Publix - Stafford, VA

Welcome back to the Shoppes of Battery Mill, where every day you get our best! (Did I get that slogan right?) Today I'm presenting a shorter edition of the blog, although it won't be any less sweeter than the rest. You'll see exactly why in a bit.

Photos taken on December 20, 2020 by BatteryMill

Store information

• Store name: Embrey Mill Town Center
  
• Store number: #1720
• Address: 1640 Publix Way, Stafford, Virginia 22554
  
• Opening date: December 12, 2020
• Store layout: 48M
  
• Decor package: Evergreen
  
• Features: Deli, Sub Counter, Meat & Seafood Counter, Bakery, Drive-Thru Pharmacy, Beer & Wine, Café Seating

Fresh from the Shoppes of Battery Mill bakery, this blog is here to present to you today's most delicious course, that being the Stafford, Virginia Publix.

...Publix, in Virginia? How could they possibly venture into a land without alligators and Disney World, or even one without abundant peaches and palm trees?

Yes, you've heard me right. This is a Publix in Virginia, after all. It's one that's quite far removed from the land that it originates from, but the location is still a shining example of the chain's strengths. While there's a lot else to examine here, but there's a big question you may be asking.

How did it get here? Well, I have one mighty story to tell you. So sit tight, grab a Pub Sub, and read along as I explain how exactly Publix wound up in a little town called Stafford, within 50 miles of the nation's capital. 

Publix Presents: "Road to Virginia"

The first of many Publixes outside Florida. Source: twitter.com/Publix

In 1991, with over 60 years of renowned customer service, remarkable products and growth attached to its name, Publix made the first steps outside its home state of Florida. The Sunshine State grocer went down to Georgia and swiftly struck gold in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Aided by the strengths they cultivated in their home state, they soared in Georgia's largest market, just as competitors like A&P and Harris Teeter were floundering. This was all despite Kroger's reign of 100+ stores nearby. These nearly perfect factors levitated Publix's prospects not only in the Peach State, but all across the Southeast. In the nick of time, they were able to snake through South Carolina, find sweet homes in Alabama cities, and volunteer in the Tennessee retail scene (through an acquisition of Albertsons stores there - something to remember later). 

Publix's first stop in North Carolina. Source: Charlotte Business Journal

Following a pause in state-hopping, Publix crossed over into North Carolina in 2014. Being farther removed from their distribution hubs in Florida (and Georgia), Publix utilized several tools in their toolbox to upgrade their expansion engine. These maneuvers included buying from the competition (several BI-LOs in Charlotte - remember this too), establishing new divisional offices, and building bases in NC's major population centers before trying out all kinds of towns. This was abetted by previous trials just across the South Carolina line, of which warmed Publix up for such northward expansion.

After the seeds of expansion sprouted in the Tar Heel State, Publix planted a few more across the northern state line. In 2016, Publix announced their entry into Virginia, beginning with only two sites, one in Bristol (cancelled by 2022), and one in the Richmond suburb of Glen Allen. Speculation rose on several potential expansion routes for Publix in the state, such as the more populous Northern Virginia, but little was for certain until another shakeup to the Virginia retail landscape came about. That same year, Dutch grocery conglomerate Ahold would complete their merger with Belgian rival Delhaize. Due to both companies sparring in the same places, the two were required by the FTC to divest several shops.

A Food Lion turned Weis near Fredericksburg. Source: Aaron F. Stone (Flickr)

The divestiture pool was divided between the sizable, feature-packed and high-volume stores Ahold's Giant-Landover and Martin's (a banner of Giant-Carlisle) boasted, and the utilitarian, small town-friendly Food Lion chain in Delhaize's arsenal. Around Winchester, Martin's was the favorite to remain. Down south in Fredericksburg, meanwhile, Food Lion was poised to carry the mantle of the new corporation. While part of the plan suited each market, it did not stand without complications. Giant-Landover was a union-backed business, and protests demanded a reversal of the original plan in the Fredericksburg and Culpeper areas. Ahold and Delhaize reneged, meaning that Food Lion, instead of Giant, would be departing those cities. Despite numerous challenges, finding replacement stores was, surprisingly, no difficult task. Pennsylvania-based Weis Markets and SuperValu's Shop 'n Save banner subsumed Food Lions in the Fredericksburg/Culpeper and Winchester vicinities respectively. 

