How has Homeland not gone out of business.

[Patrick]

I think a lot of it is convenience and service. The service at Walmart is God awful. Also I can get in and out of Homeland so much easier. Time is worth money sometimes. I'd rather pay more and not have to deal with some of the crazies at Walmart.

I don't shop at Walmart much. Going to the Super Center can be super stressful. You have to check out and bag your own groceries there. The parking lot is always packed. Their stores aren't always the cleanest.

I do shop at Crest a lot mainly for the same reasons I shop at Homeland.

[Questor]

I think a lot of the smaller chains and local stores are going to be out of business in the next few years. Maybe a little longer for Oklahoma, since the population here adopts technology slower than other places. My opinion on Walmart has completely changed the last few years... it's clear that they have stopped competing with Target and are now trying to go head-on with Amazon. Don't know where something is at in the store... pull out your phone, launch the app, do a quick search, and you'll see what isle the product is on and even a map of the store. Want to get in and out quickly and not interact with anyone else... Pay as You Go... scan from your phone and checkout in one quick action at the front. Do you get the same things over and over usually... set up a favorites list in your app... maybe a weekly usuals list, a monthlies list, and a few special lists, and just tap each list and add all to cart, and select a drive up time... you are in and out in five minutes without ever setting foot in the store... does your local store not have what you need... well what do you know, W+ now has both free shipping as well as same day delivery items (this one is free and is not the same as grocery delivery... while they do that too, what I am talking about here is akin to Amazon Prime Get it Fast delivery). The app interface is good enough. As soon as they start beefing that up, maybe adding some AI to it, and I don't see how others compete any longer. They already have all the pricing power.

[John1744]

There's been some very very light and early rumors circulating in the grocery industry the last few months that Homeland is actively considering selling off their more rural stores to refocus on the urban stores. But apparently the union is causing lots of problems as no potential bidder wants to mess with union contracts.

[scottk]

There's been some very very light and early rumors circulating in the grocery industry the last few months that Homeland is actively considering selling off their more rural stores to refocus on the urban stores. But apparently the union is causing lots of problems as no potential bidder wants to mess with union contracts.

I would also think that the rural grocery stores are flat profit stores, in that no matter what you do, you have a very defined population set of customers. Also these stores will only see decreases in foot traffic as town populations age out and the younger generations that remain in the town can adapt to grocery needs either delivered through an app, or make a trip to the closest Walmart if the town doesn't have one.

Also, not unique to Homeland, but many of the rural grocery stores need a lot of "TLC" most of them look as they did when Reagan was president.

If Homeland were to focus on just the urban stores, they can define their place in the OKC market, potentially have growth, and renovate older metro stores to differentiate themselves from discount grocers like Winco, Crest, and Walmart.

I think Homeland's future in OKC looks a lot like Reasor's in Tulsa, when they shifted the target of their stores a few years back to be more upscale and offer a lot more fresh foods from the deli, bakery, seafood, and meat counters.

[Brett]

I use Magic Sizing when I iron my shirts. I used to be able to purchase it from Wal-Mart but since the pandemic and everyone working from home I cannot find it for sale. Thankfully, Homeland stocks Magic Sizing although at a much higher price.

[billokc]

Interesting background and history of Homeland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeland_(supermarket)

[corwin1968]

Interesting background and history of Homeland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeland_(supermarket)

I went to work at Safeway in April of 1988 and remember when the big wigs came in and announced that we would be changing to "Homeland". He did a real song and dance about the name and we were pretty skeptical, but I guess the name worked out. I stayed until July, 1995, when I was finally able to leave. I was always a part-time employee/college student and the salary ($9.50/hour in the early 90's) was too good to give up. Even though I really disliked working retail, I have a lot of great memories from those days.

I still have dreams where I realize I haven't been to work at Homeland for a long time and I get worried that I've been fired, for not showing up for so long. I had that dream within the last week, in fact.