Retail Hotspots: Which Regions do America's Retailers Dominate?


Wed. June 4th, 2014 - by Jordan Okumura-Wright

<p>Check this out – the stomping grounds of America’s supermarket chains. These maps not only show you how national retailers like Wal-Mart compare to smaller, regional stores like Stop &amp; Shop and Weis Markets, but also which regions they lay the most stake.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">These overview images from Big Think shows you how various retailers compare in regions across the U.S. <B>For larger images of each individual retailer, scroll down and click on the links below their name.</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14344342482" target="_new"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/hotsop_june_2014_body_01.jpg" alt="cropped_image_060514" /></a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14344342482" target="_new"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/hotsop_june_2014_body_02.jpg" alt="cropped_image_060514" /></a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Kroger</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Kroger is one chain with a clear domain. They have made their way down to big Texas cities and east to Atlanta.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14345865155/" target="_new"> Kroger Map </a> For a map highlighting the more extensive scope of Kroger's additional banners...<a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/albertsons_safeway_kroger_mar_2014_body02.jpg" target="_new">Please click here.</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Safeway</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Safeway is a western chain that just happens to have a big concentration in and around Washington DC. They’ll make a good addition when Albertsons and Safeway merge.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159205699/" target="_new"> Safeway Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Wal-Mart</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>There are 4,777 Wal-Mart stores in the US which makes Wal-Mart is a good indicator for overall population density.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159208508/ target="_new"> Wal-Mart Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Sam’s Club</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Sam’s Club is owned by Wal-Mart and named after its founder, Samuel Walton. These membership-only retail warehouse clubs have nationwide reach.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159266990/" target="_new"> Sam’s Club Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Target</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Target is the largest discount retailer in the US except for Wal-Mart. They are clustered around big metropolitan areas, but aren’t very prevalent elsewhere.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159265780/" target="_new"> Target Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Whole Foods</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Whole Foods locations are spattered throughout the U.S., but the company plans to reach “new and unexpected markets” with smaller and urban stores. In an effort to become more accessible to the masses, it is going for smaller stores in markets such as Brooklyn and Boise, as well as bigger stores in places like Downtown Detroit and Englewood.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159264970/" target="_new"> Whole Foods Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Costco</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Costco is another membership-only retail chain. They are mainly located on the West Coast and the BosWash corridor in the East with a few locations scattered in between. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14366050293/" target="_new"> Costco Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Trader Joe’s</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Trader Joe’s stocks about 4,000 items as opposed to the 50,000 at average grocery stores. Over half of its 400 stores are in California.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14322727876/" target="_new"> Trader Joe’s Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Albertsons</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>This year, Albertsons and Safeway announced their upcoming merger. It might seem strange since they are both West Coast brands, but they will compliment each other. California will have Albertsons in the south and Safeways in the north.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14344258372/" target="_new"> Albertsons Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>H-E-B</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Despite only operating in Texas, H-E-B ranks as America’s 12th largest private company. Its mascot is H-E-Biddy, a life-sized grocery bag.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14342526621/" target="_new"> H-E-B Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Hy-Vee</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Hy-Vee started in Iowa, but it has spread into its adjacent areas in neighboring states.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14366049733/" target="_new"> Hy-Vee Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Fresh &amp; Easy</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Fresh &amp; Easy experience rapid growth and topped out with over 200 stores throughout California, Nevada and Arizona. Unfortunately Tesco, its UK-based owner, announced a withdrawal from the US market and filed for bankruptcy.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159207129/" target="_new"> Fresh &amp; Easy Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Aldi</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Aldi has divided the US in half. All of their stores are located in the eastern half of the country, but since Aldi also owns Trader Joe’s, they have the west as well.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159210878/" target="_new"> Aldi Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Save-A-Lot</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Save-A-Lot has excellent coverage east of the Mississippi and have a smattering of stores in Denver, southern California, and two small dots in Oregon and Washington.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159209408/" target="_new"> Save-A-Lot Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>BI-LO</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>BI-LO is through and through South Carolinian. They’ve also placed a handful of stores in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14366050523/" target="_new"> BI-LO Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Food Lion</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Food Lion is concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic states. They extend from Maryland to South Carolina to mid-Tennessee.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159206989/" target="_new"> Food Lion Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Harris Teeter</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>This chain is competing with Food Lion in DC and North Carolina, but it is definitely in the minority.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14344257372/" target="_new"> Harris Teeter Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Publix</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Publix’s distribution mirrors Florida’s population. They’ve made their way to Atlanta and Nashville.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14345865225/" target="_new"> Publix Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Piggly Wiggly</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Piggly Wiggly is a southern chain but mostly absent from Florida. Oddly enough, they extend as far north as Minnesota on the Canadian border.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159209748/" target="_new"> Piggly Wiggly Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Winn-Dixie</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Another southern chain, Winn-Dixie does not shy away from Texas. Unlike Piggly Wiggly, they don’t migrate north.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159272680/" target="_new"> Winn-Dixie Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Giant Eagle</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Giant Eagle is almost exclusively in Ohio and Pennsylvania with a couple stores in close by West Virginia and Maryland.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14344257712/" target="_new"> Giant Eagle Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Giant Food</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Giant Food makes its stand in DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia but extends a bit further.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159210218/" target="_new"> Giant Food Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>ShopRite</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>If you’re shopping at ShopRite, you’re likely between DC and NYC. The chain doesn’t really extend anywhere else.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14366048503/" target="_new"> ShopRite Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Stop &amp; Shop</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Stop &amp; Shop has a territory that overlaps with ShopRite. The difference is that it starts and ends more to the north.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14366048453/" target="_new"> Stop &amp; Shop Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><B>Weis Markets</b></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Weis Market is almost exclusively inland and covers two thirds of Pennsylvania.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/123522713@N06/14159265070/" target="_new"> Weis Markets Map </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Interestingly, these maps can also help show which retailers might be poised for consolidation in the future, judging their proximity. Pretty cool, eh?</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">