Quality grocery stores in OKC

[oklip955]

The new Owaso Sprouts is a build from the ground up and is by the new Sam's club. The Edmond (former Homeland/Safeway) store cost them a bundle to remodel, they ran into a lot of problems with the building after they started work on it. Its suppost to get a remodel soon. I don't know if they have a location for the new stores yet. I was just told that they were planning on putting stores in those locations. I suggested that they need to put one in around Memorial ( Portland)? on the west side, lots of expensive roof tops and not a lot of nearby grocery stores.

[no1cub17]

I don't get it - does Brianna seriously not know about Native Roots? How can she not mention them in her article? The Daily Disappointment delivers, as usual.

[Filthy]

. I suggested that they need to put one in around Memorial ( Portland)? on the west side, lots of expensive roof tops and not a lot of nearby grocery stores.

I'd give a left nut, for them to build one at Memorial/Macarthur.

[Jersey Boss]

I wonder how many of these will be built in the metro?

Whole Foods Plans New Chain To Court Millennials

[Jersey Boss]

nm/ double post.

[Pete]

Whole Foods is planning to open a new chain of stores that courts millennials with lower prices as it faces intensifying competition as a purveyor of organic and natural products.

Hello Sprouts and Natural Grocers.

Wise move by Whole Foods as they are just too expensive for lots of people.

[AP]

I know a lot of friends that would shop there if it was cheaper.

[bchris02]

Here is the new Uptown Market on N May coming along.

[bchris02]

Steve and Briana Bailey have both said on multiple occasions that Sprouts is looking to land downtown within the next few years.

Pete, do you have any inside information about this? Do you know where they might end up and how close a deal is to being done?

[Pete]

4th & EKG is what I'm hearing. Perhaps Walgreens as well.

[HangryHippo]

Why is the new Uptown Market oriented to not face the street? I drove by and thought it looked weird.

[bchris02]

Why is the new Uptown Market oriented to not face the street? I drove by and thought it looked weird.

The one in Edmond is the same way. Personally I really like how Uptown Market orients is buildings differently than your typical suburban pad grocery store. It's also a good sign that if they ever open downtown they are likely to respect urban standards.

[bchris02]

4th & EKG is what I'm hearing. Perhaps Walgreens as well.

Do you know what the timeline is on this? Do you think it will be announced within the next year or is it more of a "next 3-5 years" thing?

[soonerguru]

Do we consider Sprouts a "quality" grocery store?

[Pete]

I think Sprouts is awesome.

And they are really growing while Whole Foods is hurting nationally.

[soonerguru]

Their meat selection is sub par. Their seafood is bad. It's good for a few things though.

As for quality, I would be cool with a decent Kroger-type grocer. Uptown Market would be very good as well, considering the local options. Regarding Whole Foods, their food quality is pretty much unmatched in OKC, with the best seafood and among the best meat and produce. Yes, it's expensive, but the food quality is very high. But just because I'm not a fan of Sprouts doesn't mean the only alternative I prefer is Whole Foods; I'm open to new things. And if I lived downtown I guess anything would be good, but it's hard to get excited about Sprouts when you know what is really needed in that market.

[bchris02]

Uptown Market in Midtown would be a dream come true, especially if it was a part of a mixed-use development that included more than just the grocery store. Even if it was just a store like what they have in Edmond or is being built on N May, it would be awesome. A few years ago there were some whispers about that but I haven't heard anything in a while.

Sprouts is decent and having one downtown will be very welcome, but not as good as an Uptown Market would be. With all the housing coming online downtown, I don't know how much longer "not enough rooftops" will be a valid excuse.

[Uptowner]

Whole foods just comes off to me as a religious cult where you surrender all your assets at the register in exchange for poison koolade, wait no, fair trade %100 organic gmo labeled acai flavored beverage mixed in glacial waters by a Nepalese man who gets a free pair of shoes for every bottle sold, and a purple jumpsuit to help guide you on your ascension to the grocery cosmos. I don't argue for a second that the quality of their proteins are unmatched. Unless you have a whole day to hit up urban agrarian for chicken, Morelos mercado for fajita steaks, Gulfport for fish, etc.

