Crest Foods - 104th & S May

[SouthsideSooner]

I live in Lake Ridge and received the following email from our HOA President yesterday...

Hello everyone.

It is now official. Crest Foods is proposing to build on the north half of the vacant land at S.W. 104th & May Ave.

The HOA officers attended a meeting today with representatives from Crest Foods, the Developer, and the City.

Issues we presented were essentially the same as those we raised with the proposed Wal-Mart. Specifically, the following were agreed to orally by the representatives from Crest, the Developer, and the City (as it was involved):

1. no access to Earlywine Blvd. from the development;
2. some type of water pollution run-off control pond to preserve the lakes;
3. a brick wall matching that on the perimeter of the addition and Earlywine Blvd.;
4. an easement for retaining the entryway on the east side of Earlywine at 104th.

Also discussed were issues concerning lighting--specifically that which would affect Earlywine Blvd.; no unscreened shipping containers stored on the property after construction; no overnight parking for commercial tractor trailers, campers, and/or recreational vehicles; and landscaping materials. Again, these issues were agreed to orally by the representatives from Crest and the Developer. The final architectural design of the building is still pending. Also discussed was the potential for having traffic lights installed on S.W. 104th.

We hope to have a written agreement by January 8, 2009.

[oneforone]

I think your HOA will be very pleased with Crest's presence in your neighborhood. Every store they have built or remodeled is a nice well kept store.

They took the old ratty Homeland store at Hefner and Rockwell and turned it into a classy place. The store is always clean inside and out.

I now live in MWC and I shop the Reno and the Douglas stores. It always amazes me how clean their stores are no matter what time you shop day or night.

[grantgeneral78]

yahooo I am glad they are putting one closer to me..I will shop there for sure.

[bombermwc]

Now if only we could get a store near 240 and Sooner. I have to go all the way to douglas!

[Thunder]

Now if only we could get a store near 240 and Sooner. I have to go all the way to douglas!

I don't see why you have to go all the way to Douglas, since there is one on Reno and Air Depot.

About that store, I can't believe it is still there! It is outdated, so small, the parking is crowded and twice a huge truck almost ruined my car.

If they were to relocate, I say to build on I-40 and Sooner. Quite a major space there.

[oneforone]

I don't see why you have to go all the way to Douglas, since there is one on Reno and Air Depot.

About that store, I can't believe it is still there! It is outdated, so small, the parking is crowded and twice a huge truck almost ruined my car.

If they were to relocate, I say to build on I-40 and Sooner. Quite a major space there.

The reno store is Crest #1 it will always be there for two reasons.
1. It is the icon of the company. 2. The place is always packed because of all the people that live in the immediate area.

I love the Reno store because it is my convenience store. I live exactly 2 minutes away. It is great for picking up the last minute stuff. The only downside is the selection is smaller than the other Crest stores and it does get crowded during peak times.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Now if only we could get a store near 240 and Sooner. I have to go all the way to douglas!

No kidding!

I drive to Moore though. It's about 6 miles door to door from my house (SE 89th and Sooner area). Sounds closer than it drives though. That's to Crest...But I usually go the extra mile down to 4th and Eastern to the Neighborhood Market. I like the smaller store layout better than wandering about a MASSIVE store for what feels like forever. I'm only shopping for two adults that don't consume too many groceries though...So I don't drop hundreds of dollars at a time. I'm more about the quick trip than saving some money at this point in my life.

With the new hospital going up though...I bet we're in for an influx of businesses to start popping up when they open their doors. Especially food places. Hopefully we'll get a grocery store. If I had any sort of capital or business sense, I'd open a grocery in the Payless/Lumber 84 building. A grocery-paintball fusion place where you had to fight for every can of corn and the winners get line priority when checking out. I'd then sell the videos in informercials on late-night TV. Moms could totally drop their kids off to do their shopping FOR them. It would be EPIC.

[SoonerDave]

This is great news that is "formal" confirmation of what the folks at Crest in Moore had told us some months ago. Considering that this time last year we in this area were collectively losing our lunch at the prospect of an evil, scum-sucking WalMart going in, the idea of a Crest is a wonderful alternative. I have every reason to suspect they are going to be good neighbors, and it will be awesome to have a good grocery store so close!

I believe they plan to break ground sometime in March. An OKC planning commission meeting notice for the final plat of the property was mailed to the neighborhood about a week ago.

-soonerdave

[bombermwc]

I hate the Reno store. It's small and cramped and they don't have half the crap the other stores do....I refuse to shop there.

We're still sort of screwed in the 240/Sooner land though. I emailed North Star a few weeks about about the projects they were going to build along there and they've pulled them back indefinitely because of the economy. Until we're back on better ground, I'm afraid we're stuck in no man's land.

[Thunder]

I hate the Reno store. It's small and cramped and they don't have half the crap the other stores do....I refuse to shop there.

We're still sort of screwed in the 240/Sooner land though. I emailed North Star a few weeks about about the projects they were going to build along there and they've pulled them back indefinitely because of the economy. Until we're back on better ground, I'm afraid we're stuck in no man's land.

Are you saying that the entire projects was abandoned and we're going to have only one lone resturant?!

I'm not sure what is going to be done in that area, but I am hoping it will be similar to the designs that MWC had done on 29th.

I think that Kristie Manor, the other complex next to it, and surrounding areas need to be torn down to make room for a new Crest.

