Grocery stores do that on purpose, they know that if you are coming in for a gallon milk, chances are you need something else. The milk section at the Dahls in Ankeny is at the back of the store as well.
You guys would surely FLUNK Grocery store layout design 101. Store are set up with most coolers on the perimeter of the stores as is the freezers usually and meat departments simply because of the refrigeration needs and delivery needs. Frozen foods are usually in the last aisle before you check out so your frozen stays frozen longer before you leave the store. Having grown up in and making the grocery business my career after ISU, I am always amused by the internet articles complaining about the great grocery store conspiracies perpetrated on the shopping public. 99% of the stories are trash created by really stupid people. Sure some chains have been really bad in the past, as I remember finding ketsup in one aisle and mustard in a differnt aisle in a Hinky Dinky grocery store around 40 yrs ago in Des Moines. Needless to say HD followed Safeway in vanishing from the Midwest in late 70's. Thee were really bad retailers for customers and Safeway more so for vendor fraud as I saw it then. Most people just believe the crap stories about prodict placement and store layout because they are too lazy to look at the stores layout and analyse why produce is usualy the first department you see and frozen is the last department you visit before checkout and the milk and meat coolers in between. Just use your head. Having called on Dahl's headquarters back when WT Dahl was still involved in the chain, their time has passed. Stores on Hubbell, se14th and a large new store at NW corner of 35th & University were all torn down Their claim of lower prices and greater selection because they didn't carry the expense of advertising is long gone. Most advertising costs today and back then were carried by the vendors wanting their items in the corporate ads now set up at HyVee or Fareway headquarters. Long gone are Acri wholesale, Associated Grocers coop, Super Valu headquarters in Iowa, Nash Finch variety of stores out of Cedar Rapids, M & JR Hakes in Laurens, Eagle Stores, and Farmhouse foods in the Quad Cities, and on and on.
The grocery business has been bastardized by every and all gas station convience stores, Menards and other home improvement outlets, drugstore chains, Walmart, Kmart and Target stores.
I am waiting for a Younkers to start selling produce, bread, meat and ice cream soon all in the name of one stop shopping.
HyVee tried to sell high end mens clothing at the old 86th & Douglas store around 15 yrs ago and failed miserably. Do you want to admit that you bought your $400 leather coat at Hyvee? so sometimes even HyVee fails to understand the art of selling groceries and the mix. It's all about image and price. HyVee is upscale and trendy selection and Fareway is about basics, staples and lower prices. Dahl's is now on the outside, looking in the windows of the other two, waiting to disappear.
Here ends the rant
