Grocery Stores? (Denver, Monument: live in, price, shop)

[treedonkey]

[quote=JustJamie;5625336]There's no Trader Joes?!
Can you order from their site?

No and No.

The closest one is in Santa Fe, NM. It's because they have no distribution center to cover this area, if we ever get one, then we will likely get several stores in the region. Sometimes my wife and I like to take a weekend getaway to Santa Fe and we go to TJ's while we're there to get our 'fix'.

I'm pretty sure I could start a successful side business by taking a bunch of orders from people on this site, then driving a van down there and bringing stuff back. It all depends on how much folks would be willing to pay for their Vanilla Bean Joe-Joes and Two-Buck Chuck.

[bluenan]

Are these stores located all through the Springs area,ie. how many walmarts,etc? I mean like a Walmart in sprinkled throughout as well as grocery stores , or just a walmart or g. store. I don't want to look for a neighborhood for son to got to school and there not be a walmart and grocery store, etc

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by bluenan

Are these stores located all through the Springs area,ie. how many walmarts,etc? I mean like a Walmart in sprinkled throughout as well as grocery stores , or just a walmart or g. store. I don't want to look for a neighborhood for son to got to school and there not be a walmart and grocery store, etc

Go to the wal-mart website, or google "supermarkets in colorado springs" and you'll get your answers immediately.

[mtngigi]

I'd like to put a plug in for Sunflower Market, a co-op type market that has really great deals on produce and bulk food items. Their olive oil is a good deal, too. They overlap their sales days, so that on Wednesdays, you get two weeks worth of specials. If I'm going to be on that side of town, I make a point to stop there (hoping someday they open one closer to the westside).

I honestly do not know why Whole Foods is mentioned so much. Their prices are insane. Even if I could afford to, I wouldn't shop there - for the most part, you can find the same stuff a lot cheaper elsewhere.

By the way - I love King Soopers, too. They're the best supermarket chain here.

[Maynerd]

Originally Posted by mtngigi

I honestly do not know why Whole Foods is mentioned so much. Their prices are insane. Even if I could afford to, I wouldn't shop there - for the most part, you can find the same stuff a lot cheaper elsewhere.

When I go, I work the perimeter of Whole Foods. Seafood, Meat, Cheese, Deli, Bakery. Each has top quality stuff that you CAN'T find at Albertson's or King Soopers. Prices tend high, but not insanely so. I don't even look at the stuff on the shelves. That's where the ridiculous prices are, because it's all organic, small quantity merchandise. The blueberry breakfast sausage alone makes the occassional trip to Whole Foods worth every nickel.

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by mtngigi

I'd like to put a plug in for Sunflower Market, a co-op type market that has really great deals on produce and bulk food items. Their olive oil is a good deal, too. They overlap their sales days, so that on Wednesdays, you get two weeks worth of specials. If I'm going to be on that side of town, I make a point to stop there (hoping someday they open one closer to the westside).

I honestly do not know why Whole Foods is mentioned so much. Their prices are insane. Even if I could afford to, I wouldn't shop there - for the most part, you can find the same stuff a lot cheaper elsewhere.

By the way - I love King Soopers, too. They're the best supermarket chain here.

I think that one of the reasons Whole Foods is mentioned so often -- or at least the reason I'm glad they're here -- is that COS is not exactly rich in ethnic food stores. Some of the ingredients for my Thai cooking I would have to order online or drive to Denver to get...but Whole Foods has it.

I agree, King Soopers is one of the better supermarkets I've seen, though nothing beat Wegmans from back East.

[smdensbcs]

Originally Posted by phetaroi

Some of the ingredients for my Thai cooking I would have to order online or drive to Denver to get...but Whole Foods has it.

Have you been to the large asain-food market on East Platte (several miles east of Academy)? I believe its called "Asian Pacific" market. I thought I'd lost access to fresh Thai ingredients (galanga, etc.) until I discovered this place a few years ago. Great prices too.

[mtngigi]

Originally Posted by Maynerd

When I go, I work the perimeter of Whole Foods. Seafood, Meat, Cheese, Deli, Bakery. Each has top quality stuff that you CAN'T find at Albertson's or King Soopers. Prices tend high, but not insanely so. I don't even look at the stuff on the shelves. That's where the ridiculous prices are, because it's all organic, small quantity merchandise. The blueberry breakfast sausage alone makes the occassional trip to Whole Foods worth every nickel.

I understand what you're saying and of course the shelf stuff is priced crazy. But the only thing I'll give them is the seafood and bakery, you're right about that. My Soopers has had a large gourmet cheese section for a long time, with a decent selection of cheeses, and I have no complaints with their meats. Their deli is also pretty good, because they offer higher-end brands as well as their store brand stuff.

I shopped at WF a few times when they first opened and I was working on that side of town. But when I came out of the store, I felt cheated. And I really don't shop the aisles all that much, because I don't use prepared, packaged stuff. Meat, cheese, bakery, a little produce - I'd walk out of WF with a little tiny bag and a very empty wallet.

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by smdensbcs

Have you been to the large asain-food market on East Platte (several miles east of Academy)? I believe its called "Asian Pacific" market. I thought I'd lost access to fresh Thai ingredients (galanga, etc.) until I discovered this place a few years ago. Great prices too.

Yes, I find them about 50-50.

[Marcy1210]

When I'm in Divide, I shop the Safeway in Woodland Park; very rarely City Market (dark and dingy). Yet, if I'm in the Springs, I head straight for King Soopers (a City Market sister) which is large, bright and airy. But, here in Tucson, we have Fry's which is also a sister store to City Market and King Soopers, and it's awful (horrible produce, never much meat in the meat dept), and they're replacing National brands of coffee, rice, pastas, etc with Kroger and Fry's brands. How can three different Kroger stores be so completely opposite?

I shop Albertson's or Trader Joe's when I'm here, and interestingly, the Safeway near me is set up exactly like the Safeway in Woodland Park. We also have Basha's, Sunflower, Whole Foods, Super Walmart, Super Target, Wal-Mart Neighborhood, and more. And as a bonus, Basha's, Fry's, Safeway and Albertson's all have full service liquor stores in them, open 7 days a week. The others sell beer and wines. One stop shopping!