Jack Be Grocery

[Pete]

OKC-based startup set to open first on-demand grocery store

Founders of Jack Be aim to make picking up fresh groceries as easy as a fast-food drive-thru.

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The Oklahoma City-based startup is set to start construction of its first retail store at NW 178 and May, but no customers will actually enter the 17,000 square foot building.

Instead, they will place their order on a phone or computer, drive to the store, scan a QR code when parked and a Jack Be employee will bring out the bagged items and place them in the car.

Jack Be CEO Alex Ruhter told OKCTalk the concept is different than anything currently available in the market because it's not home delivery (although that will be available from third-party operators like DoorDash) and pickup is truly on-demand. Customers place an order and by the time they arrive the order is likely to be ready. Or, orders can be placed after arriving at the store, taking only minutes to be completed.

There will be no minimum order and no additional fees for pickup.

The new company is headquartered in Oklahoma City and currently employs five full-time and two part-time employees. With one store set to start and two others in the area in the development stage and many more planned across the country, Jack Be has an aggressive growth strategy with a business model that is rapidly scalable.

Ruhter said the primary goal is to make grocery shopping easier for everyone, particularly families with small children. He and the company founders want people to eat healthier and hope to steer families back to the dinner table.

All the orders are to be handpicked (no robots) and no substitutions will be made.

The company has purchased 3.5 acres on the northwest corner of NW 178th and May and paid $3.5 million. On the same corner, construction is underway on a 7-Eleven, Taco Bell and Starbucks. On the northeast corner, work has started on The Winston, a Hal Smith Restaurant with one location in downtown Norman. The Winston features “classic meals with a modern flair and boasts an unmatched whiskey selection”.

Jack Be's development partner is local firm Ashton Gray which will be performing the construction.

See more about Jack Be here: https://jackbe.life/.

[Jeepnokc]

Heck of an investment in a start up. Wish them global success especially if they keep their HQ here in OKC

[corwin1968]

Disappointing.

We were really hoping for a regular grocery store to compete with Homeland.

We are also not impressed with the restaurant concept, but being a Hal Smith project, it will probably be pretty tasty.

[Jeepnokc]

Disappointing.

We were really hoping for a regular grocery store to compete with Homeland.

We are also not impressed with the restaurant concept, but being a Hal Smith project, it will probably be pretty tasty.

I have not eaten a the Winston in Norman but have heard nothing but good. Their whiskey selection is outstanding and they have done several barrel picks. The barrel picks have been amazing and I have several bottles in my collection.

[boilerup35]

This concept would seem to make more sense where density is higher and competition is low (urban core). The choice of buying the land is odd too because that ties up quite a bit of capital that could be used to run/expand the business. Best of luck to them but I'm guessing they'll be a footnote within 5 - 10 years

[Pete]

^

Their primary focus is young families, and this part of town is where they live.

Talk to any mother with young children trying to do grocery shopping.

[boilerup35]

I probably live in a bubble, but lots of young families from the Plaza to Lincoln Terrace and up to Crown Heights. I would guess higher income demographics too since that far North in Edmond has a lot of starter homes even though Rose creek is nearby. I'm open to any grocery store competition in the metro because our options are pretty terrible. For some reason people here put up with mediocre/average much more than anywhere else I've lived.

[scottk]

^

Their primary focus is young families, and this part of town is where they live.

Talk to any mother with young children trying to do grocery shopping.

BINGO!

If this place is efficient and priced competitively (which it should be with no in-store facility to maintain) it will do extremely well.

I would prefer this over spending an hour at the Edmond Crest searching and navigating around carts and people.

[Pete]

Of course there are young families in the core, but virtually every home in far north OKC is a family with young children.

The percentage and concentration of their target market are the locations they are targeting.


BTW, I live near Penn Square and I'd say only about 5% of homes in my area have young children, and that's being generous. Near NW 178th and May, I bet it's close to 95%.

[stlokc]

As the parent of a 1-year-old, we have barely gone to a grocery store in the last year or two, and it's not fear of Covid. It's just so much easier to order on line and have it delivered. I do think delivery is the wave of the future rather than having to drive to a store, but it reads like that would be available from this concept as well through a delivery service. We do buy from Target an awful lot, and use their services that are similar to what is described here. Works well for them.

Count me in the bucket of entrepreneurship, of being inventive, of supplying options to people, of analyzing a market and looking for a way to provide a service. These people must have some money behind them and if this takes off and grows, could be great for OKC. I'll be rooting for them.

[bhawes]

I for one prefer to pick my own groceries along with the exercise I get walking
In store.

[Jeepnokc]

I for one prefer to pick my own groceries along with the exercise I get walking
In store.

