Save A Lot ramps up its store redesign plans

As part of the discount grocery chain’s ongoing modernization efforts, St. Louis-based Save A Lot plans to accelerate investment in redesigning its stores, targeting one-third of its 1,000 stores for remodels this year.

While modernizing its look, the retailer says the redesign reflects Save A Lot’s continued mission and commitment to its local communities, providing value, quality products and neighborhood support. The rollout builds on the success of recent marketwide upgrades in St. Louis, Denver and Tampa.

As part of the new initiative, Save A Lot is working with its independent license owners to remodel a third of its fleet in 2021 with plans to remodel all 1,000 stores by 2024. The new store design features a contemporary evolution of the brand inspired by customer and employee feedback. Customers will find a lighter, brighter and easier-to-shop footprint that includes new décor and an enhanced shopping environment. Each neighborhood store will feature a strong assortment of regional products to better serve customers in meaningful ways, including a variety of localized product brands curated to resonate with customers in the local community.

Save A Lot's new store design offers shoppers a lighter, brighter and easier-to-shop footprint that includes new décor and an enhanced shopping environment.

“As we continue to focus on becoming the brand of choice for our customers and a go-to source in our local communities, it was important that our logo, stores and marketing reflected and reinforced our mission of providing quality products at budget-friendly costs that consistently exceed the expectations of our customers,” said Kenneth McGrath, chief executive officer of Save A Lot. “This refresh positively supports our efforts to further evolve and gain new shoppers, retain our current shoppers and increase our basket size. We’re particularly pleased to collaborate and co-invest with so many of our independent retail partners to make this possible.”

Related:Save A Lot shifts to wholesale model

Save A Lot’s work to revitalize the brand also includes the expansion of its digital marketing efforts through the launch of the “99 Days of Summer” campaign, which began May 31 and runs through Sept. 6. The marketing program focuses on infusing joy into summer 2021 and providing fun, value-saving digital offers to customers, with daily deals, weekly digital coupons and summer sweepstakes prizes.

Founded in 1977, Save A Lot is one of the largest discount grocery store chains in the U.S. with approximately 1,000 stores in 32 states, with the vast majority of the locations licensed by over 200 independent grocers. The company announced in December its plans to transition to a wholesale business model in which the discount grocer plans to sell more than 300 corporate-operated locations to current and new retail partners.

Related:Save A Lot sells five D.C.-area stores to independent operator