Quality grocery stores in OKC

[RadicalModerate]

Wasn't the word "grocery" (store) originally applied primarily to upscale (in the contemporary sense) fresh vegetable stands that evolved from roadway stands to "brick and mortar" buildings?

[Plutonic Panda]

Sent an email to HEB asking about possible Oklahoma locations and received this disappointing email:

'Dear Mr. Sadeghy,

Thank you for taking the time to email us. I appreciate this opportunity to respond to your store requests.

H-E-B stores are primarily in Texas; however, we do have stores in Mexico. We’re happy to read that you enjoy our stores, but we are not planning to expand outside of Texas at this time. We appreciate your understanding, and we look forward to serving you on your next visit to Texas.

We value you as our Customer and genuinely appreciate your comments and your business. Thank you again for writing, and for shopping at H-E-B.

Sincerely,

Doreen Padilla
HEB Grocery Company
Customer Relations Department
padilla.doreen@heb.com

[bchris02]

Sent an email to HEB asking about possible Oklahoma locations and received this disappointing email:

'Dear Mr. Sadeghy,

Thank you for taking the time to email us. I appreciate this opportunity to respond to your store requests.

H-E-B stores are primarily in Texas; however, we do have stores in Mexico. We’re happy to read that you enjoy our stores, but we are not planning to expand outside of Texas at this time. We appreciate your understanding, and we look forward to serving you on your next visit to Texas.

We value you as our Customer and genuinely appreciate your comments and your business. Thank you again for writing, and for shopping at H-E-B.

Sincerely,

Doreen Padilla
HEB Grocery Company
Customer Relations Department
padilla.doreen@heb.com

I like H-E-B but if any national grocery chain was to expand into OKC I doubt it would be them. They are pretty committed to Texas and Texas only (south Texas at that). I believe the recently shuttered their Louisiana locations. DFW doesn't even have any regular H-E-B stores. What they do have is Central Market which is a different concept entirely but more similar to Whole Foods.

I hope you are right about Kroger entering the market one day, but I am not holding my breath on a major national regular grocery chain in OKC until the liquor laws change which isn't happening any time soon. It's been something this area has really lacked since Albertson's left the market, and even then I've heard Albertson's had inferior stores in OKC to their other markets. At least there are a few choices in the metro that are decent (Uptown Grocery, Buy for Less on NW Expw, Whole Foods), you just may have to drive by several Super Wal-Marts to get to them. Even though choices today are mindbogglingly few for a city this size, a few years ago there was virtually NO quality choices. There is always the possibility of the entrance of Reasor's into this market to really shake things up, but that has been talked about for so long I'll believe it when it is announced.

Specialty stores i.e. Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, more Whole Foods locations will probably definitely happen within the next few years. Regular, corner grocery shopping will probably continue to be dominated by Wal-Mart in this area for the foreseeable future.

[Debzkidz]

I like H-E-B but if any national grocery chain was to expand into OKC I doubt it would be them. They are pretty committed to Texas and Texas only (south Texas at that). I believe the recently shuttered their Louisiana locations. DFW doesn't even have any regular H-E-B stores. What they do have is Central Market which is a different concept entirely but more similar to Whole Foods.

I hope you are right about Kroger entering the market one day, but I am not holding my breath on a major national regular grocery chain in OKC until the liquor laws change which isn't happening any time soon. It's been something this area has really lacked since Albertson's left the market, and even then I've heard Albertson's had inferior stores in OKC to their other markets. At least there are a few choices in the metro that are decent (Uptown Grocery, Buy for Less on NW Expw, Whole Foods), you just may have to drive by several Super Wal-Marts to get to them. Even though choices today are mindbogglingly few for a city this size, a few years ago there was virtually NO quality choices. There is always the possibility of the entrance of Reasor's into this market to really shake things up, but that has been talked about for so long I'll believe it when it is announced.

