The Save-a-Lot grocery chain has succeeded by going into urban and rural low-income areas that other chains have shied away from.
While other large grocers like Albertson's have been forced by the recession to scale back, Save-a-Lot has been aggressively expanding. The company has strategically adapted empty big box stores, usually pairing up with another value-oriented retailer to split the large spaces.
"At the moment, it's possible to lease empty boxes at a 20 percent to 30 percent discount compared to their average rent in 2007, says [Scott Corbin, director-retail services with Colliers International]. In addition to being able to fill a vacancy, landlords are happy to bring in a supermarket tenant with good credit, he notes."
Read the full story: Save-a-Lot Grows By Targeting Low-Income Neighborhoods.
Traditional Retail is Hanging by a Thread. What Now for Cities?
After Kaid Benfield paints a rather grim retail outlook — where even retail bastions like San Diego are going dark — he suggests a series of actions for city leaders and planners.
January Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
How a tidal wave of potential changes at the federal level could throw many programs planners depend on into chaos, a roundup of last year’s zoning stories, and the continuing ripple effects of a landmark Supreme Court case.
DC Announces ‘Office to Anything’ Adaptive Reuse Program
The program complements an existing residential conversion initiative and could yield up to 2.5 million square feet of new commercial space.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Los Angeles just elected an urban planner as its mayor
Transportation analysts are optimistic that Raman will be more aggressive in addressing transit issues than Bass.
Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax survives legal challenge
A panel of judges found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate injury as a result of New York City's implementation of the tax.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority