The folks at Beloit College recently published their annual "Mindset List," which identifies the life experiences and event horizons of incoming college freshman.
For example, members of the "Class of 2011" (and anyone else born in 1989), grew up with bottled water, never "rolled down" a car window and don't recall the Berlin Wall or a time when Fox wasn't a network.
For some reason, the Mindset List leapt to mind during a stroll through The Fresh Market, the new 22,000-sq. ft. grocery store at the northwest corner of Brookfield Square Mall at 15895 W. Bluemound Rd.
I walked in behind a shaggy-haired kid in a soccer jersey following a petite parent (a soccer mom, in the flesh!) and it dawned on me that teenagers and young adults of today can't comprehend what grocery shopping was like before the "upscale" trend took root.
A generation ago, grocery stores were mostly utilitarian structures with grimy floors, harsh fluorescent lighting, limited brand options and sometimes questionable food quality. Oftentimes, stores would be strong in one or two areas, like the bakery and deli, but weak in the meat and produce department. Although savvy moms would visit stores based on specific needs, most consumer decisions were based on price and location.
Today, it's a whole new ballgame.
Grocery stores of today compete more on the basis of amenities than price. They pipe in soothing classical and New Age music and place sanitary wipes near the cart corral. They have soft lights, immaculate tile floors, free coffee, sushi counters and wine stewards while stocking obscure and expensive produce options 15 different varieties of olive oil.
The Fresh Market, a chain based in Greensboro, N.C., is another entry in a growing field that includes national players like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and local business such as Pick ‘n Save Metro Market, Sendik's, Grasch's, V. Richard's and others.
The Fresh Market fancies itself as a European market, rather than a "dash in for a gallon of milk and dozen eggs," venue. While many Americans are still in the "shop-once-a-week-and-stock-up" mode, stores like the Fresh Market and its upscale comrades are geared more toward people purchasing items for a single meal or a couple of days. The focus is on food rather than staples like laundry detergent, bath soap and other things that many shoppers purchase at Target or other discount stores, anyway.
After walking into a somewhat boxy building (John Norquist would have hated the lack of windows facing the street), shoppers walk in the door and are hit with a selection of fresh flowers that gives way to an impressive selection of produce. The area in front of the cash registers is dominated by a selection of bulk nuts and candies.
The center of the store is dominated by a full-service deli that features an impressive variety of prepared foods. The focal point of the store, though, is the meat department. Everything is displayed in glass-front, refrigerated cases and packed by hand rather than wrapped in plastic. The selection of steaks, lamb, veal, chicken, seafood and specialty items such as portabella burger patties ($2.99 each).
"That's some of the best looking meat I've seen in a store," one shopper said, gazing at the selection.
"It's also some of the most expensive," another commented.
Fresh Market is a high-end enterprise. This is not a place for people who clip coupons or pinch pennies. Based on the current trend in the grocery industry, though, one wonders how many of those people still exist.
A generation ago, many suburban moms made meatloaf on Monday, tuna casserole on Tuesday, spaghetti on Wednesday... Today's moms, influenced by cable cooking shows and their own more adventurous palates, serve more adventurous dinners made with what used to be hard-to-find ingredients that are readily available in grocery aisles all over town.
This is the fact that ultimately could make or break The Fresh Market.
Will shoppers pay high prices for items and amenities that are offered at a handful of other stores within two or three miles? The location near the mall will likely help draw traffic, but will shoppers be turned off by the lack of close-by parking, somewhat cramped entries and exits and the mania that sweeps malls during the holiday shopping season?
Will the prepared foods section create a loyal following among the "grab and go" set? Will the store emerge as a favorite stop for gourmet cooks and "special occasion" shoppers looking for a special cut of meat?
As is usually the case, the market will decide.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
