Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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I thought the Bloom thing seemed neat, but since I'll be living a couple miles (or less) from a Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's, I think my grocery shopping needs are more than satisfactory. Besides, if I ever get stranded in Charlotte, I'll have something to check out...
My (one and only) personal experience involved a mouthful of deli roast beef I had to spit into the sink after taking a bite. It had a consistency closer oatmeal than meat.
Then of course there is the infamous ABC PrimeTime Live story.
Both are pretty old news though, so things may have changed a lot.
Last edited by Mom2TwinsCary; 03-14-2011 at 12:25 PM..
Reason: Changed to ABC new story. So long ago I forgot who did the report for a minute.
I remember the Food Lion report and I don't usually shop Food Lion so it really didn't matter to me, one way or the other.
However, I did my weekly shopping at the new Food Lion on Strickland Road and I did buy meat. Last night I cooked Country Style Steak with rice and gravy. For those of you that aren't from this area, it is very similar to Salisbury Steak but BETTER!
The meat was very tender and delicious. NO leftovers.
Hubby usually shops at Lowes Foods and on occasion, I go to Earth Fare as I love their meat.
I used to shop at Harris Teeter and have, on occasion, gotten a less than tender piece of meat. I think sometimes it isn't the fault of the grocery store.
Even though I have nothing against Food Lion, I probably won't shop there full time but just wanted to update those of you that asked. Two meals from Food Lion and I'm still alive!!!
I used to shop at Harris Teeter and have, on occasion, gotten a less than tender piece of meat. I think sometimes it isn't the fault of the grocery store.
Its the darn cow's fault. Being lazy and not staying in good shape !
Hannaford has taken over the Bloom stores. They are no longer part of Food Lion. Food Lion is going to the dogs....The way they (DelHaize and Hannaford) treat Food Lion employees is sickening. The bonus employees have received for years has dwindled down to 1% now and this will be the last year for a bonus. High prices, lower benefits. Guess you have to move to Maine to get treated with dignity.
Thanks for this update hangnn. That is interesting news. I saw the Bloom stores in Charlotte, and I always thought they'd do well in this neck of the woods. I kept waiting for them to appear, but I live in shouting distance of Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, so I'm no longer pressed about getting a Bloom.
I also kind of suspected that Food Lion wasn't doing to well. I rarely shop there. The one near my house is always vacant. Also, even though they tout "Low Prices", their meats are generally MORE expensive than Harris Teeter, which is another place I do a lot of shopping. The stores don't seem as well-stocked or modern as other stores. They seem dingy. And I notice Food Lion becoming the store of choice in less-than-stellar neighborhoods.
I think if Food Lion had really hopped on the Bloom concept earlier, and converted more stores, they would have fared better.
The Prime Time special about the meat was long ago, and while I think Harris Teeter has superior cuts of meat, Food Lion still feels the effect of the bad wrap from the cloroxing incident. People should remember that regardless of the name on the store, you're still at the mercy of the employees prepping the food.
I guess it is just me, and while I prefer some chains to others, I don't have a problem with Food Lion. First, they're not all dirty, and for that matter all Harris Teeter's are not heavenly. I live in Cary and am no further than 6 minutes from every store (except the Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are closer to 10 minutes away). I shop at different stores depending on what I am looking for.
Harris Teeter's are definitely more pleasant, but they also have a smaller selection or less variety of many everyday items. There are plenty of good deals at Harris Teeter but overall Food Lion seems to be better priced. The Food Lion happens to be closest in proximity to me, so I often end up there as a matter of convenience and the store is always clean. On the weekends when I want to spend even more time on meals I hitup the Meathouse in Saltbox village. I frequent the Fresh Market for flowers for the Mrs. and specialty items. I goto Sam's depending on the type of party I'm hosting. The only store I never cared to visit was the Kroger on Maynard and I heard it got remodeled.
Trader Joe's is cool but the one near me is tiny, and its only going to be a trip for niche items. I love Whole Foods (another good flower source) but I'm not buying cake mix there, and its always very busy at all hours of the day when I go. I'm glad we don't just have high end grocery stores. I think they all have their place.
If you're trying to save money on groceries, Food Lion is a good place for staples. I used to shop at the likes of Harris Teeter when I worked in the corporate world. Nowadays we're on a very tight budget and Food Lion is my friend. It IS a challenge - I wish the stores were cleaner, the workers cared more about customers and the stock, and that I didn't have to check the expiration date on every single item I pick up. But between sales, coupons and the shopper's card, I get some great deals and try to look at each visit as an adventure.
I don't see FL going away - except maaaybe in mid-upper economic areas where everybody makes enough money not to have to shop there.
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