Down in Richmond, the plan was more clear-cut. It just so happened to be where Publix was testing the waters. If a hoard of north-central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley grocery stores could trade hands easily, just imagine how the decision-making process went in a busier market.

A Ukrop's-turned-Martin's ("Martkrop's"?). Source: KBS

Martin's was in between a rock and a hard place in the River City. Ahold's interest in the market was the trophy of a 2009 bidding war over Ukrop's. The hometown icon had put their grocery business up for sale earlier that year, citing multiple factors. This included, but was not limited to, hardened competition from the likes of Kroger, Food Lion, and Walmart's Supercenters. After the bid was finalized, all Ukrop's would switch over to the Martin's name. Upon starting the conversion process, Ahold was tasked with patching Ukrop's competitive weaknesses. Some were easy to fix, such as instituting alcohol sales or opening doors on Sundays, two moves that showed a stark contrast in values. Other issues would prove far more complex, and Martin's position in the market only hampered progress.

The Richmond grocery market undergoing transformation. Source: Virginia Business

As the decade pressed on, the same issues that led to Ukrop's exit from retail only grew in intensity. Martin's was not as versatile as rival Kroger, and struggled to deter the no-frills standards the Lion and Walmart held. These challenges were compounded by Martin's failing to carry on the quality and recognition of its predecessor in many shoppers' eyes. Only one new store was built in the seven years Martin's operated in Virginia's capital, and several of their ex-Ukrop's holdings were shuttered during this time as well. With more competitors like Whole Foods, Lidl, and Wegmans steaming into town, something had to be done over at Martin's.

The decline of Martin's Richmond operations was happening right as their corporate parents were merging with their corporate rivals. As with points north, Ahold and Delhaize had multiple options to appease the FTC. Perhaps the only complicating factor in choosing what stores to let go was rooted in the busy retail scene, with the city boasting the most supermarkets in the country per capita. With the instability of Martin's and brand recognition, as well as wide spread (ranging from rural to suburban) of Food Lion, a clear winner was found. Former Ukrop's were again on the chopping block, not even a decade after the collapse of said chain. 

A Martin's (another "Markrop's", to be exact) that didn't make Publix's cut. Credit: Richmond BizSense

The aforementioned decision was compounded by the fact that both Martin's and Food Lion were non-union. This meant the preferred transaction could go through without vocal contention. All Martin's were put up for sale, and speculation heated up as to who would buy in. Some wagered Kroger would double up their presence. Such predictions ended when an intrigued Publix snapped up ten prime locations. Four more sites were added by year's end, readying the chain for an impressive launch. Closings and conversions soon settled in, with each Publix purchase being gutted and decorated to keep up with the chain's meticulous image. 

There would also be leftovers that did not go to Publix. As of 2024, most remain fallow or have been incorporated into non-grocery uses. These were likely not snapped up as the chain desired better locations nearby, or felt rebuilding these older locations would be less economical.

Virginia's first Publix. Source: Ryan (Flickr)

A Ukrop's-turned-Martin's-turned Publix ("Pubkrop's"?). Source: Ryan (Flickr)

Come 2017, Publix touched down in Virginia to much fanfare. The first several Martin's conversions would roll off the line that summer, with reopenings continuing into 2018. This batch of openings included the previously-announced Glen Allen store, itself a never-built Ukrop's. A few older ex-Ukrop's were also in line for demolition and rebuilds, showing Publix's construction prowess for all in Virginia's capital city to see. Publix is well-known for tearing down and building anew in its home state, so it's just what they opted for at those locations.

