Common unofficial retailer combinations in your area

[Bruce]

Any trends you notice in which stores decide to locate nearby or in the same strip mall?

Around my part of Washington, there are several instances where a Dollar Tree has opened a store next to an existing Safeway. Off the top of my head, there's examples in Arlington, Marysville, Bothell, and North Seattle.

EDIT: This does not refer to official combinations like those under Yum! brands. It's ones that are mostly by coincidence.

[ozarkman417]

Some Yum! Stores such as KFC, A&W, and Long John Silvers will either have two restaurants in the same building or combine menus to make a 2-in-1 restaurant.

SM-G965U

[webny99]

In Canada, Tim Horton's and Wendy's tend to locate together.

A super local example is Bill Gray's (hamburger restaurant) and Abbott's (frozen custard).

[ftballfan]

In my hometown (and several other smaller communities), KFC and Taco Bell share buildings

[ozarkman417]

Here, when a Walgreens gets built, a CVS soon follows nearby.

SM-G965U

[sbeaver44]

Target/Kohls

[Roadrunner75]

In my hometown (and several other smaller communities), KFC and Taco Bell share buildings

We used to have a couple of those, but they either closed or went back to just one of the two.  I never understood why that didn't work out - I can't remember if they had a more limited menu for each.  It seemed like a good idea.

[hotdogPi]

Dunkin Donuts seems to be inside a lot of gas stations in this area.

[SEWIGuy]

There are a number of locations in Wisconsin where a Starbucks is in the same outlot as an AT&T store.

My understanding is that there is a developer in southern Wisconsin that specializes in these outlots and has good relationships with both companies.

[roadman65]

Any trends you notice in which stores decide to locate nearby or in the same strip mall?

Around my part of Washington, there are several instances where a Dollar Tree has opened a store next to an existing Safeway. Off the top of my head, there's examples in Arlington, Marysville, Bothell, and North Seattle.

EDIT: This does not refer to official combinations like those under Yum! brands. It's ones that are mostly by coincidence.

Also note that when Dollar Tree opens up on a mal with a supermarket, they are forbidden to sell frozen foods and some other room temperature items for the supermarkets do not want to lose business to the smaller stores. I thought that was unconstitutional as our nation is based upon free enterprise and should not be told by a larger store what you should or should not sell.

Also many Baskin Robbin Ice Cream Stores are inside a Dunkin Donuts in Florida.

[EpicRoadways]

What about hotels? Mid-range companies like Hilton and Mariott often seem to develop two or three hotels under different names (often one extended-stay property and one lower-tier property) that share parking lots and sometimes other facilities like pools and lobbies. Some common ones that I've seen more than once are Hampton/Home2Suites and Hampton/Homewood Suites on the Hilton side and Courtyard/Residence Inn and TownePlace/Springhill on the Marriott side. 

[roadman65]

What about hotels? Mid-range companies like Hilton and Mariott often seem to develop two or three hotels under different names (often one extended-stay property and one lower-tier property) that share parking lots and sometimes other facilities like pools and lobbies. Some common ones that I've seen more than once are Hampton/Home2Suites and Hampton/Homewood Suites on the Hilton side and Courtyard/Residence Inn and TownePlace/Springhill on the Marriott side. 

They are the same parent corporation though.  Hilton and Hampton are the same and so are Courtyard and Residence Inns.

[Ned Weasel]

Also many Baskin Robbin Ice Cream Stores are inside a Dunkin Donuts in Florida.

I've been to one location that had a Dunkin' Donuts, a Baskin-Robbins, and a Togo's in the same building.  I think it was in New Jersey.

[tdindy88]

One I've noticed a lot in Indiana, and perhaps its found in other states: Meijer and Menards. It's quite uncanny how these two stores are across the street from each other or on the same side of the street in the same area. Perhaps fitting since they're both Midwestern stores.

[1995hoo]

Also note that when Dollar Tree opens up on a mal with a supermarket, they are forbidden to sell frozen foods and some other room temperature items for the supermarkets do not want to lose business to the smaller stores. I thought that was unconstitutional as our nation is based upon free enterprise and should not be told by a larger store what you should or should not sell.

Also many Baskin Robbin Ice Cream Stores are inside a Dunkin Donuts in Florida.

