"Arnie" > wrote in message
...
> "Julie Bove" > wrote in
> :
>
>>
>> "Nomen Nescio" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> The Tucson Sunflower Farmers Markets location (they have
> many other
>>> multistate locations) I have shopped at is really badly
> managed. Most
>>> "farmers" would be embarrassed or fail if they managed
> their farms
>>> like this place is managed.
>>>
>>> Have had this happen several times now, where the cashier
> refuses to
>>> give a raincheck and makes the customer and anyone else in
> line wait
>>> several minutes while the clerks,who should have kept the
> stock up go
>>> about looking the back room to see if they have more stock
> and then
>>> wait until they shelve the product. They are trying to
> obstruct the
>>> issuance of rainchecks by this tactic.
>>>
>>> I have worked to limit my shopping at Sunflower,the only
> advantage
>>> being they are close to my location. But it is a PITA to
> shop there,
>>> very poor experiences.
>>>
>>> This refusing to issue a timely raincheck will be reported
> to the
>>> proper consumer and regulatory agencies.
>>>
>>> On several occasions I have witnessed cashiers loudly
> arguing with
>>> customers. When you ask them to find you a sale item they
> cannot and
>>> do not want to look for it either.
>>>
>>> I have had several instances of bad produce that was
> hidden from
>>> view-celery that was rotten in the middle, same for
> coconuts. When I
>>> asked one of the clerks about this he said it happens
> frequently
>>> because they cannot get the coconuts fresh. So why are
> they selling
>>> them then?
>>>
>>> Many times when I asked for double bagging of groceries my
> request
>>> went ignored and had to return to the checkout again to
> get them
>>> double bagged.
>>>
>>> The FREQUENTLY are out of ad sale items early in the ad
> time period
>>> and more frequently than other stores they misscan or
> wrongly ring up
>>> items over the true amount. Yet, in contrast to Fry's or
> Safeway they
>>> will not give the full purchase price back on items they
> have
>>> mis-scanned.
>>>
>>> They have NO corporate headquarters and their CEO Mike
> Gilligan in
>>> boulder does not reply to faxes or consumer complaints.
>>>
>>> They advertise that they have lower prices, but like most
> corporate
>>> boasting, it's not true. Their prices on produce are
> sometimes lower
>>> than the major markets, but not the lowest.
>>>
>>> Food City has the lowest prices,(if your not predjudice
> and don't
>>> mind shopping at a mostly hispanic staffed store), Food
> City is
>>> significantly lower than Sunflower. Sunflower is filled
> mostly with
>>> yuppie, upper middle class shoppers who pay high prices
> for specialty
>>> items. I mean ridiculously high in most cases-West and
> East Coast
>>> high.
>>>
>>> There are at least 3 major supermarkets all within 1-2 km
> of the
>>> Sunflower on Speedway: Safeway at grant and swan, Fry's at
> craycroft
>>> and swan, Grocery Outlet at speedway and craycroft. Thats
> just the
>>> major close ones. For the best prices on non produce
> items go to
>>> Fry's. For the best meat deals and sale deals, watch the
> ads and go
>>> to Safeway. For the best deep discounts go to Grocery
> Outlet. And
>>> MOST of all for the best, deeply discounted produce go to
> Food City,
>>> a few more kms away, but not far. Additionally, there are
> Albertsons
>>> at campbell and pima. Bashas has very good prices and
> Albertsons
>>> prices have really come down lately, so they are no longer
> high.
>>
>> Somehow I don't think your bad mouthing them on a newsgroup
> is going
>> to help very much. I saw vote with your feet! Just don't
> go there
>> any more.
>>
>> I don't personally care too much for Grocery Outlet,
> although I have
>> been to only two of them. One in Oakland, CA and one in
> Lynnwood, WA.
>
> I have to be careful what I buy there, because they often
> sell things that are past the expiration date. Also their
> prices are not lower than major chains for most items.
> Occasionally they have exceptional deals, but not that many,
> nor often. They tend to not regularily stock things, but they
> do not advertise things they don't have like I have seen at
> Sunflower Markets. Also I agree the cashiers and other
> persons at Sunflower have BAD attitudes.
>
>> They seem to have a lot of undesirable types shopping in
> there. A
>> lot of the brands they carry are odd. Some foods come from
> other
>> countries. You just never know what you might find. But I
> guess if
>> all you care about is the price, then it might be the place
> for you.
>
> I used to think the same way, but I have found that brand and
> country of origin is not that important. The exception is
> China, I am careful about products originating from China,
> although I have not been burned by that country yet. As far
> as the people who shop there, who cares what class they are.
> I care about food and value for my money.
>
>
>> Me? I prefer organic foods and preferably locally grown.
>>
>
> Yeah organic and locally grown does not equate with better
> quality. It's a myth in my opinion. When organic and regular
> are close in price I will take organic to avoid any
> possibility of pesticide residue, but I think the risk is
> greatly exaggerated. Also organic frequently spoils much
> quicker. Also Sunflower Market sells bulk items alot in
> bacteria catching bins and the yuppies who stick their hands
> in those bins aren't any cleaner bacterially than the people
> who shop at Grocery Outlet that does not sell bulk bacteria
> magnet foods. I have gotten seriously sick from stuff sold in
> bulk containers, they are exposed to people's hands, the open
> air and other debris and contaminants. Not good.

I will no longer buy bulk foods. We have food allergies and for risk of
cross contamination, it's just not worth it! Also, I have seen children
take bites of things and stick them back in those bins. Another problem is
that you don't know how fresh those things are.

Luckily my little health food store is just around the corner. They have
the best prices on foods. For things like popcorn, beans, nuts, seeds and
even some gluten free pasta, they buy in bulk and package it themselves. It
is always fresh and good. They are also good to place special orders for
me.

If there were a Grocery Outlet near me, I might shop there more often. But
there is not. I do occasionally get canned goods at places like Big Lots or
Stupid Prices. I don't go to those places very often either because they
also are not near me.

The two places that save me the most money are Costco and Target. With some
caveats. Much of what Costco sells is in a package that is too large for
our needs. Sometimes I buy some things in multiples and donate some to the
food bank. In these cases I am still saving money over buying at the
grocery store. Each week I buy a container of sliced apples. My daughter
eats these daily in her lunch. I also buy her juice and bottled water
there. I like their cat litter in the green jug. I also get cheese, meat
and some other produce. And some canned goods. Black pepper and dried
parsley. I use a lot of that!

Although Target has very good prices, I must be cautious there now after
having bought badly spoiled lunch meat. It came out of the package
literally soupy. I also saw some ham in the case that was green. In both
cases, the meat was not expired. I feel that they are not careful to keep
the food in refrigeration. But they have excellent prices on canned soups
and cereals.