mcjeff215 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 The first day I ever lived in S. Fla. I was in my car at a stop light and this lady pulled up next to me and was frantically trying to get my attention. I rolled down my window and she screamed something incomprehensible to me - when I asked her to repeat she kept screaming "Where's the Piggly Wiggly!!! Where's the Piggly Wiggly!!!" I had absolutely no idea what the hell she was talking about - that light couldn't have changed fast enough... A trip to a rural southern grocery store is a requirement. Everyone has to do it at least once. It's an experience, both good and bad. They usually have sausage, grits, biscuits, and collard greens cooking at the 'deli' counter for about $3 a plate. Damn good (albeit deadly) food. They also have a small collection of Confederate Civil War memorabilia, a random selection of camouflage clothing, and usually live bait. I've been to this Piggly Wiggly. Nothing at all like Wegmans, Tops, Bells, Super Duper, Publix. Hell, the federal cheese depot has a one up on this place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMCBillsFan Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Ah, the days of yore. Loblaws, Super Duper, Kroger, and IGA were the stores my parents shopped @ when I was growing up. Don't forget A&P!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaboo Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 but we can get a cart of groceries at Tops for literally half the price of Wegmans. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Why does it bother you so much? Because the BFLO area and WNY need to put their priorities in so many other areas than being the best in regards to grocery stores... Kinda like the old thought that churches had to look like palaces thing I guess... A place to leave their meanal existance with a "nice place to go"... And in the modern sense get ripped off. At best, these modern consumer places offer nothing to the community as a whole. It is misguided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I honestly don't know how the bolded part is possible, unless maybe it's shopping the sale ads and specialty items. My wife doesn't buy something unless it's on sale and we have 3 coupons for it. Slight embelishment but you get the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 My wife doesn't buy something unless it's on sale and we have 3 coupons for it. Slight embelishment but you get the point. My wife is the exact opposite... She would be dangerous in a store with "appeal"... Now mix in a cafe and forget about it! It always surprised me that a place like BFLO has only TWO stores that grab most of the market share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WellDressed Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I really miss her buying lawnmowers. "Baby Come Back" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Because the BFLO area and WNY need to put their priorities in so many other areas than being the best in regards to grocery stores... Kinda like the old thought that churches had to look like palaces thing I guess... A place to leave their meanal existance with a "nice place to go"... And in the modern sense get ripped off. At best, these modern consumer places offer nothing to the community as a whole. It is misguided. I'm pretty sure we discussed this before, but I still don't understand your line of thinking. It's not like this is public money being used to build grocery stores. If Danny Wegman's or the owners of Tops decide they need a huge mega-store to compete, WTF difference does that make? And what else is suffering in WNY because of our "grocery store obsession?" Are we neglecting schools, infrastructure, tourism because of our "grocery store habit?" I'm still waiting for a decent explanation on why a private company building bigger and nicer grocery stores shows WNY's priorities are out of whack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 My wife doesn't buy something unless it's on sale and we have 3 coupons for it. Slight embelishment but you get the point. I understand, I haven't "shopped the WNY sale ads" in a long time, so I don't know how the sale prices compare between Tops & Wegman's. Heck, until gas prices got so out of control we used to drive approx 100 miles to go to the Erie, PA Wegman's, while we still had Tops in town. Even with the cost of gas added in it was still a better deal than shopping in-town at Tops or Giant Eagle (plus the only formula my son could tolerate was the Wegman's brand, so we really didn't have a choice.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twist_to_open Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 One of my mother's jobs growing up was at Dunkin Donuts... On Union in North Cheektowaga, past the Airport Plaza if I recall... But anyway, she would work the graveyard shift and it would break her heart how many donuts they would have to throw out... She would pack them up and deliver them to all the neighbors on their door step before they got up and went to work! I went to Maryvale and spent the better part of my highschool mornings at that Dunkin Doughnuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Philster Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Quality Markets, Tops, and Aldi's. Quality is the closest...about a mile away. Tops has my bank stationed in it. Aldi's has the best prices. I'll hit Wegman's occasionally but it's the farthest away of all 4 stores from me and the last time I went there to do the bulk of my shopping, I couldn't find everything I wanted and the ad was incorrect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Park Edge (before my family sold the chain to Bells) that brings back memories...where was park edge?? i frogot but remember we shopped their when i was a kid.