grocery store location analysis

I recently visited my local grocery store when I was back home for break, and noticed a few things about the location of the store and what it had to do with/for their business. The building was a Farm Fresh, and is about 2 miles from my house. I don't usually shop at this grocery store, but I needed to go quickly pick up some things and so this was the only logical option.
This grocery store is a stand-alone building and it has it's own parking lot, which is great for busy shoppers. If you need to just park and run in for some items, then the parking lot is ideal. You can just park right outside and then go get your groceries without having the hassle of searching for a parking spot. Also, it is centrally located in the area of town that I live in, and so it is very convenient to many costumers. There is not a lot of pedestrian traffic, which is great for the consumer since they do not have to watch out for other shoppers when they are driving their cars. There are also sidewalks and walkways available to people who are shopping with their grocery carts and baggage, which provides a suitable and safe place for the pedestrians.
I think that this grocery store has an ideal location, and i would definitely shop there again. I really cannot think of any disadvantage to the location, which is great for their business. It is nearby many neighborhoods, which is necessary for the people to want to come visit the store since it is convenient. Also, due to the vast nature of the parking lot and the orderly layout, shopping traffic is kept neat and under control, which leads to a happy shopping experience.

why retailers are going bankrupt

(Image from http://www.stylefix.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/monopoly-bankruptcy.jpg)

Right now, many people are observing stores being shut down and having "going out of business" sales. I know, that back in my hometown in VA a few months ago, I saw a Linens n' Things store closing and having a huge sale before they went away. I am sure that you have seen other stores file for bankruptcy recently, such as Claire's, Sharper Image Inc, Mervyns, and Steve & Barry's to name a few.

I came across a website discussing such retailers going out of business, the being: http://www.zimbio.com/American+economy/articles/76/Mervyns+Linens+Things+Declare+BANKRUPTCY+File.
One thing that caught my attention in this article, was that it stated that "consumer spending, an early barometer of the economy, is down as shoppers cut discretionary spending amid fears of economic woes". It also talks about reason why these places probably went out of business.

If the retailer does not have something to differentiate itself from it's competitors then how can it succeed and triumph over competition? One reason that Linens n' Things might have gone bankrupt could be due to the fact that its prices were higher than its competition, yet the products were very similar. Perhaps if the store had offered something innovative and unique it would have drawn more consumers, yet it did not and so had closed its doors forever.

Another article that I found informative is http://www.newsneconomics.com/2008/12/hottest-trend-in-2009-declaring.html. This website talks about all the different places filing for bankruptcy and actually talks about why so many of them have to close. One thing caught my attention, and it states: "Other retailers are saying they will trim inventory and reduce the number of suppliers. That, in turn, will cause a ripple effect, prompting a number of weaker manufacturers, small brands and underfunded fashion labels to fail."

This is very true, and it makes sense that once reduce their suppliers, the suppliers that get cut off will likely fail due to the fact that they are no longer necessary. The article also discusses that consumers are saving more as a result of the increased poor economy, and surely are spending less on new clothes.