Upscale Grocery Shopping in Edmond?

[Pete]

If it is at least reasonably well executed, I predict a homerun.

So much need for this and so few good options. The area could easily support several more of these.

[metro]

Absolutely. This is the type of look/feel we need for an urban grocer. Ironically this is located on the most extreme Northern edge of the metro.

[Debzkidz]

I'm really excited about this store coming. I'm looking forward to having options other than Homeland or Walmart. I know there's a Crest on the other side of Edmond, and I go there occasionally, but really for me, it doesn't but a couple of minutes longer to drive all the way to Whole Foods. Uptown Grocery is pretty close to my house so I'm happy to have a new option.

[catch22]

The logo on the building looks like Bricktown design/theme... I like it.

[Pete]

Some new photos of Uptown Grocery Co. courtesy of the Oklahoman:

[metro]

Best looking grocery in the metro IMO

[progressiveboy]

Best looking grocery in the metro IMO

Agree. This looks like a very urban development and love the vintage, nostalgic architecture. Great job considering it is in Edmond which tends to have very suburban buildings. Great addition for the community!

[CaptDave]

Best looking grocery in the metro IMO

One of these would look great in downtown OKC......once population and demand would support it of course.

[lasomeday]

Wow that store looks awesome! Can't wait to check it out in person!

[Spartan]

It's funny how this development happens in North Edmond and not Bricktown, while House of Bedlam happens in Bricktown and not North Edmond.

[metro]

Agree. This looks like a very urban development and love the vintage, nostalgic architecture. Great job considering it is in Edmond which tends to have very suburban buildings. Great addition for the community!

Not just Edmond but far far North Edmond, location wise it's as far suburban as you can be.

I hope this company plans to wipe out Homeland. We need quality looking grocery stores in small town America again. I am forwarding these images to municipal folks all over Oklahoma.

Sid, this is Buy For Less, doubt they plan to redo their existing dumpy stores, but I could see them using this concept for any new stores.

[Questor]

One of these would look great in downtown OKC......once population and demand would support it of course.

I was just thinking the same thing. Would look great in Bricktown, Deep Deuce or Midtown....

[redrunner]

http://newsok.com/new-edmond-grocery.../1441354348001

Video footage of the Uptown Grocery and Sunflower Market opening soon in Edmond.

[CurtisJ]

Not just Edmond but far far North Edmond, location wise it's as far suburban as you can be.

This isn't "as suburban as you can be", this is the borderline between suburban and rural really. But this is Edmond and it should only take a year or so for sprawling mcMansion neighborhoods surround this grocery as far as the eye can see.

[metro]

This isn't "as suburban as you can be", this is the borderline between suburban and rural really. But this is Edmond and it should only take a year or so for sprawling mcMansion neighborhoods surround this grocery as far as the eye can see.

I don't see how it could be more suburban in location. It's on the edge of metro development. As you stated if you go any further right now, it's rural. I never was talking about the design if that's what you meant.

[leh]

The Epicurean's Pantry on Santa Fe and Danforth (CVS/Buffalo Wild center) has excellent cheeses, local food, olive oils/vinegar, and high quality spices and baking items. The cooking classes are fun too!

[Brett]

Did a drive by over the weekend to see the new Uptown Grocery Co. location. I don't get up to Edmond very often but just wanted to give all the non locals a heads up that the roadways around Kelley and Covell are under construction and should cause the perfect traffic nightmare come opening day.

I did notice a TV commercial for Uptown Grocery Co. the other day. I am a bit concerned because the commercial featured a food dish (I can't remember what it was) that is prepared by the staff of UGC. The dish looked like the same quality of the prepared food dishes found at the Buy for Le$$ at NW Expressway and Portland store. I just hope I am wrong and that the prepared food dishes are of a much higher quality than what was shown on the TV commercial or that can be had at some of the Buy for Le$$ locations.

I did run across a link to the Uptown Grocery Co webpage.

[metro]

Brett, you do realize Buy For Less IS UGC? UGC is just a fancier shell and will have more gourmet items.

[Brett]

Brett, you do realize Buy For Less IS UGC? UGC is just a fancier shell and will have more gourmet items.

