Hooray! A new store

limey said:

We've lived here for 20 years. In all that time, the only supermarket
selections were a small Acme (second-rate)
and a small Safeway, plus a large Giant Food over 20 miles away. I
shopped primarily at the small Safeway, where invariably if I asked for
something out of the ordinary I was told that they didn't have the room
or the demand. The produce guy had never heard of lemon grass.

Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a humongous new store,
near the now-closed old one.
I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today is
maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in the produce
department, including all the Asian items I have asked for in the past
without success. Department after department had a staggering
selection. Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have what
I wanted, they would order it.

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

Dora

Dora, I know how exciting a store like this can be. There was a time,
when this neighborhood was almost completely devoid of a certain type of
gourmet food markets. I still remember the day the first one of that
kind opened, Grace's Market. Just as you feel now, I kept wondering
whether I was really inside such a wonderful store, or whether I would
wake up. I also know, how different your grocery and food shopping will
be from now on. I am very happy for you. Several other Gourmet Food
Markets have opened since then, two of them within three blocks from
where I live. :o)

Tonight for dinner I am cooking a small veal roast. With it I have tiny
red potatoes, steamed until almost done, then cut in half and brushed
with butter into which I mixed a mashed up garlic clove. they are now
roasting in the oven with the veal. I also sauteed some sliced
mushrooms and added a cup full of fresh green peas. I will start
cooking that just five minutes before the veal will be done.

So what could go wrong? Marcel had to go to the dentist this afternoon,
because something the dentist did last week, has come loose. I didn't
know about it, I would never have cooked something he will have to chew.
Dinner will be served in ten minutes. I dread it. :o(

limey wrote on Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:06:17 GMT:

l> Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a
l> humongous new store, near the now-closed old one.
l> I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there
l> today is maintained. I was bowled over by the selections
l> in the produce department, including all the Asian items I
l> have asked for in the past without success. Department
l> after department had a staggering selection. Shock upon
l> shock - I was told that if they didn't have what I wanted,
l> they would order it.

l> I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

Sorry limey but where's "here"? Enjoy your shopping.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

limey said:

Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have what
I wanted, they would order it.

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

Dora

Nice to have a nice store! You aren't dreaming but they probably are.
Safeway in Austin, TX is Randalls and they are on the lower end of the
scale in terms of service and product line.

jay

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

We've lived here for 20 years. In all that time, the only supermarket
selections were a small Acme (second-rate)
and a small Safeway, plus a large Giant Food over 20 miles away. I
shopped primarily at the small Safeway, where invariably if I asked for
something out of the ordinary I was told that they didn't have the room or
the demand. The produce guy had never heard of lemon grass.

I can really relate, Dora. We used to have this little Acme, and really,
that was about it. Nothing else was really convenient. Small, dirty, and
they had no room for anything. For a store, it made a great dive. They
had a big posterboard on the wall where the customers could write what
items they would like to see. I wrote Scotchbrite sponges, they never
did get those. Then Albertson's bought the chain and they were able to
build a new store.

The first day it opened, people were laughing and giggling, and all but
skipping in the aisles. The owner's family was in tears, he'd been begging
Acme to let him expand for years, but they didn't have the money. He
didn't live to see the new store.

It's not perfect, but it's the size I like in a store, and they have pretty
much what I want. Other stores have opened nearby that fill in the gaps
nicely.

Quoted message said:

Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a humongous new store,
near the now-closed old one.
I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today is
maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in the produce
department, including all the Asian items I have asked for in the past
without success. Department after department had a staggering selection.
Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have what I wanted, they
would order it.

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

I'm really happy for you.

nancy

James Silverton said:

limey wrote on Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:06:17 GMT:

l> Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a
l> humongous new store, near the now-closed old one.
l> I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there
l> today is maintained. I was bowled over by the selections

Sorry limey but where's "here"? Enjoy your shopping.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Off Route 50 on the Eastern Shore of MD, about 10 miles east of the
infamous Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Stop by if you head to the ocean!
Sorry, but after the store we had, I'm delirious.

