Hy-Vee Dollar Fresh

peteypie

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I suppose that makes sense. I've heard but haven't had confirmed from a credible source that these will have meat depts and pharmacies, but not food service, ie market grille, Chinese, Italian, hickory house etc
I know the one in cresco will have meat, but pre-packaged meat, not a meat counter or pharmacy yet. I assume they would all be the same
 
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Isualum13

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Is it failing? What measure are you using to say they swung and missed? It might be, I have no idea. I didn't say every attempt at a new idea to expand the brand is going to be a winner.
When I was in school at ISU, I worked at the west hy vee, and when I started there, they had an optical department. One of two hy vee locations that had one. They did a small rollout to see if it would be worth expanding. It wasn't, and they kept the two until remodels happenned. It was the first thing to go when they started the remodel in ames. Not sure if the other one is still a thing.
I was surprised they didnt test the water in a similar way with the market grill, but they just did a big ol' cannonball into that venture. As has been mentioned, many have rebrands to market grill express with a limited menu, bar, and dining area for the food bought at the various departments.
 

Farnsworth

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Well, maybe that's what the word "Dollar" in the name is meant to do - manage people's expectations. People already have associations with it. I don't think most dollar stores are known for their high quality or fresh food so this is a pretty low bar to clear for HyVee.

Disagree.

Yes the whole reason of a sub-brand is to manage the expectations. However from a branding/marketing standpoint there is a huge difference between managing expectations due to limited services/amenities vs. overall quality.

These stores will have less services, but Hy-Vee is not lowering prices on anything that they are offering. You already making the assumption that they are comparing them stuff to dollar stores makes my point, they aren't going to offer exclusive off brands (aka the hy-vee) and ignore name brands for the most part.

I've worked in hospitality on the corporate level for a long time and there is so much that goes into the branding of things, hotels are similar. You can have an offshoot of your flagship brand that has less amenities, but the quality of everything else should stay the same. If it's lower quality, you normally give it it's own brand name.
 

Gonzo

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Mar 10, 2009
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Most Market Grille's I've seen look like a ghost town. Grandpa and Grandma's out there got pissed that the regular cafe's (where they didn't have to tip) got taken away from them.

I know the old timers were pissed big time, I see a lot of them now having their coffee and morning rap sessions at Casey's.
 

Farnsworth

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The clothing is weird but not as annoying as the bath bomb area.

South Ankeny still has one and I've never seen anyone in there, ever. Give us that space back as they started limiting brands that we liked as options for other things to clear up room for these stupid things.
 

Gonzo

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When I was in school at ISU, I worked at the west hy vee, and when I started there, they had an optical department. One of two hy vee locations that had one. They did a small rollout to see if it would be worth expanding. It wasn't, and they kept the two until remodels happenned. It was the first thing to go when they started the remodel in ames. Not sure if the other one is still a thing.
I was surprised they didnt test the water in a similar way with the market grill, but they just did a big ol' cannonball into that venture. As has been mentioned, many have rebrands to market grill express with a limited menu, bar, and dining area for the food bought at the various departments.

Market Grille is just the latest evolution of what they've already had for a long time, which is some form of restaurant operation. I don't eat there, but I don't see Hy Vee backing that down anytime soon.
 

Trice

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Apr 1, 2010
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Disagree.

Yes the whole reason of a sub-brand is to manage the expectations. However from a branding/marketing standpoint there is a huge difference between managing expectations due to limited services/amenities vs. overall quality.

These stores will have less services, but Hy-Vee is not lowering prices on anything that they are offering. You already making the assumption that they are comparing them stuff to dollar stores makes my point, they aren't going to offer exclusive off brands (aka the hy-vee) and ignore name brands for the most part.

I've worked in hospitality on the corporate level for a long time and there is so much that goes into the branding of things, hotels are similar. You can have an offshoot of your flagship brand that has less amenities, but the quality of everything else should stay the same. If it's lower quality, you normally give it it's own brand name.

I'm quite familiar with brand management, thanks. And as I've stated quite clearly I'm just speculating on what they might be attempting to do.

