Publix Monopoly (Orlando, Spring Hill, Winter Park: sales, house, neighborhood)

[kyle19125]

Having moved back to Central Florida recently I've become somewhat dismayed by the lack of choice/competition within the traditional grocery store sector. I find Publix to be on the very expensive side as well as having not having quality/variety of produce and meats. I believe it's due to the lack of competition. Sure there's Walmart, Target and the warehouse clubs but they're everywhere else also. I'm also not counting the dwindling Winn-Dixie presence and it's 20 or so stores in the Central Florida area.

Pretty much anywhere else in the country you have a choice of three or four traditional grocery store chains plus the big box stores, plus the specialty stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Has anyone heard why the other chains like Harris Teeter, Food Lion and Kroger (which used to own Albertson's) are afraid of big bad Publix?

[Spring Hillian]

In my area we have Publix, Winn Dixie, Sweetbay, Sav A Lot, Walmart x 3, Super Target, Aldi, independent bakeries, independent deli and meat stores, produce stores.

I would think most areas have most of the same.

[kyle19125]

Sweetbay isn't in Orlando, and there are a couple of Sav-A-Lots and Aldi which don't really compare well to Publix. Winn-Dixie has very little presence here any longer. Target and WalMart as mentioned aren't really traditional grocery stores so one should throw them out of the conversation as well. Which leaves Publix...

[Spring Hillian]

Ok, disqualify every other chain and OK, you've got Publix.
Don't go there except for the BOGOF items and some super sales that cause me to stock up on certain items. I find them generally over priced.

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Sweetbay isn't in Orlando, and there are a couple of Sav-A-Lots and Aldi which don't really compare well to Publix. Winn-Dixie has very little presence here any longer. Target and WalMart as mentioned aren't really traditional grocery stores so one should throw them out of the conversation as well. Which leaves Publix...

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Ok, disqualify every other chain and OK, you've got Publix.

OMG, you're so missing the point. Have you lived anywhere else but in Florida??? Pretty much every other well-populated state has a few if not several supermarket chains that compare favorably with Publix, as in being non-discount chains. I'm looking for some theories as to why though I guess if most Floridians are like you we have the answer...

[annerk]

For the same reason that Wegman's is generally the only game in town in central and wesern NY. They offer such a superior product that the slightly higher price doesn't bother people.

[Spring Hillian]

Actually, I spent the first 30 or so years of life in NYC, Brooklyn actually.
Back in the day we had a whole lot of supermarkets. Most of them have
been gone for 30 plus years. The field narrowed down considerably as profit margins thinned and buying comglomorates spurng up.

You have other choices besides Publix, so you can excercise the freedom
to shop else where. When I showed you Publix is not a monopoly, you counted out every store I listed. Now you want non-discount chains and theories. Isn't Bravo still in Orlando? Oh wait, they are a "discount chain".

I don't think I am missing the point and what do you mean "though I guess if most Floridians are like you"?? You stated Publix is a "monopoly" and it is clearly not.

Originally Posted by kyle19125

OMG, you're so missing the point. Have you lived anywhere else but in Florida??? Pretty much every other well-populated state has a few if not several supermarket chains that compare favorably with Publix, as in being non-discount chains. I'm looking for some theories as to why though I guess if most Floridians are like you we have the answer...

[NextBigAdventure]

I don't agree with Publix being more expensive overall. For the items I buy, with the exception of some organic foods, Publix generally has competitive prices- plus the stores are clean, well-organized, and the employees are generally friendly and helpful. Here in SC they have the best produce- but produce is always a sort of hit or miss proposition with the quality being related to weather conditions, season, etc... Maybe it's different in FL? I have plenty of choices here and choose Publix.

[Pete C]

I would say most supermarkets do not compare favorably to Publix that I have seen. In Atlanta, Kroger was the establishment in every city in the metro. Publix was able to go in there and take away many customers, forcing them to renovate many of their stores to compete. Harris Teeter tried and failed, having to pull out of Atlanta. The ones that have existed in Florida like Albertsons, Winn-Dixie, Piggy Wiggly, and Food Lion all pale in comparison to Publix. Like annerk said, there is a reason they all folded. For the budget minded consumer, Super Target and Wal-Mart have that covered. For those with more money to blow, you have Whole Foods and Fresh Market. For everyone else there is Publix. Perhaps Wegmans is better...no idea.

We drive all over town to get groceries. Publix is the anchor, but we also go to these places for other things...these are all in Winter Park:

Shipyard Emporium - the best artisan breads in town, also cheese, cured meats, prepared food
Shipyard Emporium

Lombardi's Seafood - excellent fresh seafood
Fresh Seafood Market and Deli Sandwiches in Winter Park, FL

Eat More Produce - decent produce shop...hit or miss, but great prices on fresh herbs, nuts, wine, and local bread from Olde Hearth
Welcome to Eat more Produce!

We also hit up Dong-A for Asian groceries.

I just found a new place called The Meat House which just opened...butcher and gourmet market, prepared food, local products like Olde Hearth breads. Prices are a bit too high, but neat place:
Neighborhood Butcher & Grocer - The Meat House

[**NoodLes**]

In case you haven't noticed, Central FL is probably the blandest, non-progressive, and stagnant areas in the entire southeast. Most other "well populated" areas have more choices in every category from grocery stores, to media, and fast food options. Not to mention Publix, IMO has a very limited selection of grocery products. I really don't think all these people promoting Publix have grocery shopped anywhere West of the Mississippi, really. Where's Tom Thumb, Kroger, a dedicated WalMart solely for food, Albertsons, and the Winn Dixie's here are just nasty, that's why they always fail.

To further my point, look at any decent radio station here, first it was 105.9 with a great selection of alternative rock, they got rid of that. Then 103.1 smooth jazz turns into a spanish station (hence the "spanish takeover"), then 96.5 turns into all talk all the time. Orlando is basically polarizing itself into radio for old folks and spanish, not a pretty picture and definitely not a place I want to live. Well you say 101.1 rock, okay lets here the same Godsmack song every 20 minutes.

Fast food, okay the Sonic near me lasted about 4 months, the A&W joint lasted about the same, Whataburger lasted a few years, then left, no Jack in the Boxes either.

So, to compliment the boring, bland, cookie cutter "shacks" riddled with Chines drywall, as well as a place with no history, you have boring, bland grocery stores, radio stations, TV, and fast food options.

And to top it off Orlando gets another lame soccer club that nobody watches which will probably last maybe a good 2 years, instead of a decent baseball team which almost every "American" kid can enjoy.