Quality grocery stores in OKC

[SEMIweather]

I'll be honest, I've shopped at the NW 39th and Portland WinCo dozens of times and while it is my 2nd favorite grocery store in the Metro (behind the Crest at SW 104th & May), I've never felt like that store was doing incredibly well in terms of business. Possibly I'm just good about going during off-peak hours, but that parking lot just never seems to be very full for a store that's light years ahead of every other option within a 5 mile radius.

[corwin1968]

I’ve heard a couple of different grocers were close to pulling the trigger on the NW corner of May and NW 164th. Something in that area will happen in due time. Obviously the 1-mile demographics are amazing and 3-mile ain’t half bad.

Thanks for the info! I hope Sprouts is one of them.

[okatty]

Has anyone been to Public Warehouse Grocery Store at 16th and Drexel? My wife was reading about it on Facebook. Sounds like quite a different concept - get credits for free items that are at or just past expire date.

[Ward]

^^^^^^ is that the old Homeland / Mexican grocery location?

[Roger S]

^^^^^^ is that the old Homeland / Mexican grocery location?

Yes

[okatty]

^channel 9 had a nice segment on this store tonight. Really positive deal.

[John1744]

I'm hearing the Smart Saver on 23rd and MLK is shutting down. Such an interesting history there, formerly Hometown Markets, then sold to the Buy For Less Group, who was going to develop it into a massive complex with an Uptown Market anchoring which eventually fell through and now it's just kind of sat there. I find it very hard to believe someone can't make that property work, it has to be a potentially very valuable piece of real estate. What a corner to have a business on.

[Pete]

It's true about that store:

https://freepressokc.com/only-full-s...RsWWNXipJ7r9Yc

[loveOKC]

I’m sure it will be said that it’s closing because people didn’t support it. But parking lot stayed full and lines were usually long.

So what’s next for Eastside OKC getting a full service grocery?

[Soonerinfiniti]

I had heard that the NE 23rd / MLK site had some environmental problems - anybody else hear that? It's a shame the nice grocery store at NE 36th and Kelly didn't work out....

[Pete]

Buy for less owners promise Uptown Grocery for northeast side:

https://freepressokc.com/buy-for-les...qLt58YLCIpwzVs

[TheTravellers]

Buy for less owners promise Uptown Grocery for northeast side:

https://freepressokc.com/buy-for-les...qLt58YLCIpwzVs

Had to check the date on the story to make sure it wasn't just a mistaken rehash of this from 2014:

https://oklahoman.com/article/488911...grocery-stores

"A 49,000-square-foot Uptown Grocery also will be the anchor tenant for the $30-million King’s Crossing development at NE 23 and Martin Luther King Avenue — the first new grocery store in the area in half a century."

Nice to see they might be able to finally get something going, the area desperately needs a *real* grocery store, but I'm definitely taking a wait-and-see approach.

[SEMIweather]

I'll try to remember to bump this thread on November 15th once 90 days have passed and there's still no Uptown Grocery open in that shopping center.

[mugofbeer]

After reading the article, I'm not convinced there is a commitment. I hope it works out and a nice store is opened.

[Pete]

Press release from the city of OKC:

***************

Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice welcomes Homeland grocery store and HQ plans in northeast Oklahoma City

08/26/2019

Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice welcomes Homeland’s plans to open a full-service grocery store and headquarters building in northeast Oklahoma City, a long-awaited and anticipated development to help end the food desert crisis.

“A brand new, full-service grocery has been a continuous process for northeast Oklahoma City,” said Councilwoman Nice. “I want to thank Marc Jones and the Homeland board for their work. This is a carefully planned, thoughtful project that’s more than just a store. Every City Council representative from Ward 7 since 1993 has worked toward this moment: Willa Johnson, Skip Kelly, John Pettis and Lee Cooper, plus so many other residents. I am honored to be part of a team that has worked so hard to meet a need in our community.”

Homeland announced Monday it intends to open a 30,000-square-foot grocery store at NE 36th Street and Lincoln Boulevard with a pharmacy, custom butcher shop, bakery, deli, fresh produce and more. It will be adjacent to a new 35,000-square-foot national corporate headquarters.

The investment of at least $16 million will create up to 75 new jobs. The grocery store will open in late 2020 or early 2021, with hiring to begin in 2020.

Councilwoman Nice noted there’s been an ongoing conversation for decades about the need for expanded grocery options in northeast Oklahoma City. The area is recognized as a food desert by the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the Lynn Institute.

