EQUITY RETAIL BLOG

Ex-CEO explains the secrets of success at Trader Joe's

To get inside the mysterious world of Trader Joe’s, Fortune spent two months speaking with former executives, competitors, industry analysts, and suppliers, most of whom asked not to be named. What emerged is a picture of a business at a crossroads: As the company expands into new markets and adds stores — analysts say the grocer could […]

Report: Food Retail Formats of the Future

The Gerson Lehrman Group just published a report titled, “Food Retail Formats of the Future.” It analyzes the “customers of tomorrow,” who are currently – and will continue to be – influenced by social media, the economy and a more diverse population. In addition, other trends like the aging of the baby boom population, the increasing […]

How Panera Kept Rising Through the Recession

Here’s an interesting look at Panera and their strategy. The attached story includes the following statement from Panera Executive Chairman Ronald Shaich: “The best time to grow is in a recession. The worst time to grow is in the boom days… The classes of 2009 and 2010 will ultimately go down as some of the highest (return-on-investment) […]

A&P Sells Six Properties

Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company has sold six Pathmark stores in the following locations to Winstanley Enterprises in a sale – leaseback transaction for $90 million: Upper Darby, PAWilmington, DELawnside, NJBaldwin, NYQueens, NYSeaford, NY A&P Sells Six Properties

REITS with grocery-anchored centers are outperforming the grocers

According to Jim Sullivan of Green Street Advisors, REITs typically own the top performing grocery-anchored shopping centers in a market. So, even though many grocery stores are facing big challenges due to retailers like Walmart, Target and Costco eating away at market share, REITs in the grocery-anchored business are doing okay. The good news for the grocery […]

I stopped in the North Wales Bottom Dollar Food Store...

Late this afternoon my family completed a pretty quick Costco run (compared to a Saturday afternoon trip, that is) and we were headed home. Until, that is, I noticed that the Bottom Dollar Food Store in front of the Montgomery Mall had opened. Thankfully my wife was also curious, the kids were cooperative, and we still needed […]

Giant to Buy Two Genuardi's Sites

Slowly but surely Southeastern Pennsylvania continues to see the decline of Genuardi’s (Safeway) and the rise of Giant (Giant Food Stores / Ahold USA). It was announced yesterday that Giant will buy two Genuardi’s sites in Bucks County – one in an 111,000 square foot Federal shopping center in Feasterville, and the other in a PREIT center […]

REITS with a local presence announced earnings this week

A number of REITS announced quarterly earnings in the past week. Here’s a snapshot (thanks to ICSC SCTWeek) from some of the organizations that own grocery-anchored shopping centers in the Philadelphia region. It’s nice to see that the results are generally positive. Federal Realty posted $58.8 million in third-quarter funds from operations, up from $55.6 […]

Whole Foods Posts Sales, Profit Gains

These are some darn good numbers in a challenging economic environment. Well done, Whole Foods. Whole Foods Posts Sales, Profit Gains

Have Costco, Aldi Launched a Real Estate Trend?

I think we will definitely see more of this trend of grocery stores moving in to enclosed shopping malls. With so many empty big boxes in malls (Boscov’s, Strawbridge’s, etc.), it just makes good sense. And I agree with Supermarket News’ contention that moving to a mall is not for every supermarket. Stores like Costco, […]