Dora

Nancy Young said:

I can really relate, Dora. We used to have this little Acme, and
really, that was about it. Nothing else was really convenient.
Small, dirty, and they had no room for anything. For a store, it
made a great dive. They had a big posterboard on the wall where the
customers could write what items they would like to see. I wrote
Scotchbrite sponges, they never
did get those. Then Albertson's bought the chain and they were able
to build a new store.

The first day it opened, people were laughing and giggling, and all
but skipping in the aisles. The owner's family was in tears, he'd
been begging Acme to let him expand for years, but they didn't have
the money. He didn't live to see the new store.

Poor family. I can imagine how they felt.

Quoted message said:

It's not perfect, but it's the size I like in a store, and they have
pretty much what I want. Other stores have opened nearby that fill
in the gaps nicely.

I'm really happy for you.

nancy

Thanks, Nancy.
Dora

"Nancy Young" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

We've lived here for 20 years. In all that time, the only supermarket
selections were a small Acme (second-rate)
and a small Safeway, plus a large Giant Food over 20 miles away. I
shopped primarily at the small Safeway, where invariably if I asked for
something out of the ordinary I was told that they didn't have the room
or the demand. The produce guy had never heard of lemon grass.

I can really relate, Dora. We used to have this little Acme, and really,
that was about it. Nothing else was really convenient. Small, dirty, and
they had no room for anything. For a store, it made a great dive. They
had a big posterboard on the wall where the customers could write what
items they would like to see. I wrote Scotchbrite sponges, they never
did get those. Then Albertson's bought the chain and they were able to
build a new store.

The first day it opened, people were laughing and giggling, and all but
skipping in the aisles. The owner's family was in tears, he'd been
begging
Acme to let him expand for years, but they didn't have the money. He
didn't live to see the new store.

It's not perfect, but it's the size I like in a store, and they have
pretty
much what I want. Other stores have opened nearby that fill in the gaps
nicely.

Quoted message said:

Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a humongous new store,
near the now-closed old one.
I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today is
maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in the produce
department, including all the Asian items I have asked for in the past
without success. Department after department had a staggering selection.
Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have what I wanted,
they would order it.

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

I'm really happy for you.

Me too, but I love the smell of old stores.......pine floors, fish hooks on
the walls, rubber boots, snacks etc. There is a certain kind of nostalgia .
Not necessarily up to date with other stuff. But hey, we can't have it
all.......

elaine

limey said:

We've lived here for 20 years. In all that time, the only supermarket
selections were a small Acme (second-rate)
and a small Safeway, plus a large Giant Food over 20 miles away. I
shopped primarily at the small Safeway, where invariably if I asked for
something out of the ordinary I was told that they didn't have the room
or the demand. The produce guy had never heard of lemon grass.

I feel your pain. In fact, I live it daily.

Quoted message said:

Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a humongous new store,
near the now-closed old one.
I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today is
maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in the produce
department, including all the Asian items I have asked for in the past
without success. Department after department had a staggering
selection. Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have what
I wanted, they would order it.

I hope it lasts. The Cow Hill supermarket relocated a few years back
and initially they had a wide selection of good food. However, within
a few weeks they were back to the usual, ordinary stuff. I think
somebody handed the local management a "make a supermarket kit" with
pre selected items to sell locals like me, but when those stocks were
gone, things reverted to the usual pattern.

Quoted message said:

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

My wife would probably object.
--

modom

http://www.koyote.com/users/modom/home.html

modom (palindrome guy) wrote:

limey said:

Quoted message said:

I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today is
maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in the produce
department, including all the Asian items I have asked for in the
past without success. Department after department had a staggering
selection. Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have
what I wanted, they would order it.

I hope it lasts. The Cow Hill supermarket relocated a few years back
and initially they had a wide selection of good food. However, within
a few weeks they were back to the usual, ordinary stuff. I think
somebody handed the local management a "make a supermarket kit" with
pre selected items to sell locals like me, but when those stocks were
gone, things reverted to the usual pattern.

