publix store locator: Temmuz 2012

A new Aldi grocery store is set to open July 12, in Indian Trail, the retailer's 17th store in the area.

There is a ribbon-cutting and open house (with samples!) Wednesday, July 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the store. But the store doesn't officially open for business until 9 a.m. the following day.

Aldi (which is owned by the same company that owns Trader Joe's) has made its name as a low-price, no-frills grocery store. Aldi, like Trader Joe's, has fewer items than a full-size supermarket in stock, but focuses on the most popular, quickest-selling goods.

The chain uses such touches as making people pay a quarter to unlock a shopping carts so that they have to bring the cart back and lock the cart in to get their quarter back (saving the store from assign someone to chase carts in the parking lot).

According to the research firm Chain Store Guide, which tracks store sales, last year Aldi had about 2 percent of the Charlotte region's grocery market. That makes it the region's No. 9 grocery retailer, ranked by market share.

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Dilworth to hear updated Walgreen's plan

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At Wednesday's land use meeting, the Dilworth Community Development Association will hear a revised plan for building a Walgreen's with a drive-thru and an office building at the corner of Morehead Street and Kenilworth Avenue.

The current plan calls for tearing down five buildings, including a Tudor-style, 18-unit apartment building originally constructed in 1927. The distinctive building sits at the corner of Morehead and Kenilworth. Four other adjoining houses would also be slated for demolition.

The rezoning request is expected to have a public hearing in September and go before City Council in October. The developer is Lincoln Harris, and the owner of all the properties is Edward Springs and his company, Edward H. Springs Interiors.

Neighbors have raised concerns about excessive traffic, especially with a drive-thru at an already busy corner. Using the property to build a pharmacy and office building by tearing down older homes with more neighborhood character has also raised eyebrows.

The land use meeting will be held Wednesday, June 27, at 7 p.m., in the Tom Sykes Recreation Center at 1501 Euclid Avenue.

Blend Boutique, TCBY set for Ballantyne Village

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Two new stores are set to open in Ballantyne Village soon, a women's boutique and a self-serve frozen yogurt place.

Blend Boutique will carry clothing, jewelry and accessories. Brands at the store will include Citizens of Humanity, LNA, Mother Denim, Ramona LaRue, MYNE and more. The store is set to open in August.

Owner Christy Ward said she was drawn to Ballantyne Village because of the other upscale shops and restaurants in the shopping center.

The TCBY location is owned by local franchisee Samuel Batt. He's something of a fro-yo magnate in the area, owning 12 TCBY locations in the Carolinas, nine of which are in the Charlotte area.

"These new additions further strengthen the boutique tenant mix and are anticipated to attract new and repeat patronage from the neighborhood community, as well as metro Charlotte," said Margie Bruner, who represented Ballantyne Village in the tenant negotiations.

There is still retail, restaurant, medical executive and office space available to lease at Ballantyne Village, the company said.

June sales slide at Cato

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Charlotte-based women's clothing retailer Cato Corp. reported last week that its sales for June fell 7 percent, to $83.7 million, compared with the same month a year ago. Sales at stores open for a year or more, considered a key measure of a retailer's health, fell even further, dipping 10 percent.

The company said wider uncertainty is to blame - and is likely to continue. "June same-store sales were below expectations," said CEO John Cato, in a statement. "Year-to-date same-store sales results have been volatile, driven in part by various economic and political uncertainties as well as unseasonable weather. We believe it is likely this volatility will continue and we remain cautious as we look toward the second half of the year."

For the second quarter, the company cautioned its earnings will be on the low end of its guidance, at 53 to 57 cents a share. That would be a decrease of 13 to 7 percent from the same quarter a year ago. Cato operates nearly 1,300 stores in 31 states, including Versona and It's Fashion stores. Year-to-date, the company's $441 worth of sales are down about $1 million from last year, and sales at stores open a year or more are down 3 percent.

Retails sales in general have hit a bump along with the rest of the economy, inching up just 0.1 percent at large chains in June.

Island Joe's Coffee recevies first from PO from Winn Dixie

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Island Joe’s Coffee receives from PO from Winn Dixie

“It takes years of dedicated work to build a brand, then when you are noticed, the hard work really begins.” stated Trey Wells, co-founder and coffee roasters at Island Joe’s Coffee, located in old town Key West, Florida

First there are a few phone calls, then a few emails, which take place over a year or so, then samples are requested for review, then it seems everything stops for months and months, the waiting begins and ends many times over, as the anticipation is sometimes overwhelming, but in today’s retail market, this is just part of the normal process, but with a the proper product and perhaps a little luck, the knock will come to your door.

