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Old 01-13-2013, 07:22 PM
 
19,962 posts, read 30,028,425 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roadrat View Post
I would rather shoot and eat squirrells than buy meat at VomitMart, Shaws is over priced compared to hannaford, hopefully the new owners will get rid of the stupid card thing and lower there prices to compete.


bill

bill, you have a way with words,,never heard,,,vomitmart....thanks for the chuckle, and I agree!
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Old 01-13-2013, 08:20 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainebrokerman View Post
excellent point!!

I try to patronize my local hardware stores, and main street stores that are struggling, also try to shop the iga's, I will shop them whenever possible.... I have bought my guns from local dealers, not from wal-mart.

some mainstreets, that have been hammered the last few decades are making a comeback,,,because of attitudes you mentioned
Now that you mention it, there's an IGA on the Bar Harbor Road in Trenton. Gun shop in Mill Mall right next to Dunkin Donuts; eat breakfast or lunch at Sylvia's.
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Old 01-13-2013, 08:28 PM
 
Location: On a Slow-Sinking Granite Rock Up North
3,638 posts, read 6,140,066 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainebrokerman View Post
I agree, Walmart meat isnt cut on site- they have no meatcutters in the store, and its shipped in from 1000's of miles away, Read the packaging carefully, some is up to 18% in a sodium solution to keep a longer shelf-life, and produce....good luck there too

Shaw's has been pushing a loyalty card, and what's not on the card or on sale...the prices do seem high

Hannaford- I worked for them for 12 years, they were a class act- they are now owned from a company in belgium

Before wal-mart came into the state- the two supermarkets were shaw's and shopnsave (hannaford)
once walmart came in, the whole landscape changed in some regions, ellsworth is a good example- here you have a large hannaford, and a large shaw's, both operating from a consistent sales and profits modules,
then comes a goliath, a super duper wal-mart opens a supercenter - with full lines of groceries, and they are cheaper (overall) in the aisles.....all the sudden this has to take 30% out of hannaford and shaws,-this hurts them maybe not in summer , but in the 9 month off-tourist season)
they lose sales, they still have the same fixed expenses, same size store-grocery stores are huge energy hogs-all the refrigerated and freezer cases- alot of expenses.

anyways- this same scenario happened in presque isle a short time ago
graves (hannaford) and smythe's a larger store competed in harmony for years- then wal-mart came in,,started bleeding both of them, til eventually smythe's closed

I dont shop at wal-mart that often, in some ways I despise them, but they are exceptional retailers- the parking lots are always full.(walmart sells more groceries than any supermarket chain, including Kroger)

In my seasoned age, I tend to shop as local as i can,,when possible..I like the independents grocery stores, they remind me of the stores I grew up with, and guess what?? because they dont have all the variety a walmart or sams club has, I dont overspend, im much more frugal, and the meats are much better from an independent- look for the sales..
I dont care if something is 10 cents more for an item, I refuse to go to a big box store, save my 5.00 and it takes me an hour-(and cost of gas) I hate the parking lots, the inconsiderate people, the long lines-45 checkouts and 5 are open.... Im pissed by the time i get to the cashier- not good for the blood pressure

Ive seen so many small businesses close in the past 10 years, I try to support the little guys
I'll pay $5 bucks more just to be able to get into the foolish parking lot (in addition to supporting local whenever I can).

As far as Wal-mart goes, they are exceptional at marketing. "Always Low Prices" my foot. I started noticing the way they manipulate pricing when my kids were babies. I did a little impromptu 3 month survey of area stores on formula prices. I went to Wal-Mart as well. One week the formula would be $19.99, two weeks later it would be $14.99, the next week it would be $21.98, followed three weeks later by a 'rollback' of $12.88. They've been known to charge 50 cents to a dollar less for the very same item across the bridge in Brewer. After that discovery, I started paying attention to sales at Wal-mart and compared them to my usual purchases.

They've managed to make people believe that they are truly low-priced, but I can do much better shopping sales. We are fortunate to have an IGA near, and they have some great prices. There's also an independent grocer 2 towns over, and they sell meat from a local butcher.

I think the "one stop shopping" idea is why people often go there, but I just line up my drive to hit the stores that are having sales. Yeah, I may have to get out of the car at a couple of places, but it's usually worth it.