That's what I'm afraid of. You know, the beginning "big splash", then
it becomes "we'll check what sells then reorder on that basis".

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

My wife would probably object.

On the arm, modom, on the arm.

limey said:

We've lived here for 20 years. In all that time, the only supermarket
selections were a small Acme (second-rate)
and a small Safeway, plus a large Giant Food over 20 miles away. I
shopped primarily at the small Safeway, where invariably if I asked for
something out of the ordinary I was told that they didn't have the room
or the demand. The produce guy had never heard of lemon grass.

Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a humongous new store,
near the now-closed old one.
I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today is
maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in the produce
department, including all the Asian items I have asked for in the past
without success. Department after department had a staggering
selection. Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have what
I wanted, they would order it.

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

Dora

i'm happy for you, dora. if i want lemon grass, i gotta go to whole
foods.

your mention giant - are you in the d.c. area, or has giant made it to
the eastern shore?

your pal,
blake

blake murphy wrote:

limet said:

Quoted message said:

Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a humongous new
store, near the now-closed old one.
I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today is
maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in the produce
department, including all the Asian items I have asked for in the
past without success. Department after department had a staggering
selection. Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have
what I wanted, they would order it.

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

Dora

i'm happy for you, dora. if i want lemon grass, i gotta go to whole
foods.

Yes, lemon grass has been totally unobtainable here up to now.

Quoted message said:

your mention giant - are you in the d.c. area, or has giant made it to
the eastern shore?

No, I'm on the eastern shore, about 10 miles from the new Safeway and 20
miles from the Bay Bridge. There has been a Giant in Easton for about
10 years (a good 25 miles from my house) and they've just revamped it -
in fact, the new Safeway resembles it in concept.

Apparently, Giant has bought land not too far from the new Safeway.
However, it looks as though their store is contingent upon a very large
(4000 homes, condos, etc.) project in the planning stage, which
residents are fighting violently. That whole area is getting totally
over-developed.
Selfishly, I'd love to see a Giant. Nothing like competition.

BTW - I have never said "Welcome Back". I hope you're feeling OK.

Dora

limey said:

modom (palindrome guy) wrote:

limey said:

Quoted message said:

I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today is
maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in the produce
department, including all the Asian items I have asked for in the
past without success. Department after department had a staggering
selection. Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have
what I wanted, they would order it.

I hope it lasts. The Cow Hill supermarket relocated a few years back
and initially they had a wide selection of good food. However, within
a few weeks they were back to the usual, ordinary stuff. I think
somebody handed the local management a "make a supermarket kit" with
pre selected items to sell locals like me, but when those stocks were
gone, things reverted to the usual pattern.

That's what I'm afraid of. You know, the beginning "big splash", then
it becomes "we'll check what sells then reorder on that basis".

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

My wife would probably object.

On the arm, modom, on the arm.

That's what's happened here in New York, twice! And at two different
chains. They open carrying every type of food product, every bit of
produce I have gone all over town looking for and making special trips
to a couple of Asian stores or the more expensive Wegman's. Then after
about one month they quit. I don't see "it" anymore. I ask because they
claim I can request and they will get "it" for me. Do they? No. I can't
even get decent bean sprouts around 25 miles away from me. I have to
wait for a special day of the week and get a huge bag from a small
Korean store that gets 2 orders of fresh sprouts a month. I used to get
excited about new markets but I'm not that naive anymore, at least not
in these backwoods!

Melondy

limey wrote on Wed, 11 Apr 2007 23:23:19 GMT:

l> limet wrote:
??>>> Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a
??>>> humongous new store, near the now-closed old one. I can
??>>> only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today
??>>> is maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in
??>>> the produce department, including all the Asian items I
??>>> have asked for in the past without success. Department
??>>> after department had a staggering selection. Shock upon
??>>> shock - I was told that if they didn't have what I
??>>> wanted, they would order it.
??>>>
??>>> I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch
??>>> me.
??>>>
??>>> Dora
??>>
??>> i'm happy for you, dora. if i want lemon grass, i gotta
??>> go to whole foods.

l> Yes, lemon grass has been totally unobtainable here up to
l> now.
??>>
??>> your mention giant - are you in the d.c. area, or has
??>> giant made it to the eastern shore?

l> No, I'm on the eastern shore, about 10 miles from the new
l> Safeway and 20 miles from the Bay Bridge. There has been a
l> Giant in Easton for about 10 years (a good 25 miles from my
l> house) and they've just revamped it - in fact, the new
l> Safeway resembles it in concept.

l> Apparently, Giant has bought land not too far from the new
l> Safeway. However, it looks as though their store is
l> contingent upon a very large (4000 homes, condos, etc.)
l> project in the planning stage, which residents are fighting
l> violently. That whole area is getting totally
l> over-developed. Selfishly, I'd love to see a Giant. Nothing
l> like competition.

I'm all for competition but the European companies that have
been trying to expand in the Eastern US don't seem all that good
at it! Food Lion (Belgian, I think) has sold its two stores in
the Rockville area. Royal Ahold (Dutch) is still trying to
understand the business it seems. They never seem to have
realized that people would shop at Giant despite their higher
prices because of the variety and quality of their merchandise.
Keeping the prices and lowering the quality does not work too
well.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

limey said:

blake murphy wrote:

limet said:

Quoted message said:

Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a humongous new
store, near the now-closed old one.
I can only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today is
maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in the produce
department, including all the Asian items I have asked for in the
past without success. Department after department had a staggering
selection. Shock upon shock - I was told that if they didn't have
what I wanted, they would order it.

I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch me.

Dora

i'm happy for you, dora. if i want lemon grass, i gotta go to whole
foods.

Yes, lemon grass has been totally unobtainable here up to now.

Quoted message said:

your mention giant - are you in the d.c. area, or has giant made it to
the eastern shore?

No, I'm on the eastern shore, about 10 miles from the new Safeway and 20
miles from the Bay Bridge. There has been a Giant in Easton for about
10 years (a good 25 miles from my house) and they've just revamped it -
in fact, the new Safeway resembles it in concept.

Apparently, Giant has bought land not too far from the new Safeway.
However, it looks as though their store is contingent upon a very large
(4000 homes, condos, etc.) project in the planning stage, which
residents are fighting violently. That whole area is getting totally
over-developed.
Selfishly, I'd love to see a Giant. Nothing like competition.

BTW - I have never said "Welcome Back". I hope you're feeling OK.

Dora

i'm feeling tippy-top, thank you. good thing i'm not driving.

your pal,
blake

On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 20:40:24 -0400, "James Silverton"

not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not said:

limey wrote on Wed, 11 Apr 2007 23:23:19 GMT:

l> limet wrote:
??>>> Well, joy to the world! Safeway has just opened a
??>>> humongous new store, near the now-closed old one. I can
??>>> only hope that the fantastic selection I saw there today
??>>> is maintained. I was bowled over by the selections in
??>>> the produce department, including all the Asian items I
??>>> have asked for in the past without success. Department
??>>> after department had a staggering selection. Shock upon
??>>> shock - I was told that if they didn't have what I
??>>> wanted, they would order it.
??>>>
??>>> I just hope I'm not actually dreaming all this. Pinch
??>>> me.
??>>>
??>>> Dora
??>>
??>> i'm happy for you, dora. if i want lemon grass, i gotta
??>> go to whole foods.

l> Yes, lemon grass has been totally unobtainable here up to
l> now.
??>>
??>> your mention giant - are you in the d.c. area, or has
??>> giant made it to the eastern shore?

l> No, I'm on the eastern shore, about 10 miles from the new
l> Safeway and 20 miles from the Bay Bridge. There has been a
l> Giant in Easton for about 10 years (a good 25 miles from my
l> house) and they've just revamped it - in fact, the new
l> Safeway resembles it in concept.

l> Apparently, Giant has bought land not too far from the new
l> Safeway. However, it looks as though their store is
l> contingent upon a very large (4000 homes, condos, etc.)
l> project in the planning stage, which residents are fighting
l> violently. That whole area is getting totally
l> over-developed. Selfishly, I'd love to see a Giant. Nothing
l> like competition.

I'm all for competition but the European companies that have
been trying to expand in the Eastern US don't seem all that good
at it! Food Lion (Belgian, I think) has sold its two stores in
the Rockville area. Royal Ahold (Dutch) is still trying to
understand the business it seems. They never seem to have
realized that people would shop at Giant despite their higher
prices because of the variety and quality of their merchandise.
Keeping the prices and lowering the quality does not work too
well.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

the giant near me (in silver spring) is not too bad. produce has not
been great, but i think that's almost everywhere.

your pal,
blake

blake wrote on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 19:56:06 GMT:

l ??>>
bm> the giant near me (in silver spring) is not too bad.
bm> produce has not been great, but i think that's almost
bm> everywhere.

Probably, but Safeway seems to have improved its quality and
Giant has not. I read a report that they were going to close
many of their seafood counters because the profits and turnover
were too low. I had given up on them except for shrimps and
their trout has the heads removed "for convenience" (or, so you
can't see the eyes.)

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

James Silverton said...

Quoted message said:

Probably, but Safeway seems to have improved its quality

There's a PA version of Safeway called Genuardis. It's got about the best
prices of all the markets around.

They have the strangest frozen food section I've ever seen. The frozen food
aisles are open-air, facing up, doorless freezer cabinets. It seems like
such a waste to let room temp air mingle with frozen air. Sure hot air
rises and cold sinks, it just struck me as strange. Some of the walls
around the frozen food aisles do have the familiar vertical, glass-doored
freezers.

I haven't been there in awhile (not that it's out of my way, rather it's a
traffic nightmare getting there) but I'll take a picture of it next time.

Wegmans is about putting the finishing touches on a new store about 15
minutes down the road from the Whole Foods in Devon, PA on Rte. 30.

There's a new Giant of PA in West Chester, PA that has the check-out as you
shop system but that's just too far from home to be a time saver.

Andy

"Andy" <q> wrote

Quoted message said:

There's a PA version of Safeway called Genuardis. It's got about the best
prices of all the markets around.

There was a sales ad for Genuardi's in the paper once. Intrigued,
I searched on their site to see where one was. After putting in my
zip code, it said there weren't any there. I know, I live here, there
isn't one. I was wondering where *was* one. (laugh)

Quoted message said:

They have the strangest frozen food section I've ever seen. The frozen
food
aisles are open-air, facing up, doorless freezer cabinets. It seems like
such a waste to let room temp air mingle with frozen air. Sure hot air
rises and cold sinks, it just struck me as strange. Some of the walls
around the frozen food aisles do have the familiar vertical, glass-doored
freezers.

I've seen that setup. You're right, it's kind of strange. I guess
they know what they're doing.

Quoted message said:

Wegmans is about putting the finishing touches on a new store about 15
minutes down the road from the Whole Foods in Devon, PA on Rte. 30.

I think you'll like Wegman's. It's a very nice store. Especially
nice cheese section, and produce. Excellent prepared foods.
But it will be too crowded to visit for a while after it opens.

nancy

Nancy Young said...

Quoted message said:

There was a sales ad for Genuardi's in the paper once. Intrigued,
I searched on their site to see where one was. After putting in my
zip code, it said there weren't any there. I know, I live here, there
isn't one. I was wondering where *was* one. (laugh)

Nancy,

Plug in 19064 (Springfield, PA) into the "browse store" area (don't have to
sign up), if you want to look around.

None too helpful about "stores within "x" miles" from your zip code. Aw well,
the website isn't greatness either, compared to others, imho.

Andy