Western Supermarkets: Difference between revisions

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(added former location on Rocky Ridge Road)
(Move to Lane Parke)
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2001 also saw the loss of Western's then most profitable store, in [[Bluff Park]], after the landlord decided not to renew the store's lease. The location had been there since [[1967]].  
2001 also saw the loss of Western's then most profitable store, in [[Bluff Park]], after the landlord decided not to renew the store's lease. The location had been there since [[1967]].  
In [[2016]], the Mountain Brook Village store moved to a new location in the [[Lane Parke]] development.  The original store, opened in [[1959]], closed at the end of the day on [[October 8]] and the ribbon cutting for the new store took place on [[October 13]].  The new store, at 28,300 square feet, is about 5,000 square feet larger than the old one.  The Lane Parke store will offer an expanded deli and meat section, a mezzanine with a dining area, fresh-baked cookies, [[Heavenly Donut Company|Heavenly Donuts]], a growler station with 12 taps, and a small conference room available for community meetings.


== Locations ==
== Locations ==
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* Western Supermarket
* Western Supermarket
** [[Highland Plaza]]: 2230 [[Highland Avenue]], [[Southside]]
** [[Highland Plaza]]: 2230 [[Highland Avenue]], [[Southside]]
** [[Mountain Brook Shopping Center]]: 2717 [[Culver Road]]
** [[Lane Parke]]: 100 [[Jemison Lane]], [[Mountain Brook]] (opened [[2016]])
** [[Vestavia Hills]]: 3350 [[Morgan Drive]], [[Rocky Ridge]]
** [[Vestavia Hills]]: 3350 [[Morgan Drive]], [[Rocky Ridge]]
* Food Depot
* Food Depot
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* [[Trussville]] (5960 [[Chalkville Mountain Road]], closed [[2005]])
* [[Trussville]] (5960 [[Chalkville Mountain Road]], closed [[2005]])
* [[Vestavia Hills Shopping Center]] (652 [[Montgomery Highway (Vestavia Hills)|Montgomery Highway]])
* [[Vestavia Hills Shopping Center]] (652 [[Montgomery Highway (Vestavia Hills)|Montgomery Highway]])
* [[Mountain Brook Shopping Center]] (2717 [[Culver Road]], [[1959]]–[[2016]]), relocated


== External links ==
== External links ==
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* Hubbard, Russell (May 31, 2009) "Birmingham Western Supermarkets CEO Ken Hubbard says local flavor still works as larger rivals knock each other off." {{BN}}
* Hubbard, Russell (May 31, 2009) "Birmingham Western Supermarkets CEO Ken Hubbard says local flavor still works as larger rivals knock each other off." {{BN}}
* Smith, Adam (June 17, 2009) "[http://www.njeffersonnews.com/news/local_news/store-has-new-name-new-look/article_d5ff5885-09a5-5575-bdf6-0192f58db778.html Store has new name, new look]." {{NJN}}
* Smith, Adam (June 17, 2009) "[http://www.njeffersonnews.com/news/local_news/store-has-new-name-new-look/article_d5ff5885-09a5-5575-bdf6-0192f58db778.html Store has new name, new look]." {{NJN}}
* Poe, Kelly (October 7, 2016) "Mountain Brook Western Market announces grand opening." <!-- http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2016/10/mountain_brook_western_market.html --> {{BN}}


[[Category:Grocery stores]]
[[Category:Grocery stores]]
[[Category:Highland Plaza]]
[[Category:Highland Plaza]]

Revision as of 08:40, 8 October 2016

File:Western logo.jpg

Western Supermarkets is Birmingham's largest locally-owned grocery store chain. Currently, Western Supermarkets, Inc. operates stores under the Western Supermarket, FoodSmart by Western, and The Village Market brands. The corporate headquarters is located at 2614 19th Street South in Homewood.

Western Supermarket was founded in 1948 by Inos Allen Heard and Stewart Yerton with the opening of a store in Five Points West. In 1987, Ken Hubbard and Ed Goodwin bought the company from Heard. Hubbard is currently the sole owner and CEO of the company. Darwin Metcalf, previously manager of the Mountain Brook Village store, is president and chief operating officer.

In 1998, Western was the number three grocery chain in Birmingham.

In 2001, in an effort to compete against the many larger grocery chains, Western began tailoring each location to its area. This began with the renaming of the Festival Center location in Eastwood to FoodSmart by Western. The store's floral, seafood and deli departments were removed while a "Dollar Smart" section featuring items priced at $1 or less was added. Other examples of this local tailoring are the Mountain Brook store's extensive wine shop and the Highland Avenue location's large, "New York style" deli. Despite these adaptations, Publix surpassed Western as the number five grocery chain in Birmingham in 2003.

2001 also saw the loss of Western's then most profitable store, in Bluff Park, after the landlord decided not to renew the store's lease. The location had been there since 1967.

In 2016, the Mountain Brook Village store moved to a new location in the Lane Parke development. The original store, opened in 1959, closed at the end of the day on October 8 and the ribbon cutting for the new store took place on October 13. The new store, at 28,300 square feet, is about 5,000 square feet larger than the old one. The Lane Parke store will offer an expanded deli and meat section, a mezzanine with a dining area, fresh-baked cookies, Heavenly Donuts, a growler station with 12 taps, and a small conference room available for community meetings.

Locations

Current locations

The Highland Plaza store in March 2006

Former locations

External links

References

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