Do you like your grocery store?

[JB2K]

Even though it seems the majority of the posting is coming from the Northeast, I thought I'd offer this article to my fellow St. Louisans.

In a nutshell, the article is saying that Target offers the best grocery deals around St. Louis (yes, even when compared with Walmart).

The only "hole" in the story, however, is that Target does not operate any superstores (SuperTarget) in the St. Louis area. Of all their general merchandise stores in town, I know of only one store that has an expanded grocery (known in Target's press releases as "PFresh") and that one is way limited in comparison with Walmart and the rest.

As for the other grocers, two are family-run chains (Schnucks, Dierbergs), while the other (Shop n' Save) is part of the Supervalu (Acme, Jewel, Shaw's) chain.

 

[stm61]

My area is VERY rural. We have a Super Walmart, a Dollar General, and a formerly locally owned grocery that was bought out by a regional chain but is still locally managed. I, seriously, only shop SW on a regular basis. We have a Target an hour from here and if I have to go for anything else I usually stop in. The last couple of weeks I've gotten good deals on things like Powerade, Market Pantry waters, frozen chicken.....just to name a few. BUT I was going anyway, otherwise not worth it due to the drive/gas. Our locally run grocery is NASTY and doesn't stock much of anything. They used to double coupons one day a week but I think they stopped that. The DG is pretty nice now but it used to be really scuzzy. I stop in there for things like my Covergirl foundation (WM never has my shade), they also have a really good selection of detergents but never put them on sale so I only buy them there if they are out of stock at WM or if I just need that 1 thing and don't want to drive to WM. Our WM, quite honestly, is pitiful itself. They have quit carrying many items, scaled back selection on other items, charges more for some items than nicer WMs that are in our driveable area.. We have better WM's 30 min south, an hour north, or forty minutes to the east. If I can swing it I usually try to get to one of them. For instance, I shopped at the one North of us yesterday (since I was there) and picked up 2 wks worth of Lunchables for my 2 youngest kids. They are $1 each there but our WM charges $1.50 for them?! I bought 15 so I saved $7.50 - that's crazy! All the other WMs stock the Smuckers Uncrustable PB & Honey...not ours anymore and that is, of course, the only ones DS 6 will eat. So I stock up on them when I'm there, too. And then our WM complains that people shop at other WMs?

I live in the same type of place. It takes me 20 min to get to town, where the only choices are Bi-Lo or Super Walmart. It's a very small Walmart, they actually knew the building was to small when they bought it but didn't want to build their own, and their selection is limited. Bi-Lo isn't much better. With them being directly across the road from each other, they price fix. They know they've got us, the next closest store of any kind is a 40 min. ride. I find the same thing true about bigger stores in bigger towns. The stores in the next closest towns are much bigger, stock more items, and charge less for them. I laugh every time I see WM commercials on TV, they should say low prices only when there's no competition!

 

[amylynne01]

I shop mostly at Market Basket and Stop&Shop. S&S does have some good sales where you can get free stuff. I routinely get cereal there for less than .75 a box by combining a sale and a coupon that can double. Until 10/28, you can get free Barilla pasta. It is 4/$5, and you can use the .$.75/1 from a recent insert. When doubled, free pasta! So I only get the really cheap or free stuff there and never buy something without a coupon (except milk). Market Basket has the best prices I have ever seen on almost everything. If I need something that never has a coupon for it, I get it there. I also have Hannaford (or as a friend likes to call it, Can't-afford lol) and a regular Walmart.

Price Chopper, Big Y, and Shaw's are all very similar to S&S. High prices but can get some good deals when you double your coupons. Just gotta keep track of what's on sale and what a good price is.

 

[njmom47]

Cookes (pp) you must live somewhat near me....
I work for APP's "Best Supermarket" 13 yrs in a row.
I live near a major highway that has Aldi (I won't buy meat or produce there but if you don't mind no name brands, most of their stuff is fine), Pathmark (rarely shop there), Walmart (just a regular one with limited grocery/frozen/dairy, I will buy cleaning and paper items there, sometimes other items if they are def cheaper), A&P (rarely shop there), Shoprite (I have their loyalty card and lots of companion links ie: family bucks, baby bucks, etc which give me extra coupons and points to redeem for $ off next purchase, I usually save at least 25% of my total there), and Target (not a SuperTarget but same as Walmart, I will purchase items there if I know they are cheaper).

So basically I give part of my paycheck right back to my company...
And yes I do like my supermarket!

 

[GJM]

I don't like any of the food stores by me.

