There's some mourning among Waukegan grocery shoppers after they learned Friday the Pick 'n Save in the Lake Plaza on Belvidere Road will be closing next month. That would be the four who actually shopped there.
The store's manager, citing "very high operation costs," said Milwaukee-based Roundy's has decided to pack it and close the last Pick 'n Save in Lake County.
Why did it fail? Perhaps because of the Super Wal-Mart at Fountain Square?
How about maybe because they didn't advertise in The News-Sun. That's right, at least two of the four shoppers read The News-Sun and always wanted to know where the Pick 'n Save flier was.
The grocery business is a cutthroat operation and this should be a warning to other supermarkets: Advertise in The News-Sun or die.
The 72 employees are expected to land jobs with the parent organization. That's the good news. The bad news: Another grocery store leaves the city. But then, so did Kroger, A&P and Dominick's.
Pic'n'Save is closing due to poor managerial decisions as well as some of the worst customer service in Lake County. Super Wal-Mart being built in Waukegan is just a scapegoat for the declining sales of the hillbilly mega store. I strongly do believe that a substantial tax break was given and the time bases has run out so once again Waukegan has another vacany building.
THE HOUND SAYS: Whoa, "Hillbilly mega store"! Them's fightin' words in Winthrop Harbor! Come on, hillbilly mega stores are fireworks outlets in Tennesee. Seriously, hillbillies have to eat, too. You are correct about the tax break, but Target at Lewis and Yorkhouse received the same one and they don't appear to be going anywhere. I agree it was poor management --- they didn't advertise in The News-Sun.
How about Cub Foods? Did they get a tax break? Did they advertise in the News-Sun? I don't think Wal-Mart could get more hillbilly than it is, but who cares anyway? I want a clean, well-stocked store with some extras thrown in and you can't get that at any warehouse store. You get what you pay for.
Waukegan gave up on the other stores when it allowed Wal-Mart to open at Fountain Square. What we need is a Woodman's in our neck of the woods. A step above other mega grocery stores, but clean and has lots of variety. Have checked out Gurnee or Waukegan's Wal-Mart? It almost always is the pits!
THE HOUND SAYS: Okie, all three Cub Foods stores in Lake County closed late last year as the grocery chain, which billed itself as the low price leader, exited the market. Why? Because they saw Wal-Mart on the horizon and they didn't advertise in The News-Sun. Woodman's? It is in the area --- Kenosha. Folks we've talked to say it's worse than Wal-Mart! Plus, your sales tax dollar goes to Wisconsin, not Illinois. If you want "a clean, well-stocked store with some extras thrown in" we suggest Sunset Foods in Libertyville or Lake Forest. Now those are grocery stores.
Although Wal-Mart and the other new Super-Mercados opening around town provide better produce and some lower prices, Pick 'n Save was a good local neighborhood supermarket that was clean, convenient and friendly. It is a shame that these other places will undercut prices so low that a regular store cannot compete. While it may seem like a win to the consumer in the short-run, the community will suffer with ANOTHER empty building where business once thrived.
THE HOUND SAYS: JD, why do you assume it will be empty? Something may move in there or, maybe like Jewel, they have non-compete clauses. That's why the old Jewel at Lewis Avenue and Golf/Sunset in Waukegan remained vacant. They pay not to have competition in there.
I shopped every week at the waukegan Pick N Save,
And it was a clean well priced store. The employees were friendly and helpfull . That store had quality Meat and Fresh Produce
Well stocked shelves .. They never were out of stock on advertised items on the first day of the ad like Target and WallMart.Sure we could shop at Sunset the fact is that store still is not as clean or well stocked as the Pick n Save.. I am sorry to see it go
THE HOUND SAYS: Sounds like the store could have used a few thousand shoppers like you!
This Pick N Save has been on the list to be closed for a few years now.
Theft is very high at the Waukegan Location. Would you keep a store open if the local were a bunch of shoplifters?
Jeff
THE HOUND SAYS: Jeff, Jeff. Shoplifters don't stop retailers from staying open. Lack of customers keeps stores from staying open. Most major retailers have what is called "loss prevention" employees who hold shoplifters until police arrive. Most major retailers consider shoplifting as one of the costs of doing business and pass along those costs to the rest of us consumers. Retail theft was not the cause of this store's demise.
It is actually one of the reasons it was closed.
The group of investors (Willis Stein & Partners) bought out Roundy's have planned on cutting the fat. It is not worth keeping a store open if your customers steal from you.
That store sucked anyways. Know one knew how to put the carts back after unloading their grcoeries into their car.
I have been to ones in other locations that appear to hold up better.
Jeff
THE HOUND SAYS: Can't believe there was that much theft which would cause the suits to close it. They just didn't have the traffic. Perhaps they should have held classes for customers on how to return carts to the cart corral.
Classes?
No! Common Sense!
THE HOUND SEZ: Jeff, lighten up. It was a joke