What grocers want

When considering locations for grocery stores, corporations often survey traffic flow, the area’s average income, development and population density.

For Reasor’s to view a store to be viable, the company strives for about $35 to $38 per transaction, Chief Operating Officer Brent Edstrom said. From its surveys of midtown stores most frequented by north Tulsa residents, Reasor’s has found the average transactions are a bit less, indicating a store farther north might result in a lower per-transaction average, he said.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Anne Hatfield described the corporation’s method of surveying locations as a response to the growing need for fresh, affordable food and merchandise. Though north Tulsa has such a need, she would not say if the company would build farther north than its superstore near Memorial Drive and Admiral Place.

However, with proposed economic development in the area, it isn’t a stretch to say a store might one day be possible, she said.

“It’s just common sense that as areas are always changing, we’re always evaluating to see whether we should build a store and if it makes sense, or how best to serve our customers,” she said.