I shopped Shaws only when they had a special. I thought their prices were high. Once the one by the Bangor Mall closed, I ceased shopping at Shaws. I've yet to step foot in the one on Main St.
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Old 01-13-2013, 08:31 PM
 
Location: On a Slow-Sinking Granite Rock Up North
3,638 posts, read 6,140,066 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roadrat View Post
I would rather shoot and eat squirrells than buy meat at VomitMart, Shaws is over priced compared to hannaford, hopefully the new owners will get rid of the stupid card thing and lower there prices to compete.


bill

We always called it "Wall-hell" but I do believe I like "VomitMart" much better.
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Old 01-13-2013, 09:43 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainegrl2011 View Post
Yes, I remember the A&P on Main Street....fond memories. A very nice man who used to work there passed on a few years ago. Friends and Family Market is on Rt. 1A headed towards Bangor in Ellsworth Falls on the left not too far past Dunkin Donuts and Ellsworth High School. They also sell gas. They are extremely nice local people. Some make a special trip to buy ground beef from them.
Oh yes. I know that place. We stopped there once.

There's a store, kind of across the street, by the railroad tracks that used to be a grocery too. I forget the name of it. My dad liked that store for the meat. Did the owners of Friends and Family used to own that place too?
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Old 01-14-2013, 01:54 PM
 
Location: Bangor Maine
3,440 posts, read 6,519,392 times
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I think the Hannaford produce is not up to the quality it could be. I looked over 3 dozen green peppers a few days ago and couldn't find even ONE that wasn't very soft to the touch and wrinkled. Went to Shaws that day as well - just for a few of their sale items - and notice it was looking kind of empty - as in lots of open space where there used to be products. I'm sure the grocery business is very competitive but most of us shoppers are not fools.
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Old 01-14-2013, 05:02 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio Flyer View Post
Oh yes. I know that place. We stopped there once.

There's a store, kind of across the street, by the railroad tracks that used to be a grocery too. I forget the name of it. My dad liked that store for the meat. Did the owners of Friends and Family used to own that place too?
The owners are Ron and Launa
very nice people!
This is the first store Ron has owned, Launa , his wife grew up in the bakery business, her father owned a bakery
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Old 01-14-2013, 05:12 PM
 
19,962 posts, read 30,028,425 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainegrl2011 View Post
Now that you mention it, there's an IGA on the Bar Harbor Road in Trenton. Gun shop in Mill Mall right next to Dunkin Donuts; eat breakfast or lunch at Sylvia's.
sylvia's open year 'round?


yes, I agree, I like that IGA in trenton,
alot like the store I grew up with-very friendly, and no long lines
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Old 01-14-2013, 05:42 PM
 
Location: Maine
3,524 posts, read 2,824,686 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainebrokerman View Post
bill, you have a way with words,,never heard,,,vomitmart....thanks for the chuckle, and I agree!
thank you, I try

As far as croceries go, lately (due to budget concerns) I first start at Save-a-Lot for canned and dry goods then I go to Hannaford for the bulk of the food, then it's off to Bourques market for meat.(no pre packed stuff get exactly what and how much of what you want)

I don't care how cheap Walmart is I will not buy meat or produce there I have heard, read, seen, to much about there food

There is an IGA in greene that I love to stop in to on my way home from work when I really need something, great store real friendly staff.



bill
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Old 01-14-2013, 06:14 PM
 
19,962 posts, read 30,028,425 times
Reputation: 39992
Quote:
Originally Posted by roadrat View Post
thank you, I try

As far as croceries go, lately (due to budget concerns) I first start at Save-a-Lot for canned and dry goods then I go to Hannaford for the bulk of the food, then it's off to Bourques market for meat.(no pre packed stuff get exactly what and how much of what you want)

I don't care how cheap Walmart is I will not buy meat or produce there I have heard, read, seen, to much about there food

There is an IGA in greene that I love to stop in to on my way home from work when I really need something, great store real friendly staff.



bill
Bourques has alot of history- all full service, been around for years! they have two stores one on sabattus st, and one on pine st.

the meat manager doug on sabbatus st- 17 yrs ago, a beef company flew us both out west for a tour of there packing plants- largest ones in the country, we had a blast!

Incidentally, 27 years ago, I worked in lewiston at the old sabattus st, shopnsave (use to be cottle's)
I was a butcher.

The greene Iga I like alot too! the employees and very friendly, and so are the owners(Paul & Tony)
thats another store I like to shop in, not too big, and no long lines
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