Bottom Dollar Food

[standa]

Are those both Wakefern-owned stores? It's my understanding that all PriceRite stores are corporate.

I don't know who owns the PriceRite store; the Shoprite is owned by the Garafalo family of Milford, CT.

[BillyGr]

Are those both Wakefern-owned stores? It's my understanding that all PriceRite stores are corporate.

I don't know about the ones in CT, but up here around Albany (NY), they just opened the first "new" ShopRite (in Niskayuna).

They pulled out of the area many years ago (at that time they were under the Big V "franchisee" which since went bankrupt and was bought out by ShopRiteStores, which is a subdivision of Wakefern corporate). 

They also have a PriceRite (which has been there for several years) in Schenectady. 

The two stores are only 5-10 minutes apart, so that didn't seem to bother them here. 
They both fit their areas - the PriceRite is in a plaza with Ocean State, Tuesday Morning and Grossman's Bargain (so a generally low priced shopping center - the PriceRite itself is part of a former Ames, which was previously Caldor (and still has the Caldor "lobby" entryway).  The ShopRite is a small plaza (a former Grand Union) in a more "upscale" area.

They are also planning several more ShopRites in the area, one of which (in Colonie, if approved) would also be not more than 10 minutes from the PriceRite (and on the site of a current car dealer - Cadillac, I think?).

[ynkeesfn82]

I don't know who owns the PriceRite store; the Shoprite is owned by the Garafalo family of Milford, CT.

All PriceRites are owned by Wakefern.

[retailisking]

That's what I get for taking Wikipedia at face value; the alleged non-cannibalization "policy" is apparently bunk.

[MikeRa]

The Bottom Dollar Food (former Acme Markets "A Frame") at Roosevelt Boulevard, above Cottman Avenue, below Rhawn Avenue, is now open

[MikeRa]

Here are all the current Bottom Dollar Food locations (as of 6/4/2012)

New Jersey
Bordentown: 262-C US Route 130 (Opened 4/20/2012)
Cherry Hill: 2110 NJ Route 38, Unit 1A (Former Ashley’s Furniture Store) (Opened 10/21/2011)
Cinnamison: 1402 US Route 130 North (Former Portebello Farm Market) (Opened 3/2/2012)
Clementon: 165 White Horse Pike (Former Big Lots) (Opened 12/9/2011)
Glassboro: 812 North Delsea Drive (Former Super Fresh Futurestore/Food Basics) (Opened 12/2/2011)
Marlton: 230 North Maple Avenue, Unit F (Former Shop n’ Bag Supermarket) (Opened 12/3/2010)
Trenton: 2735 South Broad Street (Former Pathmark [building Brand New Build])  (Opened 3/2/2012)
Turnersville: 5200 NJ Route 42 (Former Forman Mills) (Opened 12/10/2010)

North Carolina
Hickory: 1810 Highway 64-70 SE (Opened 4/5/2006)
Mount Airy: 1136 West Pine Street (Opened 9/2005)

Ohio
Youngstown: 890 East Midothian Boulevard (Opened 2/9/2012)
Youngstown: 2649 Glenwood Avenie, Unit 1 (Opened 2/9/2012)
Youngstown: 3370 Mahoning Avenue (Opened 2/9/2012)

