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And IF I'm going to a store that's not close, it's just that it wouldn't be a Fresh Grocer. That's all.
Been to two in my life:
-- Upper Darby one on Marshall Road, which I thought was an actual ShopRite. (about 4 years ago)
-- And one in West Philly (YEEEEARS, if not a decade ago), but not the one at 56 & Market. I thought the one I went to was closer to Univ. City. Was there ever an FG in the 40s on Chestnut or elsewhere in that area?
There was a Fresh Grocer on 40th and Chestnut right across from Penn from about the late 90's until last year when Penn kicked them out in favor of Acme. This Acme location isn't as good a value all the time but I have to admit that it's cleaner and easier to navigate without FG's diagonal aisles.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rowhomecity
I took your advice and looked up the public record and did a simple search just for the Delaware ShopRites.
Shoprite had over 150 violations for sanitation violations at multiple locations in just Delaware and they only have I believe 6 stores in Delaware...
The Shoprite I was in just outside of Atlantic City was also extremely dirty. With grime everywhere...
It is a dirty chain. I am not sure why you want to defend a grocery store that violates sanitation standards far above the industry standard and you can visibly see dirt on its floors and it sells expired and moldy food.
If you want to shop at a market like that. Help yourself. I choose to shop somewhere like Wegmans, Costco or Trader Joes, which has impeccable quality, clean stores and low prices.
I was not defending ShopRite. I simply told you that I believed that your posts about them were breaking TOS, and as the OP of the thread I was telling you to back up your posts, which you finally did.
I was not a fan of ShopRite going way back, possibly before you were born, so you're wrong on that. Take a roadtrip. Visit some Food Lions, and ShopRite will look pretty darned good.
I took your advice and looked up the public record and did a simple search just for the Delaware ShopRites.
Shoprite had over 150 violations for sanitation violations at multiple locations in just Delaware and they only have I believe 6 stores in Delaware...
The Shoprite I was in just outside of Atlantic City was also extremely dirty. With grime everywhere...
It is a dirty chain. I am not sure why you want to defend a grocery store that violates sanitation standards far above the industry standard and you can visibly see dirt on its floors and it sells expired and moldy food.
If you want to shop at a market like that. Help yourself. I choose to shop somewhere like Wegmans, Costco or Trader Joes, which has impeccable quality, clean stores and low prices.
At the same token, ShopRites are far from equal.
Wegmans is very elitist and only opens in wealthy areas that are fast growing, and typically it has to build on new not developed land and builds large stores. Far from adaptable, where ShopRite assumed many locations of previous competitors and services higher income and lower income areas.
Most areas at least in South Jersey aren't served by Wegmans. Similar with Costco and it requires a membership, and operates at limited hours.
Trader Joes is a niche store. You can't get fabric softener there. Radishes - nope. Dandelion Greens - nope. Many things, you just can't get there. Their food is hit or miss as well.
Wegmans is very elitist and only opens in wealthy areas that are fast growing, and typically it has to build on new not developed land and builds large stores. Far from adaptable, where ShopRite assumed many locations of previous competitors and services higher income and lower income areas.
Most areas at least in South Jersey aren't served by Wegmans. Similar with Costco and it requires a membership, and operates at limited hours.
Trader Joes is a niche store. You can't get fabric softener there. Radishes - nope. Dandelion Greens - nope. Many things, you just can't get there. Their food is hit or miss as well.
Wegmans is elitist? Do tell. Wegmans is just a regular old grocery store in Upstate New York, where the chain originated. Yes, you’d struggle to find a Wegmans in a downtrodden urban area in greater Philadelphia, but there’s nothing immensely special about places like Montgomeryville and Cherry Hill, and Wegmans in this area serve the conventionally middle class (and even people less well-off than that) as much as they do affluent families.
It’s not cheap, I’ll give you that, but I don’t see how it’s elitist. The Wegman family are also big-time philanthropists who give back to the communities they serve. Jeff Brown isn’t a fundamentally better human being. He just operates according to a different business model (that’s not to cast judgment on dear Mr. Brown; I have no problems with him either).
Last edited by ElijahAstin; 04-16-2021 at 01:18 PM..
Wegmans is elitist? Do tell. Wegmans is just a regular old grocery store in Upstate New York, where the chain originated. Yes, you’d struggle to find a Wegmans in a downtrodden urban area in greater Philadelphia, but there’s nothing immensely special about places like Montgomeryville and Cherry Hill, and Wegmans in this area serve the conventionally middle class (and even people less well-off than that) as much as they do affluent families.
It’s not cheap, I’ll give you that, but I don’t see how it’s elitist. The Wegman family are also big-time philanthropists who give back to the communities they serve. Jeff Brown isn’t a fundamentally better human being. He just operates according to a different business model (that’s not to cast judgment on dear Mr. Brown; I have no problems with him either).
Yes.. Wegmans is not elitist in any sense. I agree with you 100% Elijah.
The Wegmans brand products are actually very affordable.
The great thing about Wegmans is it has the speciality products you would find at say a Whole Foods combined with very low cost but high quality products from its in store brand.