Specialty stores i.e. Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, more Whole Foods locations will probably definitely happen within the next few years. Regular, corner grocery shopping will probably continue to be dominated by Wal-Mart in this area for the foreseeable future.

Yeah they do. They are now in the southern suburbs. They have a store in Burleson, which they opened a year or two ago. They also have one in Waxahachie. It's been there for years. My folks used to live about a mile from it.

[bchris02]

Yeah they do. They are now in the southern suburbs. They have a store in Burleson, which they opened a year or two ago. They also have one in Waxahachie. It's been there for years. My folks used to live about a mile from it.

Right, they do have locations in Waxahachie and Burleson but those are more exurbs. H-E-B doesn't have a strong presence in the DFW metro the way they do in the Houston metro other than the Central Market concept. DFW will be blanketed with H-E-B stores before OKC ever gets any.

[zachj7]

The new Crest in Norman is a solid grocery store. What should be expected.

[bchris02]

The new Crest in Norman is a solid grocery store. What should be expected.

I agree as is the S May location. In other cities, that standard of store is as numerous as Super Wal-Marts are here. I wish they would build a location or two in NW OKC. The Crest locations up here are in former Homelands and are tiny, nothing like the new one in Norman and at SW 104th and May. Rumor is the next location is going to be in Yukon.

[bluedogok]

Yes, HEB in recent years started venturing into the DFW market (outside of Central Market). The Louisiana store was a HEB Pantry store in Lake Charles, opened in 1996 and closed in 2003, the Pantry (small store) concept was abandoned in 2000. They have a few stores in Midland and Odessa, none in Lubbock or Amarillo so there hasn't been much expansion west or northwest. Central Market is actually headquartered in Dallas and not San Antonio like HEB, they are up to 9 stores and started in Austin in 1994. I wish they would expand a bit more but they have been very deliberate over the years in regards to expansion, probably prudent for a privately held company. I still think Kroger is the best option for Oklahoma considering they surround the state with stores between all the Kroger brands (Kroger, Dillon's, King Soopers).

[Soonerman]

Kroger ought to buy out Homeland and renovate or build new stores.

[Plutonic Panda]

Kroger ought to buy out Homeland and renovate or build new stores.

I would hope they would just tear down and build new. Better quality materials and could do a better job that way.

[Teo9969]

Why do we need bigger stores?

[Plutonic Panda]

Why do we need bigger stores?

If you're talking to me, I never said we need bigger stores. I wouldn't care if they were bigger or not. I would prefer a few to be bigger though, the Homeland on Bryant and Danforth could use an extra 500-1,500 sq ft. of space.

[Teo9969]

It was more of a general question.

I would prefer smaller stores in general, but there's no way the US is going to go with me on that one, so, I could settle with not making our stores any bigger than they already are.

[Plutonic Panda]

I wouldn't mind seeing true neighborhood markets scattered around; even in suburban areas would be awesome.

Also, I'm not referring to Walmart NM.

[bchris02]

Why do we need bigger stores?

Well the corner grocery stores in Oklahoma City are for the most part much smaller than what is standard in other cities. Homeland is still running 1980s-style stores in the 2010s. The grocery market has changed significantly in the past 30 years. Compare the size of your average Homeland with the new Crest in Norman. Because of size, it would be difficult to retrofit most stores here to have all the features your standard grocery stores do today elsewhere.

[cagoklahoma]

I know the majority of their stores are not pleasing to the senses, but there is a place for Homeland stores in OKC. Just as there is a place for Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and any other grocer who would decide to build in OKC. The best part of Homeland is their doubling of coupons up to $1. Our lower income families should be able to have a place to go buy groceries that isn’t Wal-Mart. This is not an attack on any other retailer with beautiful stores, but those store cost money, and for those of us who are willing to pay the higher prices for the “nicer” grocers, that’s great. However, we need to keep in mind that Cheerios purchased at Homeland and Cheerios purchased at nice retailer taste the same.

