I've got to really like my local F&E, although I really wonder how long it will last given how quiet it is whenever I go there. Apparently, they're opening another in The Mission in SF soon, and have recently opened stores in Walnut Creek and Danville. So it's not just store closures for them.

F&E has become the only thing I like about Modesto, tbh.
If it opens anywhere near my college, I'd be super-mega-more-than happy. Or Dolores Park, for that matter.

So they seem to be making a bit of a recovery then?

I thought Tesco's was "refocusing" by pretty much wiping their hands of the US expedition after the end of year financials.

There is a Fresh and Easy just down the road from us in Vegas and its booming.

But location wise its perfect. Firstly, its next to a retirement complex with golf cart access. Secondly, there are over 50 english families within the same area. I do nearly all my shopping there and don't know how I'll manage if it closed.

But in the next 2 years I know all the english families will be moving, as we are all going back to the UK together, so I'm not sure how it will manage without us all.

The Mission store will be at 23rd/South Van Ness. Kind of a crappy area, but I'm not complaining.

The store locations have been the biggest issue for Fresh and Easy - whoever initially scouted for locations is probably not working there anymore. As less than half are in good locations, these are dragging the profitable stores down. Big store closures make the news and are negative publicity for Fresh and Easy, but in order for the chain to survive I think it's inevitable.

I think they had an interesting - but risky - strategy of placing a lot of stores in marginal areas. Some have worked, some haven't. So the fact that are closing stores isn't necessarily a sign that they are failing, because at the same time they're opening new locations. I guess the positive spin is that they have learned from their mistakes.

That was the point though. They didn't want to be in the biggest, best areas because they didn't want to compete with the stores already there.

They wanted to offer a choice to those who didn't have one.

I think it was the strategy of breaking into the US that was faulty, not the person finding the locations.

Well they're opening a Whole Foods in Savannah and all the yuppies are creaming their jeans.

Reminds me of 'La Salsa' - a 'mexican/southwest' chain along the lines of Chipotle, Baja Fresh, etc. Their food was quite good, but the three stores they opened near me in CA were all in terrible spots for a casual / fast food place - no easy parking. Two are gone, one remains.

Our local one has gone, the location was quite good. Shame as they're pretty good and cheap.

We just went to IKEA today. I really do not like that freakin store....
At the checkout, it is 100% self service, but the system is so bad that they still needed an employee at every checkout So why not just leave them as full service checkouts and it would all go a whole lot faster!!

Got to say the self check at our local HEB isn't too bad.

At the Fresh and Easy I visit, they are so quiet the staff are bored to tears and as soon as you start scanning your purchases, they leap to your assistance and bag everything!

At the IKEA in Phoenix, they have mainly self-service lines, but there are a few 'full service' lines I believe - you choose.

I have to report ... yesterday, I mentioned that their "Shepherd's Pie" was really good. I also had two salads that were good. But tonight, I tried their 'asian style' "Baby Brocolli with Beef" - it was virtually inedible! The beef was tough and hard, with some pieces that just could not be swallowed! Ugh. Oh well, win some, lose some!

I dropped into Ikea the other day -- we were out of coffee! They'd closed all the self-service lines and only had the full ones open. Go figure!

[distribution of wealth rant] I've developed an unreasoning dislike of self-service lines. Not because I mind doing my own check out, but because I hate these big stores doing everything they can to do away with employees when people need jobs. [/distribution of wealth rant]