I know the relationship between Buy for Le$$ and Uptown Grocery Co. but I will stop short of saying they are identical until I am able to visit Uptown Grocery Co. when it officially opens. My concern is that if Uptown Grocery Co. is just a fancier Buy For Le$$ then it will come as a big disappointment to many and I would probably not return to shop there. The owners are taking a huge financial risk by buying prime real estate and erecting an architecturally unique building just to have a mediocre grocery occupy the space. I just hope that I am dazzled and amazed by the new Uptown Grocery Co.

[foodiefan]

. . . i SO wish them well, but have my concerns as well. Before Sunflower Market/Whole Foods opened, I spoke with the manager of the NW Expwy store and asked him if they would look into stocking Boar's Head deli meats (not to re-open this discussion, it may not be Katz's, but I thinks it's good stuff!) and he told me that they has asked but they refused to sell to them. Not sure whether it's the B4L name or what. Maybe that is why they did a "name change" for the new store. Perhaps the success of SM and WF will have grocery retailers taking a new look at the OKC metro. . . .hope so!! Central Market/HEB, Ralph's, Trader Joe's. . .??

[Pete]

At the very least, this new store will be much nicer inside and that goes a long way.

I'm sure they will carry some different items and have more prepared foods.


They've done a great job with the outside the store so I'm optimistic.

[metro]

They had a soft opening today. I'm told by a local news personality that it is better than Whole Foods and Sunflower and has more prepared and organic foods, plus the stuff of a regular grocery store. Keep in mind Buy For Less is one of their advertisers. I have my doubts as no one has topped WF for quality of produce IMO, as well as they get rarer produce. I'm thinking it will be like a glorified Homeland on Britton or the NWX BFL. I guess we will see soon enough.

[Clock4869]

..

[Debzkidz]

They had a soft opening today. I'm told by a local news personality that it is better than Whole Foods and Sunflower and has more prepared and organic foods, plus the stuff of a regular grocery store. Keep in mind Buy For Less is one of their advertisers. I have my doubts as no one has topped WF for quality of produce IMO, as well as they get rarer produce. I'm thinking it will be like a glorified Homeland on Britton or the NWX BFL. I guess we will see soon enough.

Talked to a friend of mine that went to the soft opening yesterday. She specifically mentioned the fresh produce. According to her, they had lots of unusual produce, like what you would find in WH. She said it was very nice and that she liked it much better than Sunflower.

[Debzkidz]

I went and checked out Uptown Grocery today. Why I chose to go today, I do not know. Just bored I guess. It was a zoo. A very nice zoo, but a zoo none the less.

The bakery and fresh food area is quite extensive. They've got a nice floral department just as you come in the door. I was disappointed that the deli does not carry Boars Head, but hey, I can get it at The Meat House. I was just hoping to not have to make a special trip for it. I thought the fresh meat/cheese deli was rather small. I actually almost missed it. It's kind located at the end of an area where all the fresh salads and sides are, and there is no sign designating it as the deli counter. What I especially did not like about it was that they have their meats presliced in piles like Crest does. I want them to slice it fresh for me. I always think that presliced stuff is the junk that's about to expire. The butcher shop area looked very good, although I could never really get up to the counter to check it out closely. The regular meat counter was your basic meat counter. Nothing special. It appears to be all prepackaged. Not nearly as extensive as Crest. The produce looked nice, although I thought the department was kind of small. I was hoping for a big produce department more like Crest. To be fair I didn't get a chance to really check it all out since it was crowded with people just standing around talking, which was really a problem all over the store. I expected this from customers, but not from the management/vendors.

All in all, it's okay and I will go back, but I probably won't shop their on a regular basis. I there were lots of items I needed to buy, that they didn't have. They don't carry all the brands/variety of things I like. The problem I see is they are trying to be a little of everything. They are trying to get the organic crowd, the regular shoppers and people that are just wanting premade takeout. The premade area takes up a huge portion of the store. The rest of the store is just not big enough to do either the organic or the regular grocery thing really well. They've got a little of everything, but not a lot of anything.