Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Just a quick followup to one of my earlier posts about not liking Trader Joes because everything is a "house brand"... it's not only because I don't know who is making or supplying the item, it's also because stores can and often do change whoever the maker/supplier is. Therefore the product isn't guaranteed to be consistent over time, at least not the same way it is with a national branded product.
With things like dishwashing liquid, for example (I buy either the 7th Generation Free & Clear, or Stop & Shop's house brand Nature's Promise Free & Clear, whichever one happens to be on sale at the moment because they are priced the same), I don't care but with any kind of food product it is important to me to be confident that what I am buying will be the exact same product every time, with no unexpected surprises just because some store chain decided to go with a new, lower bidder to make their house brand.
It’s a fair point, but name brands will change their ingredient suppliers and even possibly the recipe as well.
I’ve bought from TJ’s in 3 states over close to 20 years and things have been remarkably consistent for most of the products I buy.
I don’t buy bread there as I find it gets stale quickly, nor household staples as Costco is cheaper, but otherwise buy as much as possible at TJ’s. Good prices, interesting products and they stand behind them. They also generally have less artificial additives.
We get over to TJ's in Commack fairly regularly, but for me Iv'e become somewhat of an Aldi's devotee. The prices are great and I don't mind the bare bones grey concrete warehouse experience over other markets with more ambiance.
Talk about a slow fade!!....
I like Aldi's brand of most things too. They are cropping up like Dandelion's around here. Actually the supermarket situation is a bit out of control here, Publix came a few years ago and now Wegman's is coming. Whole Foods just opened near me, Aldi and Lidl are building all over....
I like Aldi's brand of most things too. They are cropping up like Dandelion's around here. Actually the supermarket situation is a bit out of control here, Publix came a few years ago and now Wegman's is coming. Whole Foods just opened near me, Aldi and Lidl are building all over....
The Whole Foods and Trader Joes in Lake Grove (Smith Haven Mall) are within line-of-sight of each other. You can stand in front of either store and literally see the other one.
Numerically there are more TJs than WFs on LI.
Whole Foods: Lake Grove, Commack, Manhasset, Jericho
Trader Joes: Lake Grove, Commack, Hewlett, Plainview, Merrick, Garden City, Oceanside
Wild by Nature, currently: East Setauket, Huntington, West Islip, Hampton Bays, Oceanside
The TJs and Wild by Nature in Oceanside are both on Long Beach Road, about 1 1/2 miles from each other.
The new WF in Commack is "kind of" on the same road (Vets Hwy merges into Jericho Turnpike at just about that same point) and is separated from the TJs by about the same distance (1 1/2 miles.) The TJs used to be a little farther east (Jericho Tpke & Larkfield Road, next to a Dollar Tree and across from a now-defunct Sears) but moved to their current location earlier this year.
Whole Foods has a woeful lack of locations on the South Shore and East End. I can kind of see them not wanting the East End because it's so seasonal, but there are plenty of pockets of "money" areas south of 27A in both counties. So it's puzzling. Then again WBN only had the one, in Oceanside.
I don't think its really that puzzling. I remember when the only Whole Foods on the island was the one in Manhasset across from the Americana..I used to shop at the one by Penn Station and carry the items home when those items were more unique/exclusive to Whole Foods.
The South Shore is not generally considered upscale despite the fact that most of those towns are white. It's considered (rightfully or wrongfully) blue-collar/joey buttafucco and the union plumber coming off his train isn't thought by marketers to be stopping at Whole Foods swooning over organic ambrosia apples and air chilled chicken (and he can afford it).
As Whole Foods is considered destination retail (you would drive out of your way to get there) they figure their shoppers will head up to Jericho, order online, etc.
The South Shore is not generally considered upscale despite the fact that most of those towns are white. It's considered (rightfully or wrongfully) blue-collar/joey buttafucco and the union plumber coming off his train isn't thought by marketers to be stopping at Whole Foods swooning over organic ambrosia apples and air chilled chicken (and he can afford it).
Oh I completely agree and have been complaining about Whole Foods' shortsightedness in that regard for more than two decades, ever since they opened their first stores.
