Colorado specialty grocer is prepping for Tampa Bay expansion

Aug 22, 2016, 12:09pm EDT Updated Aug 22, 2016, 12:13pm EDT

Ashley Gurbal KritzerSenior ReporterTampa Bay Business Journal

Lucky's Market, the Kroger Co.-backed specialty grocer, is planning several locations in the Tampa Bay region.

The grocer's real estate representative was on hand in Orlando on Monday at theInternational Council of Shopping Centers' annual Florida conference at theOrange County Convention Center.

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Lucky's Market has growth plans in Tampa Bay.

RYAN COLLINS

Rick Lewellyan, the grocer's national tenant rep, told visitors to his booth on Monday that Lucky's has hired CBRE Group Inc. to represent the company in the Tampa Bay region. While the grocer is still researching the region — and leaning on CBRE's market intel — Lewellyan said he could eventually see 10 Lucky's locations in the Tampa Bay area.

A CBRE spokeswoman could not immediately confirm the listing assignment on Monday.

Lucky's has several locations in Florida already, including in Naples and Orlando. In 2014, a spokeswoman for the grocer — which bills itself as "organic for the 99 percent" — told the Tampa Bay Business Journal that the company was planning multiple locations in the Sunshine State.

Earlier this year, Lucky's landed the backing of Cincinnati-based Kroger.

"Kroger has made a meaningful investment in Lucky's, which will significantly accelerate Lucky's Market's growth in new and existing markets," Kroger said in a statement at the time.

Lucky's is essentially calling for real estate proposals at ICSC, handing out materials with its real estate criteria and encouraging developers to submit site plans, building elevations, surrounding retailers, demographics and traffic counts.

Here's what Lucky's is looking for in potential sites, according to materials distributed at ICSC:

• Accommodate a 25,000- to 30,000-square-foot store
• High density areas, with 70,000 people in a three-mile radius and a high percentage of college graduates
• High traffic areas, lighted intersection preferred
• Sites with lots of parking that will be for the exclusive use of Lucky's customers
• Sites that draw both a local and regional customer base

Lucky's growth plans mean another grocery concept is elbowing its way into the already crowded Florida market. Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (NASDAQ: SFM) confirmed that it is targeting a Florida expansion, with at least three locations in the works in the Bay region (in Palm Harbor, South Tampa and Valrico).

With Kroger's backing, Lucky's could grow into a serious competitor for Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets Inc. Publix in recent years has focused on organic and natural foods as well as adding upscale touches and specialty products to its stores.