Tesco, the largest U.K. supermarket operator, has just opened the first of its fresh&easy neighborhood stores in southern California, and as it’s among the companies that my team of financial journalists covers, I was hoping for some intelligence straight from the front line as it moves onto Wal-Mart’s home turf.
The first store had a “soft” opening on Nov. 1 in Hemet, California, and a grand opening is scheduled for the outlet today along with five others in Los Angeles and Orange County, according to Wikipedia. If any Dopers happen to have visited, I’m very interested in any observations you may have.
Just for you, I’ll go see the closest one this week-end and let you know my impressions. Don’t say I never took a bullet for the good of our community!
I was just futzing around on the internet trying to figure out where the hell the stores were going to be. There are two reasonably close in San Diego to me, but I haven’t been out there to see if they are actually open yet. I’m very curious!
There doesn’t seem to be one anywhere near me. The only one that appears to be opening soon, lists a non-existent address that can’t be found on any map site I searched for.
PALOS VERDES & WESTERN
26640 Western Avenue, Suite E
Los Angeles, CA 92708
Does not compute.
If I zoom in on the map provided on the company’s website, I can see where it’s supposed to actually be, which appears to be about 15 - 20 minutes or so away from where I work. Not sure I’d be willing to drive that far out of my way for groceries unless there was some majorly compelling reason, like the dirt-cheapest prices on the planet.
Huh… I never heard of the place, but it appears there’s one just down the road from our house in Escondido. I have the day off tomorrow; if I have a chance (I’ll be running a bunch of errands, so I may not), I’ll stop in and check it out.
You mention Wal-Mart’s turf in the OP, but to my uneducated eye (I’ve never heard of them, I live in Chicago, and I just spent about 5 minutes browsing their website) they look more like a Trader Joe’s clone/competitor than a Wal-Mart one.
There are two “opening soon” within five miles of me (SGV as well) and one that’s apparently already open in Upland. I’ll try to remember to check it out.
There’s one open and one opening soon near my work. The one that’s open is further away, but if I’m not jonesing too badly for the holiday weekend here, I’ll try to check it out tomorrow.
Hope it’s good, there’s another opening up closer to home.
Of course, I hardly need another damned grocery store- I already have Raphs/Albertsons/whatever for staples, Pavilions for a fews things or an emergency, Trader Joe’s, Bristols Farms for the fancy stuff, and Costco.
It’s definitely not competing with Trader Joe’s. Too many name brands.
Compared to the Vons near my home, the prices are less, sometimes much less for some items (a very big box of Cheerios for $2.50), about the same for some (milk and bread are about on a par) and more expensive for others (OJ and soda).
The store is hyper-organized, with everything displayed in a box or bin that can be, including produce, rather than the stacks ones sees at regular stores. It’s a little sterile feeling, to be honest, and I’m not sure the prices as compared to Vons are enough to keep me coming back much. Compared to the Ralphs down the street from it, though, I’m sure it’s all a bargain.
There are some organic/health freak sort of items, but not enough that TJ’s or Whole Foods are exactly shaking in their boots that F&E will become destination shopping for those in that market. For what they have though, the price is often just right. $1.98 for cage free eggs? Yowza!
It’s basically just another grocery store, and I don’t know, other than for those who are more used to paying the prices at Ralphs and Albertsons, that there’s a lot to pull people in.