I miss Shop Rite so much, use to get the best deals at Shop Rite!

 

[LilyWDW]

Within 15 mins of my home I have:
Super Walmart
Kroger
Whites IGA
Food City
Ingles
Earth Fare

However, unless I am picking up something away from home, I will ONLY shop at Ingles (with a trip here and there to Earth Fare for some select products). Yes, I might not be saving as much money as I could be since I remain loyal, but what good is saving money if you can't find what you need. Ingles always has a great selection. Their meats and fresh produce are the best in the area (including carrying local produce) and the customer service is amazing.

 

[LBIJim]

Wegman's has ruined me for any other grocery store. I live behind a Super Walmart but won't shop there (other then pikcing up milk if I need it.) Nope, Wegman's is it for me. And I have found that shopping sales there and their wonderful store brands is cheaper then shopping at the Super Walmart anyway.

Really, if you havn't shopped at a Wegman's you can't understand. It is an amazing place! I know people who come into town and visit Wegman's as if it is a tourist location.

That would be me, LOL. My stepdaughter went to RIT and we were blown away when we first went into the so-called flagship store in Pittsfield. Her mother and I made sure to go there again whenever we visited her at school. In fact, one time Wegman's was the first stop (for dinner) BEFORE we even saw her. Tourist attraction indeed!!

They have a few Wegmans in NJ now, but the closest is an hour away.

Overall, ShopRite has the best prices around here, but it's usually very crowded. Acme and Super Fresh occasionally have good sales, but are otherwise somewhat pricey. The Pathmark nearby is kind of dumpy. The local market (Murphy's-a very small chain) is convenient for fill-ins, but has a limited selection and is higher priced.

Jim

 

[csharpwv]

Thanks for the reminder of how HORRIBLE our grocery store selection is!

We have 4 Shop N' Save grocery stores in our town along with a Food Lion and a Wal-Mart Super Center.

Shop N' Save is a regional chain that came in a busted up the unions by closing the stores for a year and re-opening them. Since they didn't want to close ALL of the grocery stores in the town, there is one that is left as a unionized stored - and by and large that is the WORST store because we all assume they are trying to close that one for a year as soon as it gets horrible enough to bust the union there.

Here is a quick run down of how horrible they are...
Nasty shriveled vegetables that appear to be without 24 hours of full rot.
Grey meats of all sorts that look like they are 2nd from a good grocery store.
Horrible selection of herbs and spices - if you don't find it in the Betty Crocker cook book - they don't have it.
Horrible store brand items that are of the worst quality.
Horrible selection of breads, rolls, and other grain items.
Deli meats that are so high in sodium, you could de-ice walkways in winter.
Baked goods with all flavor excluded.
Horribly nasty employees with terrible manners and customer service skills.

Then there is Food Lion which is OK - but REALLY has a very bad selection.

And then there is The Super Center. Wal Mart has great price - and a good selection ..... sometimes - other times you can't get your basics on one trip because the shelves are bare! Since Wal-Mart has no back-stock on groceries - so if it's not on the shelf - it didn't come on the truck that day/week - and it wont even possibly be there until the next truck arrives.

So - that is a summary of our horrible selection of grocery stores in town - if we drive 40-50 minutes round-trip we can go to other stores (A Giant Eagle, or Kroger) But other than that - that's it!

I really wish we had a Martin's - Weis - or Wegman's ( I LOVE.... L O V E... Wegmans!)

I would take anything else! REALLY I would! Our selection is horrible - and in town all the employees are so rude!

 

[Sehsun]

I mostly go to Publix for groceries, and I love it. Great customer service, good prices, clean, and a good selection.

I also go to Sam's Club for a few grocery items sometimes (bread, bananas, honey, SoBe LifeWater, bagged frozen broccoli).

 

[disfan07]

We have 5 grocery stores within 10 minutes of our house. Albertson's, Von's, Ralphs, Sprouts and Trader Joes.

We usually do a combination of Sprouts, Ralphs and Trader Joes.

 

[herdtoDisney]

That would be me, LOL. My stepdaughter went to RIT and we were blown away when we first went into the so-called flagship store in Pittsfield. Her mother and I made sure to go there again whenever we visited her at school. In fact, one time Wegman's was the first stop (for dinner) BEFORE we even saw her. Tourist attraction indeed!!

My son goes there and just tonight was RAVING to me on the phone about the Wegmans! I'll have to visit it next time I am up-I saw their booth at orientation but didn't get to the store.

