Trader Joe's in Lincoln?

[Coyote]

Well not exactly:

Hy-Vee's Heartland Pantry opening Nov. 18

The Heartland Pantry store, Hy-Vee’s new smaller-form retail operation, will open Nov. 18. The store is the retail chain’s answer to the neighborhood’s protest against the earlier Hy-Vee’s closing at 48th and Leighton.  “This will be a welcomed event in University Place,” said the Web site started by the University Please Release the Lease Committee.  “Add it to your list of things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!”

The Vice-President of HyVee was on the radio saying that The Heartland Pantry can be compared to a Trader Joe's.

[Linkin5]

I have heard the Heartland pantry is going to be the new urban grocery store in the MofO Turner Park development.

[Coyote]

That would make sense. Where did you hear that?

[Linkin5]

From some chattering...

This store is pretty cool looking:

[nativeomahan]

It will be interesting to hear a report from someone who visits this store, and who is also familiar with the Trader Joe's concept.  Hy-Vee is a smart company.  I would love to see them bring the Trader Joe's concept to Omaha.  The stores are tourist attractions wherever they open.

I will say that the name leaves me cold.  It sounds too much like a soup kitchen.

[Brad]

Not everyone happy about the Heartland Pantry:

Harding Hills residents angry at Hy-Vee plans

Neighbors accused Hy-Vee of targeting low- and moderate-income neighborhoods with a new brand of stores, called Heartland Pantry, that will offer fresh produce and meat but not a pharmacy or butcher.

"They are treating us differently because of who we are and where we are," said Robin Ghormley, a shopper of the Des Moines store for more than 30 years.

Hy-Vee officials said the Harding Hills store is not making a profit, but the company still wants to serve the neighborhood.

"How many (other businesses) have left?" asked Laura Fulton, a Hy-Vee assistant vice president who spoke at the meeting. "We're staying. That's being a good neighbor."

Hy-Vee plans to open an 85,000-square-foot full-service store in Beaverdale. Originally, the West Des Moines grocery chain planned to close the Harding Hills store.

After protests from neighbors, Hy-Vee officials decided to use the location to help launch its Heartland Pantry brand. Hy-Vee will open its first Heartland Pantry in Lincoln, Neb.

The plan follows a national trend of grocery chains looking at mid-size stores that fit into smaller locations. Hy-Vee developed the Heartland Pantry after observing a similar store in Florida.

[almighty_tuna]

Same story in Lincoln.  Their Leighton store was going to close but the neighborhood spoke out so hy-vee is staying in the area with a smaller store.  give people what they want and they will inevitably whine about it.

[the1wags]

I'll take a Heartland Pantry in MofO. Better than no grocery store by a shot.

[Linkin5]

I went to this place and it is nothing like a Trader Joe's.  Instead, it is EXACTLY like a scaled down Hyvee, disapointing.

[NovakOmaha]

Well not exactly:

Hy-Vee's Heartland Pantry opening Nov. 18

The Heartland Pantry store, Hy-Vee’s new smaller-form retail operation, will open Nov. 18. The store is the retail chain’s answer to the neighborhood’s protest against the earlier Hy-Vee’s closing at 48th and Leighton.  “This will be a welcomed event in University Place,” said the Web site started by the University Please Release the Lease Committee.  “Add it to your list of things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!”

The Vice-President of HyVee was on the radio saying that The Heartland Pantry can be compared to a Trader Joe's.

Yes, Mr. Vice President, The Heartland Pantry CAN be compared to a Trader Joe's.  It's a free country.  I'm just not sure Mr. Vice President would enjoy the comparison from a disinterested third party.  Don't get me wrong.  I like Hy-vee.  They have a great produce department at the store on 76 & cass.  That doesn't grant Hy-Vee license to favorably compare Heartland Pantry to Trader Joe's.  

You can nail antlers on a mouse and it's still a mouse.

[Big E]

You can nail antlers on a mouse and it's still a mouse.

Actually, I think that's called a ratalope, cousin to the jackalope.

[NovakOmaha]

You can nail antlers on a mouse and it's still a mouse.

Actually, I think that's called a ratalope, cousin to the jackalope.

Nope.  It's just a mouse, albeit a mouse with a huge headache and one that wonders how in the world he's going to shlep the stupid antlers around.

[Greg S]

From the Lincoln Journal Star.  One of the comments after the little blurb said Trader Joe's would have a hard time in Lincoln (or Omaha for that matter) because they don't have any distribution centers to serve this market:

Apple's Way continues to grow
I've mentioned this before, but one development that shows no signs of slowing down is Apple's Way, the development with Lowe's at 62nd and Nebraska 2.

Last month, the developers got an administrative amendment approved by the Planning Department that allows them to increase the potential size of the development from 235,000 to 270,000.

The most interesting thing in the documents submitted to the Planning Department is a traffic study that mentions a possible 28,000-square-foot supermarket. That really makes me wonder what they're targeting. I checked the Whole Foods site, and the minimum store size for a Whole Foods is 40,000 square feet. Aldi lists its ideal store size as 17,000 square feet, plus that doesn't seem like the right demographic.
Can't imagine it being a Russ's Market, either, since there's one at 33rd and Nebraska 2 and a Super Saver right across the street.

Oh, well, it's fun to speculate. Have a good weekend.

http://www.journalstar.com/blog/business.php?cat=139

[HskrFanMike]

Fareway just opened their "largest footprint" store in Ames, Iowa at 33,000 square feet.  A 28,000 square foot store would be about the right size for Fareway, and with two stores in Omaha, it wouldn't be too far outside their normal distribution.

[Greg S]

Fareway would definitely make sense for Lincoln.  I just wish they would open in NW Omaha.

Greg

[HskrFanMike]

Fareway would definitely make sense for Lincoln.  I just wish they would open in NW Omaha.

Greg

Absolutely.  My favorite grocery store.

[mrdwhsr]

Fareway would definitely make sense for Lincoln.  I just wish they would open in NW Omaha.

Greg

Absolutely.  My favorite grocery store.

Still waiting on Fareway to open a NW Omaha store. I thought they were testing the market before opening more stores. Did we flunk?

[nebugeater]

I was in Lincol yesterday and it looks like the HyVee Mainstreet that was near 48th and Leighton has closed. This was the Hyvee location near East campus that was going to close a few years ago and got reopened as this after the newer Hyvee was built. The windows were all papered over and the signs were off the front of the building. This started as Heartland Pantry and then was renamed with a minor update sometime since it originally opened.

[Linkin5]

Yeah it was reported a while ago Hyvee was closing this. Forgot we had a thread

[nebugeater]

Yeah it was reported a while ago Hyvee was closing this.   Forgot we had a thread

I searched the HyVee site after posting and they still listed the store but the status says that it was closed Feb 1, 2015

[Linkin5]

Yeah it was reported a while ago Hyvee was closing this.   Forgot we had a thread

I searched the HyVee site after posting and they still listed the store but the status says that it was closed Feb 1, 2015

Oh wow, for some reason I thought it was closed about a year ago, my bad.

[nebugeater]

Yeah it was reported a while ago Hyvee was closing this.   Forgot we had a thread

I searched the HyVee site after posting and they still listed the store but the status says that it was closed Feb 1, 2015

Oh wow, for some reason I thought it was closed about a year ago, my bad.

You know that may be when they did a minor update and renamed it