Fredericksburg, Virginia's first Publix. Source: Ryan (Flickr)

With Publix seeing success in the River City, they now had what it took to expand. There was a multitude of directions for Publix to go, though what most seemed desirable to them was Virginia's most important market, Northern Virginia. The first stop on their northwards journey would be in Fredericksburg, where they would secure a site at the southern edge of the city. Publix landed at the formidable Cosner's Corner power center, alongside Kohl's, Marshalls and (interestingly) a SuperTarget. That store opened in 2018, only one year into Publix's Virginia run. Despite giving the city of 27,000+ only one handle on the Publix phenomenon, the lone location still proved to connect with its residents; provided one could brave the Interstate 95 traffic to get there.

A true sign of the times. Source: Stafford County Economic Development

One year later, in July 2019, Publix one-upped their committment to residents of Fredericksburg. Their next store in the market was to be built in the northern suburb of Stafford. That store would be incorporated into the sprawling Embrey Mill development further up I-95, with a plethora of commercial space primed alongside an already bustling residential development. This post won't quite get into the construction process; though despite a 2021 target completion date, contractors put their best feet forward and the Floridian grocer opened its doors at the tail end of 2020. Since then, Publix has had a front-row seat to a blossoming retail development featuring acres of strip malls and fast food joints, and has managed well as an anchor in the Stafford community. 

Store Tour

I'm not one to end a story on an amateur note, but that is how Publix wound up 100 miles into the state of Virginia. With all that now in our rear view mirror, let's start this little tour!

The first photo of the tour segment is an alternate angle of the exterior. Here we can see the taller heights Publix has reached with their exteriors, which reflects something we are about to witness inside. I opine that this is an underwhelming design, with peach-colored brick slabs constructing the majority of the walls on each side. Now, how does the inside fare, exactly?

The first of the two interior views today is set in the mezzanine. This second-level space, featuring café seating for customers and employees alike, is perhaps the most defining feature of Publix's 48M format. With all that expansion into new territory, and continued growth in established markets comes new competition, and Publix certainly wanted to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Times in retail have changed as well, and their renowned collection of prepared foods has prompted a focus on in-store dining, especially as their e-commerce options have gained prominence. This café area reminds me of a similar layout Wegmans featured in their 1990s and 2000s builds. An apt reminder for sure, given the tendency for consumers to compare these two renowned supermarkets!

Moving beyond the dining hall, we have the left side of the store in the palm of our hands. To the right we have frozen aisles, while items like school supplies, pet food, and health & beauty occupy the middle. Elsewhere, we can see the dairy sign and beer and wine cache. While not visible, the bakery is in the back-left corner, while the pharmacy occupies the front-left. 

As it was then a new opening, I was impressed by the order and cleanliness abounding in each aisle. While I'm not a fan of the package (Evergreen) that decorates the walls either, I'm at least pleased to see it well-composed here. I especially liked the hanging drop ceilings, which add extra depth to center-store.

For the last photo, here's a look down the rest of the seating area. While it also conforms to Evergreen standards, the furniture composition isn't outlandish like some modern restaurants are, and the light fixtures appear tasteful. I think this setup can look just as neat with any good decor package. 

To the left of the picture, the standalone deli box (dubbed the "Deli Shrine" by Sing Oil Blog!) appears. In 48M Publixes, the deli is run entirely from a counter, as opposed to a kitchen-connected setup along the store perimeter that other Publixes have. This goes for whenever you're craving a signature chicken tender "Pub Sub" (Psst... there's a way to save on those) or you're stacking up on Boar's Head deli meats and cheeses. Either way, there's something for everyone on all four sides of the "shrine". Squished in between the deli and mezzanine is a great big round "P", marking the corner where customer service and online order pickup operate out of.

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To sum up my first impressions on Publix, I would say that it was a great place that knew just how to be high-volume and feature-packed while appearing humble with its smaller store sizes (in comparison to recent competitors). Publix sure knows how to place the best of both worlds into a little package! I also like how this store strategically held out as a testing bed for the busy Northern Virginia retail market, all while being anchored to the more bountiful resources originating from places south.

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Thank you all for reading through! Next time, I will be returning to the place where shopping is a pleasure (did I get that right?), and dissecting some major details about Ukrop's and Martin's combined history in Richmond, as well as Publix's escapades elsewhere in the Old Dominion. Be sure to tell your friends all about this blog and sound off in the comments. 

