Albertsons Opens Flagship Store in Idaho; Introduces Culinary Classes, Events, and a Restaurant-Style Food Court to the Grocery Mix
BOISE, ID - Opening the first store of its kind in the Hawkeye State, Albertsons is trying on a new look for its retail locations. The chain is testing the waters with a new, luxury-focused format that focuses on fresh produce and meats, breads and cakes, and Asian fruits like dragon fruit and jackfruit.
The location opened Friday, July 20th at 1219 Broadway Ave., in Boise, Idaho. To put it simply, this store puts fresh front and center in new and unique ways.
“This store is everything we talked about and more,” President of Albertsons Intermountain Division John Colgrove shared, according to the Idaho Statesman. “If you’re looking for basic items, this might not be the store for you. But if you get excited about food preparation and want to find things that aren’t in every other store, this is the place for you.”
The chain is testing this location to see if it will implement the approach in other stores. After an Albertsons that was located across the parking lot from the new location was torn down—having served the community from 1959 to last April—the chain focused on its fresh take on grocery service, as it created the two-story, $7.2 million building. The goal at the new location is to hone in on new, foodie-focused goods.
The second story provides dining space and high-end perishables, the news source relays, putting the chain in the same playing field as Whole Foods, a competitor that sits just three-fourths of a mile away on Broadway. To bring in more excitement, the location will host local bands to entertain customers in the dining space upstairs. In addition to the upstairs, there will also be a deck on the north side, where customers can purchase a meal and eat it right there, restaurant-style.
“We’re at the cutting edge of innovation,” Colgrove said. “When we talk about how important this is, it’s really important to leap forward, to always find new ways to satisfy our customers’ needs.”
The company will also provide plant-based prepared meals from Plated at the location, since Albertsons purchased the meal-kit provider last year. Six other Boise Albertsons stores also recently began to sell Plated options.
How will this new take on retail change the way shoppers look for fresh produce and more? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated as the industry continues to evolve.
