Stew Leonard's: The Disneyland of Supermarkets

By Tom Ryan

Stew Leonard's was named "Retailer of the Year" by the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association. Summing up the grocer's success, Stew Leonard Jr., president and CEO, told the Stamford Advocate, "Out of everything my dad said about being a retailer - and if I had anything to say about it - God gave us two ears and one mouth. Listen, listen, listen to the customers and always be accessible."

The Norwark, CT retailer has stores in Norwalk, Danbury and Newington in Connecticut as well as one in Yonkers, NY.

In a review of the chain on the Modern Baking magazine's website, Heather Henstock wrote, "the store is unlike other supermarkets in nearly every way, from its store layout to its animated merchandising techniques."

The store's fame comes from its innovative in-store marketing, which includes a barn-like wood decor, a winding path for shoppers instead of straight, parallel aisles, free samples galore, employees dressed as farm animals, petting zoos, and animatronic singing animals perched above the shelving.

"Animatronics are positioned throughout the store, bringing attention to each department and creating a fun environment for shoppers," the editorial director of the magazine wrote. "At the Newington store, a parrot sings in produce, milk cartons dance above the dairy case and a life-size cow greets customers with a 'moo' as they enter the store."

But Ms. Henstock said, "All the fanfare would only be a gimmick" if not for its commitment to fresh foods, including an on-site dairy and bakery. Unlike traditional supermarkets that sell an average of 50,000 items, Stew Leonard's stores carry only 2,000 items, according to the company. However, 80 percent of those items are fresh foods, either prepared from scratch in the store or brought in daily.

"We love people, we love food and we love fresh food," founder Stew Leonard Sr. told the New Britain Herald at the opening of its last 113,000 square foot store in Newington in May 2007. "Basically, it's fresh stuff and that's what differentiates us from our competition."

While Stew Leonard's may be known for its meat selection, customers can also find a wide variety of other items as well, including a sushi bar, olive bar, ready-to-eat meals including pizza, barbecue and salad.

The Connecticut Retail Merchants Association said Stew Leonard's earned the "Retailer of the Year" award based on several factors, including customer service, employee relations and community outreach.

The chain is known for being an innovator in the grocery industry, Mike Berger, editor of Griffin Report of Food Marketing, told the Stamford Advocate.

"In my opinion, they're the Disneyland of supermarkets," he said.

Discussion Questions: To what do you attribute the success of Stew Leonard's? What lessons does it hold for other retailers in today's environment? What do you think of its potential for expansion?

• Connecticut Retail Merchants Association Names Stew Leonard's 2008 Retailer Of The Year - Stewleonards.com
• Stew Leonard's named Retailer of the Year - The Stamford Advocate
• Stew Leonard's bakeries crush the cookie cutter - Modern Baking
• Stew Leonard's opens its doors - New Britain Herald