again, once you navigate the initial aisle, you can get anywhere in the store you need immediately, unlike other stores where you must traverse the entire freaking store just for a gallon of milk.

[u50254082]

Been to Winco a few times in Moore. Overall I am unimpressed and returned to shopping at Crest. I found the quality of their produce good but not great. Their meat selection was pretty bad. If you want to buy in bulk - yeah, there were deals. Otherwise, it didn’t work for me. Their deli is also small and they don’t slice cheese on request?!? (I.e., they prepackage sliced cheese). Also, I bought cod twice from their seafood counter. Both times - the fish was bad (nasty ammonia smell and taste when cooked). Also, much of their ‘seafood’ offerings is filled with imitation crab meat. Really?

I also didn’t find their prices that impressive. I get organic milk at Crest for $2/half gallon. It is $4/half gallon at Winco. Their yogurt selection was quite sparse as well.

Finally, the store layout - terrible. There doesn’t seem to be good logic to how it is laid out and why it is that way. Sometimes, it really feels random. Plus, walking into the store and having to go through an ‘aisle of bargains’ just to get to the produce is annoying.

I'm pretty sure that based on your response, you are not WinCo's target consumer lol. Not being rude or anything because I'm in the same boat as you. If you're used to how nice the Crest off SW 104th is, then WinCo is literally a low cost bargain warehouse.

I think there will come a day when I need to shop in bulk and WinCo saves the day, but until then I would rather shop elsewhere.

[John1744]

I'm very curious to how the stores are performing so far, just word down the grocery pipeline is they they had to firesale turkeys because they way over ordered, a sign business isn't as brisk as they would have hoped considering you book turkeys about 6 months ahead of time. They've also been struggling to keep employees and are still employing many out of state employees that were only supposed to be there to get the store up and running.

[Pete]

I'm very curious to how the stores are performing so far, just word down the grocery pipeline is they they had to firesale turkeys because they way over ordered, a sign business isn't as brisk as they would have hoped considering you book turkeys about 6 months ahead of time. They've also been struggling to keep employees and are still employing many out of state employees that were only supposed to be there to get the store up and running.

How do you know this?

[John1744]

How do you know this?

Been in the grocery industry 16 years and have many vendor friends that service the Moore and MWC stores. Hearsay of course but these people have never steered me wrong before when telling me how things are going. The grocery industry as a whole has had an awful November and December in the area.

[Pete]

Been in the grocery industry 16 years and have many vendor friends that service the Moore and MWC stores. Hearsay of course but these people have never steered me wrong before when telling me how things are going. The grocery industry as a whole has had an awful November and December in the area.

Sorry if I sounded like I was challenging you, that was just very specific info that I knew had to come from somewhere.

Thanks for sharing.