Super Market to Farmer's Market

With the change in Stop and Shop's logo to a new fresher look I began to look back on the progression of today’s grocery markets. Many are coming full circle from the local markets they once were, to an overly commercial box of corporate design, and back to the local market feel.
I’ve recently been seeing many of the Stop and Shops in my area undergoing some major renovations. . To walk through them now is a very different feel than the commercialized markets that I have been brought up with. From the arrangement of the produce section to the changing of the lighting, the feel has come back to a "Local Farmer's Market". Fruits and vegetables are arranged in different wicker and wooden "Bins" and are highlighted by high color rendering lighting rather than the mundane fluorescents we’ve become complacent with in recent years. A major change we are seeing is wood being used as finish and trim to really dress up the stores.
Another big change we are noticing is a much greater focus on the organic and healthy foods. Whole Foods have moved into to many areas and have set the bar with creating that local market feel in a national chain.. Their appeal to organic and "green lifestyle" attracts a totally different customer than say a current Super Walmart might and now major grocers are fighting to attract these often “higher end shoppers”. With their selection of (many times local) meats, fish and produce, the premium food bars and prepared meals, not many markets have yet topped their selection or matched their atmosphere.
There are a few locally owned stores, which despite competition from Stop and Shop and Shaws have done quite well. Dave's Marketplace and Belmont Markets have done a remarkable job with keeping customers despite their corporate competitors By keeping the local market feel, offering great products (produce and meats), and having luxuries such as an in store bakery and specialty prepared foods they have kept their very loyal and local customers coming back. As of this writing one of the Belmont markets is scheduled to close and reopen as an IGA. Reasons given have been the slowing economy and in my opinion had no chance to succeed being built so close to the original and larger Belmont location.
Grocery chains are re branding themselves to better serve their current customers, react to the new market demands and attract those local market and Whole Foods shoppers. It will be interesting to see which national grocers follow this farmers market trend next.