How do you think Publix is getting by in Virginia, especially this far north? What do you see them doing there next? This post also marks the beginning of a new, narrative-centric format. What should I improve about this along with my writing style?

Disclaimer: I have no opinion on the union situation. I included such details merely to show that these matters played a role in the Ahold-Delhaize merger.

Former Shoppers - Manassas (West), VA: Shoppers Squared (Part 3)

Welcome back once again! Today I have a mini update for you, essentially the calm before the Shoppers storm that follows. This is one final look at the store in its generally operational days, even after the aftermath for the pharmacy.

Photos taken on June 25, 2019 by The Battery Mill

We start with the photo's namesake, or rather a very peculiar signage setup. As Shoppers removed their pharmacy signage, they did not go further with another instance of their main wordmark, all in all leaving a puzzling remnant. The sign in question was installed in the 2016 remodel as a slight refresh to the facade.

A look at the exterior during the remodel (photo taken in October 2016)

Also to note, while I did title this post "Shoppers Squared" as in Shoppers^2, it actually turns out to be Shoppers^Shoppers. That I didn't believe would make as great of a drawn out title ("Shoppers to the Power of Shoppers"), especially considering I have enough on my plate above. Layers of irony here, eh? You be the judge. Heh. :P

We take another look at the pharmacy sign, which remains in the state it was before. From memory it might have been removed later in the year, precipitating a given major event in Shoppers history. If you don't know, you'll certainly find out what went down soon here on this blog.

For our lone interior shot, we visit one of the most important portions of our visit, the pharmacy. Yet more oddities are abound as the complementary pharmacy decor has not left the building in addition to the main sign. Thankfully however, some merchandise continues to remain signifying the store soldering on for a little while more.


Prior to the fourth installment of the series, I will provide you with a few more extras, that being the third Retail Mix volume along with another relevant retail news update. Till then, keep posted!
 

Former Shoppers - Manassas (West), VA: Post-Pharmacy (Part 2)

Hello readers! Today begins our second tour of the Manassas/Bull Run Plaza Shoppers store. With many changes all about, this one will definitely be an important one at this turning point in the chain's history. Last we saw, Shoppers was continuing to run a steady pharmacy operation - though with this one, we see how they will be working to wind it down.

Photos taken on May 19, 2019 by The Battery Mill

The store tour begins with two different views of the exterior. First comes the main facade, lit up in evening lights, even for the now-closed pharmacy. The second solemnly highlights the Shoppers cart logo within the sidewalk area - a decor tradition dating back to the chain's early years.

This neon sign had not yet been unleashed from the attachment wires, however it had appeared to , despite it having shone a rather dim light recently.

Attention Shoppers!... of Shoppers? This store would like to inform you of its shopping cart locking system.

As our interior opener, we tab over to Shoppers' floral array, spanning from wall to wall. While small floral selections have long been a part of the chain, the introduction of Shoppers Club in the mid-1990s expanded these departments to rival competitors such as Giant and Safeway in helping D.C.-area customers pick out bouquets and balloons.

A selection beyond simple fruits and vegetables was a later introduction for Shoppers, including certain organic selections as well as produce-derived products, like some of the beverages you see here. Though if you'd take a look closer into this image, some of these labels don't seem to be accurate at the moment.

Here we take another look of the . Looking this way, the footprint of the produce section has generally remained intact since the store's 1986 opening - albeit fixtures would have likely been shifted to accomodate for the freed space.

What happens when you put seafood and apples together? One may find out within this view of the store.
This is another perspective from the previous spot (and Part 1), now featuring the back end of the shop as well.

Here we have some views around the meat actionway, a design trait typical of Shoppers stores. Most often, Shoppers has used this design to segue from their produce/prepared foods areas into the rest of the store; though in this case, only produce and seafood make up the front end of this grand aisle.
The "triangle" formed by the Lunchmeat/Kitchen Shop/Floral wall serves as the primary store office area, with an opening provided at the customer service desk (not pictured).

