On 1/11/2013 9:06 PM, Bryan wrote:
> I really don't understand how Shop 'n Save undersells Schnucks and Dierbergs so consistently, yet folks still shop Schnucks and Dierbergs, even in a depressed economy. It really seems like a bourgeois thing, like folks think that shopping at Shop 'n Save is an admission of low socio-economic status.
>
> --Bryan

Better purchasing agreements? Dunno, I have never seen a Shop 'n Save
store in my part of the US.

When I shopped at Schnucks in TN it was because it was nearby, not
because of some weird bourgeois thing. Kroger was further away. I
wouldn't have minded the drive if Kroger had nearly as nice a selection
of produce.

I seem to recall Albertson's bought out a local family run chain of
stores, Seessel's. Excellent service there. I was looking for a small
quantity of ground pork to make one of my signature dishes, Thai pork
and shrimp steamed dumplings.

The butcher was a little upset because the Albertson's rules were they
were only allowed to grind beef. I only needed a few ounces of ground
pork, I didn't want to have to buy a pound of Hormel cryo-vac'd crap.
He said to me, "I've been a butcher for 35 years. I know how to clean a
grinder between different types of meat. How much pork do you need?"
That's what I call service!

Then again, I once bought some fish fillets after Albertson's sold out
to Schnucks. The woman who weighed it for me pressed something wrong on
the digital scale. I was just about to the check-out stand when I heard
her yelling, "Wait!" I turned around and she was running down the aisle
towards me. She reached me, slapped another label on the package of
fish and said, "I overcharged you!" I doubt most employees would have
noticed or cared.

I've got two grocery stores near my home. Publix and Food Lion. They
are right next door to each other. I know the prices at Food Lion are a
little lower. But it is a very old and grubby looking store. It has
very poor lighting. The tile floor badly in need of replacing. The
whole thing needs a makeover. It is not an inviting place to shop.

Publix costs a little more but it's bright, well stocked and the
employees are very friendly and helpful. Not to sound 'superior' in any
way, they also employ people who are mentally challenged. Literally.
They work as baggers; people who put your groceries in bags. They'll
offer to help load the groceries into your car.

These are people who wouldn't be texting before putting Ed's groceries
in a bag. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

I doubt any one grocery store is run exactly like the previous one.
Particularly not with a takeover situation. You never know if the new
owners are going to make improvements or just start shutting stores
down. It's a crap shoot.

Jill