On Jan 9, 7:55*am, Dave Smith > wrote:
> On 09/01/2013 10:08 AM, Bryan wrote:
>
> > Anyone have store brands that they buy that are as good as, or better than pricier national brands? *Essential Everyday hot breakfast sausage, available at SuperValu stores is one.
> >http://caloriecount.about.com/calori...ay-pork-sausag...
> > The folks who gave it an F can get prison F'd with a broomstick handle.
>
>
> Predident's Choice, sold by Loblaws, Zehrs and No Frills.

Jewel Food Stores in Chicago carried President's Choice products for
years, until they got bought out by Albertson's IIRC.

The funny thing was their long term competitor National Foods (RIP)
had been owned by Loblaw's. National carried no Loblaw's private
labeled products IIRC. Their signage towards the end featured an "n"
that was a rotation of the "l" that Loblaw's used.

On Wednesday, January 9, 2013 10:37:41 AM UTC-6, spamtrap1888 wrote:
> On Jan 9, 7:55*am, Dave Smith > wrote:
>
> > On 09/01/2013 10:08 AM, Bryan wrote:
>
> >
>
> > > Anyone have store brands that they buy that are as good as, or better than pricier national brands? *Essential Everyday hot breakfast sausage, available at SuperValu stores is one.
>
> > >http://caloriecount.about.com/calori...ay-pork-sausag....
>
> > > The folks who gave it an F can get prison F'd with a broomstick handle.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Predident's Choice, sold by Loblaws, Zehrs and No Frills.
>
>
>
> Jewel Food Stores in Chicago carried President's Choice products for
>
> years, until they got bought out by Albertson's IIRC.
>
>
>
> The funny thing was their long term competitor National Foods (RIP)
>
> had been owned by Loblaw's. National carried no Loblaw's private
>
> labeled products IIRC. Their signage towards the end featured an "n"
>
> that was a rotation of the "l" that Loblaw's used.

Jewel carries Java Delight coffee and the breakfast sausage I mentioned above.

--Bryan

On Friday, January 11, 2013 1:04:59 PM UTC-6, l not -l wrote:
> On 9-Jan-2013, spamtrap1888 > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Jan 9, 7:55áam, Dave Smith > wrote:
>
> > > On 09/01/2013 10:08 AM, Bryan wrote:
>
> > >
>
> > > > Anyone have store brands that they buy that are as good as, or
>
> > > > better than pricier national brands? áEssential Everyday hot
>
> > > > breakfast sausage, available at SuperValu stores is one.
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>http://caloriecount.about.com/calori...ay-pork-sausag...
>
> > > > The folks who gave it an F can get prison F'd with a broomstick
>
> > > > handle.
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > > Predident's Choice, sold by Loblaws, Zehrs and No Frills.
>
> >
>
> > Jewel Food Stores in Chicago carried President's Choice products for
>
> > years, until they got bought out by Albertson's IIRC.
>
> >
>
> > The funny thing was their long term competitor National Foods (RIP)
>
> > had been owned by Loblaw's. National carried no Loblaw's private
>
> > labeled products IIRC. Their signage towards the end featured an "n"
>
> > that was a rotation of the "l" that Loblaw's used.
>
> The National stores in the St. Louis area carried a wide variety of
>
> President's Choice products; all that I tried were excellent.
>
I agree. I especially liked the PC chocolate chip cookies. They had all natural ingredients too. Global Foods in Kirkwood used to be a National, and the National here in Richmond Heights is now an Office Depot. Interestingly, the Schnucks at Brentwood and Manchester was being built as a Kroger, but Schnucks was having none of that, and paid off Kroger to leave St. Louis.

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

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

On Saturday, January 12, 2013 10:08:33 AM UTC-6, jmcquown wrote:
> 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.



[snip]
>
> 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.

