Who should get our business?

[ORChick]

I agree with the suggestion to diversify. I *love* Trader Joe's, and there are some things that I get there on a regular basis, but the nearest to me is an hour away - not good for weekly, or even monthly shopping. In town here I do the majority of my grocery shopping at Fred Meyer. I keep a list on my fridge with things to buy in Eugene - @ TJs, another market I like, an Asian market, and a couple of others. When the list is long enough to justify a trip, or if we need to go that way for some other reason, we make a day of it, and I get enough to last until the next trip. Otherwise I make do with sources closer to home. That is the joy of a well stocked pantry, as you probably already know - you can wait, usually, until there is a sale going on, or until the list is long enough to justify the trip.
Oh yes! Welcome to the group

 

[Beekissed]

Welcome to the forum!

We don't have even one of those stores! Can't help you there. I find my business for those types of things go to the dollar stores, Family or Dollar General. I prefer the Dollar General.....

 

[Frosting]

I would shop around in one day to get the best deals you can.

 

[hennypenny9]

Personally, I'd go with Freddy's. But I'm biased because there is one located less than five minutes from my house. I also like Costco, and you can't beat some of their bulk prices. For example, yeast. $5.99 for two POUNDS. I like Trader Joe's, but I have yet to see why so many people are so crazy about it. (People in my area are absolutely IN LOVE WITH IT and it gets a little weird to me!) It's certainly a good store, one I frequent for their $4.99 Lambrusco and chocolate covered espresso beans. But for other things, they are quite expensive.

I've heard that those three are all good employers. Freddy's offers benefits if you work more than I think 15 hours a week.

The others we don't have around here, so I can't say about them. Good luck!

 

[Ldychef2k]

I can't stop being a cheerleader for Winco, sorry. But it might be important to know that they are employee owned.

 

[FarmerChick]

Welcome to the forum!

We don't have even one of those stores! Can't help you there. I find my business for those types of things go to the dollar stores, Family or Dollar General. I prefer the Dollar General.....

yea at my location Dollar General here beat the old Family Dollar big time

 

[ORChick]

Personally, I'd go with Freddy's. But I'm biased because there is one located less than five minutes from my house. I also like Costco, and you can't beat some of their bulk prices. For example, yeast. $5.99 for two POUNDS. I like Trader Joe's, but I have yet to see why so many people are so crazy about it. (People in my area are absolutely IN LOVE WITH IT and it gets a little weird to me!) It's certainly a good store, one I frequent for their $4.99 Lambrusco and chocolate covered espresso beans. But for other things, they are quite expensive.

I've heard that those three are all good employers. Freddy's offers benefits if you work more than I think 15 hours a week.

The others we don't have around here, so I can't say about them. Good luck!

Hennypenny, obviously I don't know what sort of deals you can get where you shop, but for me TJs has very good prices on quite a few things, and/or they have things that I just can't otherwhere. Pasta for example is 89c/lb at TJs, and $1 or more, on sale, in the supermarket. They have good olive oil much cheaper than other places I've looked. They have a good, though not huge, selection of cheeses from all over. Their wines and beers are good, and relatively (in some cases very) cheap. If you live in the right state, and have a taste for such things, their liquor prices are very good (not in Oregon though; they can't sell liquor in this state; I stock up when I'm in California ). I buy butter there, and can't really say if it is cheaper, but it is the only brand I have found that is from cows not given what are IMO unnecessary hormones, and also without extra stuff for flavor (check the labels - most unsalted butter has a flavor enhancer added ). I could go on; suffice it to say that I am sorry that my closest TJs is an hour away.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I usually shop at TJ's, it is the closest store. We also have a Grocery outlet and another family owned discount grocery store and we go to Costco with FIL avery once in a while. We switch off which store we go to for our main shopping which we do less than once a month.
None of the stores have everything we want, so we keep lists according to the stores. I.e. we have a list for Costco, one for the Grocery Outlet and one for TJ's and a general list. Then we pick the store based on our budget and what is needed the most. We don't buy much meat at TJ's or the Grocery Outlet, because one is expensive the other we question the quality. Those two stores are good for cheeses though. Costco runs are totally out of our control, because FIL takes me when he feels like it. He also usually pays for it, so I don't argue It's his way of paying us for work we do around his house.

 

[Blackbird]

I've never even heard of most of those stores, let alone been inside one, so I'm not much help, but Welcome!!

 

[hennypenny9]

Yes, their prices on alcohol are very good, which is why I buy wine (Lambrusco) there. But the store (at least up here, maybe this is not the case for all Trader Joe's) is mostly filled with prepared foods. Such as sushi, sandwiches, and frozen foods like their orange chicken.

I'm certainly not saying it's a BAD store! Just that in this case, asking which retailer would be the best option, I would pick Freddy's. Also, when I was looking for Castile soap, TJ's only had their brand, and one kind of Dr. Bronners's. Freddy's had five different options for that brand alone.

I'm wondering if this location has jacked up prices. It's Bellingham, where anything local or organic will fly off the shelves. This location is only six months old, it just opened. It's a major novelty, since there isn't another for a long drive. Also, we get a lot of Canadian business. Maybe if she were to shop at your location it would be better. I suppose this is more reason to shop around.