....like I just did on www.yelp.com :

[this is x - posted to rec.food.cooking and chi.eats ]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/R3lXNtQRQNGr...p6ahJxeIZJx4Zw

Treasure Island Foods
based on 23 reviews
Categories: Grocery
Neighborhood: Lakeview
3460 N Broadway St
(between Cornelia Ave & Stratford Pl)
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 327-3880

Selected Review
Gregory M.
04/06/2007
[Three Stars ***]

"Treasure Island has been my primary supermarket for over 20 years. This
stretch of East Lakeview has a real dearth of grocers, so TI is my "default"
choice...

Other posters here mention high prices. I don't see that. Shop judiciously
(read their Wednesday ad in the "Food" sections of the local papers) and buy
their loss leaders and you'll come out far ahead of the horribly over -
priced Jewel down the street. This is a fact: in price study comparisons
with other stores in the neighborhood (the Jewel and the late un - lamented
Dominick's further south on Broadway) TI always came out cheaper than those
places. They carry the "Country Delight" brand of low - priced staples and
they can have fantastic sales around the holidays. On various items they
can even beat Aldi...so not everything is expensive. Additionally, they
don't require the dreaded "affinity card" ("Preferred Card" at Jewel, etc.)
in order to get their sale prices...

They carry a good selection of imports. They have a good cheese selection.
Their meat is pretty good - they still have old - fashioned butchers who can
accomodate your special requests, something that is getting rarer at Jewel
and Dominick's. All their beef is at least "Choice" grade, where at Jewel
you'll pay "Prime" prices for "Select" grade meat ("Select" is the lowest
grade sold for human consumption). You can find things like andouille
sausage that can be difficult to find, and they carry Boar's Head brand
deli items, which are very good...

Produce is a mixed bag. It can be very good and decently - priced (again,
check those sales!) or limp and expen$ive. They carry a variety of ethnic -
type produce but it's expensive. For this stuff I go up to the Asian places
on Argyle or to Edgewater Produce up in Andersonville...but if you need a
habanero or a stalk of lemon grass at the last minute TI will have it.

The liquor selection is reduced from previous years, why I don't know.
Additionally all hard liquor is now in a locked display, so you have to hunt
down an employee to open the case (I was told shoplifting was a problem -
there are no closed circuit cameras, anti - theft tagging, etc. in the
store). But they'll usually have a selection of beer, wine, and liquor on
sale at an okay price...

Physically, this store need sprucing up. The facade is getting downright
shabby, the entrance area is down - at - the - heels, etc. By the shopping
cart area they FINALLY installed a Handi - Wipe dispenser for patrons to
wipe the cart handles down with - but there is no waste basket nearby to
dispense of the things once you're done with them! There is a twisted old
bike rack in front of the store and weeds grow in that area during the
summer. Little details like this are not a biggie and don't cost an arm and
a leg to fix, so what is the problem? Things in general could be a bit
cleaner...

Over the years they have been cited by the city for sanitary violations, in
several cases for selling past - date cold cuts and the like (for half -
price). I still see this happening. Not acceptable...

Service - wise they REALLY need to spruce up. There are a still a few old -
timers working weekdays who are welcoming and nice, but most of the newer
employees are downright surly and passive - aggressive rude. I generally
disdain overly - friendly and unctuous service, but come on, could the
checker at least *acknowledge* me when I go through the line and I say
"Hi"!? Or when there are THREE produce guys around do they have to so
studiously ignore customers who are waiting impatiently to get their produce
weighed? Does the bagger have to roll his eyes when it's 100 degrees out
and I ask to have the cold stuff all packed together in one bag? I've been
over - charged several times and getting a refund here was a big ordeal - at
least at Jewel you'll be immediately refunded the price difference, the item
will be free, and you won't be treated as if you are trying to rook the
store. I stopped complaining to the managers because they seem to loathe
their jobs too. This "service" hardly befits a place that terms itself
"America's Most European Supermarket"...

In short, I like Treasure Island, but I'd like to like it even more. It's
rumoured that a Whole Foods will be opening soon a coupla blocks away over
on Halsted Street, so Treasure Island needs to get on the stick and address
these facets of their operation...they are going to have some real
competition at last and I'd hate to see them fold."

On Apr 6, 5:05 pm, "Gregory Morrow" >
wrote:

> Physically, this store need sprucing up.

NO SHIT?

I'm surprised that it's still open. It's an antiquated, dirty
facility and the only reason it's hanging on is probably because the
company owns the property.

It's doomed.

On Apr 6, 9:39 pm, "Uncle Grumpy" > wrote:
> On Apr 6, 5:05 pm, "Gregory Morrow" >
> wrote:
>
> > Physically, this store need sprucing up.
>
> NO SHIT?
>
> I'm surprised that it's still open. It's an antiquated, dirty
> facility and the only reason it's hanging on is probably because the
> company owns the property.
>
> It's doomed.


Plus it's in a neighborhood of a very dense, mostly young single
population, who mostly do not have cars -- noplace to park them.
Those people have little options of where to shop, or even don't know
or care about the concept of comparison shopping. With a captive
customer base, why bother to spruce up. TI is a small chain that
matches each neighborhood it is in.

JimL > wrote:
> On Apr 6, 9:39 pm, "Uncle Grumpy" > wrote:
>> On Apr 6, 5:05 pm, "Gregory Morrow" >
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Physically, this store need sprucing up.
>>
>> NO SHIT?
>>
>> I'm surprised that it's still open. It's an antiquated, dirty
>> facility and the only reason it's hanging on is probably because the
>> company owns the property.
>>
>> It's doomed.
>
> Plus it's in a neighborhood of a very dense, mostly young single
> population, who mostly do not have cars -- noplace to park them.
> Those people have little options of where to shop, or even don't know
> or care about the concept of comparison shopping. With a captive
> customer base, why bother to spruce up. TI is a small chain that
> matches each neighborhood it is in.

As OP mentioned, there's a Whole Foods opening sometime this year on
Halsted, all of 4 blocks from TI.

"JimL" wrote:
>
> Plus it's in a neighborhood of a very dense, mostly young single population,

Hmmm, dense... pot/kettle.

Sheldon