Hy-Vee-What's up?
- Thread starter dmclone
- Start date
I was soooo glad when they took that huge bath bomb display out of the main HyVee in Ames. I had to reroute my shopping because just walking past it closed up my airways.
I can do without all the non-grocery stuff like the nail saloon and the DSW they are now putting into some. I worked at the West Lakes Hy-Vee across from the DM Golf and Country club when it opened in 1998 and that at the time was their new "flagship store" much like the Grimes one now is. They had this stupid clothing section called "Reichardt's Express" that was mostly overpriced business clothing that lasted about a year until they closed it and used the space for something else. They told us the concept was they built the store near what at the time was a growing area with a lot of new hotels and business offices and that people may forget something on travel or shop after work or over lunch if they worked in the area. It was a terrible idea, glad they scrapped it because the main guy that ran it said he was lucky to make 1 or 2 sales a day on average.
They must have some data that shows these new non-grocery things they are putting in these new stores or store remodels are generating money I guess. It's sad because when I worked for them in the late 90's and early 2000's as part timer then an intern at the corporate office there was much more focus on customer service and quality and then it seems to turn into more about diversifying into other non-grocery areas or finding cheaper ways to increase profits such as going to more pre-packed meats which for someone that worked in the meat dept part time the quality and consistency of the meat cuts that came pre-packed vs cut and packaged right there at the store was a big drop off IMO. The full time meat cutters would not package a poor looking cut of meat when they would cut up loins but the stuff that came in pre-packed you could tell the place it was packed didn't care about consistency because people would pick over the sad looking cuts and it would wind up getting pulled from the self serve case and ground up eventually before it went bad.
That store is a dumpster fire. One time this elderly guy had gotten into a little fender bender in the parking lot with some other guy. They were partially blocking a lane while they got and looked over the damage.
Some girl in a huge SUV starts screaming at them to get out of the way because it's hard for her to get her Suburban through there. Her husband is in the passenger seat looking embarrassed.
I understand trying the different add-ons at these stores, but their success rate is terrible. Most of the customers knew these strategies would fail right away. Hy-Vee tries these things over and over and they usually fail. It makes me wonder if they are making so much money that they just throw it around at stuff like this because they can.
When I worked at Hy-Vee a hundred years ago, they only made 1% average profit on the things in the aisle (Dry goods). They've been pushing this non foods business forever but it really has never taken off. Hell the east side hy-vee use to have a baseball card shop in it in the early 90's. I'll give credit to hy-vee for trying everything. Movie Rentals, Pizza Shop, Florist, Clothing, etc.
Keep in mind that most of their stores they don't do the crazy ****. They usually just try it at a few stores and see if it sticks.
Keep in mind that most of their stores they don't do the crazy ****. They usually just try it at a few stores and see if it sticks.
One of the strategies that I thought was smart business-wise by hy-vee is their pre-cut fruits and vegetables. People are willing to pay extra for the convenience. I don't pay for that personally because I don't want to pay extra for something I can do myself.
Completely agree.
I hate shopping at Hy-Vee and am so glad we have a simple, little, small-town Fareway to shop at.
As a not very often HyVee shopper, I think their produce is actually really good. Its one of our main reasons why we go there.
We buy the cut up fruits frequently, even with it being expensive.
That is one of the worst designed (as far as room) parking lots ever. And from what I have heard (city council member) they have multiple fender benders every day. Many are when someone in a hurry backs into a vacant parked car (hit and run) and just drives off. My biggest fear is leaving and driving in front of the gas lanes to the east exit. The people who just filled up are not looking at all for cross traffic and just pull out in front of anything.
It takes me 2-3 times longer to shop at Hy-Vee compared to Fareway just due to the size of the stores. I don't like to spend 2 hours shopping for groceries.
That parking lot gives me so much anxiety -- as a driver and an insurance professional.
I would love to have a few glasses of scotch with Ron Pearson and ask him what he thinks of Randy Edeker. He has absolutely ran HyVee into the ground and they have lost their identity that made them a successful store. I know one of the former executives and I can tell you that Edeker is NOT well liked or respected among the old timers...
Sometimes I'll sit in the Ikea parking lot and sell lumber out of the back of my truck.
I moved to Grimes just about 8 years ago and in that time we have got a Menards, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Culvers, Aldi's now a Hy-Vee and Arby's is currently being built. Also 2 Kwik Stars, a Starbucks and a few other various fast food places like Pancheros and BK. I live right down the street from Fareway but we only do incremental shopping there and are main shopping at Hy-Vee so pretty stoked to now have all these major conveniences within a mile or so from our house where used to have to drive to Urbandale and WDM for some of these places.
Hoping we get some chain restaurants are next as there aren't a ton of sit down options in town. Corn Patch is ok, I have heard mixed reviews of the Prime and Crown since it changed over from The Radish. Mustang Grill is OK but its a small seating area. We do have Chicken Coop just down the road on the north side of Urbandale and Food Depot just down the road on 141 so there are some decent local options but no really big mainstream bar and grill type place to go to. It's kind of a tricky spot the town is in because it still has some small town feel to it but with all the new stuff including the big sportsplex that is being built it is losing a bit of that feel with the conveniences being built that everyone has been wanting for years along with the problems those add too.
Hoping we get some chain restaurants are next as there aren't a ton of sit down options in town. Corn Patch is ok, I have heard mixed reviews of the Prime and Crown since it changed over from The Radish. Mustang Grill is OK but its a small seating area. We do have Chicken Coop just down the road on the north side of Urbandale and Food Depot just down the road on 141 so there are some decent local options but no really big mainstream bar and grill type place to go to. It's kind of a tricky spot the town is in because it still has some small town feel to it but with all the new stuff including the big sportsplex that is being built it is losing a bit of that feel with the conveniences being built that everyone has been wanting for years along with the problems those add too.
They sure as hell don't use it to pay their employees a decent wage. Here in Dubuque you see many businesses with signs in the windows advertising starting wage of 13-15 bucks an hour, but Hy-Vee is still starting folks off at 10. One of the stores in town is so desperate for help they hold open interviews several days a week. From my experience in management, they aren't paid very well either until you reach a certain level, and how to reach that level is a complete guessing game, because no clear path or mentorship program exists. A nice grocery store, but a complete joke of a company if you ask me.