In any event, one could be forgiven for not understanding exactly what HyVee is trying to accomplish with the various brands it has launched under its umbrella, because I'm not at all convinced that HyVee understands either.
 

baller21

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South Ankeny still has one and I've never seen anyone in there, ever. Give us that space back as they started limiting brands that we liked as options for other things to clear up room for these stupid things.

Ive eaten there several times and there’s always been other people in there. The tap selection was probably the best part about it to me. There are other tables just outside the market grill where people can sit and eat too so it’s not like the old timers don’t still have a place.

Im talking about the new HyVee. Not sure if that’s the one you meant.
 
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Farnsworth

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some more detail, including updates on the Helpful Smile:

https://www.perishablenews.com/reta...llar-fresh-locations-to-six-iowa-communities/


I think a big part of these is also they took over the pharmacy services that ShopKo stores had - but more like a "small HyVee" with a pharmacy, instead of the old HyVee Drugstores that were like a weird useless Hallmark+Walgreens


I'm quite familiar with brand management, thanks. And as I've stated quite clearly I'm just speculating on what they might be attempting to do.

In any event, one could be forgiven for not understanding exactly what HyVee is trying to accomplish with the various brands it has launched under its umbrella, because I'm not at all convinced that HyVee understands either.

I'm with you there man. They seem to move too fast without little thought when it comes to these branding moves. It's like they are working in an agile environment, however I'm not sure that works with brick and mortar.

The link above does provide some insight to the new brand, and the branding makes more sense, but it's a bit of a lie. These will be a lot cheaper to operate as the only staff you need that isn't typical is bakery. The ready to eat meals will just be shipped in from bigger stores. A lot of Hy-Vee's already have value walls or whatever was mentioned in the article. Our first 2 aisles in my small hy-vee in 2000 were value/deal walls.
 

Farnsworth

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Apr 11, 2006
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Ive eaten there several times and there’s always been other people in there. The tap selection was probably the best part about it to me. There are other tables just outside the market grill where people can sit and eat too so it’s not like the old timers don’t still have a place.

Im talking about the new HyVee. Not sure if that’s the one you meant.

You ate in the bath bomb area? Maybe you were hallucinating people. :)

Yes we are talking about the same Hy-Vee, I was quoting about the bath and body works type area, not Market Grill. Market Grill at that store actually seems popular.
 

VeloClone

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Jan 19, 2010
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some more detail, including updates on the Helpful Smile:

https://www.perishablenews.com/reta...llar-fresh-locations-to-six-iowa-communities/


I think a big part of these is also they took over the pharmacy services that ShopKo stores had - but more like a "small HyVee" with a pharmacy, instead of the old HyVee Drugstores that were like a weird useless Hallmark+Walgreens
Thanks for the info. So the helpful smiles will now only be available at the Dollar Fresh stores...
 
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JP4CY

I'm Mike Jones
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Ive eaten there several times and there’s always been other people in there. The tap selection was probably the best part about it to me. There are other tables just outside the market grill where people can sit and eat too so it’s not like the old timers don’t still have a place.

Im talking about the new HyVee. Not sure if that’s the one you meant.
Can the old timers get their own soda/coffee if they sit outside the grille? Serious question, I don't know.
 

IcSyU

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Nov 27, 2007
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I keep the Market Grille in business in the store closest to our house. They have changed offerings a few times (brunch, then no brunch, then no omelette station at brunch, etc.)

Joe Fresh though.....that **** needs to go away.
 

baller21

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You ate in the bath bomb area? Maybe you were hallucinating people. :)

Yes we are talking about the same Hy-Vee, I was quoting about the bath and body works type area, not Market Grill. Market Grill at that store actually seems popular.

Ahh thought you were talking about the MG. Yeah that bath bomb area is usually a ghost town.
 

ScottyP

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I keep the Market Grille in business in the store closest to our house. They have changed offerings a few times (brunch, then no brunch, then no omelette station at brunch, etc.)

Joe Fresh though.....that **** needs to go away.
Who is Joe Fresh?
 

baller21

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Mar 15, 2009
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Can the old timers get their own soda/coffee if they sit outside the grille? Serious question, I don't know.

Im not sure. Haven’t sat out there or noticed if there’s a refill station or not.
 

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