So you have the ability to mix and match speciality products with low cost in store but high quality products all in one trip and save tons of money and time! This is why Wegmans is consistently listed as the top 3 grocery store in the nation...
And Wegmans produce department is impeccable. High quality. Low price. And sourced often locally! It does not get any better.
Its family pack boneless chicken breast is $1.99 a pound. Which is less than Aldi or any other low price grocery store in the region.
I am not sure how that makes Wegmans elitist to the other poster who commented??
Not to mention Wegmans offers other very much value oriented products from its in store brand.
Wegmans has been in upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania for 25+ years in small areas like Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Erie, Pennsylvania... Scranton, Pennsylvania and Corning, New York. These are not elitist communities. Your idea of Wegmans is just off (Not to Elijah but responding to G55).
Trader Joes is a niche grocery store. And it is widely known not to be a one stop shop but more of a speciality market with fair prices..
This is why I said I shop at Costco, Trader Joes and Wegmans.
And all the wholesale chains have a membership fee. That is not unique to Costco. Costco offers a lot of value and great product at a low cost.. more so than its competitors like Sams and BJs.
No one is going to Trader Joes looking for Dandelion Greens... I think few people in America are looking for that product to be honest
Last edited by rowhomecity; 04-16-2021 at 01:40 PM..
Yes.. Wegmans is not elitist in any sense. I agree with you 100% Elijah.
The Wegmans brand products are actually very affordable.
The great thing about Wegmans is it has the speciality products you would find at say a Whole Foods combined with very low cost but high quality products from its in store brand.
So you have the ability to mix and match speciality products with low cost in store but high quality products all in one trip and save tons of money and time! This is why Wegmans is consistently listed as the top 3 grocery store in the nation...
And Wegmans produce department is impeccable. High quality. Low price. And sourced often locally! It does not get any better.
Its family pack boneless chicken breast is $1.99 a pound. Which is less than Aldi or any other low price grocery store in the region.
I am not sure how that makes Wegmans elitist to the other poster who commented??
Not to mention Wegmans offers other very much value oriented products from its in store brand.
Wegmans has been in upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania for 25+ years in small areas like Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Erie, Pennsylvania... Scranton, Pennsylvania and Corning, New York. These are not elitist communities. Your idea of Wegmans is just off (Not to Elijah but responding to G55).
Trader Joes is a niche grocery store. And it is widely known not to be a one stop shop but more of a speciality market with fair prices..
This is why I said I shop at Costco, Trader Joes and Wegmans.
And all the wholesale chains have a membership fee. That is not unique to Costco. Costco offers a lot of value and great product at a low cost.. more so than its competitors like Sams and BJs.
No one is going to Trader Joes looking for Dandelion Greens... I think few people in America are looking for that product to be honest
From what I understand, Wegmans was a convert to "everyday low prices."
When it adopted its current store format, customers flocked to Wegmans stores in the Rochester area for those tantalizing prepared and specialty foods that ring the produce department — then they went to rival Tops to do the rest of their shopping because prices in the rest of the store were much higher than they were at Tops.
Wegmans management eventually figured out that if they really wanted to compete, they needed to keep the shoppers in the store for the rest of their grocery run.
On to the rest of the post...
Once again, TJ's and Aldi US are siblings of a sort: each is owned by one half of the two-headed Aldi company, which was split in two in 1961 over a dispute about selling tobacco in the stores the Albrecht brothers founded in 1946. You are correct that TJ's is a specialty grocer (which is why I call it "Aldi-meets-Whole Foods") while Aldi is not, but Aldi stores do carry a fairly decent number and variety of specialty grocery products, including (at various times of year) Irish cheddar cheese, prosciutto and jamón serrano, sweet chocolate-brown peppers, and certified Angus beef (availability varies but it's sold year-round). And both operate according to the same limited-selection, no-service, almost-all-private-label business model. I do consider admiration for the one and dissing of the other severely off-base, even to the point of being elitist.
And as for what I boldfaced: They may not be consumed as widely as kale, but I can find dandelion greens at most decent produce stands and many supermarket produce sections. They can either be cooked like collard, turnip or mustard greens, or they can be eaten raw — they make an interesting addition to salads, adding a note of bitterness much like radicchio or endive. I think you need to meet more Americans. I will grant, however, that while some Americans have eaten dandelion greens for decades (you can harvest them from your own front yard if you remember to pull them out of the ground before the flowers sprout), they are a relatively recent addition to many produce stands.
From what I understand, Wegmans was a convert to "everyday low prices."
When it adopted its current store format, customers flocked to Wegmans stores in the Rochester area for those tantalizing prepared and specialty foods that ring the produce department — then they went to rival Tops to do the rest of their shopping because prices in the rest of the store were much higher than they were at Tops.
Wegmans management eventually figured out that if they really wanted to compete, they needed to keep the shoppers in the store for the rest of their grocery run.
On to the rest of the post...