Homeland isn’t the problem; Wal-Mart is the problem.

[bchris02]

I know the majority of their stores are not pleasing to the senses, but there is a place for Homeland stores in OKC. Just as there is a place for Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and any other grocer who would decide to build in OKC. The best part of Homeland is their doubling of coupons up to $1. Our lower income families should be able to have a place to go buy groceries that isn’t Wal-Mart. This is not an attack on any other retailer with beautiful stores, but those store cost money, and for those of us who are willing to pay the higher prices for the “nicer” grocers, that’s great. However, we need to keep in mind that Cheerios purchased at Homeland and Cheerios purchased at nice retailer taste the same.

Homeland isn’t the problem; Wal-Mart is the problem.

I agree that Wal-Mart is a big part of the problem. They have run out most competition in this market.

Homeland however is no less expensive than much larger, nicer stores in other markets. There is no reason for them to be as low-quality as they are. Their prices are in line with stores like Kroger which are so much better stores. Homeland would do better if they would update their stores and try to compete.

[soonerguru]

I have a suggestion: stop shopping at Wal-Mart. I have and so has my family. It's been hard weening my wife off of Sam's Club, but Costco should help with that.

[bchris02]

I have a suggestion: stop shopping at Wal-Mart. I have and so has my family. It's been hard weening my wife off of Sam's Club, but Costco should help with that.

The only time I ever shop at Wal-Mart anymore is when my family visits because that's where they insist on going. A few anti Wal-Mart people aren't going to be able to make a difference. The masses will continue to keep shopping there until they have another option that is compelling enough to pull them away. Most people I know talk about how much they dislike Wal-Mart yet they continue to go there. Wal-Mart is the store nobody likes yet people are so addicted they can't quit it.

I was really hoping the WinCo rumors earlier this year were true. WinCo isn't a pristine store like Kroger or H-E-B but it would give Wal-Mart some real competition which is what they need in this market.

[LakeEffect]

FYI, Native Roots still has just about everything one needs in a grocery store.

Good prices, great service, and a mean daily hot soup.

At a recent Lincoln Terrace Neighborhood Association meeting, one of our board members chastised the other for not buying our meeting's treats at Native Roots.

[bchris02]

Hehe. Well in all seriousness, everyone says they want options and great little local grocery stores in their neighborhoods. It's pretty hard to have those and a big box downtown. Just not enough people living downtown anytime soon to support multiple concepts. So the only way to get what you want is going to be to vote with your dollars.

I agree. If Wal-Mart decided to put a Neighborhood Market downtown, that would be it for Native Roots.

[jerrywall]

Another store I've become a regular in is Sprouts. Not only have I been impressed with the quality of the food, but the value is better than at Crest or Whole Foods. I'm not yet where I can move 100% of my grocery shopping there, but I'm about 50/50 between Sprouts and Crest (especially when it comes to produce).

[adaniel]

I'm glad to see Native Roots did a mailer a few weeks ago. It amazes me how many people down here do not know Native Roots even exists.

[Teo9969]

Well the corner grocery stores in Oklahoma City are for the most part much smaller than what is standard in other cities. Homeland is still running 1980s-style stores in the 2010s. The grocery market has changed significantly in the past 30 years. Compare the size of your average Homeland with the new Crest in Norman. Because of size, it would be difficult to retrofit most stores here to have all the features your standard grocery stores do today elsewhere.

The closest we have to a corner grocery store in OKC, outside of Native Roots, is 7/11.

I'd like to see grocery stores no bigger than about 3x the size of Native Roots…But like I said, the United States is not going to go with me on that...

[LocoAko]

The new Crest in Norman is a solid grocery store. What should be expected.

Yep, I've been impressed so far. It isn't stunning or anything, but it is much more like what I'm used to in a supermarket back East. Now if only we could get any sort of decent grocery store on the SE side of Norman...