Uptown Grocery to the Village

[barrettd]

They posted on Facebook, Grand Opening February 4.

[Pete]

[Spartan]

I literally don't understand why this isn't right up on May Ave, which has a really cool mix of retailers.

[hfry]

What are you even talking about? Have you even seen it in person or are you basing your whole comment off a couple pictures.

[Spartan]

Caught me. A few pictures. I'd be very interested in others' comments on how it interacts with May Ave. I don't make it north of NWX very often...

[hfry]

I'll take a bunch tomorrow. I'm not saying it's perfect but I think it looks great on May. It gave an identify to an area that used to be a old car dealsship parking lot. It's also across the street from a large strip center so it really has nothing like it around on May. It's kinda a bland section of May because it's technically in the Village and has housing on both sides until you get closer to Hefner.

[twade]

You don't see many grocery stores with "event planning." Are we talking event planning, like customized cakes and sandwich platters, or an actual event planner?

[Spartan]

I'll take a bunch tomorrow. I'm not saying it's perfect but I think it looks great on May. It gave an identify to an area that used to be a old car dealsship parking lot. It's also across the street from a large strip center so it really has nothing like it around on May. It's kinda a bland section of May because it's technically in the Village and has housing on both sides until you get closer to Hefner.

Nobody has discussed or shown how its oriented on the site. I know May is pretty hit and miss, and the interchange and recent wide-spread demolition at NW Expressway don't help matters. It still has more potential than most corridors around town. It has a strange assortment of strip malls with high-end locally-owned tenants, like tea, Blue7, the Japanese restaurant, the Italian one that's also really good, etc.

[Rover]

I literally don't understand why this isn't right up on May Ave, which has a really cool mix of retailers.

Actually, it would look totally out of place it it was right up against May. But it does a good job of bringing mass closer to the street and starts to change the feel of the immediate area. Instead of big parking in front, it at least moved it to the side. It isn't perfect, but is a vast improvement in the area.

[Brett]

I'm curious to see if the Buy 4 Less at Hefner and Penn will hang around once Uptown Grocery officially opens.

[turnpup]

I was so excited about this store opening, because it was on my way to and from my kid's school. But then we moved, so now I go the opposite direction from it. If it's really good, though, it might be worth going out of the way for.

[Rover]

I'm curious to see if the Buy 4 Less at Hefner and Penn will hang around once Uptown Grocery officially opens.

It's amazing it's stayed open this long. It is a very depressing store. Their other stores are much better, at least the ones I've been in.

[bchris02]

It's amazing it's stayed open this long. It is a very depressing store. Their other stores are much better, at least the ones I've been in.

Yeah that store is almost as bad as the 18th and Classen Homeland. I wonder how that store does?

[zookeeper]

I'm curious to see if the Buy 4 Less at Hefner and Penn will hang around once Uptown Grocery officially opens.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Hefner & Penn was their very first location.

[Pete]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Hefner & Penn was their very first location.

You may be thinking of the one at NW 122nd and Penn.

It was there when that center opened in the mid-80's; I used to lease that shopping center.

The location at Penn & Hefner used to be a Safeway I think? Not sure when Buy 4 Less went in.

[bchris02]

One thing is at least the Buy for Less brand is positioned as a value-conscious grocery, so a store like Hefner and Penn is a little more forgivable for them than it is for Homeland, which positions itself mid-tier.

[foodiefan]

One thing is at least the Buy for Less brand is positioned as a value-conscious grocery, so a store like Hefner and Penn is a little more forgivable for them than it is for Homeland, which positions itself mid-tier.

wouldn't consider B4L at NW Expy a "value conscious" grocery. Each B4L tends to focus on the demographic in their area. . .NW Expwy is very different from NW 39th/McArthur is different from NW 23/Penn.. . .

[Brett]

You may be thinking of the one at NW 122nd and Penn.

It was there when that center opened in the mid-80's; I used to lease that shopping center.

The location at Penn & Hefner used to be a Safeway I think? Not sure when Buy 4 Less went in.

I believe that the location at NW 122nd and Penn was originally a Food 4 Less.

[terryinokc]

You may be thinking of the one at NW 122nd and Penn.

It was there when that center opened in the mid-80's; I used to lease that shopping center.

The location at Penn & Hefner used to be a Safeway I think? Not sure when Buy 4 Less went in.

The BFL at Hefner and Penn was originally built as a Food World Store. Maybe went thru a change or two as a BestYet or IGA before opening as the first BFL. Food World was a Scrivner wareshouse supplied store.
122nd and Penn was Food 4 Less--supplied by Fleming Foods.

[Pete]

^

Thanks.

Have always confused Buy 4 Less and Food 4 Less.

[Dustin]

Stopped in today to do my grocery shopping.

IMO it's a lot nicer than the Edmond store. It's very brightly colored and the ceiling is WHITE which really lights up the store. It really boosts your mood when your shopping in a well lit store.

The produce was impressive. It reminded me a lot of Whole Foods and everything was surprisingly affordable. They also have a salad bar area similar to Whole Foods.

I didn't walk around the bakery, sushi, or pizza oven area so someone else will have to review that.

Grocery area was like any other grocery store.

I think I will definitely be doing my grocery shopping here from now on.

[soonermike81]

We popped in as well today. It is probably one of the nicest grocery stores I've set foot in. However, I actually felt it was a little over priced. Was trying to compare a lot of things to other places we shop, and we felt overall, things were higher or extremely higher. One exception was their fresh prime steaks. Seemed to be pretty reasonable at $16-$18 per lb. Was for the most part out of our price range, so we'll probably stick with our Sprouts, Target, and Buy 4 Less rotation.

[Brett]

I visited Uptown Grocery on opening day. It will definitely pull in shoppers who frequently trade with Whole Foods, Sprouts, Homeland and the NW Expy B4L. I know my retired parents, who live relatively close by, will enjoy stopping by and picking up a prepared meal from the buffet. I counted at least 7 ready-to-eat soup/stew/chili/chowder options in the Deli. The interior decor and lighting is better than the Edmond location. I was impressed that the shelving in the Health & Beauty area was illuminated with LED lighting. They even have a small selection of craft beers.

[Pete]

Went in this AM and took tons of pics which you can see here:

OKCTalk - Beautiful Uptown Grocery opens in the Village




This place is *gorgeous*; probably the nicest grocery store I've seen.

I think it's considerably nicer than the Edmond location; certainly brighter and seems to have many more prepared food options.

Also, I like the layout much better. In Edmond, the first time I went in I didn't even see the big atrium as you come in right in the more traditional section.

Here, you enter right into the vast open space, which has this cool second-level seating area and is just plain beautiful. There is also a separate checkout and east entrance for those that want to come and go directly in this area, rather than the main checkout stations at the front (south) end of the store.

Also, the aisles seem to be bigger than in Edmond with a better selection and just more space in general.

Here is one example: I had posted about the best place to find good mixers. Urbanized directed me to this place on I-35 which had pretty much what I was looking for. But at this Uptown store, they had all the same mixers plus a fair bit more.


I would *kill* to have one of these downtown.

[Pete]

Another photo from their Facebook page from their grand opening: