US guys: Which are really big supermarkets?

[iheartmaytag]

NO on walmart meat

I will second, third, and fourth that.

Not only do they only have cryo-packs that are pumped full of salt and water.  But they also pump carbon monoxide into the package so the meat stays red even if it's rotten.

 

This is why if you do buy Wal-Meats you will need to fix them that day, as they won't keep.

 

Albertson's gave up on our area a few years ago, leaving us with Dillon's, Wal-Mart, an Aldi for groceries.  There are a few independents around but they aren't anything to speak of.   There is a new Sav-a-Lot in town, but it's was brought in to serve a part of town that I don't even drive in during the day, let alone park my car there in the evening while I'm shopping.

 

 

 

[whirlcool]

Anyone remember the expose that a major network news show did on Food Lion? We had them in Houston for a short time. Then the story ran and nobody went in there anymore. About 4 months after the story ran Food Lion departed Texas.

The show was about how Food Lion used improper handing of the products in their meat department and by using food coloring they could make even the brownest, most rotten meat look fresh again.

 

[lordkenmore]

new Sav-a-Lot in town

There's a Save-A-Lot that's convenient for me. But I almost never shop there. It's a depressing store--shopping there makes me feel impoverished somehow. I've shopped other discount stores that, in contrast, are more pleasant, and leave me feeling thrifty and frugal. Maybe even cackling an evil cackle as I think of the dollars I saved over the regular price.

 

The irony is that my impression of Save-A-Lot is that I save little, let alone a lot. Of course, this is something that possibly will vary based on what one buys, etc.

 

These days, Fred Meyer gets about 99% of my regular grocery business. Selection is large, quality no worse as far as I can tell than other stores, service is good, and prices are lower than any other regular grocery store on most items. In summer, though, I try to shop at open air markets, and farmer's markets for vegetables and fruit. Prices can be lower, and quality is a lot higher than any grocery store.

 

[nurdlinger]

Meijer

When I was in college in the late 60s, there were Meijer Markets that sold groceries and Thrifty Acres which was a cut-rate department store. Right around then is when they began to combine under a single roof, and that was called Meijer's Thrifty Acres. At that time they were found mostly in central and western lower Michigan. (I went to school in East Lansing, MI) It's possible I'm oversimplifying things from long ago, but that is what I remember.

 

[mrwash]

Jamiel, the aisles in Walmart in DFW were way smaller and not so well stocked. I still think that this supermarket shown in the picture is one of the taller ones.

By the way, I was looking for Cascade New Zealand spring freshness but could not find it. Instead I found some Cascade with dragon fruit that would not be shown on their website...*weird*

If I am lucky, I will be in San Francisco during next week. We will see if I find a big supermarket there.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Publix hybrid store

This is the store I was trying to describe earlier.

http://www.floridatoday.com/article...160021/Publix-bringing-hybrid-concept-Brevard

 

[arbilab]

I remember the Food Lion expose'. Incredibly, they are still in business in Southeast/Atlantic states. But given their reputation, if they were here I wouldn't shop there no matter what their prices were. Who knew that Belgians were such hosebags? And they make such nice waffles.

 

[tolivac]

I have bought meat from the Food Lions in my area for years---no problems.Very good-matter of fact.

 

[whirlcool]

I imagine that Food Lion cleaned up their act after that show ran. It ran probably at least 10 years ago.

That Thrifty Acres I visited in Holland, MI would have been around 1974 or so. I heard from a friend that in 1976 a tornado came and blew it down. It was rebuilt as a Meijer.

 

[laundromat]

Safeway and KTA are the super stores popular here in Hawaii. However, Target just opened a store here on the "Big Island" in Hilo Town and it has a much better selection in its grocery section but,due to their higher prices,you have to shop around.I photo the prices elsewhere and show them to the cashier so they either meet or beat them.However. due to my being spoiled drinking 8 o'Clock coffee and grinding it myself at home, I get that at Walmart.I can't find it anywhere else here and, according to the webmaster on line for them, they won't ship any orders on line here.