Pennsylvania
Aliquippa: 2011 Sheffield Road (Opened 1/26/2012)
Allentown: 1856 Catasauqua Road (Former Weis Supermarket (1980-2006) & D&D Furinture Outlet (2007-2009)) (Opened 11/12/2010)
Allentown: 2919 Lehigh Street (Former Shop Rite Supermarket/Food 4 Less Supermarket) (Opened 12/17/2010)
Allentown: 3235 Hamilton Blvd. (In portion of former Laneco Food/Department Store) (Opened 12/17/2010)
Ambridge: 651 11th Street (Opened 2/9/2012)
Bensalem: 2134 E. Street Road (Former Shop N' Bag Supermarket/Staples/Office Depot) (Opened 11/12/2010)
Bethlehem: 719 Stefko Boulevard (Opened 5/10/2012)
Bridgeville: 1155 Washington Pike (Opened 1/26/2012)
Butler: 196 Bon Aire Plaza (Opened 2/9/2012)
Butler: 750 Butler Crossing (Opened 2/9/2012)
Carnegie: 1160 Washington Avenue (Opened 1/26/2012)
Castle Shannon: 300 Mounht Lebanon Boulevard (Opened 2/9/2012)
Chalfont: 291 W. Butler Avenue (Former A&P Supermarket (1970's era)) (Opened 12/17/2010)
Coatesville: 100 Airport Road (Former Charlie's Thriftway Supermarket) (Opened 10/29/2010)
Downingtown: 925 E. Lancaster Ave. (Opened 10/29/2010)
East Norrinton: 2826 Dekalb Pike (Former Sears Hardware) (Opened 12/10/2010)
Easton: 2431 Butler Street (Former Food Fair (1966-1979)/Food Lane (1979-2001)/Save A Lot (2002-2009)) (Opened 4/29/2011)
Exter Township (Reading): 20 Shelbourne Road (Opened 12/17/2010)
Feasterville: 23 Bustleton Pike (Former Somerton Springs Golf Course [building Brand New Build]) (Opened 1/14/2011)
Fountain Hill 1529 Broadway (Opened 12/9/2011)
King of Prussia: 197 E. Dekalb Pike, Suite 300 [building Brand New Build] (Opened 10/8/2010)
Lansdowne: 48 West Baltimore Avenue (Former Thrift Drug/Eckerd Drug) (Opened 8/19/2011)
McKeesport: 300 Eden Park Boulevard (Opened 1/26/2012)
Nazareth: 4034 Jandy Boulevard (Opened 12/9/2011)
Norristown: 2826 Dekalb Pike (Opened 12/10/2010)
North Wales: 782 Bethlehem Pike (Opened 11/19/2010)
Penn Hills: 12012 Frankstown Road (Opened 1/26/2012)
Penndel (Store #2944): 11 Bellevue Avenue (Former A&P Supermarket (Centennial/Colonial) & Thriftway) (Opened 12/3/2010)
Philadelphia: 6119 North Broad Street (Opened 4/15/2011)
Philadelphia: 7627 Lindbergh Boulevard (Former A&P/Super Fresh/Rite Aid/Staples) (Opened 10/28/2011)
Philadelphia: 9303 Krewstown Road (Former A&P Supermarket (Centennial/Colonial) & Thriftway [building Brand New Build]) (Opened 8/12/2011)
Philadelphia: 7900 Roosevelt Boulevard (Former Acme Markets and I. Keller Caterers) (Opened 4/12/2012)
Pittsburgh: 5329 Brownsville Road (Opened 1/26/2012)
Pittsburgh: 7350 Saltsburg Road (Opened 1/26/2012)
Quakertown: 31 West Broad Street (Former A&P/IGA/Boyer’s Supermarket) (Opened 9/16/2011)
Reading: 413 Lancaster Avenue (Opened 12/16/2011)
Reading: 4270 Perkiomen Avenue (Opened 12/10/2010) (Former Food Fair (1966-1979)/Weis (1979-1992)/Staples (1993-2009))
Whitehall: 1167 MacArthur Road (Opened 3/30/2012)
Willow Grove: 1955 Davisville Road (Opened 11/19/2010)

Virginia
Dumfries: 17120 Jefferson Davis Highway (Former Food Lion) (Opened 7/1/2006)
Fredericksburg: 10611 Courthouse Road (Former Food Lion) (Opened 6/14/2006)
Fredericksburg: 205 Kings Highway (Former Food Lion) (Opened 6/14/2006)
Fredericksburg: 515 Jefferson Davis Highway (Former Food Lion) (Opened 6/14/2006)
Manassas: 8313 Sudley Road (Former Food Lion) (Opened 10/3/2006)
Norfolk: 8401 Hamton Boulevard (Former Food Lion) (Opened 8/29/2007)
Sterling: 46081 Briarcroft Plaza (Former Food Lion) (Opened 8/1/2006)
Woodbridge: 14641-43 Jefferson Drive (Former Food Lion) (Opened 7/4/2006)
Woodbridge: 13414 Jefferson Davis Highway (Former Food Lion) (Opened 7/1/2006)

[MikeRa]

Bottom Dollar Food is closing 3 stores in the Philadelphia area:

• North Wales: 782 Bethlehem Pike (Opened 11/19/2010)
• Chalfont: 291 W. Butler Avenue (Former A&P Supermarket (1970's era)) (Opened 12/17/2010)
• Exter Township (Reading): 20 Shelbourne Road (Opened 12/17/2010)

All 3 locations are to be closed by Mid February.

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=445115
http://articles.philly.com/2013-01-20/business/36433789_1_bottom-dollar-food-stores-fuel-profitable-growth

[EddieJ1984]

Took a pic while in bottom dollar today in ne philly on roosevelt boulavard.
You can see the pitched roof is visible from the acme days.

[retailisking]

While Delhaize tries to figure out how to make money with Bottom Dollar, the CEO is slowing expansion of the banner
http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/muller-outlines-new-priorities-delhaize?page=2

[Stork of The Weak]

The older Big Lots in Clementon NJ next to a Bottom Dollar has recently closed. It's a shame realistically this empty Big Lots probably won't become anything nicer than Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Family Dollar, etc. Not to mention any of those three might make distinguishing between it and the Bottom Dollar next door hard for the unfamiliar.