[Sctvhound]

Family Dollar and Dollar General. Go to almost any decent town in South Carolina and you'll see both near each other.

[webny99]

Dunkin Donuts seems to be inside a lot of gas stations in this area.

Same here. There are many in gas stations, although it seems to be about 60%-40% in favor of standalone buildings (or part of a plaza).

[kphoger]

Target/Kohls

Yes, I've noticed that too.

[jp the roadgeek]

Target/Kohls

Yes, I've noticed that too.

I've noticed Target/Best Buy more.  My town has a Target but no Kohl's (or Best Buy either).  Three mall areas near me have a Best Buy either in or near the mall and a Target within a mile.  There's also a retail strip with a Target and Best Buy separated by about a half a mile both on the same side of the road.  Seeing they're both Minnesota based, I often wondered if they were owned by the same company.

[SectorZ]

Also note that when Dollar Tree opens up on a mal with a supermarket, they are forbidden to sell frozen foods and some other room temperature items for the supermarkets do not want to lose business to the smaller stores. I thought that was unconstitutional as our nation is based upon free enterprise and should not be told by a larger store what you should or should not sell.

Also many Baskin Robbin Ice Cream Stores are inside a Dunkin Donuts in Florida.

Pretty sure that's in the frozen foods addendum at the end of the Constitution that got left out.

[kphoger]

Also note that when Dollar Tree opens up on a mal with a supermarket, they are forbidden to sell frozen foods and some other room temperature items for the supermarkets do not want to lose business to the smaller stores. I thought that was unconstitutional as our nation is based upon free enterprise and should not be told by a larger store what you should or should not sell.

Also many Baskin Robbin Ice Cream Stores are inside a Dunkin Donuts in Florida.

Pretty sure that's in the frozen foods addendum at the end of the Constitution that got left out.

Just in case it needs to be spelled out for anyone...

Nothing in the US Constitution prohibits states from passing laws preventing the kind of thing described.  And, if it isn't actually a law that's making for the situation you describe, then the Constitution doesn't even enter into it.

[GaryV]

Target/Kohls

Yes, I've noticed that too.

I've noticed Target/Best Buy more.  My town has a Target but no Kohl's (or Best Buy either).  Three mall areas near me have a Best Buy either in or near the mall and a Target within a mile.  There's also a retail strip with a Target and Best Buy separated by about a half a mile both on the same side of the road.  Seeing they're both Minnesota based, I often wondered if they were owned by the same company.

Isn't it likely that the various retail businesses have done similar market studies, and found out (independently) that an area would be good for their firm?

A while back I heard that at least one church denomination was discontinuing expensive demographic studies on where to build new churches.  They just looked at where the new McDonald's were going up.

[kphoger]

A while back I heard that at least one church denomination was discontinuing expensive demographic studies on where to build new churches.  They just looked at where the new McDonald's were going up.

Just my opinion, but that sounds more like a joke than reality.

[Road Hog]

In North Texas I have noticed that almost everywhere there's an In-N-Out Burger, there's a Raising Cane's within a stone's throw.

[1995hoo]

Also note that when Dollar Tree opens up on a mal with a supermarket, they are forbidden to sell frozen foods and some other room temperature items for the supermarkets do not want to lose business to the smaller stores. I thought that was unconstitutional as our nation is based upon free enterprise and should not be told by a larger store what you should or should not sell.

Also many Baskin Robbin Ice Cream Stores are inside a Dunkin Donuts in Florida.

(image deleted)

Pretty sure that's in the frozen foods addendum at the end of the Constitution that got left out.

Just in case it needs to be spelled out for anyone...

Nothing in the US Constitution prohibits states from passing laws preventing the kind of thing described.  And, if it isn't actually a law that's making for the situation you describe, then the Constitution doesn't even enter into it.

Not to mention nothing in the Constitution, or for that matter in almost any state's law, prohibits a landlord from giving certain tenants leases that restrict other tenants' activities. That's extremely common. It's freedom to contract as you see fit. It's really strange, for example, that a shopping center near where I live has two barbershops located directly next to each other.

An example is that often if a shopping center allows one fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru, that restaurant's lease may prohibit another drive-thru unless the food is a totally different type (example, McDonald's might not object to Taco Bell, but they might object to Burger King).