Once again, TJ's and Aldi US are siblings of a sort: each is owned by one half of the two-headed Aldi company, which was split in two in 1961 over a dispute about selling tobacco in the stores the Albrecht brothers founded in 1946. You are correct that TJ's is a specialty grocer (which is why I call it "Aldi-meets-Whole Foods") while Aldi is not, but Aldi stores do carry a fairly decent number and variety of specialty grocery products, including (at various times of year) Irish cheddar cheese, prosciutto and jamón serrano, sweet chocolate-brown peppers, and certified Angus beef (availability varies but it's sold year-round). And both operate according to the same limited-selection, no-service, almost-all-private-label business model. I do consider admiration for the one and dissing of the other severely off-base, even to the point of being elitist.
And as for what I boldfaced: They may not be consumed as widely as kale, but I can find dandelion greens at most decent produce stands and many supermarket produce sections. They can either be cooked like collard, turnip or mustard greens, or they can be eaten raw — they make an interesting addition to salads, adding a note of bitterness much like radicchio or endive. I think you need to meet more Americans. I will grant, however, that while some Americans have eaten dandelion greens for decades (you can harvest them from your own front yard if you remember to pull them out of the ground before the flowers sprout), they are a relatively recent addition to many produce stands.
Wegmans has been known more for low prices and quality products since the 90s. I grew up with it in the early 90s.. long before it entered the Philadelphia market.
Wegmans did not fully adopt and embrace its prepared foods speciality niche until they expanded in the mid 2000s to larger markets.. in Philadelphia, New Jersey and DC...
Prepared food as we know it was not a thing back in Wegmans stores in the 90s or really any grocer back then..
If you look at the original Wegmans stores which still exist in markets like Williamsport, Erie, Scranton and Corning.... they are actually quite small and have a small prepared foods section.
So to be fair, as someone who has shopped at their stores since the mid 90s in these small markets. I think your assessment is not accurate.
Wegmans success is all based on its Wegmans branded products that are at a very high quality but at a very low cost (Aldi level).
Tops is not known for low prices whatsoever. It is actually quite comparable to Acme... I have shopped in Tops... My family is from the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania and Southern Tier of NY and I have frequented both stores frequently and Wegmans in its original market.
Acme use to actually be located in Northern Pennsylvania and Parts of Southern New York.. Tops took over those markets and came later to that region, after Wegmans was established.
Tops is average to below average in price and quality. I have been in Tops and it is literally a Northern Tier version of Acme.
Wegmans name brand products have always been sought after... I think you are underplaying its success in its local market.. or it never would have expanded and been as successful as it is today.
Wegmans was not built on its prepared foods. That is false. It was built on its low priced Wegmans branded products that offered superior quality.
Also Aldi and Trader Joes are not owned by the same company. They are two separate entities. It is a misconception they are owned as one. They have some far and few between similarities of operation but they go after completely different target markets, carry completely different food items and are not that similar.
I do not dislike Aldi. I think it is about a 5/10. Some things there are great finds. Some are less than desirable. And some of their products at Aldi are just a complete miss and taste awful. It is hit or miss with a lot of Aldi products. I have navigated their stores enough to know what is a hit and what is a miss. It just is not all hits... Especially their meat department... amongst others.
Aldi is great for some Spring Mix, Cucumbers.. say Cherry Tomatoes, Apples and Mixed Nuts.. Maybe a bag of pretzels and frozen peas. But in terms of other offerings they usually fall short for me personally... And they have no local produce which I dislike severely.
Wegmans
Trader Joes
Costco
by far are the best value and highest quality groceres in the region. And I am happy we have all three at our disposal..
I also look forward to checking out that new H Mart by Olney.. it looks rather nice.
Last edited by rowhomecity; 04-16-2021 at 04:21 PM..
It’s not cheap, I’ll give you that, but I don’t see how it’s elitist. The Wegman family are also big-time philanthropists who give back to the communities they serve. Jeff Brown isn’t a fundamentally better human being. He just operates according to a different business model (that’s not to cast judgment on dear Mr. Brown; I have no problems with him either).
Agreed that Jeff Brown is not a fundamentally better human being than a member of the Wegman family is.
But his business practices include hiring former convicts returning to civilian life, a group that has a notoriously hard time avoiding slipping back into crime because people won't hire them. And it includes giving small businesses, especially but not exclusively Black-owned ones, a leg up by offering them space in his stores to market their specialty food products.
I would say that approach produces a much greater return to the communities his stores serve than charitable contributions do, not to say that charitable contributions are beanbag.
Wegmans, btw, now operates one urban supermarket, in a gentrifying section of Brooklyn. I hate to say this, but right now, even Whole Foods does better on this score now that it's doing business on Chicago's South Side with a store on the border between Kenwood and Hyde Park. Wegmans still won't touch lower-income communities at all. Whole Foods now has dipped its toes in the water, and Jeff Brown dived right in.
Wegmans has been known more for low prices and quality products since the 90s. I grew up with it in the early 90s.. long before it entered the Philadelphia market.
They only adopted the prepared foods speciality when they expanded in the mid 2000s to larger markets..
Roger that.
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