So I went into a Winn-Dixie this morning

[Bartdog]

wanted to grab some juice on the way to work and all the gas stations had was juice flavored drink. Anyway, as I went to the registers I started to notice something was..... different.

AT first I thought it was the way this store has a dropped ceiling over the register area, but it turned out that wasn't it. They HAD installed new brighter lighting there, but the biggest thing took a minute to realize and appreciate.

They had removed all the crap from the register area. You know how in the checkout line there's a 5.5-6' tall gauntlet of last minute temptations before you put your stuff on the belt? It was mostly gone. There was a very short stand with candy and gum that came to about just above my waist. There was nothing higher than the register itself. You could look across the entire front and SEE everything. I was surprised how much of a difference it made and I LOVED it. I never realized before how... claustrophobic all that stuff made me feel.

Then I turned and looked back at the store and they had take all the high end cap stuff down and had removed all the crap WD usually has stacked on top of the freezers, etc. The difference was stunning. I bet you Publix moves to this very soon, too.

 

[DanC78]

Was everyone still barefoot and in jeans shorts though?

 

[Bartdog]

Was everyone still barefoot and in jeans shorts though?

only the manager

 

[SeaPA]

Are you sure it wasn't just that they just hadn't put everything back after cleaning the floors last night? I hear WD has moved to doing that once a decade now.

 

[DanC78]

only the manager

lol

yeah, they closed down the WD here and reopened a new one down the street. It looks MUCH more appealing than they old one and more appealing than the Publix we use. I haven't checked it out only because that would mean I would have to drive a mile past the publix we are already use. If it weren't for that, we would use.

 

[Fijimn]

Hot wing bar?

 

[seminole97]

yeah, they closed down the WD here and reopened a new one down the street. It looks MUCH more appealing than they old one and more appealing than the Publix we use. I haven't checked it out only because that would mean I would have to drive a mile past the publix we are already use. If it weren't for that, we would use.

Isn't that amazing. I presume you're even going in a car. So another 30 seconds or so of travel is a deal breaker.
Walmart has long taken a strategy of setting their stores at the edge of town by the highway/interstate, to capture all the rural traffic before it gets in town. On Mahan Publix has a store between the Walmart at Buck Lake Rd and Capital Circle and then another between Buck Lake Rd and I-10. Obviously the two Publix(e?)s are cannibalizing sales from each other in such a small geographic area, but they're betting on net they capture more traffic overall than if they were just on one side or the other of Walmart...
Most amazing of all, at the end of the day the profit/loss statement declares the winning strategy.

 

[DanC78]

Isn't that amazing. I presume you're even going in a car. So another 30 seconds or so of travel is a deal breaker.
Walmart has long taken a strategy of setting their stores at the edge of town by the highway/interstate, to capture all the rural traffic before it gets in town. On Mahan Publix has a store between the Walmart at Buck Lake Rd and Capital Circle and then another between Buck Lake Rd and I-10. Obviously the two Publix(e?)s are cannibalizing sales from each other in such a small geographic area, but they're betting on net they capture more traffic overall than if they were just on one side or the other of Walmart...
Most amazing of all, at the end of the day the profit/loss statement declares the winning strategy.

Its more than 30 seconds. There are two stop lights along the way, one being a major intersection.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

I hope the CEOs of sears and walmart are reading this thread - there maybe hope for them yet.

 

[seminole97]

Its more than 30 seconds. There are two stop lights along the way, one being a major intersection.

So how long is it? 2 minutes? 5 minutes?
I'm reminded of a comic who was talking with someone about the fact there seemed to be a McDonald's on every block, and the comic observed, "Because that's as far as anyone will go to get that crap!"

 

[SeaPA]

Who cares if it's two minutes, or 5 minutes? Either way, he'd be going directly past a store that has what he needs, for what is likely as good or better price. Why would you go past one place to another, more out of the way, place - when you can get what you need at the first one.

 

[DanC78]

Who cares if it's two minutes, or 5 minutes? Either way, he'd be going directly past a store that has what he needs, for what is likely as good or better price. Why would you go past one place to another, more out of the way, place - when you can get what you need at the first one.

This is it...and I like Publix.

And fyi one of my biggest pet peeves are Stop Lights. While I completely understand they are necessary, I loath them.

When I lived in PC the Winn Dixie was less than 2 minutes from me, I went there much more often Publix even though I preferred Publix more.

 

[ncnole1975]

Its more than 30 seconds. There are two stop lights along the way, one being a major intersection.

Besides, 1 mile at 30 seconds equates to about 120mph.

 

[seminole97]

Who cares if it's two minutes, or 5 minutes? Either way, he'd be going directly past a store that has what he needs, for what is likely as good or better price. Why would you go past one place to another, more out of the way, place - when you can get what you need at the first one.

I just find the subjective values people put on things interesting. They're hard to predict well.
If you were the 'SimCity Mayor' you probably wouldn't think it wise to plunk down 3 grocery stores in a 3 miles stretch, but Walmart has their strategy, and Publix pursues their own. In the end the people vote with their own dollars and fiscal reality determines the winner.

And fyi one of my biggest pet peeves are Stop Lights. While I completely understand they are necessary, I loath them.

I look forward to them getting a lot smarter. I long for a North Korean traffic cop when I'm sitting at a red light with no one around, and then, by the time it changes, here come 5 cars that are going to be forced to wait...

Besides, 1 mile at 30 seconds equates to about 120mph.

I assumed he was in the left lane.

 

[ChiefDunn]

Have any of you been to the new Winn Dixie in Destin? It's one of the nicest grocery stores I've ever been too. The cashier told me they are planning on closing a few more under performing stores, then remodel some existing stores. She said the Tallahassee stores were on the remodel list.

 

[goldmom]

Isn't that amazing. I presume you're even going in a car. So another 30 seconds or so of travel is a deal breaker.
Walmart has long taken a strategy of setting their stores at the edge of town by the highway/interstate, to capture all the rural traffic before it gets in town. On Mahan Publix has a store between the Walmart at Buck Lake Rd and Capital Circle and then another between Buck Lake Rd and I-10. Obviously the two Publix(e?)s are cannibalizing sales from each other in such a small geographic area, but they're betting on net they capture more traffic overall than if they were just on one side or the other of Walmart...
Most amazing of all, at the end of the day the profit/loss statement declares the winning strategy.

I always stop at the one closest to I-10 to buy snacks for the drive home to Jax. Plus they have FSU merchandise in there sometimes we don't get in stores at home.

 

[CC0492]

No shirt
No shoes
No problem!

 

[cmanole]

Hot wing bar?

Wings below eye level. Caught my attention...

 

[TennNole17]

Same at my local Walgreens