As we mark our journey into the center of the store, we see a quaint collection of dairy coolers. Shoppers has traditionally used open fixtures for this department, however with recent remodels they have referred to door-based models to contain cool air.

We now move closer to the highlight of the event, focusing the inner portions of the store. Starting in the 2008 decor package, Shoppers has designated health & beauty aisles lettered aisle markers. Since being expanded as a category with Shoppers Club, many have featured simply large overhead signage marking said territory.

Alcohol products, such as Wine and Beer are seen occupying the left corner of the store, leading up to the deli/bakery "grand court". Quite large for such a store, shall we say?

And now, here it is - Shoppers' pharmacy department has officially met its demise, (likely unintentionally) returning the chain to its traditional off-price state. While said move had been implemented to more easily assist sales to non-grocery retail, there has been no direct word as to what this will lead to in the end. Curiously, several shelves and signs indicating pharmacy functions/decor remain (two weeks after the shutdown), an anomaly where most would want to deter theft after employees move out of the space.

The left door stood as the pharmacy entrance, while the right door provided for the long-closed M&T Bank. Since the bank's closing, the 2016 remodel has adapted the extents of the decor to provide for a new waiting room.

Zooming in on the other photo, The wavy pharmacy logo has been used by many SuperValu stores. Sister chain Cub in Minnesota continues to operate pharmacies with such a logo.

With the store's front end in the background, we see a plainly-statured sign alerting customers of the pharmacy's closure.

All pharmacies across the chain were incrementally closed over a span of two weeks, accounting for prescription transfer processes. This store would be one of the last to empty their pharmacy shelves, closing on May 7, 2019 alongside that of the Stafford, VA location.

Now to complete today's journey, we take another view of the upper pharmacy area, as seen from the checkouts. A variety of ceiling heights serve as a testament to the store's history and remodels.

From an unidentified 1990s Shoppers store. Credit: NARDI Construction

The round wall elements date back many years for Shoppers, having been used in various locations until an entirely new decor package launched in 2008. Also to note is the lighting difference: While Shoppers recently upgraded their tiled lighting fixtures to LED across the board, classic fluorescent lights have remained in certain places (namely above front ends, vestibules, and alcoves like that of the pharmacy).

Nevertheless, let this be the end of Shoppers' pharmacy legacy - a feature that helped bolster the chain as a traditional grocer, serving customers from Hunt Valley down to Fredericksburg.

We do have one more feature, however. Here we spotlight an empty checklane right at the end of the road. I must say, seldom-used checkouts in the vein of this one can be mysterious. Who knows if these ever opened to customers?

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Next up within our Manassas Shoppers saga will be a brief photo stop to prepare you for the most important event, something marking changing tides in the local grocery industry. As always, keep on keeping on and visit us for the next installment!

Sources

• https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/shoppers-begins-closing-pharmacies/161345/
• http://nardiconstruction.com/
  

Former Shoppers - Manassas (West), VA: Before the Fall (Part 1)

Today I am embarking on a long-awaited store tour series, one that has been in my queue for a while. Sorry for the wait on this one - organizing these photosets was difficult. Nevertheless, it's been solved and I'm here to present it to you at last!

 Store info

• Address: 10684 Sudley Manor Dr, Manassas, VA 20109
• Store number: #25 (original)#23xx (SuperValu)
• Opening date: Circa 1986
• Closing date: January 3, 2020
• Renovations: Circa 1996 (expansion to Shoppers Club), 2009, 2016
• Features: Pharmacy (closed May 7, 2019), Provident/M&T Bank (closed 2012), Deli, Bakery, Seafood, Floral, Walk-In Beer Cooler, Wine, Kitchen Shop, International Foods

The store originally opened around 1986 within the Bull Run Festival, as part of the Bull Run development on the edge of Manassas. For the first several years, it was a typical barebones warehouse Shoppers store. It, however received an upgrade in the mid-1990s to the then-new Shoppers Club concept, adding specialized departments and products comparable to warehouse clubs. Despite SuperValu shifting Shoppers to a more conventional grocery store, its influence in town continued to last.

