Hiller's Selling Out to Kroger

[Hypestyles]

Is Hiller's completely out or are they retaining some outlets?

[detroitbob]

Is Hiller's completely out or are they retaining some outlets?

complete sell out and I'll bet there is a no compete clause in the sale prohibiting Hiller and his son from opening a grocery operation for xxx years. When Merchant of Vino sold to Whole Foods I believe they had a 5 year no compete hence the lag time in opening Plum Markets. And if Kroger sells off or closes any of the Hillers, there will probably be a similar lease clause prohibiting a grocery operation reopening for xxx years. When Kroger closed the Colson/Schaefer store it was empty for about 5 years until Dearborn Fresh was finally opened.

[gazhekwe]

OH, NO! Well, I don't shop there because there are none close, but they always had such a wonderful selection. I shop at Holiday, which fortunately has great selections as well, but I will miss the availability of Hiller's if I feel like taking a ride. I pass Kroger's to go to Holiday. Last time I went to Kroger's the cashier was crabby as all get out. Who needs that? I was sorry she was having a horrible day, but I didn't need to be burdened with it.

[rex]

im told they had a good meat counter. I wouldnt know but thats what ive heard. I thought Hillers was a lot more expensive for many things but they carried some items i like that i couldnt find elsewhere. I do most of my shopping at trader joes now

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Speaking of Trader Joes, does anyone know where another one is located near the one they closed at Orchard Lake and 14 Mile? I believe that one closed because of the monstrous roundabout being installed there.

[rex]

Speaking of Trader Joes, does anyone know where another one is located near the one they closed at Orchard Lake and 14 Mile? I believe that one closed because of the monstrous roundabout being installed there.

there isnt one. 6 mile in Livonia or Woodward & [[13?) are your best bet if the orchard lake location was your go to

[Malcove Magnesia]

Yeah, I was surprised that busy Trader Joes closed. I believe the one that replaces it is the relatively new store on SB Telegraph just past Maple.

[Now&then]

I think it's unfair that Hiller's employees were told they would have opportunities with Kroger's, but they end up losing their jobs and told they have to take their chances like everyone else with re-applying through Kroger's.

[MizMotown]

I think it's unfair that Hiller's employees were told they would have opportunities with Kroger's, but they end up losing their jobs and told they have to take their chances like everyone else with re-applying through Kroger's.

Well, I wish them luck. Kroger starts at about 8.15 per hour, part-time. No perks, no nothing but a 10% discount on Kroger products only. Even tho their little grocery union is more for the full-time, management positions I hear they are trying to bust the heck out of that also according to letters that went out.

[gameguy56]

Well, I wish them luck. Kroger starts at about 8.15 per hour, part-time. No perks, no nothing but a 10% discount on Kroger products only. Even tho their little grocery union is more for the full-time, management positions I hear they are trying to bust the heck out of that also according to letters that went out.

aren't kroger and hillers employees represented by the same union?

[Downriviera]

I worked on the night crew at Kroger and several other chains when I was in college in the late 70's. Back then we made the same money as the auto plant workers. I feel bad for the Hiller's employees.

[preserve]

Having to reapply for a new owner isn't out of the ordinary. I worked for a company that got bought out 3 times and each time, we had to reapply with the new owner. Everyone kept their same job, same desk, etc. When you think about Kroger, and all their stores and realize they don't have one in the city of Detroit??? Boo

[313WX]

When you think about Kroger, and all their stores and realize they don't have one in the city of Detroit??? Boo

They did, at 7 Mile and Gratiot.

Detroiters chased them out and traumatized them enough to rule out any further investment by Kroger in the city.

[G-DDT]

Traumatized? Take a trip down to Cincinnati and see the original Kroger's on Vine St. [[just a few blocks down from the Kroger's skyscraper HQ). It's a dump! They have two security guards working in there up front, and I think they only carry three brands of bread [[Wonder and Bunny being two of them). It's all located in the Over-the-Rhine area [[equivocal to the Cass Corridor). I never saw openly aggressive corner drug pushers all my life in Detroit until I found myself around Finley Market and Race St. area of the OTR. My feelings are-if they can keep that one on Vine St. open, why not in the D?

[Jimaz]

... Take a trip down to Cincinnati and see the original Kroger's on Vine St....

Google Street View

[Bham1982]

Traumatized? Take a trip down to Cincinnati and see the original Kroger's on Vine St. [[just a few blocks down from the Kroger's skyscraper HQ). It's a dump! They have two security guards working in there up front, and I think they only carry three brands of bread [[Wonder and Bunny being two of them). It's all located in the Over-the-Rhine area [[equivocal to the Cass Corridor). I never saw openly aggressive corner drug pushers all my life in Detroit until I found myself around Finley Market and Race St. area of the OTR. My feelings are-if they can keep that one on Vine St. open, why not in the D?

Kind of an odd argument, but if you want poorly run ghetto grocers, you don't need to travel to Cincy. Detroit and the region have more than their fair share.

