the trendy supermarket experience has arrived in pasadena. we received a $5 off coupon in the mail along with a coupon for a free reusable grocery bag, so i decided to go check it out.
their prices seemed very competitive and i had fun exploring a new store. the self check-out was fun, but the beer cooler was a bit of a let down. it reminded me of a cross between a large grocery store and traders joes (with some similar pitfalls such as excessivly packaged produce). parking at their location is pretty awful, but i think i'll continue to go back every once in a while.
13 comments:
aren't you glad people don't name their grocery stores, stale and complicated?
Thanks for your glowing review!!
Charmless store.
Self-check out is fun? I was ready to walk OUT and abandon my basket of stuff when I saw there were no checkers. I don't work there. One of the glad-handers came over and checked out goods.
Why would anyone want to scan a basket of groceries them selves and bag it all themselves?
Parking lot - you're fighting for smallish spaces with the dorks who dig Peats.
Unless something I bought turns out to be super-delicious, I will not go back.
I feel the same way about Fresh & Easy - a cross between a normal large grocery store and Trader Joes - THE PACKAGED PRODUCE! WHY?! ... But it's cheap. And I have a coupon...
It is clear that we take shopping for food seriously (as we should). Where do you all take your dollars to find your food?
Jergensens Rules, I'm especially curious as to where you go. It seems everywhere in Pasadena has its highs and lows.
Until very recently, I have alternated between Pavilion's in SP and the TJ in SP, plus exciting trips to the genuine 99 Cents Only store right across the border from SP on Huntington Drive.
Now, recently, I have added and am changing from Pavs to Ralph's in SP. Ralphs - better prices, better selection, bigger.
When I lived neat Caltech - it was always the Pav on Cal/Lake and the TJ on Arroyo with the possibly worst parking lot of all TJs....except maybe that one in Sunland.
The old Jurgenson's where Fresh & Easy is now was another time, another world. The store was carpeted! Check out system was bizarre, but highly functional. They would carry an individual store account for you and bill you every month! Sensational hot foods section. Yep - you paid a bit more, but none of the Pavilion's riff raff from across the street came by! :) That was worth paying for. After they remodeled, they were doomed. They made it ugly and cold and people deserted them....the ones that had not died yet.
That preppy place whatever it was next - I hated it. Way too many little kids and young B/S'ers strutting around. You felt like a sinner if you wanted to buy some hamburger.
Haven't tried Whole Foods aka Whole Paycheck on Arroyo yet. Wrong side of the street. Heard it is great, though.
Bristol Farms? So rarely. Too crowded, noisy floor when you roll your cart.
99 Cents Only store on Colorado - slob central - don't use it.
I'll do some last minute, 'don't want to make another stop shopping' in the Target way down on Colorado now and then if I am in there.
That SFV place in the Paseo on the corner (name escapes me), but alway got raves from my friend - never tried it.
I've tried all the various and local TJs - all have their merits and demerits. Remember the one on Rosemead that burned down when the gun store next to it exploded one night? I used to go there, too.
I'll try some big Mexican market now and then to see what those folks are eating.
Some Asian friends have recommended a couple of their places, but no chance yet w/o making a special trip.
So that's where' you'll find me. Look for the guy who will NOT scan and bag his own stuff. That will be me. :)
"Why would anyone want to scan a basket of groceries them selves and bag it all themselves?"
Because it keeps the prices low!!!!!! I dont want to pay for a service I DONT NEED! I am not too lazy to do this on my own!
Love the ALDI market concept! Unfortunately not existing here in Cali! :(
"Because it keeps the prices low!!!!!! I dont want to pay for a service I DONT NEED! I am not too lazy to do this on my own!"
Price isn't everything and I do not want to do manual labor, nor gyp some kid out of a job, especially to keep some foreign owned company's payroll down.
Shopping is nuisance enough w/o scanning and bagging items that I paid for in the late afternoon sun.
Pretty soon you will be stocking the shelves.
ICBB
Of course - to each his own. :)
Love the dialog today everyone! Keep it up.
Now to find something controversial for tomorrow...
I rarely go to anyone else but Whole Foods Mkt in the Hastings Ranch area of Pasadena. It just feels natural.
Never been to the big new flagship WF on Arroyo. One year I mite make a special trip 2 check it out.
Cafe, I've never been to the HR WF, only the new monster. I should give the old one a try.
I hear you Jerg!!. Self check out doesn't mean lower prices for the customer. No, higher profits for the company while Americans go without work. I watched all the big box stores gobble up the mid size box stores. Now the giants are laying off workers by employing self check-outs as well.
I shop at a store owned by middle easterners (that live here) called Dogwoods. It's on Foothill west of Mrytle near the Aztec Hotel. Cheap coffee that they will grind and bag for you. Lowest prices around for produce.
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