It's as if they completely ignore the fact that many areas south of Montauk Highway are shelling out as much or more in housing prices and property taxes as many areas north of 25A. Babylon Village, West Islip, Brightwaters, Bay Shore, East Islip, Great River .... you can't tell me that people who are paying $25K - $35K in taxes wouldn't like to have a Whole Foods anywhere between Montauk and Sunrise Highways. I lived in West Islip for 40 years and believe me I was peeved every time I had to drive to the Jericho store.
I complain about the same thing re: The Container Store which has ONE store on LI and it's in Westbury. Yes, one can order online but the problem is that their Elfa shelving system doesn't show to its best advantage in a catalog or on a web page. People really need to see it in person to appreciate how much better the quality is. But if someone has only seen it on paper or on a screen, they are likely to think "Ehh... it's the same as what I can buy at Home Depot or Lowes, just more expensive." No. It's not the same, but one needs to actually have the stuff in hand to realize it. So it boggles my mind why chains like WF and The Container Store seem to think that all the Long Island money is in Nassau (and mid to north Nassau at that.) WF didn't stick their foot into Suffolk at all until 2010.
Oh I completely agree and have been complaining about Whole Foods' shortsightedness in that regard for more than two decades, ever since they opened their first stores.
It's as if they completely ignore the fact that many areas south of Montauk Highway are shelling out as much or more in housing prices and property taxes as many areas north of 25A. Babylon Village, West Islip, Brightwaters, Bay Shore, East Islip, Great River .... you can't tell me that people who are paying $25K - $35K in taxes wouldn't like to have a Whole Foods anywhere between Montauk and Sunrise Highways. I lived in West Islip for 40 years and believe me I was peeved every time I had to drive to the Jericho store.
I complain about the same thing re: The Container Store which has ONE store on LI and it's in Westbury. Yes, one can order online but the problem is that their Elfa shelving system doesn't show to its best advantage in a catalog or on a web page. People really need to see it in person to appreciate how much better the quality is. But if someone has only seen it on paper or on a screen, they are likely to think "Ehh... it's the same as what I can buy at Home Depot or Lowes, just more expensive." No. It's not the same, but one needs to actually have the stuff in hand to realize it. So it boggles my mind why chains like WF and The Container Store seem to think that all the Long Island money is in Nassau (and mid to north Nassau at that.) WF didn't stick their foot into Suffolk at all until 2010.
I know exactly what you mean. I remember going to Bergen County and being amazed at the plethora of retail located there and them having two very upscale malls (Riverside/Garden State Plaza) in close proximity. I'd take the drive just to benefit from the no sales tax. I wondered why Long Island lacked that caliber of retail. Even Costco is underrepresented in Nassau County...which is why the Westbury store is a
Moderator cut: language removed Yes, part of it is the fact that Manhattan supports the biggest and the best and retailers feared cannibalizing sales, but the GS Plaza is closer to Manhattan than Roosevelt Field so that wasn't completely it. It has gotten better as Walt Whitman has upgraded tremendously and with the addition of Neimans/the luxury wing, Roosevelt Field has cemented its status as one of the top 10 malls in the country. Also, the Americana hurt Roosevelt Field's ability to rival, say Short Hills mall since they cover the uber luxury market.
I hope you are taking advantage of the Elfa sale now
Last edited by nancy thereader; 01-09-2019 at 07:20 PM..
I hope you are taking advantage of the Elfa sale now
I have taken advantage of the two Elfa sales each year (25% summer and 30% winter) so many times that I'm now not only on a first name basis both ways with all the Container Store employees, but I overheard myself referred to the other week on their walkie-talkie as an "alpha customer", LOL
I just finished up my final area (garage) during the current sale. Inside the house I've done two rooms, a side hallway laundry/pantry area, and a section of the kitchen with Elfa. One of the rooms is a former bedroom turned into a 10x12 closet room.
Last edited by BBCjunkie; 01-10-2019 at 08:48 AM..
I heard very good things about Wegman's so I hope they come here.
Does anyone know what is going in the old Waldbuams of Stony Brook?
According to rumor, three new businesses, one a nail salon. I was hoping for a supermarket. Even Meat Farms.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