 

[joe_in_philly]

A couple of years ago Walmart in its infinite wisdom, reduced the variety and number of sizes of products that they carried. It was not met with much enthusiasm, and they have since been increasing the variety of their offerings. But in the stores I have recently visited that contain a full grocery section, the selection is much less than other dedicated grocery stores, like Shop Rite or Wegman's.

I love Jungle Jim's! Whenever I am back to my old hometown in Ohio I visit that place. It has the greatest international selection of any store I have been to, with different isles or rooms dedicated to a country. If you are anywhere near Fairfield, OH, it is definitely worth a visit.

Last night I stopped by Wegman's to pick up some of the Dr. McDougall's soups I keep at my office for a quick meal. They are cheaper than Whole Foods. Wegman's had 5lb bags of all-purpose flour for 99 cents, along with other baking items on sale. I always manage to find at least a few great deals when I am there. I much prefer to visit Wegman's on a weeknight than during the weekend when it is a complete madhouse.

Link to a story about Walmart increasing selection:

http://talkbusiness.net/article/WAL-MART-CHANGES-PRICING-INVENTORY-POLICIES/1762/

 

[veroroger]

The memories......

this thread has brought back! As a kid, growing up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I remember our trips to Grand Rapids to visit family and getting to go to Meijer's Thrifty Acres (as I was told it was called). So much different than anything I'd experience up home! Huge stores with everything imaginable to one my age at that time. When we go back, we ALWAYS plan on visiting those stores while there. Love the little stores inside the big store, and the restaurant/cafeteria they have so you can sit for a bit while shopping. AND... they are always cleaner, have friendlier people, and a better selection than our WalMart stores at comparable prices.
When I lived in the Dallas area, all the major grocery stores had the restaurant/cafeteria in them - and were judged by the quality/cleanliness of same. I have missed that feature. Recently, Publix built a very large store here in Vero (I'm not allowed to go there alone, nor to Fresh Market either, as I tend to spend WAY too much!) and it has something similar. It's a table area where you can get something to eat from the deli section and eat while shopping. Of course, in their wisdom, they put the seating area on the OPPOSITE side of the store from the deli area so you have to juggle a tray across the store, dodging carts and kids, to eat your meal. Too bad they didn't ask a real shopper before building.
Roger Brown

 

[mark_wpduet]

OH!

I remember that Food Lion report! Gross! I think it was on 20/20 maybe early 90s?

I've never heard the term hypermarket.

But wouldn't Meijer be a hypermarket? I know there are two Meijer stores here in Lexington and they sell pretty much everything and they are pretty decently sized.

 

[mattl]

Over the years Meijer has trimmed their inventory.  Years ago when they first opened near me, they even had a small lumberyard in the store, along with a fairly decent  hardware section.  The lumber is long gone and the hardware section is trimmed down to the most basic stuff.

 

[volsboy1]

When I was in Albany,N.Y. I went to the Walmart and it is HUGE two stories to be exact.It depends when it comes to size of them

,a lot of  Walmarts were regular size stores that have been around for years, then redone to be a Super center they tend to be smaller but then you have the monster stores like in N.Y. One building that shocked me was the Pentagon,T.V. does that building no justice that is one HUGE building when your driving by it.I don't like going to these huge super stores,I prefer Ingles ,Piggly Wiggly and Publix forget Food lion that place is a joke.They always have one person checking out everybody and the meat department is a joke.Ingles and Fresh Market has the best deals and quality and there is always a butcher there a very nice looking one at that  to help you.

 

[~sudsshane]

Florida Supermarkets

Publix, I would have to say, is the largest supermarket in Florida. We also have The Fresh Market, Whole Foods, Sweetbay, (Hannaford up in New England), Winn-Dixie, Albertson's, and Food Lion. Of course there is Super Target and Walmart Super Center. I still miss ShopRite and Waldbaums up in NY.

I frequent Publix and The Fresh Market most often these days. Also, on occasion, Sweetbay.

 

[Jsneaker]

My Favorite Markets

I LOVE Wegmans and Shop-Rite. There's nothing as good as Wegmans downstate NY, but my Shop-Rite is great. Unfortunately, the(expletives wild)Unions prevent non-union stores like Wegmans to bring us the best in supermarkets on Long Island!

Jason