[namellac]

My favorite story about Crest is when owner Nick Harroz called in the Coca Cola rep in to see if he could get the same price on Coke products that his arch-nemesis "The Commissary" was getting.

Nick: Can we get that price?
Rep: Sorry, that's a government contract price.
Nick: We'll see about that!

And they pulled all Coke products off the shelf for 2 weeks!!!

Or at least that's the way I heard it.

[Millie]

Are you saying that the entire projects was abandoned and we're going to have only one lone resturant?!

I'm not sure what is going to be done in that area, but I am hoping it will be similar to the designs that MWC had done on 29th.

I think that Kristie Manor, the other complex next to it, and surrounding areas need to be torn down to make room for a new Crest.

Not to threadjack, but what lone restaurant? I wasn't aware of any restaurants going in at 240 and Sooner.

[Thunder]

Not to threadjack, but what lone restaurant? I wasn't aware of any restaurants going in at 240 and Sooner.

I was thinking of the I-40. I'm not aware of any constructions going on down by I-240 beside houses and a huge building which I think is a hotel.

[Millie]

I heard it was going to be that heart hospital, not a hotel. That would be one big hotel!

ETA The I-40 development is still proceeding as planned, I think. That's not North Star- it is a different developer.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I was thinking of the I-40. I'm not aware of any constructions going on down by I-240 beside houses and a huge building which I think is a hotel.

Like Millie said. That's going to be a hospital. Weird place to put it...But hey...It's going to bring some stuff around, so I'm for it.

[oneforone]

My favorite story about Crest is when owner Nick Harroz called in the Coca Cola rep in to see if he could get the same price on Coke products that his arch-nemesis "The Commissary" was getting.

Nick: Can we get that price?
Rep: Sorry, that's a government contract price.
Nick: We'll see about that!

And they pulled all Coke products off the shelf for 2 weeks!!!

Or at least that's the way I heard it.

Chances our more than likely that is true.

Back in 2005 or 2006 Crest removed all Nabisco products from their shelves because Nabisco refused to sell their products for the same prices Wal-Mart was paying. They placed signs explaining the absence of Nabisco. They also placed signs on the cookie and cracker aisles that directed customers to items that were similar to Nabisco favorites.

[ssandedoc]

Yes, the building at I-240 & Sooner is called the Oklahoma Heart Hospital Southside.

[Thunder]

I think that it is common for suppliers to sell at lower prices to Walmart, since Walmart is the biggest retailers with the most customers traffic. The suppliers make up the $$$ lost by selling the same products a lil higher to other retailers, such as Target, is a partial reason why things are a lil higher at Target.

[metro]

I heard it was going to be that heart hospital, not a hotel. That would be one big hotel!

ETA The I-40 development is still proceeding as planned, I think. That's not North Star- it is a different developer.

Your correct, it is a heart hospital, not a hotel. Although it wouldn't big that big of a hotel, most cities have MUCH bigger hotels than that. The one I'm staying in San Diego next week has 1,800+ rooms. All of Downtown OKC doesn't even have that many rooms. Downtown OKC specifically and the metro needs several "big" hotels though.

[bombermwc]

And that is why Crest has been such a threat to Wal Mart for so long. Because they can force just as much of a hand as wally world. And that is why their prices are amazing!

[namellac]

Does anyone know if Nick still goes to the store and validate checks everyday? He was a client of mine back in the 90's.

Another story that demonstrates their savvy, and I was an EYE WITNESS to this:

So one day, Nick calls me up to the conference room. I'm wondering what's wrong, and he tells me to sit down next to him. On either side of the big conference table are the purveyors of canned corn (AWG, FLEMING). They have their products spread out beautifully on the table to sample. After some demonstration, and some nibbling of the goods, Nick calls out "OK BOYS! WHAT'S THE PRICE OF CORN THIS MONTH???"

And the salesman started haggling back and forth! It was something akin to the old game show "Name that Tune"..........

"I can sell that can of corn for $0.29!"
"I can sell that can of corn for $0.28!" and so on....

Nick just sat back quiet, and let them fuss. He wanted me to witness his prowess!


Another factoid. When there was just the 2 stores in MWC, they were the 3rd largest seller of Miller products in the Southwest!

Did anybody get to see the "Wall of Tuna" back in the day?

[Thunder]

If I'm correct, I've never seen a single advertisement on any of the local channels. That's another reason for the huge savings passed onto us.

[oneforone]

They own their stores, never advertise,

As Quoted from their website:


WHY CREST FOODS?

• We buy direct from 150 manufacturers plus the largest supplier in the state.
• We do not spend large sums of money on advertising.
• Low overhead - Pay no rent - Own our own facility.
• No games, no gimmicks or expensive frills.
• Rock bottom prices every day.
• WE ARE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY AND 7 DAYS A WEEK !
• THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING WITH US

[bombermwc]

And they meant it on the 24/7. I have never seen a Crest closed. Unfortunately for the employees, that means someone always works on the holidays. But there are always people in the stores on those days as well.

They've never treated their employees with much respect as they view them as minimum wage expendible goods, but that mostly teenager base of employees keeps coming back for more.

[Thunder]

I believe it was 2007, but I'm not sure which it was for, Thanksgiving or Christmas. I saw a huge paper notice out in front on the service center window informing employees that there will be absolutely no excuse for absence and time off. I thought it was wrong to have it publicly displayed.