I just think/know there's similar quality without the counter culture environment. And we could do a bit better on the pricing blanket whole foods has to throw to cover the costs of all the over the top items. Like vegan teething bars for your vegan 10 month old...who drinks MILK! Fermented probiotic coconut water. And, if I want non toxic household cleaner is stay home, mix vinegar with baking soda and save $15

[foodiefan]

. . . As for quality, I would be cool with a decent Kroger-type grocer. anything would be good. . .

Was in the Dallas Kroeger downtown on Maple yesterday. . . OMG. . .killer store for a downtown area!! We can only hope!!

[bchris02]

Was in the Dallas Kroeger downtown on Maple yesterday. . . OMG. . .killer store for a downtown area!! We can only hope!!

While a lot of people keep waiting for Kroger or H-E-B to finally enter the OKC market to bring in modern grocery stores, all OKC really needs a local player in the grocery market to expand aggressively similar to the way that OnCue is bringing modern gas stations to the metro.

Crest "Fresh Market" and Uptown Market are every bit as nice as the grocers people take for granted in other cities. It's just both companies are being very cautious in their expansion plans. If one of them wanted to become to OKC what Reasor's is to Tulsa, they could make a huge difference in the grocery market here. Homeland is also capable of being a decent grocery store, but they are overall complacent and actually seems like they are slowly going out of business. When was the last time a new Homeland opened? If they wanted to, they could rebuild their 18th and Classen store and become the much needed quality downtown grocer but they aren't interested in doing that.

[HangryHippo]

While a lot of people keep waiting for Kroger or H-E-B to finally enter the OKC market to bring in modern grocery stores, all OKC really needs a local player in the grocery market to expand aggressively similar to the way that OnCue is bringing modern gas stations to the metro.

Crest "Fresh Market" and Uptown Market are every bit as nice as the grocers people take for granted in other cities. It's just both companies are being very cautious in their expansion plans. If one of them wanted to become to OKC what Reasor's is to Tulsa, they could make a huge difference in the grocery market here. Homeland is also capable of being a decent grocery store, but they are overall complacent and actually seems like they are slowly going out of business. When was the last time a new Homeland opened? If they wanted to, they could rebuild their 18th and Classen store and become the much needed quality downtown grocer but they aren't interested in doing that.

I'm a little surprised Reasor's hasn't made a more aggressive move down the turnpike and started competing.

[bchris02]

I'm a little surprised Reasor's hasn't made a more aggressive move down the turnpike and started competing.

I agree. It would be great if they would enter the OKC market and I think they would be a hit. It's unfortunate the Edmond location that almost happened was killed by NIMBY's. That location would have certainly led to a more aggressive push into the market. I wonder if they have any alternate plans?

[Canoe]

What do others think of having a grocery store at NW 16 and Broadway? There is enough land and it would be directly connected to the NE side of town which is underserved.

[bchris02]

What do others think of having a grocery store at NW 16 and Broadway? There is enough land and it would be directly connected to the NE side of town which is underserved.

I was actually thinking about this last night. I would love to see an Uptown Market there. That would be a perfect spot for one and is at the crossroads between several underserved neighborhoods.

[terryinokc]

This may be a bit off topic, but one of my big complaints about the grocery stores in OKC and OK in general is the lack of private label/store brand selection. Virtually every store is supplied by the same warehouse, and the only store brands available are Best Choice and Always Save. I buy a lot of things in the store brand....and it's these brands or Wal Mart brands...or nothing.
There are several Kroger and Safeway brands that I shop for when I'm at Dillons in Kansas or Tom Thumb or Kroger in Dallas.
I have applauded Buy For Less for changing their supplier this year and offering Shurfine brands in their stores. Many of the Shurfine items are very good--some better than the national brand.
Just heard thru the grapevine though that Buy For Less is going back to their old supplier...and the Shurfine will be replaced back to the Best Choice items that every other store offers.
I was shopping at Buy For Less a lot because of the variety of brands they offered..now I guess you can go to Crest, Homeland, Buy For Less or almost any other independent store and get the same stuff.