Steerpike

I was in the "Fresh and Easy' store in Scottsdale, AZ yesterday (Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd at Via Linda) and noticed the store had been re-arranged since the last time I was there (December), and had a big sign announcing new hours - closing at midnight (up from 8pm) which surprised me since I know F&E is being dumped by Tesco.

I asked one of the workers if they knew what was happening (same question in December yielded little info). To my surprise, she said the store was staying, and it would continue to sell 'Fresh and Easy' branded products. She said it had been bought by 'Yucaipa', and (I think she said ...) it would be re-named 'Wild Oats'. 'Wild Oats' was a grocery chain I remember being around when I first started working in AZ in 2009, but it was taken over by Whole Foods. She said 'most' of the stores in AZ, CO, and CA would be part of this transition.

When I got home I googled and found this article ... which pretty much confirmed what she said.

I'm not a huge fan of the F&E stores myself (though they do have one or two things I like occasionally, like their Shepherd's Pie!), but I know several others on this site like them so this should be good news.

Pulaski

I assume you've been living under a rock for the past four months!

AdobePinon

So, just skip forward a few years and rename it 'Whole Foods'. Again.

Steerpike

I was aware of the sale/purchase announcement ("150 out of 200 stores") in that thread, but I could never get any specific info on any of the stores I visit as recently as December. I was also unaware of the 'Wild Oats' relationship ('Yukaipa' meant nothing to me).
I have asked store workers in several stores if they knew what was going on but no one seemed willing or able to comment until recently. In retrospect, it would seem, if any store was still open as recently as December, it was one of the surviving 150 ...

S Folinsky

Here is the current website.

Did some party shopping just before Thanksgiving and the change was imminent and the employees knew about it.

Mallory

Shepherd's pie is incredibly easy to make. Home cooked is much better, "fresher and easier."

Pulaski

Didn't you notice the "♂" next to his User Name?

Steerpike

I am happy to report that I am finally starting to cook again after a several-decade absence! Both my g/f and I have been 'workaholics' for the past few decades, and cooking just wasn't part of the equation. I've recently 'retired', however, and am now re-acquainting myself with the kitchen. I'm currently focusing on things like grilled salmon, grilled veggies, etc ... but may try a shepherds pie at some point ... but the one from F&E is SO cheap, and SO good ...

Uncle_Bob

Its will be interesting to see what Yucaipa have in mind for the stores. They'll change for sure because they are failures now.
I never liked Fresh and Easy, i just used it to get some canned/bottled english items. The fruit and veg was never that fresh and you have to buy everything in packs. You couldn't just buy one avocado you had to buy a pack of six, more like costco. And my pack of 6 all turned out to be rotten inside.
The prepared entries where horrible and very bland compared to the ones regular supermarkets seem to be doing more of. Also the breads were not very fresh and their British back bacon was uncured only. On top of that the stores were kind of depressing and often located in semi run down plazas near lower end apartment buildings.

I used the one on 35th and Greenway in Phoenix, its the only time I've ever actually witness someone do a beer run.

Mallory