The Baltimore Sun reports this morning that the sale of Chestertown’s SuperFresh store, along with nine other stores in the chain, to Mrs. Green’s Management Group has been delayed by a bankruptcy court. The holdup is mainly due to a complaint of a landlord of the Parkville, MD store. The sale could still be approved next week.
Read the full story here.
Mary Lou says
There’s actually a little bit more news here about the Mrs Green’s plans for the stores they want to buy (including Chestertown).
According to the Sun: “Mrs. Green’s said in a statement it would upgrade the locations and expand offerings to include natural and organic products, in addition to traditional groceries.
“This investment is part of a strategy to grow our concept in underserved regions,” said Matt Williams, CEO of Toronto-based parent Natural Market Restaurants Corp., which owns Mrs. Green’s.”
Owned by a Toronto-based parent. Interesting.
Carla Massoni says
Yes, yes, yes!!!! Is it too much to hope for??? Is there a business strategy that our local natural foods store can adopt to allow both to thrive?
rcg says
this has the potential to keep many people in town vs heading to Annap every week – could be a better anchor store to attract more stores to some of the empty spaces in our “malls”.
I don’t think it will hurt CNF too much – they have a great following – they have intimate relationships – so many people walk to the shop – and it is much easier to stop in a smaller store for one/items rather than heading to a bigger store…
imo
kevin walsh says
They will sell meals to go, lunch, dinner on tables, wine, coffee, breads, bagles, healthy organic food,……I can now shop 7 days a week…why go to the park on Saturday…..when it rains……..
Hope downtown is happy!!!!!
We can get Canadian plastic bags too!!!
TORONTO — The eight Super Fresh stores being taken over by Mrs. Green’s Management Co. will be remade to include prepared foods and natural/organic selections, although the merchandise mix and a new brand for the stores is still under consideration, according to the chief executive officer of the Toronto-based retail group that acquired the stores at an auction last month.
In an interview with SN Thursday, Matt Williams, CEO of Natural Market Restaurants, Toronto, said the stores would likely include elements imported from its various retail concepts, including Mrs. Green’s — a strict natural and organic chain based in Scarsdale, N.Y. — and Richtree Market, the market-style restaurant chain the company operates in Canada.
He said a new concept currently under construction at a Skokie, Ill., shopping mall, Wilde & Greene, would also provide an idea of the company’s vision for the Super Fresh stores.
Wilde & Greene, expected to open later this summer, is a 500-seat restaurant featuring various open-kitchen food stations and a retail food market that is replacing the food court at Westfield Old Orchard, an upscale shopping mall.
“We don’t have a definite approach that we’re willing to share at this moment,” Williams said. “But we’re pretty experienced in natural and organic grocery, and we feel that these eight stores would all benefit from having not just a token appearance of natural and organic but a strong presence. We see a couple of the stores being entirely natural and organic.”
Some of the larger stores would likely include conventional groceries as well, he added. Williams said the company hoped to keep the stores during their transition and that they would likely be rebranded as part of a transition of the company’s other concepts.
Williams said the company’s first priority for the acquired stores is meeting with various stakeholders, including unions representing workers, and landlords, some of whom have expressed concerns over the company’s creditworthiness.
Williams declined to provide details of Mrs. Green’s performance, but he said the company as a group has grown cash flow 58% in the past 12 months while maintaining a strong balance sheet with room for growth.
JIM says
I give them a year. They’ll never survive after even one winter.
gerry maynes says
Hi, Supermarket News carried this article three weeks ago about mrs Greenes. The thing to remember is and I have heard on the street from several supermarket executives is that Mrs G!s in order to have the cash Flow to renovate five of the stores, will sell four to other chains chains. Don!t be suprised as I have heard that Super Valu steps up to the plate and purchases Chestertown as well as two others.. Why sell Chestertown? Why simple just isn!t enough folks 12 months a year to support a whole foods type of store, with a five hundred seat eatery. How ever there is enough people for a conventional store to do 450,000 a week and be profitable.
Mrs Greenes parent company declared Bankruptcy only a year ago in Canada. Thus the great concern and the real need to sell some of the stores they just purchased to do what they want with the others.
MD Eastern Shore says
It’s not that far to drive to the Food Lion in Millington. Not sure what the fuss is all about. And they actually fixed up the Acme a little bit last year. Main problem with the place is it’s small. But competition is always good. You could always encourage another grocery store by giving them a property tax break (to be fair you’d have to give it to Acme as well). Or if you really want to encourage more business in town, cut taxes for them all.
Fleurs says
MD Eastern Shore: How about cutting taxes for everyone so shoppers can afford to buy more food? At the same time, maybe that would encourage people to shop locally rather than go to Dover or Annapolis. We are going to choose to drive to Dover now with the proposed increase in Bay Bridge tolls. What a fiasco that is!
trudy says
what ever happened to positive thinking!? there is so much speculation going on. let’s just wait and see what happens. give it a chance!
gerry maynes says
Hi, Yes competition is good. But watch your shelf dates when in the Foodlion in Millington. is one of the worst volume stores in the region. Notice there isnT a Delli in this unit. This is a tip off that customers arent something that the crew in this store has to worry about keeping them awake. Did they manage to chase the old Acme known as the Millington Market out of business yet?
margot says
Just remember, folks….this is Chestertown. I don’t think that we have enough deep pockets or culinary foodies here to keep such a market here in Chestertown. Who the heck can afford it anyway? When you say Organic or Whole Foods….you’re saying Ca Ching!! Your average daily consumer just won’t pay the prices. I just hope that they have competitive meats….Acme meats in Chestertown look green and mushy all the time. I was in the Acme in Bear, DE…and I was blown away as to how sophisticated, large and friendly the store is. Amazing assortments of meats and game from all over the world. If only Acme would step it up a bit and do something with what they have here. It’s a dirty scuzzy store in Chestertown. I only buy veggies there. Besides the staff there is really not too friendly.