...That is, until the past year or so. Under the auspices of SuperValu/UNFI combining to leave behind their own retail storefronts, this store has gradually wound down from its status in the following photos. This will be another multi-part series of mine: I have four photosets ready to go, which will be here on this blog in the coming weeks. With that being said, let's delve into the opening chapter.

Photos taken on April 17, 2019 by The Battery Mill

For our first photo of the tour itself, we take a look at a retro sign advertising the in-store pharmacy on the left side of the store. At one time, there were other neon signs attached under these facades, including one for the in-store bank that closed in 2012.

Adding on to Shoppers Pharmacy-related scenery, we see an insurance plan poster as one of the main advertisements seen as one walks into the store.

Following this photoset, Shoppers announced that it would terminate pharmacy operations, selling prescriptions to drug store giants CVS and Walgreens. The move was conducted on the basis of SuperValu trimming their stake in retail, even more so based on UNFI (who had recently acquired SuperValu)'s debt.
How would this work for the eventual sale of Shoppers? Sources state this transaction aided the sale of stores to tenants that generally do not operate in-store pharmacies - uses such as e-commerce fulfillment centers were touted as examples, whereas price impact grocers such as Lidl and Compare Foods became primary tenants for former Shoppers after the December 2019 sale. (This store, in particular, has seen no known successor.)

Prior to the Shoppers Club expansion, the left corner of this photo would likely hold the bakery section. Since the expansion, the area has featured seafood and meat products.

A small seafood counter, featuring fish and an open service kitchen for employees. With the original SuperValu Fresh & Healthy package in the late 2000s, Shoppers introduced service seafood departments to older stores which often lacked such a counter. Hope you get a chance buy the fresh catch of the day here!

Value beef & chicken or quality burgers & steaks? Which one could it be? It's up for you to decide.

Have a look at a nice, quaint bakery stocked with cakes for every occasion. The bakery itself is uniquely located, on behalf of the Shoppers Club expansion in the mid-1990s.

The bakery, along with the deli department, was pulled away from its original location wrapping around the produce department. This created a "grand court" featuring these service counters working in tandem with buffet bars and other grab-and-go selections. The design was minimized within the 2009 remodel, leaving behind a curious backroom area (where the cheese and olive bars would once be located). This is something I have photographed before over on Flickr, and will be revisiting during this series.

Now looking towards the front end, we see the last days of the pharmacy operation in this store. The bulk of large item pallets are an unrelated, yet ominous telltale sign of what's on the horizon.

Both the pharmacy and bank spaces were introduced to this store in 1999, around the time of SuperValu's acquisition of Richfood (who then owned Shoppers). Both additions helped shape Shoppers into a conventional grocer, separating themselves from their traditional discount warehouse mantra. Prior to the introduction of these departments, this space would have likely belonged to bread or wine products (common in this portion of the salesfloor at the time).

M&T Bank quietly "withdrew" their service banking operations from most Shoppers stores in 2012, however remaining stores continue to feature ATMs managed by the firm. Since then, the space became an employee break room, with the pharmacy decor having been extended down the wall.

Completing today's store tour, I present to you with an idyllic look at Shoppers aisles and endcaps, as viewed from the front end. Whether you're looking to grab some milk and go, browse gift cards, or prepare for a banana and Nilla Wafer treat - you've got it all within the bounds of this photo.
On the right side of the image, one may also see the International Foods section and the Kitchen Shop, a new department introduced with the 2016 remodel.

Part 2 continues right where we left off, with more supplemental views of the store as well as the aftermath of the pharmacy closing. Till then, don't touch that dial!

Food Lion - Manassas, VA: Taking Shape (Part 4)

Welcome back to the Shoppes of Battery Mill! Today, we continue the Food Lion remodel saga, exploring the changes the store has made in the month since I last visited. Lots of interesting things are here to discover, so stay tuned!

Photos taken March 7, 2020

Colors I feel could have been more fitting would have been blue to match the new logo, or at least green as it was upon opening. Nevertheless, it's nice to see Food Lion freshen their stores up.