This was part of the process to gain the attention of the buyers at Winn Dixie Supermarkets. Winn Dixie can trace its routes to 1913 and Burly, Idaho, who has since moved its offices to Jacksonville, Florida and operates around 500 stores with around 50,000 employees.

“We are extremely excited to have this opportunity to have a direct relationship with a major retailer, as Winn Dixie,” stated Wells, “My brother, Brandon and I, have been roasting our gourmet coffee and espresso for going on six years. And it seems our hard work, plus the intense passion we have for our coffee and never wavering from producing some of the finest blends in the world is becoming more established everyday in the coffee industry, as we do not, nor will we cut corners, no matter what kind of money is involved.”

Producing some the finest coffee blends in the world, is just what the coffee roasters at Island Joe’s do, as is proven by the high ratings they have received from some of the world’s leading coffee experts I.e. Kenneth Davids at coffee review.com has awardedd the Wells brothers ratings, which has not only pushed Island Joe’s to the top rated coffee roasting company in Florida, but also with blends rating the top 5% in the world.

Some examples, which will be offered at Winn Dixie are Island Joe’s 90 Mile Stretch Espresso, which rated 90 out of 100 and Island Joe’s Breakfast Blend, which rated 91 out of 100.

IJS Coffee can be also found at limited Publix, Whole Foods Markets, Albertsons, Walgreen’s and Navy Exchanges throughout the U.S., then Tree of Life handles some of IJS’s distribution, plus Sysco Foods handles distribution to resorts and restaurants.

Not only can Island Joe’s Coffee be found at major retailers, small coffee shops, plus properties such as Hyatt and Crowne Plaza around the U.S., but their online customer base spans the globe with customers in Canada, China, Chile, England, Puerto Rico and all across the U.S. including customer base in Seattle, who have shown a passion for Island Joes’ 90 Mile Stretch Espresso, which will be offered at Winn Dixie and offered whole bean.

When ask what was next, Wells responded with, “We like to take it one cup at a time, meaning we are working on our orders for Winn Dixie, so we are focused on taking care of this new customer, which we should be in stores in the next few weeks, plus we are focused on continuing to offer quality service and products to our current customers. As one could look at our customer service, just like our coffee blends - we are consistent with every cup and customer.”

Transformation continues at Greensboro's Sears and Whole Foods Market

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Sears at Friendly Center with new embellishments and a new logo masking the old facade on the Pembroke Avenue side.

Whole Foods' front on the Kathleen Avenue side continues to take shape.

Previously, we showed you pictures of how Greensboro's Sears department store is downsizing their foot print at their building (which they own) and leasing half of the bottom lower level to Whole Foods Market at Friendly Center. The building, which retained a lot of its brutalist 1970s elements for a long time, is still in the process of undergoing a drastic transformation. Whole Foods Market is still scheduled to open sometime in Spring 2012, along with the new Charlotte store as well.

The Sears portion of Friendly Center has been recast as 'Sears Plaza,' sporting the new logo. It should also be noted this Sears store is perhaps one of the first in the country, if not the first, to have the new logo. The entire process of this transformation is quite unique, as you don't see a 1970s department store downsize everyday to accommodate an upmarket grocer. Whole Foods is reaping the benefits of a prime location and Sears' woes.

September:

Up Close

October: Mysterious brick columns start to take shape in front of Sears, and a new second entrance has been carved out as well. We also get a glimpse inside Whole Foods' gutted interior.

November: Work continues to transform Sears in time for the shopping season:

December: The new Sears logo is displayed and awnings continue to go up around Whole Foods.

The Sears Auto Center still displays their old logo.

Trader Joe's finally coming to the Triad?

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When Greensboro's newspaper, The News & Record, polled readers as to which store they would most like to see come to the Triad area - one retailer had an overwhelming majority, Trader Joe's. Since 2007 the specialty grocer has been on a slow but steady expansion throughout the Carolinas, with stores currently in Cary, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greenville (SC), and Charleston (Mount Pleasant). It has long been rumored that Trader Joe's is looking for a location in the Greensboro or Winston-Salem area, although those only amounted to what they were... rumors (including an unfounded but widely circulated rumor about the store taking space at the Target shopping center on Lawndale).

