Retail Hotspots: Which Regions do America's Retailers Dominate?
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 & Shop and Weis Markets, but also which regions they lay the most stake.
These overview images from Big Think shows you how various retailers compare in regions across the U.S. For larger images of each individual retailer, scroll down and click on the links below their name.
Kroger
Kroger is one chain with a clear domain. They have made their way down to big Texas cities and east to Atlanta.
Kroger Map For a map highlighting the more extensive scope of Kroger's additional banners...Please click here.
Safeway
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.
Wal-Mart
There are 4,777 Wal-Mart stores in the US which makes Wal-Mart is a good indicator for overall population density.
Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club is owned by Wal-Mart and named after its founder, Samuel Walton. These membership-only retail warehouse clubs have nationwide reach.
Target
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.
Whole Foods
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.
Costco
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.
Trader Joe’s
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.
Albertsons
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.
H-E-B
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.
Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee started in Iowa, but it has spread into its adjacent areas in neighboring states.
Fresh & Easy
Fresh & 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.
Aldi
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.
Save-A-Lot
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.
BI-LO
BI-LO is through and through South Carolinian. They’ve also placed a handful of stores in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Food Lion
Food Lion is concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic states. They extend from Maryland to South Carolina to mid-Tennessee.
Harris Teeter
This chain is competing with Food Lion in DC and North Carolina, but it is definitely in the minority.
Publix
Publix’s distribution mirrors Florida’s population. They’ve made their way to Atlanta and Nashville.
Piggly Wiggly
Piggly Wiggly is a southern chain but mostly absent from Florida. Oddly enough, they extend as far north as Minnesota on the Canadian border.
Winn-Dixie
Another southern chain, Winn-Dixie does not shy away from Texas. Unlike Piggly Wiggly, they don’t migrate north.
Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle is almost exclusively in Ohio and Pennsylvania with a couple stores in close by West Virginia and Maryland.
Giant Food
Giant Food makes its stand in DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia but extends a bit further.
ShopRite
If you’re shopping at ShopRite, you’re likely between DC and NYC. The chain doesn’t really extend anywhere else.
Stop & Shop
Stop & Shop has a territory that overlaps with ShopRite. The difference is that it starts and ends more to the north.
Weis Markets
Weis Market is almost exclusively inland and covers two thirds of Pennsylvania.
Interestingly, these maps can also help show which retailers might be poised for consolidation in the future, judging their proximity. Pretty cool, eh?
