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Joey Thomas, 3, waits to check out during the grand opening a WinCo Foods supermarket at Stephanie Street and Wigwam Parkway in Henderson Sunday, March 4, 2012. The Boise-based supermarket chain opened their 81st and 82nd stores Sunday, their first stores in Southern Nevada.
By Jackie Valley (contact) 
Monday, March 5, 2012 | 2:01 a.m.
About WinCo Foods
- WinCo was founded in 1967 by Ralph Ward and Bud Williams. The name stands for Winning Company.
- WinCo Food stores are employee-owned. All qualifying employees — about 11,000 out of 14,000 nationally — get stock in the company at no cost to them.
- In 2010 it was No. 65 on Forbes Magazine's List of 500 Largest Privately Held Companies.
Sun archives
- 2 WinCo Foods stores on track to open in March (Jan. 17, 2012)
- Recession’s effect on one Henderson intersection (Aug. 4, 2011)
- Failed boom-era development projects getting a second look (March 24, 2011)
The shoppers who flanked the building and the swarms of cars trying to park made it look like Black Friday at a big box.
Except that it wasn't. In this case, the big-box retailer is a new grocery store, and the hot items weren't TVs and iThings; they were potato chips and soda — all at discounted prices to celebrate WinCo Foods' grand opening in Southern Nevada.
“It’s like Christmas right now,” said Victor Rodarte, who was shopping with girlfriend Margie Orozco to stock up for the couple’s two children. “We’re going crazy.”
For Rodarte and Orozco, that meant giving up on a plan to stick to their coupons, which is how they found themselves with a loaded cart by the time they reached frozen foods.
“You hardly ever see Marie Callender’s lasagna in another store, especially for $8.98,” Orozco said, rationalizing the two frozen meals she popped in their cart.
The giddy shopping atmosphere brought a smile to the face of Henderson store manager Sharon Guined, who moved from Eugene, Ore., to oversee the new location.
“We’re excited to be here and be part of the community,” she said.
Henderson WinCo Foods Location
Las Vegas WinCo Foods Location
The Idaho-based grocery chain made its Southern Nevada debut Sunday with two store openings — one on Stephanie Street in Henderson and another near North Decatur Boulevard and the Las Vegas Beltway in the northern valley. WinCo Foods first entered the state in Reno, where there are two stores.
The company now has 82 locations in Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, Utah and Oregon, said Robert Rhodes, district manager for WinCo Foods’ southwest region.
WinCo Foods — No. 30 on Supermarket News’ list of top 75 food retailers this year — expects to close its fiscal year with sales of $5.2 billion, according to the weekly trade publication.
Customers won't hear music pumping through the store or see employees bagging groceries. Advertising will be minimal, too. That’s all part of what Rhodes calls the company’s “bare-bones” approach to business and an attempt to keep prices lower for name brands.
“We save money that way,” he said. “That’s how we’re able to compete with the national brands.”
The stores don’t require membership and do sell some bulk items like candy, flour and pet treats in addition to normal-size offerings, Rhodes said.
“We’ve been described as a cross between, say, a Smith’s and a Costco,” Rhodes said. “Not everyone needs 45 pounds of cereal at once.”
“It’s a way to not only save money, but to get those unique items you’re not going to find on the shelf,” he said. There’s a station where customers can grind their own peanut butter, for instance.
Henderson resident Cheryl Nall, a former WinCo Foods customer in Washington, said the prices and selection lured her to the store.
“(Since) I first saw the sign that said ‘WinCo,’ I’ve been hitting their website all the time because I’ve been waiting,” she said.
The two new stores, open 24 hours, each employ about 200 full- and part-time workers, Rhodes said.
“We’ll be in these communities forever, hopefully,” he said.
I remember when a WalMart opening caused the same madness. I'll go check them out in a month when the crowd is gone...saving a few cents isn't worth the rush to investigate a grocery store. (is this a union company?)
Hope they help put Walmart out of business.
Went to a Winco in Reno with my daughter.
Absolutely hated it.
I didn't see any real savings in the prices (unless you bought the large, giant, economy size and even then, not much savings).
Other reasons I didn't like the place, but those could just be personal prejudices.
Winco has good prices but I still rely on Smith's--I shop the sales in the weekly paper and do great. Also can sign up for their card and get more savings.
azsk8fan
You must be a republican if you want to put nearly 1.8 million people out of work. If you're concerned about Chinese products, I suggest you start looking at the other retail stores in our country, they are all full of Chinese merchandise.
I shop WalMart, Sams Club. Smiths and Food 4 Less....each one has deals to draw in the customers.
Wow! $8.98 for Marie Callenders lasagna? Not a deal at all! It's much cheaper here in VA.
I've been to Winco in Idaho really liked it.
I live in Laughlin Nevada to small for a Winco here .The other option is putting one in Bullhead City Az. close to Sams club area.The people of Laughlin and all the snowbirds that come to Laughlin during the winter months would love this store
They don't take credit cards, they are too far for those living in the Southwest or Northeast and their prices aren't any better than Smiths or Food for Less.
Sad to see so many overweight people in these pictures lined up stuffing their huge carts with more junk food.
@New Bee... way to go - jumping to conclusions and all. I am FAR from being considered a Republican -but Walmart cost me a very good paying job in sales because of putting the squeeze on the vendor... I couldn't take a 70% - YES - 70% paycut so I left of my own accord .... Walmart is the devil incarnate - Now, as for Chinese products - I simply go online to Made in the USA website and find many American made items so I have no issue with Walmart selling cheap Chinese CRAP.... I just don't like walmart and it's nothing political at all.
Bid deal, they don't take credit cards. Cash, Debit and check. Should be the way at more places operate and maybe people wouldn't be so far over the head in debt. Costco operates the same way, so what's the big deal?
Good luck to WinCo. A little competition never hurt anyone.
I do get a laugh at how many people are on here slamming a new business. Are you the ones that didn't get chosen to work there or work at some of the competition?
I did go to check out the WinCo:
The Henderson store lacked a lot of items found at other stores so it was difficult to compare prices directly. Some items that do compare directly were maybe $.30-$.40 less, some were $.10-$.15 less, some were the same and a few items were actually a little more than other stores.
It seemed to me that a LOT of the inventory was of a lower quality than other stores and geared (both in quality and package sizing) toward food stamp users/very low budget shoppers.
HEY, people......
This is just another non-union, minimum wage for
workers, store.
Just like Walmart.
Shop at Smiths, Albertsons, Vons or Food for Less.
Bring our country back from minimum wage jobs.
LIVE BETTER/WORK UNION!!!
The poor slave workers at WinCo and Walmart
will NEVER HAVE A RETIREMENT, after years and
years of hard work.
Stop the madness.
Support labor unions.
We union members have great health care and will
have a real retirement after our years of hard
work.
American workers need labor unions again.
I only shop at Union stores - and it would nice to know the poltical party affiliation of the backers?
Just sayin'...I'm done feeding rich Republicans (to the extent I can possibly avoid them)!
Just like Food for Less, I'll stick to trader Joes and Cosco