[TheFugitive]

Bottom Dollar is said to be looking at Pittsburgh:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_729307.html

They are here and have quickly established a following.  People I know rave about
these stores.

There was a real hunger in the market here for a discount grocer.  Giant Eagle had
established a semi-monopoly here, due to some union problems that drove a number
of other chains out in the '70's and '80's.  As a result, Pittsburgh, despite an overall
modest cost of living, had some of the highest grocery prices in the Lower 48.

I have found their stores to be very clean.  I also really enjoy the music they play
on the store intercom system.  It's as if I've set my radio dial back to 1977.

Common complaint though is they frequently have bare shelves by Sunday.
I think their closest distribution centers are in the Carolinas.  That will no doubt
improve after they open one in this region.

They have also been smart in choosing their store locations.  Inner-ring suburbs with
a lot of blue collar and people with modest incomes.  When Food 4 Less tried to enter the
market they went into places like Wexford, which were too upscale.

Aldi also appears to be doing well since they've entered this market.

[Stork of The Weak]

The Bottom Dollar in Norristown PA (former Drug Emporium) reminds me of Albertsons for a reason I just can't put my finger on. Jo-Ann Fabrics stores have an Albertsons smell but I couldn't describe it too well.

[zonemad96]

Maybe some of them are different then the one I went in but the location I was in was almost an exact copy of food lion but it had less choices and was missing the bakery and meat counter, the prices were almost exactly the same as food lion. I don't see how people can compare them to Aldi's, save a lot, or any other actual discount store when their prices are as high as they are.

"Despite their “lowest prices in town” slogan, Bottom Dollar didn’t always have the lowest price. A 30 ounce jar of Hellman’s Real Mayo was priced $3.48 at Wal-Mart but $3.98 at Bottom Dollar, 50 cents more. While a 6-pack of Thomas’ English muffins were $1.89 at ShopRite but $2.99 at Bottom Dollar, over a dollar more."

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/11/02/3-on-your-side-grocery-price-test/

[MikeRa]

The Bottom Dollar Food that's near me, in Penndel, PA, is in a A&P Centennial/Colonial building:

[Stork of The Weak]

It seems stupid that Bottom Dollar chose a name with "dollar" in it, just because I'm sure a lot of people must be confused by the name and think it's a dollar store. To clear up any confusion about that description, I'm talking about a dollar store that doesn't sell groceries except for certain packaged foods, that would be much more comparable to a drugstore than a supermarket. Just think, if the word "dollar" were absent, the word "food" wouldn't have to be under every Bottom Dollar logo.

[retailisking]

I don't think there is any more confusion over the store name than there is with Dollar General or Family Dollar. As for the actual dollar stores, our Dollar Tree relocated from Shaw's Plaza to a brand-new, larger location so they could carry frozen foods and put in a dairy case.

[BillyGr]

It seems stupid that Bottom Dollar chose a name with "dollar" in it, just because I'm sure a lot of people must be confused by the name and think it's a dollar store. To clear up any confusion about that description, I'm talking about a dollar store that doesn't sell groceries except for certain packaged foods, that would be much more comparable to a drugstore than a supermarket. Just think, if the word "dollar" were absent, the word "food" wouldn't have to be under every Bottom Dollar logo.

Probably what they were aiming at is to point out their low prices? 
Bottom Dollar is a phrase that already existed in English so they didn't just put it together.

[zonemad96]

I don't think there is any more confusion over the store name than there is with Dollar General or Family Dollar. As for the actual dollar stores, our Dollar Tree relocated from Shaw's Plaza to a brand-new, larger location so they could carry frozen foods and put in a dairy case.

A few years ago our dollar tree moved from inside the mall to a strip mall location and it blew my mind to see how big it was. The new store is about 4 times the size of the old one maybe even more. Every time I walk into the old store which is almost completely the same as it was years ago (the only difference being that the flooring was replaced and the name was changed) I just can't believe that it was once a dollar tree.

[Stork of The Weak]

Even with the potential for confusion aside (and yes I do think the name of these stores is a big mistake, from a marketing point of view) isn't it more of a curse than a blessing for a store to have "dollar" in the name? I especially think so in the case of Bottom Dollar because their closest competitors are Save-A-Lot and Aldi, both of which are also discount grocers but ones that only sell no-name food and other products, and if Bottom Dollar wants to set itself apart from these other two by having much better products, is going the route of "cheap" really a good idea? Personally I don't like anything about Bottom Dollar though. It's not just the cheesy name but also the stores have very tasteless architecture and other design features. I'm not expecting good architecture to be a trademark of a deep discount grocer, but what irritates me is that this chain seems to be trying to be very colorful and hip with their store appearances, yet their color scheme, department signage, etc all seems to be thrown together. And I'll never spend a penny at these stores for anything because all of them are ridiculously high security, with gates right inside the entrance that would seem to belong at an airport security checkpoint, even though most of the stores are in relatively safe areas and don't really sell anything of high value tempting to thieves except for cigarettes, which as with everywhere else these days are either locked up or hidden from public view. I'm surprised Bottom Dollar sells cigarettes in the first place, because neither Save-A-Lot nor Aldi have them. Family Dollar and Dollar General only added cigarettes to their stores in the past year or two, and I know there were protests about that move because the main demographic for these stores is poorer people, many of whom have been suckered by the tobacco industry their whole lives.