 

[pigletto]

I live in Canada so my answer won't be relevant to most.. but I'll answer anyway

Here I don't find Walmart cheaper for anything unless it is a sale, and it's 20 mintues away so not worth it at all. Everything is at least a few more cents than my local store. My local store is a discount chain, but is bright, clean, well stocked, and cheaper than anywhere else on a regular basis. And it's within walking distance so that's a bonus too.

 

[npmommie]

As for Wegmans- I have been praying to the grocery gods for years and years for a Wegmans... and in 2011 we are finally getting a Wegmans in MA! It was supposed to open in Feb, but just this week I saw a billboard go up that says Coming Fall 2011. DH was working for a client in NJ so we got a taste of what Wegmans is like, but that was back in the days when we weren't as budget minded (no house, no DD, former DINKS-lol). I am still praying to the grocery gods for Shop Rite to come to New England!

Where did you see the billboard for Wegmans???

 

[jessica52877]

Walmart is only cheaper for me if it isn't on sale that week at the grocery store and I don't have a coupon (our other stores double up to $.50). DH works at Food Lion and he'll often tell me how the prices are the same when we are in walmart. Of course that is usually Food Lion's sale price, but all the stores cycle through their sales so often it isn't hard to make sure I get it on sale.

I love my grocery store, but then again I am pretty entertained with any grocery store. Just in my blood. Met my husband at the grocery store and have some good friends who still work in stores. I love going to different states and checking out their stores too!

 

[SandrA9810]

I miss Publix. It's the only grocery store I like to go into in FL. I have bought stuff at Albertsons once when they had buy 1 get 2 free on meats, and an occasional late night stop at WalMart if I really needed something.

Here in Dallas, I like the Tom Thumbs the best. They actually have a walmart grocery store, but I don't like it much.

In California, I like shopping at Raley's. Mostly for my "crazy white food", but their prices are comparable to Tom Thumb. I occasionally shop at Food for Less, because the store looks clean and nice with friendly cashiers. The WalMart is not a super store, so there's a very small grocery section. And I love buying all my fruits and veggies at the flea market, I'm probably eating better in some ways, cause I always have fresh fruit on hand. Winter approaching is making me sad to think the fruit vendors will all be gone. But I still have fall harvest.

Prices don't mean a whole lot to me if the store doesn't look clean. Especially when buying fresh products. I will spend a bit more across the street at Raley's (which is most like a Publix) because it's clean and fresh looking.

 

[superme80]

Yup. I go to Grocery Outlet, the local health store, Raley's and Save Mart. If I make a special trip I will go to Whole Foods about once a month. I get most of my paper goods at Target. I got into Wal-Mart every few months, but only if I need baby wipes. I get most of my produce at the Farmer's Market or the local farms and my meat from the local butcher.

 

[dyna]

NO I do not like the grocery store in my town Jayc which is now owned by Krogers who has a monoply on grocery stores for miles around. We do have a Super Sprawlmart in my town tho an I do buy some of my non food items there but not much food. Do not like Sprawlmarts meat or produce. Mine tends to have mice in the pet section around the dog an cat food an over in the grocery part with stuff that comes in boxes.

Doe not much matter tho I will prolly be moving by the end of the year so not much longer to deal with my grocery store.

OH I hate parting with my money so prolly will not like any grocery store.

 

[Swimalie]

I forgot, let me add Trader Joe's. I go there every other week in addition to Wegmans. Their snacks are amazing as are their prepared foods. It's over 20 min away so it's more of a trip than Wegmans but so worth it. In order to go to Trader Joe's, I pass about 4 other grocery stores *bye bye* hee-hee

 

[JB2K]

Here in Dallas, I like the Tom Thumbs the best. They actually have a walmart grocery store, but I don't like it much.

Tom Thumb is a Safeway store (since you have been to CA, it's the same stuff as Safeway's namesake store and Vons).

As for the "Walmart Grocery Store" is that the one known as "Neighborhood Market"? I went to one of those in the Orlando area, last year -- I acutally liked it.

 

[MissBritt]

LOVE LOVE LOVE Publix. Grandmother worked in the bakery for a few years when I was a baby and bought all the grandkids stock in it. Consistently the cleanest, friendliest store with the most variety that I have seen, and I have been to dozens in FL and a few out of state. (Although I just realized I have never been to the one near DTD?) I do almost all my shopping there, even though it's "out of the way". I supplement with WinnDixie, which used to be the lowest of low but is now decent in my area. They have great BOGO deals on fresh meat all the time.