You learn a few things from that much exposure, so the consolidation represented by Roundy's purchase of Copps Food Stores outlets is no big surprise. It's just part of another transition, the second big one in the last 40 years. Woodman was young in the business 35 or 40 years ago when the corner grocery store began to be squeezed out by the supermarket concept in the 1960s. For Woodman, a man who considers adjusting to the changing times as just part of doing business, the shift offers challenges and opportunities.
Woodman is a rather unique supermarket operator.
Unlike most supermarkets, Woodman's stores are large, about 240,000 square feet, or more than three times the normal supermarket floor space. Woodman opened his Fox Cities store in 1990 and a Green Bay store recently. Ill. The 1960s supermarket trend played right into Phil Woodman's hands. He thinks big and, as they say, out of the box, and he began building large stores with major offerings and competitive pricing. However, he, like all supermarket operators, has had to deal with the shrinking portion of each dollar that consumers spend on at-home food.