[FitchMike26]

Bottom Dollar is up for sale. More info here:

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/Bottom-Dollar-stores-are-For-Sale-report.html

[TheFugitive]

Well that's not good news.   Aldi or Giant Eagle would most certainly shut them all
down to get the competition out of the way.

[retailisking]

Here's a direct link to the story that was the source of the philly.com article. Looks like DZA has decided to focus on their main banners (Food Lion and Hannaford.) They jettisoned Harveys, Reid's and Sweetbay last year.

http://best-met.com/news/delhaize-america-reportedly-mulling-sale-bottom-dollar/

[retailisking]

Following months of speculation about Bottom Dollar's future, ALDI is the winner of the auction. All Bottom Dollar Food stores will close at the end of the year.
http://bottomdollarfood.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=20295&item=122417

[Rowsdower]

When I saw that my local Bottom Dollar Food store (in Lansdowne, PA) had closed an hour early last night for a "meeting," I assumed that this was why.

Of the two potential buyers that reportedly were considered the most likely (ALDI and Supervalu), I suppose that I prefer ALDI (assuming that the Lansdowne store eventually reopens under that banner), but only because we already have a Save-A-Lot store.

My sister's nearest Bottom Dollar Food and ALDI locations (in East Norriton, PA) are about 150 yards apart, so it will be interesting to see what happens there.

[TheFugitive]

Following months of speculation about Bottom Dollar's future, ALDI is the winner of the auction. All Bottom Dollar Food stores will close at the end of the year.
http://bottomdollarfood.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=20295&item=122417

A shame.  I really liked them.   Nothing against Aldi but Bottom Dollar was unique.

I'm going to miss their All-70's format on their in-store muzak system.

[FitchMike26]

This is purely a real estate deal. My guess is:

40% of the stores eventually reopen as Aldi.

30% of the stores never reopen.

30% or less of the stores, in ideal locations like King of Prussia, someday reopen as...Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's is owned by Aldi.

[retailisking]

This is purely a real estate deal. My guess is:

40% of the stores eventually reopen as Aldi.

30% of the stores never reopen.

30% or less of the stores, in ideal locations like King of Prussia, someday reopen as...Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's is owned by Aldi.

Interesting predictions. Technically speaking Trader Joe's and ALDI US are owned by different corporate entities. Trader Joe's is owned by ALDI Nord, while ALDI's US stores are owned by ALDI Sud. Though there are individual cases where ALDI will not reopen stores that are close to current ALDI locations, I think that the percentage of Bottom Dollar locations that reopen as ALDI will be somewhat higher than 40%. I guess we'll have a better idea of how this shakes out in the new year.

[TheFugitive]

Trader Joe's stores tend to be in upscale areas.
Bottom Dollar is a discount grocer.  At least here in Pittsburgh
they appear to have astutely located their stores in blue-collar neighborhoods.

Hence I think it much more likely they become Aldi locations.

[MikeRa]

This is purely a real estate deal. My guess is:

40% of the stores eventually reopen as Aldi.

30% of the stores never reopen.

30% or less of the stores, in ideal locations like King of Prussia, someday reopen as...Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's is owned by Aldi.

Interesting predictions. Technically speaking Trader Joe's and ALDI US are owned by different corporate entities. Trader Joe's is owned by ALDI Nord, while ALDI's US stores are owned by ALDI Sud. Though there are individual cases where ALDI will not reopen stores that are close to current ALDI locations, I think that the percentage of Bottom Dollar locations that reopen as ALDI will be somewhat higher than 40%. I guess we'll have a better idea of how this shakes out in the new year.

Best examples of ALDi and Bottom Dollar that are close to each other are East Norriton, Pa and Bensalem, PA

[MikeRa]

Trader Joe's stores tend to be in upscale areas.
Bottom Dollar is a discount grocer.  At least here in Pittsburgh
they appear to have astutely located their stores in blue-collar neighborhoods.

Hence I think it much more likely they become Aldi locations.

Most of the Bottom Dollar locations are leased spaces, the exception is the Bottom Dollar location at Castor Avenue and Erie Avenue, in Philadelphia, PA.  This location is near the SEPTA Erie-Torresdale Station of the Market-Frankford Line (an Elevated/Subway line)