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It has been many years since I walked into a Whole Foods. I always thought of them as a store that sold quality goods, but way too expensive. This morning, I decided to check out the Whole Foods in Paramus for the first time. I figured that maybe I've been too hard on them all these years, and the expensive prices were partially in my imagination.
They weren't.
OK, the store is beautiful. Honestly, it is a nicer looking store than Fairway and easier to navigate for sure. The atmosphere was more... genteel and relaxed, I guess, rather than Fairway's usual loudness, hustle and bustle, and NYC attitude.
But honestly, many of the items in the store were about double the price that comparable items would be at Fairway! And the quality is no better. (Both stores make quality goods.)
I did pick up a few things that weren't too badly priced. Some fresh squeezed OJ, blackberries, and a container of fresh fruit. (The cut fresh fruit selections appeared to be the only items in the store that weren't on sale that weren't that much more expensive than Fairway.)
And don't get me wrong. Fairway has plenty of crazy expensive items. But they also have wonderful sales and many items have great prices (Boar's Head deli meats and milk, for example).
After picking up a few things at Whole Foods, I headed to Fairway and finished the rest of my shopping, among the crazy crowds, the loudness, and hustle and bustle. Small prices to pay to get quality food at great prices.
So, now I'm asking those of you who know both stores. Which do you prefer and why? Am I missing something at Whole Foods?
WF is generally hype, their food bar is gross. I love Indian food, and they do East 6th street a huge disservice (and East 6th isn't even the real deal).. the latter banks on its trendiness, the former on quality food at a decent price.
I've lived around the corner from a whole foods for 7 months and have been there twice, both times because I didn't want to run to the Shoprite which is further away to pick up a few misc. items. Not my kind of store...too expensive and shee-shee foo-foo for me.
trader joe's is the best. read the articles online about them. also, Shopsmart did a little piece on the price difference between them and Whole Foods. Also, Whole Food's CEO was a scumbag a few years ago, trying to pump up his stock.
trader joe's is the best. read the articles online about them. also, Shopsmart did a little piece on the price difference between them and Whole Foods. Also, Whole Food's CEO was a scumbag a few years ago, trying to pump up his stock.
I agree Trader Joe's is also awesome... for different items. And it's not really a full market. Fortuately Trader Joe's is only about a mile away from Fairway on Rt. 17 in Paramus. It's an awesome one-two shopping combo! It's Fairway for deli, meats, fresh produce, and milk, and then I often hit up TJ's for frozen foods, snacks, nuts, and dried fruits. They also have surprisingly good prices on eggs. (Sometimes I get dried fruits and nuts at Fairway too, but TJ's is cheaper for most items.)
BTW, I ran into the Shop Rite in Fair Lawn this morning for a few things, and I couldn't wait to get out of the place. I guess my shopping tastes have evolved! (Not to mention I have a large degree of disdain for this particular Shop Rite, but it is the most convenient for me, so I dealt with it.)
They both suck. The Fairway deli department is rancid. The items for sale are not stored or handled properly & most of the stuff is spoiled. The WF is way expensive & sells things nobody has ever heard off. The Shoprite in Fair Lawn isn't bad. It's a typical Inserra Shoprite. At least it has a bakery. Glass Garden Shoprites don't have a decent one. There are lots of old ladies shopping there from Hawthorne & shoplifters from Paterson which is 30 seconds from the store, but it has an underground parking garage which is helpful in bad weather. Unfortunately, the shoplifting in both the Shoprite & Pathmark in Fair Lawn has gotten worse since A&P converted the Paterson Pathmark into a Food Basics. There are no supermarkets left in Paterson & both stores are right next to the bridge to Paterson. The Pathmark will be gone soon when A&P goes out of business. We'll see what replaces it.
i love shoprite. i used to go to the one in marlboro but now i live closer to the one in middletown. both have become my primary supermarket (while i buy most stuff at costco). i wasnt aware but it appears both of the shop rites are saker shop rites.
I'm trying to completely stop the habit of buying groceries from Pathmark or Stop and Shop or AP or those other dogfood stores. I started shopping at Trader Joes in Millburn and it's working out good for the time being. I shopped at Whole Foods once on Springfield ave and one of the guy workers who was a homosexual flirted with me, I'm a guy and I don't even look or act homosexual but that as well as the prices turn me away from that store.
People need to realize that all this cheap Shop Rite kind of food is genetically modified and sugary junk compiled with preservatives. Not to say organic food is always good but this is what makes America so fat lazy feminine and sloppy. Corn is in everything and its not like a raw corn on the cobb. Quality food is one of the best things to spend ur money on, after shelter.
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