Now, the newspaper is reporting that Trader Joe's is interested in a site near Friendly Center. The Greensboro site is adjacent to The Shops at Friendly Center, which houses Harris Teeter, and right next to that is the Whole Foods Market that is set to open soon. Trader Joe's site would encompass the northwest corner of Friendly Avenue and Hobbs Road, which is currently six residential lots. Previously, The Triad Business Journal reported that Trader Joe's may have been interested in redeveloping the old City Motors site off of Westover Terrace. Despite an abundance of vacant space across town, the developers' hearts look to be set on Friendly.

March 2012 Update: Trader Joe's has signed a lease for a store in Winston-Salem at Thruway Center in part of the former Borders bookstore space, that location will open later this year. Plans for the Greensboro location are still at a standstill.

Trader Joe's set for Wilmington

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On the heels of the Trader Joe's hoopla in Greensboro, another North Carolina city, Wilmington, is going to see the specialty grocer. Trader Joe's plans call for a store on an empty lot at Oleander and College, one of the city's busiest intersections, and a location that is not too far from the soon-to-come Whole Foods Market. The demand for both Trader Joe's and Whole Foods has been increasing, as both are very popular and have loyal patrons. The new Trader Joe's is set to encompass 13,000 square feet.

Photographed: Trader Joe's in Chapel Hill

Li Ming's Global Mart opening in Greensboro

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Above: Li Ming's in Durham in the former Circuit City

Li Ming's Global Mart, which already has two locations in the Triangle (one in Durham [photos] and a sister store in Raleigh, respectively), will soon breathe some life into the High Point Road corridor in Greensboro. Scheduled to open in the Fall of 2012, the Asian grocery store will encompass nearly 52,000 square feet in the Greensboro South Shopping Center, next to T.J. Maxx. High Point Road, an ever-evolving corridor has seen a shift to ethnic-oriented businesses in recent years.

Above: the former Lowes Foods on High Point Road

The location that Li Ming's is moving into has gone through many incarnations. The store originally opened in 1969 as a branch of discount store Zayre, later was an Ames (another discount store) briefly. As a grocery store it has been a Buy For Less and a Lowes Foods. It has been empty for a number of years since Lowes Foods vacated, so this is certainly a welcome announcement for that shopping center. The Li Ming's in Durham opened last year in a former Circuit City space across from South Square Shopping Center.

Greensboro's Whole Foods sets opening date; Winston-Salem to get Trader Joe's

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Greensboro's long-awaited Whole Foods Market is set to open soon. Finishing touches are being put on the store, which is in part of the Sears building at Friendly Center. The 34,000 square foot store takes up half of the lower-level footprint of Sears' department store. The store will open on April 12th.

Above: Trader Joe's Winston-Salem store rendering

Above: Trader Joe's Greensboro store rendering

On the other end of the Triad, Winston-Salem is gearing up for a Trader Joe's. The store will locate in approximately 13,000 square feet of the former Borders Bookstore at Thruway Center, and is scheduled to open sometime later this year. This will be Trader Joe's first store in the Triad, and perhaps the most sought-after specialty grocery store in the region too. The news of Trader Joe's comes amid opposition regarding a rezoning at a potential Greensboro location.

Trader Joe's Winston-Salem rendering via Triad Business Journal/Thomas H. Hughes architecture
Trader Joe's Greensboro rendering via Greensboro News & Record/Regency Centers

7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi

Transformation continues at Greensboro's Sears and Whole Foods Market

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Sears at Friendly Center with new embellishments and a new logo masking the old facade on the Pembroke Avenue side.

Up Close

October: Mysterious brick columns start to take shape in front of Sears, and a new second entrance has been carved out as well. We also get a glimpse inside Whole Foods' gutted interior.

November: Work continues to transform Sears in time for the shopping season:

December: The new Sears logo is displayed and awnings continue to go up around Whole Foods.

The Sears Auto Center still displays their old logo.

Trader Joe's finally coming to the Triad?

Trader Joe's set for Wilmington

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Li Ming's Global Mart opening in Greensboro

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Greensboro's Whole Foods sets opening date; Winston-Salem to get Trader Joe's

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Above: Trader Joe's Winston-Salem store rendering

5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe

Transformation continues at Greensboro's Sears and Whole Foods Market

To contact us Click HERE

Sears at Friendly Center with new embellishments and a new logo masking the old facade on the Pembroke Avenue side.

Up Close

October: Mysterious brick columns start to take shape in front of Sears, and a new second entrance has been carved out as well. We also get a glimpse inside Whole Foods' gutted interior.