Before we delve into the store's latest updates, we might want to pick up a store directory - something that'll come in handy as we try to navigate these topsy-turvy aisles and prepare for the final configuration upon completion.

One thing to note here is the spelling - the street, and the city it leads to are spelled Centreville, versus "Centerville" which is seen among several businesses and street signs in the area. Hopefully Food Lion corrects things next time!

This particular shot is rather standard to the prior configuration, sporting unchanged endcaps and plain shelving. As one can see, the only major changes here involve the temporary holiday shelving to the left, and the aisle markers which we will return to in a moment.

A look at the produce department. While the inviting Bloom backgrounds are gone, reduced to a plain cinderblock atmosphere, we can still rejoice in the variety of fruits and vegetables down at our level to keep us enticed.

A closeup of the previous photo, now showing the further progression of the produce wall's makeover. I'm not sure how the produce department is to look now - but I'm hoping those girders are in good condition!

Out with the Bloom swirls, in with a clean and straight blue stripe! This store is certainly getting its lion's share of the new FL style, all alongside a reset aisle catering towards ingredients. Wine products that previously occupied this aisle have been moved across the store. On the flipside, the wooden flooring and spot lighting from Bloom still remain.

Here one can see the last vestiges of the Bloom color scheme along the walls, with a tan color scheme sporting the previous shelving's residue and a brief wooden slatted portion to the left.
A water fountain, once displayed along the slatted sector, has been ironically exchanged for bottled water. Also interestingly, Poland Spring water is generally sold in the Northeastern United States, however it is not uncommon to see their products spill over into Deer Park territory, as seen here.

Shiny new aisle markers for shiny happy shopping purposes! In the past month since my last visit, Food Lion has rolled out their fleet of new aisle signage storewide. I'll say this is certainly a step-up from the previous Bloom aisle markers!

Next we tab over to the heart of the meat/seafood department. While the cases at this time remain original to their previous conditions, most of the change has been occuring along the walls. The slatted Bloom texture is likely returning to a basic drywall as evident by the insulation material. What's interesting to note is that Lowe's, another North Carolina chain, has become a supplier for the store's remodel. I'm not sure if this has appeared elsewhere, but moving on; I'm curious to see how this section will turn out.

Also, something else from this gallery; check out the photo below for a surprise!

Zooming in on the last shot, we can see a hand sanitizer station located conveniently near the store's seafood coolers/employee door. What's unique about this one, though is its' usage of the Bloom logo -
In all, isn't it something we need during this time?

Food Lion unpaved! As shelves and endcaps waltz across the store, either to their new spot or off into the wild yonder, they have left behind no drought of secrets - as seen here. Both a large Bloom tag and unidentified snippings have remained between the endcap base and the adhesive ground. Definitely needs some cleaning, that is, if this is what flooring Food Lion will go with!

This central aisle in the store is likely under major change in regards to shelving and whatnot. While work continues in the backrooms and main floorspace, stock is being held off as this aisle prepares to be reconfigured. This is likely the previous location of books/general merchandise prior to the remodel.

Here's a look down the store's frozen foods aisle, assorted with a random bargain bin and clad with freezers from before the remodel.

One thing to note is that the store's greeting card collection is parked in the far end of the aisle, located on the wooden floor which once teetered on the edge of this section, health & beauty and prepared foods. Quite an interesting move - but we'll have to see if this will be the case or not down the line.

Finishing our photoset for today, we stand along the front endcaps of the store's aisles skirting alongside the prepared foods department. With the coolers separating the aisles removed, cardboard lining the floor and product displays rearranged, it is no wonder this area has been transformed quite a bit. New lighting continues to come into place; while it isn't the simple row lights as before, the change does provide for some creative benefit.

In the background, we see the front end of the store; as of these photos' taking, the store continues to have the old Bloom checklights and blue design.


Given the rush for supplies and health circumstances, this will be my most recent visit for now. Once things ease out, more photos will be on the way with a glimpse at further remodel work. Stay safe y'all, and 'till next time!