I like to walk the aisles and also look for sales items to stock up on. I really don't care if the corn is libby brand or del monte if one is cheaper. It also gives me ideas for cooking meals or looking for meat sales for something to throw in smoker because it is on sale. ie....wow...great price on baby backs so lets do ribs this weekend. However.....I do not have a one year old in tow and this is perfect for them. I would use it when I forget something and just need 1-2 items and don't want the hassle of parking and going in.

[king183]

It seems a few posters here think every product needs to cater specifically to them and can’t comprehend others may hold different preferences or habits. I think it is fantastic that we have entrepreneurs like this team taking these risks and trying to innovate in a market that has been slow to do so until the last two years. As long as they are competent and customer focused, I think they are going to kill it with their target demographic and it’s going to force incumbents to adapt for the better. I would love for this concept to be located closer to me because I am the type of person who tries at all costs to avoid going into a grocery store because I simply don’t like the experience. Once I have a child, I am pretty sure that preference will not change. My wife is the opposite of me and, like Jeep, enjoys wandering the aisles to get ideas. So, whenever it’s my turn to shop, I’d much prefer the Jack Be option be available. The concept will also be beneficial for the older demographic who may have health-induced restrictions on their ability to shop in a grocery store.

[Bowser214]

Well for older adults this is a great option. WM has curbside pickup but there's a minimum and it usually takes hours to complete. It's too far from my casa but it's always nice to have options! IMO Options make a vibrant city.

[PoliSciGuy]

This is the farthest NW grocery store into a growing area. There’s a neighborhood Walmart on 164th/Western and uptown grocery on Covell and Kelly, so this location is well suited to grab all the development occurring in Deer Creek (though it remains to be seen if the Portland Power Plaza or whatever it’s called secures a grocery store). And as someone with a young family who lives in this area, this is a great idea, especially with the “no minimum” that differentiates them from Walmart pickup. Between this and the Kroger delivery service, we’re seeing some real changes in how grocery shopping is done.

[SEMIweather]

I for one prefer to pick my own groceries along with the exercise I get walking
In store.

Yep, feel this 100%. Guess I just have to accept that I’m getting old because I don’t understand the appeal of a place like this at all.

[stlokc]

King183 nailed it. Some of you may not be the market, and that's fine.

I don't like country music, but I'm certainly not against those artists or fans enjoying that product. I am not a vegan but I hope any good vegan eateries in OKC thrive.

It speaks well for a city, for a people, to have innovators that are willing to step up to the plate, introduce something new and challenge the status quo.

[DowntownMan]

FYI Walmart is or was piloting stores just like this. There is one in NWA near the HQ that is just a pick up facility. Not in store shopping. It is a lot like this layout.

[Sooner.Arch]

Yeah, this could be huge for okc. I presonally like grocery shopping and have time to do it, but there's definitely a lot of people that will use this. As long as it's reasonably priced and not crazy expensive, shoot I'd try it. This is basically supporting local too! It's a win win!!

[Pete]

FYI Walmart is or was piloting stores just like this. There is one in NWA near the HQ that is just a pick up facility. Not in store shopping. It is a lot like this layout.

These Walmart prototypes have a $30 minimum order and charge a pickup fee. You also have to give them several hours to have the order ready.

The Jack Be model is: available in minutes, with no minimum and no extra fees.

[corwin1968]

Pete, do you know if they will do on-site meat processing or if they plan to bring in pre-packaged meats?

[Dob Hooligan]

I wouldn't buy produce or non-packaged meat from a store like this. But I would be all over everything else. For my business. I hit the Family Dollar a block away every Saturday for a pretty specific group of staples. Cups, pet food, canned goods, cleaning supplies. etc. I buy based on what I know they stock and am usually in & out in 10-15 minutes. $50-60 a week. I don't do much impulse buying, so this seems like it would fill all of my grocery trips. The wife decides all the fresh stuff and I'm never gonna be the decider, so I don't try.

[David]

Interesting idea, I wish them success.

[oklip955]

I'm older but live east of I 35. I think thats great. I am not doing anything that requires direct contact. That would be so much easier for me to use my phone and call in an order instead of having to use a computer. I dont understand the code thing. Wonder if you can just get an employee flagged down to go get your order. That is what i do at Sam's club. and then hold up a piece of paper to the window with instructions to put in bed of truck . I also have my name and pick up time. I tell them that I cannot bring my computer with me to the parking lot. I would not have internet.

[oklip955]

Low'es lets me call in my order and pick up and pay cash when I get there. I got attacked once too many by other customers while in the store and wearing a mask since I am one of the " luck ones" that cannot be vaccinated for legit medical reasons. Stupid guy hit me at a run wth his shopping cart and I am still dealing with the injury from that. No I did not sue. Just seems like I find all the covid idiots in Edmond.