Gerry Maynes says
Hi, I have worked in both Acmes as a department manager and really Green squishy meat. I would find that hard to believe, since Acme has the strictness meat handling code in the country. The rules for one Acme apply to all Acmes.
Yes, Bear as well as all of the Acmes in Delaware carry a much larger variety of meats then Chestertown does.. Reason, They all do three to four times the amount of volume then Chestertown does. If the meat manager in Chestertown did that it would turn to shrink in a few days and the dumpster would be feed and the store would soon close.
As far as dirty the store is not it is old the company has decided to save money by turning of some ligths, they begun using a non gloss floor wa that is cheaper to use nut the combination makes the store look
dark and dirty. As far as cranky help perhaps a kind word and a smile to a clerk would be paid back many times over,
Who knows you could make some ones day. Acme spe4nt a small fortune punting in a new deli and Butcher Block in only 6 years ago. They havent seen a return on that money yet . Give Acme a reason to expand spen a few more bucks next time in the volume goes up and Acme will see a nees to put in A Bear or Middletown
Stellal says
Acme meats are the lowest grade–not choice or prime (which is unavailable here). I hate losing the Super Fresh
And the wonderful meat staff there. Let us hope theta remain.
Gerry Maynes says
Hi, Safeway on Kent Island will have choice. Acme has Lancaster Beef a drop bellow Choice. But that was not what I was talking about, when I refereed to Meat Standards. I was speaking of how the product is handled at store level. How clean is the meat box, how clean is the Meat Room the wrapping machines tools etc. How many days or hours can you keep product out for sale.
As far as the wonderful Meat department at Super Fresh they are no better or worse then the majority of Meat Department s that I have seen over a 40 Year career in the food business and I only wish them well. My guess is the cutters will migrate to other chains such as Acme that will pay a strong union wage. The wrappers and clerks I hope the new owner will recognize their seniority , hourly rate, and benefits. The world being what it is, Iam willing to guess that s not going to happen. Most negotiations start with today with Walmart pays only X amount above slavery. This is how the industry average has fell from about 15 dollars and hour for clerks to 10 dollars per hour in only 5 years.
Keith Thompson says
To add to a couple of Gerry’s points…
#1. One of the reasons why the quality and selection of what you get at the Chestertown grocery stores is less than what you would get in Delaware is that Chestertown is what is known as a fringe market meaning that the northern Delaware stores are considered a part of the Wilmington (and Philadelphia) market and therefore serve a larger market population. Chestertown is not tied in with a major market and serves a smaller population area meaning that the profit margin per store is much smaller, thus there is far less an incentive to invest in state of the art improvements.
#2. Being a union shop can be a double-edged sword. True unions usually allows for higher wages for the employees, but it can also lead to less efficiency because a union shop restricts the ability of the company to promote its most productive workers and to motivate or even fire non-productive workers. My wife has always fared better in non-union stores because in most (not all) cases, non-union stores have run a tighter ship and she’s had a better chance for promotion and advancement because she works hard. Thing is, if folks are complaining about the cranky employees in a store, that’s usually a sign of a bad corporate store culture which can be true whether a store is a union shop or not. Some Acmes have a good store culture and some have a bad culture; same thing is true of Wal-Mart, some stores are better than others.
rcg says
“When you say Organic or Whole Foods….you’re saying Ca Ching!! Your average daily consumer just won’t pay the prices.”
however – think of the money saved by consumers bc they won’t have to pay gas/toll to go to Annap –
i think Mrs. Green’s has a chance – if they start strong and tweek little problems post haste – those of us who try it when it first opens may become loyal shoppers.
re: staff attitude – i agree that it is just as important for the customer to be polite – read the nametags – call folks by their names and offer a smile. i have seen how some customers treat store workers, i don’t blame them for being twice-shy.
gerry maynes says
Hi, I called the Meat Buyer at Acme and guess what we are both wrong Acme sells choice, Safeway sells prime Foodlion, Walmart and the other bottom feeders sell the worst.. Truth is If the Acme were to close a small group of folks from Chestertown would need to get a new Hobby, complain unfairly about some thing else club, This would include stories that Acme should build a new store, even though when they tried the town said no. The company cut the meat room in half and put in a new Deli and Butcher Block all that resulted in was two years of complaints that people wanted it put back with the old junk equipment, older then I back in place from what ever junk yard that it now rests in. Heck, the A frame that houses the Acme is considered and Architectural work of art. Several towns have tried to place them on historical registers. But historical Chestertown would rather complain, then try to better the situation. Show the company a financial reason to improve, guess what who might just get a better place to shop in stead of an empty shop.
Matt weir says
Imagine being a prospective investor in a supermarket in Chestertown and reading these postings!
gerry maynes says
Hi, Do you think the skull and Cross Bones were a Little much? Or perhaps you never heard the old saying the truth will set you free! Just Kidding Mr SuperMarket Investor. At least no one posted Run Save You Self Yet
Shirley Palmer says
Fresh & Green’s opened in the former Super Fresh location at Bay Hills, Arnold, in early July. They opened with no signage, no specials, no renovation (which was badly needed). Store is stark and prices are high. My neighbors and I are not pleased and are not shopping there until improvements are made. Quality stores such as Safeway, Giant and Graul’s are within 5 miles. At least 8 good stores within 7 miles. Fresh & Green’s lost that opportunity to “make a good first impression.” Will have to work hard now to gain customer support. Fresh & Green’s . . . you cannot have a good customer base in this market without some effort!