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConradDobler Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 that brings back memories...where was park edge?? i frogot but remember we shopped their when i was a kid.. Corner of Eggert & Sheridan. After it closed, there was a Bonanza Steak House there. Now it's a cosmetology school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I'm pretty sure we discussed this before, but I still don't understand your line of thinking. It's not like this is public money being used to build grocery stores. If Danny Wegman's or the owners of Tops decide they need a huge mega-store to compete, WTF difference does that make? And what else is suffering in WNY because of our "grocery store obsession?" Are we neglecting schools, infrastructure, tourism because of our "grocery store habit?" I'm still waiting for a decent explanation on why a private company building bigger and nicer grocery stores shows WNY's priorities are out of whack. I do see your point. What makes me happy is that there is starting to be other choices besides just the Tops and Wegman's stores AGAIN garning most of the market share... I see Aldi and Save-A-Lot are making in roads into the market. I am just a minimalist when it comes to stuff like this... The stores could really lower their prices with less overhead and petty ammenties... Something that would really help the the working stiff in a struggling ecomomy... But, then again... Like I said, Aldi and Sav-A-Lot are making in roads... So there really is some choice again. You win BM... I just find it frivilous, I will never feel any pride in what a supermarket has to offer though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Even with the cost of gas added in it was still a better deal than shopping in-town at Tops or Giant Eagle... It had never dawned on me that people go to Wegmans to save money. Everyone I know laughs when I bring up shopping at Wegmans. Is there a different view of Wegmans between Rochester and Buffalo? I think there is a divide between the two cities when it comes to Tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 It had never dawned on me that people go to Wegmans to save money. Everyone I know laughs when I bring up shopping at Wegmans. Is there a different view of Wegmans between Rochester and Buffalo? I think there is a divide between the two cities when it comes to Tops. I choose to fight it on a different front Inky! Anyway, keep up the "good fight." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 It had never dawned on me that people go to Wegmans to save money. Everyone I know laughs when I bring up shopping at Wegmans. Is there a different view of Wegmans between Rochester and Buffalo? I think there is a divide between the two cities when it comes to Tops. We absolutely save money. Until Acme opened up here a couple months ago we shopped exclusively at Giant Eagle, and we've watched their prices blow up over the last couple years, and they seem to have blown up faster than other stores/inflation. When we come home we can shop at Wegman's and pick up a lot of stuff much cheaper than we can get it here, but we never have that kind of luck with Tops and their prices. As for the view of Tops/Wegman's - I do think there is a divide on both. I can't speak for Rochester-area people, but my impression is that Buffalo-area people feel like Tops is more expensive and got away from the stuff that made them successful, especially when the Dutch company owned them. I mentioned in a previous thread - I worked at Tops for almost 10 years, but when Wegman's started establishing themselves in the Buffalo area my wife and I pretty much stopped shopping at Tops. As a result of Tops alienating customers with high prices, dirty stores and that Martin's experiment, Wegman's really grabbed a foothold in the Buffalo area and a lot of people like them more than Tops now. At least that's the impression I get from talking with friends and family when I'm home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 and that Martin's experiment... Glad you brought this up. Our Tops (Fairport/Perinton) just switched form Martins to Tops. I wonder if the prices have subsequently gone up. I'll have to talk with the wife. Tops perception in Rochester is not favorable at best. We always hear the bad produce/meat argument. While there is some validity on the produce front, I can't find too much fault with Tops meat, outside of selection at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeseburger_in_paradise Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I recommend Whole Foods in Austin Texas. Really, it's worth the trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I recommend Whole Foods in Austin Texas. Really, it's worth the trip. Good idea, perhaps I'll stop by there on my way home, drink a beer and eat some food. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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