Publix and Food Lion are very different. Food Lion is the bottom of the barrel. When we lived in Hudson, Florida, there was a Food Lion there. I used to go there occasionally for a few things that were way cheaper than the Jewel right behind our apartment complex. It wasn't the sort of store my wife would ever choose to shop, but she had been curious about it because I had described it, and every time I went there when she was at work, she'd say that she'd like to see it some time. Finally one day, I think it was a Saturday morning, we went there and she agreed that it was a dump. In the parking lot, where quite a few people could overhear, I asked, "There. Are you happy now that I've finally taken you to Food Lion?" I was joking, of course, but we've gotten plenty of laughs over the years imagining what the other shoppers who heard that must have thought.
>
> Jill

--Bryan

On 1/12/2013 11:43 AM, Bryan wrote:
> Publix and Food Lion are very different. Food Lion is the bottom of the barrel. When we lived in Hudson, Florida, there was a Food Lion there. I used to go there occasionally for a few things that were way cheaper than the Jewel right behind our apartment complex. It wasn't the sort of store my wife would ever choose to shop, but she had been curious about it because I had described it, and every time I went there when she was at work, she'd say that she'd like to see it some time. Finally one day, I think it was a Saturday morning, we went there and she agreed that it was a dump. In the parking lot, where quite a few people could overhear, I asked, "There. Are you happy now that I've finally taken you to Food Lion?" I was joking, of course, but we've gotten plenty of laughs over the years imagining what the other shoppers who heard that must have thought.
>> >

Yeah. But I don't have a multitude of supermarkets to choose from. I
could drive 10 miles farther to Piggly Wiggly. I can't think of a
reason to do that.

Jill

On Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:12:42 -0500, jmcquown >
wrote:

>On 1/12/2013 11:43 AM, Bryan wrote:
>> Publix and Food Lion are very different. Food Lion is the bottom of the barrel. When we lived in Hudson, Florida, there was a Food Lion there. I used to go there occasionally for a few things that were way cheaper than the Jewel right behind our apartment complex. It wasn't the sort of store my wife would ever choose to shop, but she had been curious about it because I had described it, and every time I went there when she was at work, she'd say that she'd like to see it some time. Finally one day, I think it was a Saturday morning, we went there and she agreed that it was a dump. In the parking lot, where quite a few people could overhear, I asked, "There. Are you happy now that I've finally taken you to Food Lion?" I was joking, of course, but we've gotten plenty of laughs over the years imagining what the other shoppers who heard that must have thought.
>>> >
>
>Yeah. But I don't have a multitude of supermarkets to choose from. I
>could drive 10 miles farther to Piggly Wiggly. I can't think of a
>reason to do that.
>
>Jill
I've been to The Pig in southern TN and I wouldn't make an effort to
go there either. The Pig in Nashville was so-so. When I lived in
Wisconsin years ago, it was a fine store.
Janet US

On 1/12/2013 12:59 PM, Janet Bostwick wrote:
> On Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:12:42 -0500, jmcquown >
> wrote:
>
>> On 1/12/2013 11:43 AM, Bryan wrote:
>>> Publix and Food Lion are very different. Food Lion is the bottom of the barrel. When we lived in Hudson, Florida, there was a Food Lion there. I used to go there occasionally for a few things that were way cheaper than the Jewel right behind our apartment complex. It wasn't the sort of store my wife would ever choose to shop, but she had been curious about it because I had described it, and every time I went there when she was at work, she'd say that she'd like to see it some time. Finally one day, I think it was a Saturday morning, we went there and she agreed that it was a dump. In the parking lot, where quite a few people could overhear, I asked, "There. Are you happy now that I've finally taken you to Food Lion?" I was joking, of course, but we've gotten plenty of laughs over the years imagining what the other shoppers who heard that must have thought.
>>>>>
>>
>> Yeah. But I don't have a multitude of supermarkets to choose from. I
>> could drive 10 miles farther to Piggly Wiggly. I can't think of a
>> reason to do that.
>>
>> Jill
> I've been to The Pig in southern TN and I wouldn't make an effort to
> go there either. The Pig in Nashville was so-so. When I lived in
> Wisconsin years ago, it was a fine store.
> Janet US
>
'The Pig' claims to be the first "self serve" grocery store.
http://www.pigglywiggly.com/about-us.

I've shopped in some nice ones. But that was many years ago. I
probably wouldn't go out of my way to shop at the one in Beaufort.
Seems like they've been going downhill for a while.

Jill