Two national chains, Costco and Trader Joe’s, are scheduled to bring more grocery options to Tulsa in the span of two months, and, when they do, high-end natural grocers and other wholesalers will face stiffer competition, national and local experts say.
Each new store will be the retailers’ first foray into Oklahoma — a market dominated by Wal-Mart, which has 27 stores and four Sam’s Clubs, in the Tulsa metro area.
Trader Joe’s won’t compete with Wal-Mart directly, experts say. But Costco will.
Each store is moving into a wealthy neighborhood. For Trader Joe’s, it’s Brookside, which already has a cluster of grocery stores nearby — a Natural Grocers, a Reasor’s and its natural competitor: Whole Foods.
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