Grocery Stores (Raleigh, Durham, Cary: sale, chapel, co-op)

[wadcaznc]

Hi All,

Everyone is so good with the advice I thought I might start asking the practical questions. We will be moving to the Raleigh area in 4 weeks and need to find a good place to grocery shop. We do the big shopping at Costco but could someone list the grocery stores in the Raleigh area ranked first to last as best combined value/quality to worst?

Thanks,
WC

[Bull City Rising]

Originally Posted by wadcaznc

Hi All,

Everyone is so good with the advice I thought I might start asking the practical questions. We will be moving to the Raleigh area in 4 weeks and need to find a good place to grocery shop. We do the big shopping at Costco but could someone list the grocery stores in the Raleigh area ranked first to last as best combined value/quality to worst?

Thanks,
WC

Aieee... be warned, you're going to get *lots* of different answers on this. Perceptions of value vs. quality are very, very, very different!

My list:

GREAT: Harris Teeter, Trader Joes (grumble... grumble... drive to Cary

VERY GOOD: SuperTarget, Whole Foods

GOOD: Kroger

EHHHH...: Lowes Foods, Compare Foods

TEN FOOT POLE IS THE CLOSEST I GET TO IT: Food Lion

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

I am going to add onto BCR's list with my choices

My list:

GREAT: Harris Teeter, Trader Joes (Worth the trip to Cary once a month for special items)

VERY GOOD: Earth Fare, Whole Foods (My wife loves Organic choices!)

GOOD: Kroger, Lowes Foods

EHHHH...: Food Lion (Good for quick grabs like soda and chips, not great for meat and produce)

[Desdemona123]

Originally Posted by wadcaznc

Hi All,

Everyone is so good with the advice I thought I might start asking the practical questions. We will be moving to the Raleigh area in 4 weeks and need to find a good place to grocery shop. We do the big shopping at Costco but could someone list the grocery stores in the Raleigh area ranked first to last as best combined value/quality to worst?

Thanks,
WC

Oh you are going to get lots of differing opinions on this one...and part if is the individual stores and what the person's needs are.

Bull City Raising likes Super Target....while I may love the non-grocery part of Target, I find them high priced, limited in selection and not useful for more then to pick up a quick item once in awhile while I am there for something else. (They do carry a brand of mustard my husband likes and I can't find anywhere else.) Both of us are correct as we see it.

Harris Teeter has great quality, good meat and seafood cases, nice deli, nice selection, prices are hit and miss. They are not always the most expensive, but they can be. I've never been in one that wasn't nicely kept with good meats.

Trader Joes....ah...it's okay. Nice quality but many things seem to be convenience or pre-made items. Great for some families, doesn't work for us. If it was closer I'd probably shop the sale items, but it's not worth the trip for me.

Never been to Whole Foods so no comment.

Lowes can be hit or miss. The one in Wake Forest has great selection, good produce, is clean, helpful, great bakery and seafood case. Their meat is okay, deli is standard (but service is slow - they are helpful...it just takes them forever!) I've been to others that aren't kept as nice and don't seem to have the fresh food selection either.

I've only been in one Kroger down here....the one at Wakefield Commons and it has most of the basics of what am looking for. I will buy meat here if I need something and it's on my way. It's not Harris Teeter but it's not Food Lion either.

We shop both Costco and BJs. BJs hamburger is the best I've found, at the best price down here (90% lean for $2.19 a pound) and it's always freshly ground.

I do share everyone's opinion of Food Lion. I was in there just yesterday because they seem to be the only place I can get an odd size air duct filter (of all places) and it reminded me of why I don't shop there.

[MrsSteel]

I definitely agree with the above posts. I will go to Food Lion for the basics that you can get at any store, but I do not buy meat or even milk & eggs from them. Instead, I get these things from Maple View Farms, a locally owned dairy located just north of Chapel Hill/Carborro (www.mapleviewfarm.com Warning! This page will moo at you!). Luckily, I live close to one of their stores, so I can stop in easily, but I know you can buy many of their products at Kroger.