[G-DDT]

It's not an odd argument. I'm offering a critical comparative to what the rationale is behind Kroger avoiding Detroit like the measles. Farmer Jacks wasn't afraid to have locations in Hamtramck and around Lafayette. Yet, Kroger has to be like 7-11 and stick with suburban locations while, I guess, being intimidated by the "ghetto" reputation of another city.

As I said, that location is a dump in a neighborhood just as bad as what Detroit has to offer [[maybe evenly more foolish in it's aggression-each time I've passed through OTR I've witnessed atrocity. It was at that particular Kroger's I went to pick up a Western Union-I think-and outside a shirtless man was having a fight with his woman. She made the wrong comment, and he starts rearing up with "You did not say that! You did not say that!" with a beefy fist raised. She yells "No No No!" just as she gets blasted in the face, and I'm across the street yelling "Yo! No! Stop!" He spins around darts a finger at me and says "You're next!", at which point, she's grabbing his arm and yelling "No!" to keep him from making a bigger mistake to a stranger. I hightailed out of their quickly and told a cop-who could give a sh*t).

Thanks, Jimaz, that's the place. Just pivot right, head down Vine past the mural dedicated to the late Buddy Gray, and get to Central Pkwy. There is the Kroger skyscraper right across from the Cincinnatus mural [[yet, I don't have to tell you which mural I prefer of the two).

[Pam]

Just heard an ad on the radio that some items are already getting marked down at Hiller's.

[Bham1982]

It's not an odd argument. I'm offering a critical comparative to what the rationale is behind Kroger avoiding Detroit like the measles. Farmer Jacks wasn't afraid to have locations in Hamtramck and around Lafayette. Yet, Kroger has to be like 7-11 and stick with suburban locations while, I guess, being intimidated by the "ghetto" reputation of another city.

So you are saying that you want Kroger to start opening tiny rundown ghetto stores in Detroit, because they happen to have one tiny rundown ghetto store in Cincy? Sounds like an odd argument to me.

If you're asking why they have that specific dump of a store, it's probably because the Kroger World HQ is like two blocks away. That's probably the original Kroger, as it's like 1/10 the size of a normal Kroger, and looks straight out the the 1940's or something.

[G-DDT]

>sigh< no, it's a matter of reasonable degrees of comparison. If they can have that one in OTR open, there is no reason they can't have a Kroger's anywhere within Detroit city limits [[heck, they can be like Shaws/Star Market did with the Prudential Center in Boston and open one inside the Fisher Building Complex or the Renaissance Center for all I care). It's not about being "ghetto". If they were too "traumatized" away from Detroit being too "scarey" for them, I found OTR worse. That is all I got to say about the matter.

[ABetterDetroit]

Google Street View

Cool neighborhood with very impressive architecture. The new buildings fit very well with the old. Just traveling those adjacent blocks makes me sad for what we have already lost. At the same time, it makes me think that it is critical to keep moving forward. Other cities in America don't sit around crying over spilled milk and pointing fingers. That attitude is a metro Detroit thing and we can't afford to do it through another economic expansion again, like we have repeatedly in the past.

Thanks for the link to the street view Jimaz.

[313WX]

So you are saying that you want Kroger to start opening tiny rundown ghetto stores in Detroit, because they happen to have one tiny rundown ghetto store in Cincy? Sounds like an odd argument to me.

If you're asking why they have that specific dump of a store, it's probably because the Kroger World HQ is like two blocks away. That's probably the original Kroger, as it's like 1/10 the size of a normal Kroger, and looks straight out the the 1940's or something.

Besides everything you've said, they're probably keeping the Cincy store open purely for sentimental value. One could argue Farmer Jack did the same in its later years, which probably ultimately led to its death, since it was originally a Detroit-based chain.

[Jimaz]

... Thanks for the link to the street view Jimaz.

You are most welcome, ABetterDetroit. May your acknowledgement inspire others as well.

We can all contribute in all our little ways.

It all builds up like Stone soup.

[Don K]

KROGER has indicated they will keep ethnic/special products and it makes sense, especially the many Kosher lines. Apparently they seem to be learning from the "acquisitions" like Teeter Harris Stores which also had developed "niche" bases

Although I don't shop at Kroger's with any regularity, I have noticed some tailoring to the market area, especially in Dearborn area due to the large Arabic population

If they're smart they'll keep the kosher and wide array of ethnic foods, otherwise they'll have a lot of really pissed-off Jewish and Japanese housewives. Earlier this week I was in the Commerce Hillers and a woman checking out the kosher foods with her husband said, "If Kroger gets rid of the kosher section, nobody will shop here anymore!"

[Don K]

I did my usual weekly shopping at Hillers yesterday, and there were lots of items on sale with red tags saying "Last Chance!" Many were the Hillers "store brand" "Our Family", but others were like the 50th variety of vinegar or the 30th type of mustard, or various regional items from around the U.S., and ethnic foods such as frozen potstickers, shumai, and the more unusual Japanese ingredients. I figured these were the items Kroger told Hillers to unload before the purchase. They also were completely out of some items that they had never run out of before in my experience.

I figured it was a preview of what I won't be able to find after the takeover.