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Yesterday, I posted in Retail Watchers the news that Kroger is going to put in a clothing department at a Marketplace store in Mansfield, Ohio. This sounds like it is going to be a Marketplace pretty close to being a Fred Meyer, other than the Smith's Marketplace stores. While I know that Kroger wanted to only operate one banner in the Phoenix market, it always perplexed me why they did not open that completed Fred Meyer store? They could have still made it a experimental Fry's SUPER-Marketplace! Besides, Kroger uses the Fred Meyer buyers to buy all the general merchandise for the Marketplace stores anyway. Or was it that Kroger was too chicken to compete against Walmart and Target in the Phoenix market?

marshd1000 wrote:Yesterday, I posted in Retail Watchers the news that Kroger is going to put in a clothing department at a Marketplace store in Mansfield, Ohio. This sounds like it is going to be a Marketplace pretty close to being a Fred Meyer, other than the Smith's Marketplace stores. While I know that Kroger wanted to only operate one banner in the Phoenix market, it always perplexed me why they did not open that completed Fred Meyer store? They could have still made it a experimental Fry's SUPER-Marketplace! Besides, Kroger uses the Fred Meyer buyers to buy all the general merchandise for the Marketplace stores anyway. Or was it that Kroger was too chicken to compete against Walmart and Target in the Phoenix market?

Just out of curiosity, since I've not heard of this before, but when was this supposed to be a Fred Meyer? I do find it interesting that if you put "Fred Meyer Phoenix" into Google Maps, it actually lists 600 West Peoria Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85029 as "Fred Meyer" along with their URL. The satellite view shows it's clearly a Fry's Marketplace now, though.

submariner wrote:

marshd1000 wrote:Yesterday, I posted in Retail Watchers the news that Kroger is going to put in a clothing department at a Marketplace store in Mansfield, Ohio. This sounds like it is going to be a Marketplace pretty close to being a Fred Meyer, other than the Smith's Marketplace stores. While I know that Kroger wanted to only operate one banner in the Phoenix market, it always perplexed me why they did not open that completed Fred Meyer store? They could have still made it a experimental Fry's SUPER-Marketplace! Besides, Kroger uses the Fred Meyer buyers to buy all the general merchandise for the Marketplace stores anyway. Or was it that Kroger was too chicken to compete against Walmart and Target in the Phoenix market?

Just out of curiosity, since I've not heard of this before, but when was this supposed to be a Fred Meyer? I do find it interesting that if you put "Fred Meyer Phoenix" into Google Maps, it actually lists 600 West Peoria Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85029 as "Fred Meyer" along with their URL. The satellite view shows it's clearly a Fry's Marketplace now, though.

Here is the background information. In Phoenix there was Fry's, Smith's and Smitty's. All three used to be separate companies. Then at some point, Smith's, while it was still independent, bought Smitty's. Smitty's was like a Fred Meyer and originally even had clothing. But I think the buildings were smaller. Then, Fred Meyer bought out Smith's and Smitty's around 1996 or 1997. Around 1997 or 1998, the Smitty's stores were remodeled and were called Smitty's Marketplace. Almost like a Fred Meyer but no more apparel. Then there was the announcement for the Kroger-Fred Meyer merger. Before the merger happened, Fred Meyer decided to separate Smitty's Marketplace stores from Smith's and they became Fred Meyer Marketplace stores, with the same non-apparel product mix. During this time, Fred Meyer started to build a large full line Fred Meyer and the Marketplace stores were merely a step to establishing a beachhead in Phoenix. Kroger stopped the opening of the full line Fred Meyer and the Fred Meyer Marketplace stores became Fry's Marketplace. Also the Smith's banner disappeared from Phoenix and became Fry's, and only existed in Arizona away from Phoenix.

The Fred Meyer name was only in Phoenix about 1 year, with the exception of the jewelry stores.

The Fred Meyer store was built at West Bethany Home Road and North 35th Avenue on the Northeast corner. An older Smitty's store was to the east of it. The store was completed and never opened. Eventually it was demolished and a Walmart Supercenter was constructed in it's place.

I think the full size store at Bethany Home was actually in the process of being finished and stocked when Kroger decided not to open it.

A Wal Mart Supercenter sits on this site now.

That is not a very good neighborhood. It was probably not the right spot for Fred Meyer to make its debut in Phoenix. They probably should have just opened it and seen what happened, but it would probably not have done well.

storewanderer wrote:I think the full size store at Bethany Home was actually in the process of being finished and stocked when Kroger decided not to open it.

A Wal Mart Supercenter sits on this site now.

That is not a very good neighborhood. It was probably not the right spot for Fred Meyer to make its debut in Phoenix. They probably should have just opened it and seen what happened, but it would probably not have done well.

Does the Walmart occupy the former Fred Meyer Building or did they demolish that building to build the current store there?

Also, while it isn't the best neighborhood, 2 miles east there is another Walmart Supercenter, a Super Target, and a Costco that all seem to do well. If Super Target can do well in that general vicinity, I can't imagine that Fred Meyer would've done that awful.