For anyone in the Chapel Hill area, you should check out Weaver Street Market ( www.weaverstreetmarket.coop ). It's a co-op that currently has two locations - their original store in Carborro & another store is at Southern Village in Chapel Hil. They are also building a new store in Hillsborough. Their stores are small and I see no reason to drive to one from Raleigh, but if you're in the neighborhood, definitely check them out. The Wonderful Bread from their bakery is one of my favorites.

If you are a fan of gourmet foods, you *MUST* make the trip out to Chapel Hill sometime and see A Southern Season ( www.southernseason.com ). It is located in University Mall off of the 15/501 just north of the 54. It is the biggest gourmet market around. Definitely one of my very favorite places in the Triangle. The chocolate selection alone is to die for!

[Desdemona123]

Originally Posted by MrsSteel

Definitely one of my very favorite places in the Triangle. The chocolate selection alone is to die for!

You aren't kidding! And not just for the gourmet chocolates...it's one of the few places I can find Aero bars from Canada. I love the texture of those things!

Knowledgeable wine staff as well.

[VickiR]

I do most of my shopping at Lowes Foods and Harris Teeter.

I have shopped at Target but only if I happen to be in the store and I want to pick up a few grocery items.

I lump Food Lion with Wal Mart and refuse to enter either!!!

I've been to Trader Joe's twice...not impressed but I think the build up make it feel like a let down to me.

Whole Foods is nice but when I grocery shop, I'm in a hurry and Whole Foods has such a unique selection that I prefer to go there when I'm in the mood for browsing.

But the guys are right...you are going to get a ton of answers to this question!

Vicki

[wadcaznc]

Thanks everyone,

Nice to see some of the stores I know and to know they're similar to how I view them. Aside from Costco we mainly shop at Fry's here in AZ - which I believe is owned by Kroger - not the 'top of the line' store but good for everyday quality and prices. I was also glad to hear about Harris Teeter (never heard of that before) - it's always difficult to find a store with a good seafood selection and quality - thanks for that. I need to try whole foods as well - are there a lot in the area? Thanks for the posting about the farmers market as well - those are always fun for a lazy weekend morning.

WC

[mcfamilyof4]

My brother lives in wakefield and we went to the super Wal Mart near his house (no clue what street) and I thought it was really nice. One stop shopping for a busy mommy is great. They even had deli, produce and meat. None of the WMarts in the midwest have that at all (or target either).

Like Harris Teeter a lot but no deals to be had.

[Bull City Rising]

Originally Posted by MrsSteel

I definitely agree with the above posts. I will go to Food Lion for the basics that you can get at any store, but I do not buy meat or even milk & eggs from them. Instead, I get these things from Maple View Farms, a locally owned dairy located just north of Chapel Hill/Carborro (www.mapleviewfarm.com Warning! This page will moo at you!). Luckily, I live close to one of their stores, so I can stop in easily, but I know you can buy many of their products at Kroger.

For anyone in the Chapel Hill area, you should check out Weaver Street Market ( www.weaverstreetmarket.coop ). It's a co-op that currently has two locations - their original store in Carborro & another store is at Southern Village in Chapel Hil. They are also building a new store in Hillsborough. Their stores are small and I see no reason to drive to one from Raleigh, but if you're in the neighborhood, definitely check them out. The Wonderful Bread from their bakery is one of my favorites.

If you are a fan of gourmet foods, you *MUST* make the trip out to Chapel Hill sometime and see A Southern Season ( www.southernseason.com ). It is located in University Mall off of the 15/501 just north of the 54. It is the biggest gourmet market around. Definitely one of my very favorite places in the Triangle. The chocolate selection alone is to die for!

Just a quick "second" to Maple View Farms milk. We switched over a few weeks ago and it is awesome. Weaver St. Market is also fantastic (so too is Foster's in Durham and Chapel Hill.)

A Southern Season rocks. Don't go there in the, like, four weeks before Christmas, though. :-)