“This is another tool in the toolbox to provide healthy food options to everyone in northeast Oklahoma City,” said Councilwoman Nice. “Homeland is locally owned and employee owned. It pays living wages. This is what a true investment in your community looks like. This is another of many efforts to come as we continue the renaissance of northeast Oklahoma City.”

Homeland’s announcement is tied to a letter of intent with a new limited liability corporation (LLC), which will own and develop the grocery store and headquarters building. The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City is a member of the LLC, along with Endeavor Corporation and ESmith Legacy Communities.

As negotiated by the Alliance, Homeland and the other members of the LLC, the City will contribute funds from the Northeast Renaissance tax increment finance (TIF) district to support the project.

“This is only part of our ongoing commitment to address food insecurity in our northeast Oklahoma City communities,” said Councilwoman Nice. “Please visit neokcfood.com to see other programs we have to help people who need it. We also thank Mayor David Holt and my colleagues on the City Council, because it will take continued long-term, broad support to meet our goals as we move forward together.”

[onthestrip]

So Oppurtunity Zone isnt enough, we have to give them TIF too? Why does anything Binkowskis say or do have me side eyeing it?

[Pete]

FYI, Homeland looked hard at putting their new HQ and grocery store at The Hub development on 13th & Broadway.

Not sure why they decided against it, other than perhaps it was too close to their remodeled store at 18th & Classen.

[HangryHippo]

FYI, Homeland looked hard at putting their new HQ and grocery store at The Hub development on 13th & Broadway.

Not sure why they decided against it, other than perhaps it was too close to their remodeled store at 18th & Classen.

Too bad, because that would have been PEFECT!!

[jonny d]

Too bad, because that would have been PEFECT!!

I like it where they are building it. NE OKC has needed a true grocery store for years. This will be amazing for that community. I think AA and Midtown have a much better chance of getting a grocer than NE OKC does if this store had picked The Hub.

[Pete]

Credit to Homeland.

They've been lousy in the past but their new CEO has done a great job and it was under his leadership that the renovation at 18th & Classen finally happened.

I was in that store just the other day and it made me very happy, where the old place -- my closest grocer at the time -- made me beyond sad.

[jonny d]

Credit to Homeland.

They've been lousy in the past but their new CEO has done a great job and it was under his leadership that the renovation at 18th & Classen finally happened.

I was in that store just the other day and it made me very happy, where the old place -- my closest grocer at the time -- made me beyond sad.

Agreed. I enjoy that Homeland (I have plenty of clients near there, so I get groceries before heading home to I-240 and Sooner). I hope they do that will all of their stores.

[TheTravellers]

So Oppurtunity Zone isnt enough, we have to give them TIF too? Why does anything Binkowskis say or do have me side eyeing it?

Homeland is not associated with the Binkowskis - they're Uptown and Buy4Less.

And if they build it to the level of the renovated one on 18th/Classen, yay! We normally go to Uptown, but are now splitting our time with about 1/4 - 1/3 of our trips to that Homeland, as Pete said, it's soooooooooooooooo much better than it was (shark at the meat counter, Peet's packaged coffee, all kinds of things way beyond what a normal run-of-the-mill grocery store would carry).

[onthestrip]

Homeland is not associated with the Binkowskis - they're Uptown and Buy4Less.

And if they build it to the level of the renovated one on 18th/Classen, yay! We normally go to Uptown, but are now splitting our time with about 1/4 - 1/3 of our trips to that Homeland, as Pete said, it's soooooooooooooooo much better than it was (shark at the meat counter, Peet's packaged coffee, all kinds of things way beyond what a normal run-of-the-mill grocery store would carry).

Yes, my bad.

[bchris02]

Agreed. I enjoy that Homeland (I have plenty of clients near there, so I get groceries before heading home to I-240 and Sooner). I hope they do that will all of their stores.

I'm surprised I-240 and Sooner still doesn't have a grocery store.

As far as Homeland goes, I think most of the run down ones have gone out of business. It's definitely a great sign for them that they've remodeled the 18th and Classen store and are now opening this location.

[chuck5815]

I'm surprised I-240 and Sooner still doesn't have a grocery store.

As far as Homeland goes, I think most of the run down ones have gone out of business. It's definitely a great sign for them that they've remodeled the 18th and Classen store and are now opening this location.

Either out of business or converted to Cash Savers, which are actually very interesting stores. I love going to the one in Mustang. Always very clean and such friendly staff. Definitely some real bargains to be had if you know where to look.