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Ray's Food Place bankruptcy

6K views 19 replies 17 participants last post by  SImudBogger 
#1 ·
All you big metro guys will have no idea what a Ray's is, but for Ifishers in smaller communities around Oregon, this has been the default grocery outlet. I can't say I am surprised to see the company in trouble, though. I always felt the chain kept open underperforming stores (big store, eerily little traffic) and its pricing structure was anything but competitive -- and bordering on abusive. I don't know how many times I found prices not just a few cents, or 50 cents higher than other stores, but DOLLARS higher. I got to where I would gladly travel another 8-10 miles beyond the local store to get to a Freddie's, figuring even with time and gas I would come out well ahead on a bag or two of groceries.
It seems the market has spoken. News stories today mention pressure from Walmart. I think that's a smokescreen for a chain that has "stuck it" to a lot of folks in smaller communities.
Bill Powell
 
#2 ·
I never noticed prices being much higher than Albie's or Safeway ---

that kinda sucks, where will I get beer now in Sisters, Lapine, Merlin ...

(Big metro guys that go FISHING )
 
#3 ·
The closure of Ray's Market will have a huge impact on my local city; Creswell, OR. Ray's is the only grocery store in Creswell. Yes we do have Dairy Mart, but they do not carry anything near the inventory of products as does Ray's Market. When the store closes residents will have to travel the 10 miles North to Eugene, or 8 miles South to Cottage Grove to buy groceries. :-(

Not only does the store closure impact our community, but we will also be impacted because of all the generous donations Ray's made to our community. Ray's will be missed, I certainly hope another large chain grocery store buys the building and opens a new market soon. :pray:
 
#4 ·
I will be so happy when Ray's closes in Creswell, as long as a decent grocery store chain buys it and hires on all the current workers, well most of them at least. Their philosophy has always been to screw small towns by charging ridiculous prices because there is no local competition. I do all of my grocery shopping in Cottage Grove and try to remember to pick up small things that I may need for that night's meal in Eugene on my way home from work. However, whenever I am forced to go to Ray's I am always amazed at how much of a rip off it is. I will miss their twice baked potatoes from the Meat Counter though.
 
#5 ·
Pelhament,

I do not disagree with you about Ray's Market prices. They are/were quite high compared to Safeway, Fred Meyer, or even Albertson's. My wife and I work in Eugene, so we are able to buy most of our groceries at Fred Meyer or Costco.

My sympathies go out to the employees of Ray's Market. What a terrible time of year to lose your job when the Holiday's are at our doorstep. I hope they find a buyer for the store and open again soon rehiring many of Ray's former employees. It needs to be a store with competitive prices for the betterment of our community.
 
#9 ·
I'm a 'big metro guy' and I know exactly what Ray's Food Place is. Sad to see them go.
:yeahthat:

Rays was/has always been a stop for food when I go hunting over east, sad to see them go.

I was just at the Prineville store a few weeks ago, I didn't really look at much in groceries but was more fixated on their deli, I did notice it was a bit expensive for cheap deli food.
 
#8 ·
We do 90+% of our shopping at Winco, but that's an 8 mile drive, while Ray's is on my way home.
I disagree with the accusations of price gouging, as they couldn't make a profit with their current price structure. Gouging, by its very definition, implies large profits. I will miss them, even if their beer ( and most everything else) is more expensive.
 
#12 ·
Members, Ray's was a nitch grocery store focusing on small towns, that could not support a large chain store. The reason for the higher pricing model was to make up for lack of voulme. To compare Fredies or Winco pricing is not fair. The grocery business in general is a small margin business based on Volume. Ray's will be missed if they can not reorganize.
 
#13 ·
You'll find competitive pricing in all the big chains. Each neighborhood is subject to what the traffic will bear according to the wage and standard of living in the local area. Sometimes a short drive can make a big difference. An example is the Thriftway on Farmington and the Albertson's at 185th. Less than a mile between the two.
 
#14 ·
Well the Ray's in Redmond is among those closing, and by Oregon standards, Redmond at 27,000 is not a small town. It has an Albertson's, a Safeway, a Fred Meyer, a Grocery Outlet and a Walmart Supercenter. Ray's just couldn't sell a 10-pack of Gatorade for $10 when it was $5.99 at Freddie's. I certainly feel for the 500 employees losing their jobs just before Christmas. Someone out there with a better model will come along and serve the markets not already overserved.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Got this from a very reliable source. The numbers are the "store numbers".

Stores slated to be sold or closed (16)

10Ray's Food Place
Phoenix, OR
Medford-Klamath Falls
14Rays Food Place
Murphy, OR
38
Ray's Food Place
Eureka, CA
41
Ray's Food Place
Bend, OR
48
Ray's Food Place
Creswell, OR
51
Ray's Food Place
Pleasant Hill, OR
65
Ray's Food Place
Redmond, OR
67
Ray's Food Place
Grants Pass, OR
68
Ray's Food Place
1555 Williams Highway
Grants Pass, OR
70
Ray's Food Place
North Albany, OR
80
Ray's Food Place
Philomath, OR
2
Shop Smart
Harbor, OR
46
Shop Smart
Yreka, CA
49
Shop Smart
Crescent City, CA
62
Shop Smart
White City, OR
33
Lo Bucks Willits, CA
 
#18 ·
The one here in Eureka is closing, heard about it a while back.

I met Phil Harris from Deadliest Catch there when he was promoting his coffee.

I shopped there a bunch in the past but couldn't pass up the cheaper prices and sales at Safeway so I haven't been there in a long time.

What I do know though is that they did a ton of community related things that I'm sure will be missed. The store is in a prime location and I wonder what crap that will be of no real interest to the majority will move in there.
 
#19 ·
There are not too many areas in Oregon that will support a high end/priced grocery store. West Linn, Lake O, Wilsonville etc can handle it but other than that if your prices are way high your probably not gonna make it. Safeway, Freddies and Albertsons are right there in price with them too. They better get with lowering their prices as well or they will succomb to failure as well. Some Albies already have fallen. When you have a Winco or Super Wally, you can really save some money and these days every cent counts in most households...:twocents:
 
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