Grocery Store Prices (Tulsa, Norman, Edmond: sale, home, neighborhood)

[Dallas_Transplant]

Just found out that I'm going to potentially be moving to the OKC area...so on a fact finding mission on a few things - today will be Grocery Stores.

Who is the predominant grocers in the area and what's your impression of them?

How are their prices compared to each other?

Is one a better shop than the other - if so why?

Thanks so much for any input that you may have!

[debzkidz]

This is a subject that had been beaten to death on this board, but I'll give you the highlights.
There are no national chains here, other than Whole Foods (one store), Sprouts, WalMarts, Walmart Neighborhood Markets and Target Superstores. Albertson's was here when I moved here about 7 years ago, but they left the market about a year or so later.

Locally, we have Homeland which is way too expensive, unless stuff is on sale and often very poor quality produce etc. Many of their stores are dirty and run down, although the one near me is pretty nice. Crest, the best my far, in my opinion. Big store, big selection, great produce and great prices. Buy For Less. Kind of dirty. I've only been in one a few times as there is not one anywhere near me. I've never really bought much their. Buy for Less also has a more upscale store in Edmond, Uptown Grocers, which is very nice and a combo of a regular store and a Whole Foods type store. It can be expensive but they do have some great sales.

[Zachj7]

FYI, we have really crappy grocery stores here. There is nothing like Kroger here. Forget trader joes, central market, etc. We have homeland (Crapland), buy4less, and walmarts which are all sub-standard. We have one Whole Foods, and some sprouts. OKCs grocery stores suck compared to Dallas. I know this might be hard to swallow, but it really is a quality of life sort of thing if you lived in a larger city outside of OKC. Many here haven't lived in other cities so they don't know what they are missing. Even Tulsa has better grocery store.

There is good news though. New grocery stores continue to "look" at OKC, and the grocery stores continue to improve slowly. A major issue is that Walmart owns 60% of the grocery share here which really brings down the quality. Also we have some pretty crazy alcohol laws. It doesn't help that when potential grocery stores look at our demographics either.

Now to your question. Things are cheap here including groceries. I would shop at Crest if I were you, OKCs premier grocery store which isn't saying much. It's worse than Kroger IMO.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by Dallas_Transplant

Just found out that I'm going to potentially be moving to the OKC area...so on a fact finding mission on a few things - today will be Grocery Stores.

Who is the predominant grocers in the area and what's your impression of them?

How are their prices compared to each other?

Is one a better shop than the other - if so why?

Thanks so much for any input that you may have!

The wife says that Aldi is the best on price if you're not too worried about name-brand stuff. She also goes to Natural Grocers in Norman from time to time to get more upscale choices.

I'm good with anything as long as a I don't give a dime to big bad corporate bully, Walmart.

[debzkidz]

Oh yeah, I completely forgot about Aldi. There's not one near me, and they are so small I don't really think about them for shopping. They are supposed to be building one here in Edmond, so I guess I will give them a chance. But no we don't have Kroger, Albertson's, HEB, Safeway, Publix or any of the other big name stores.

[Zachj7]

Haven't checked out Aldi yet. The good news is that OKC is always improving including its grocery markets. I be in 5 years or so, folks will have better options than they do today. OKC's grocery stores were in the dark ages in the 80's and 90's but things have improved and continue to do so I am really looking forward to the Crest in Norman!

[Dale Cooper]

I like Crest:

Crest Fresh Market - Home of Rock Bottom Prices

Prices seem in line w/Wal-Mart, but the meat, imo, is much better. Especially the ground beef.

I've never been to Aldi. There's no way I'm taking used grocery bags to a store. Silly green nonsense.

I don't care for Buy For Less because, like someone said, it seems kinda dirty to me. Haven't been there in years.

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by Dale Cooper

I like Crest:

Crest Fresh Market - Home of Rock Bottom Prices

Prices seem in line w/Wal-Mart, but the meat, imo, is much better. Especially the ground beef.

I've never been to Aldi. There's no way I'm taking used grocery bags to a store. Silly green nonsense.

I don't care for Buy For Less because, like someone said, it seems kinda dirty to me. Haven't been there in years.

I agree about Crest and their prices. They are usually just a cheap as Walmart and many times better. They have a great produce department and their meats are really good too.

[Hazel Eyes]

I moved here from California where we had many grocery chains to choose from...OKC needs more stores to shop as I'm always stressed from so many shoppers. I go to Walmart very early in the morning to get my main food, then will shop at Aldi's for items. My concern shopping there was where they imported the food as I refuse to eat food from CHINA...I was told they're German and Australian imports. Actually, I've only gotten a few things I didn't like there, but most of the items are just as good as name brands...Also, do a lot of shopping at Sam's Club....

[flyingcat2k]

Aldi only sells their store branded food and goods. As it is a German company, they would likely be only using US and European producers. Germans are very fussy about having safe food and I would be surpreised if they would ever source anything but seafood from China. Seafood, unfortunately, is about one of the last things you want to eat from China due to the lack of environmental controls.

Did Reasors lose their bid on the Edmond site? I shop exclusively at Reasors and Whole Paycheck (my family's name for Whole Foods) in Tulsa but I did shop at Sprouts and Vitamin Cottage when I lived in Denver. The green grocers are slightly higher than the normal grocery store but you have to shop carefully.

Reasors has really done well in Tulsa and the quality across all locations is good. Midtown Tulsa is probably very happy as Food Pyramid is gone and Reasors is going in at 41st and Peoria next to Whole Foods. It makes my life easier as I used to have to go to Yale and 41 or Peoria and 15th.