Last week’s poll about Bill Murray really got people going with the far and away favorite being Caddyshack. It was definitely interesting reading the comments of true Murray fans including discussions about the different levels of Murray (Caddyshack vs Lost in Translation).
Well, this week’s poll is going to be about your grocery store preferences. I have discussed my shopping habits and my dislike of the fact that there are now going to be five grocery stores in Apple Valley alone. dawnmarie posted a comment and said that because she just passed three grocery stores, she figured it would be cool to find out where everyone shopped. I’m always up for people suggesting their own poll ideas (if you have any, please do let me know as they’re a real pain in the ass to come up with every week heh) so I have put this one up for the next week or so:
1. Cub
Personally, this is where I do the majority of my shopping for most budget periods. I like the fact that they usually have a slew of coupons available and many weeks are B1G1 or they have some really decent deals on what I’m usually shopping for. This week I took advantage of their BLT ingredients for 68 cents (with an additional $25 purchase) and we got lettuce, tomato, and some really thick bacon and made awesome BLTs for dinner on Friday.
I usually end up “saving” between 20 and 35% of my original bill when I go to Cub because I generally only buy items that are on sale via coupons. Sometimes it sucks and I have to go without but I have been slowly stocking up on items during sales and riding out the storm when those items aren’t as cheap as I normally like.
2. Rainbow
Before this year I never shopped at Rainbow, especially when they used to have that stupid shopping card. But, because of the Budget Nazi, I have been looking to keep the prices down and sometimes Rainbow really does have some decent deals, especially their “10 for $10″ which has now been picked up by Cub as well.
Recently I have only been getting milk (it’s down to $1.60/gallon for a limit of two), some meats, yogurts, and cheese (two weeks ago it was 99 cents for 8 oz bags of Roundy’s). Honestly, those are some cheap deals and something that not even Cub can compete with.
3. Target
We used to shop at Target for some groceries but the high prices, unbelievably limited selection, and poorly staffed lines made me move away from there. Well, all of that and the fact that I don’t like that they opened a second unnecessary SuperTarget in Apple Valley.
I can’t say that there is anything that I miss at Target that I cannot get anywhere else, so this really is of no concern for me. I realize that a lot of people love shopping there but they obviously don’t care about low prices and getting the same varied selection available at other stores.
4. Byerly’s
I only shop at Byerly’s if I am looking for above average cuts of meat in small quantities or very specific specialty items (i.e. pickled tomatoes or high end desserts). While people say that the prices are similar, in my experience they are sometimes as much as $1.50 more for must have items like paper towels or chicken breast by the pound.
If you are a Byerly’s shopper, I’d really like to know what makes you continue to go back time and time again. Do you do all of your shopping there or are you just getting a few items and doing the bulk of your shopping elsewhere?
5. Wal-Mart
I realize that this isn’t a big option in the South Metro, yet, but it will be soon. I will never shop there for groceries, especially that I don’t agree with the fact that they were permitted to expand to add a grocery store in Apple Valley, but I am sure many people will especially during the tough economic times we are experiencing.
If you already do shop for your groceries at Wal-Mart, I’d like to know how their selection and freshness is. Who do they compare to locally and what kind of savings do you see between the various other stores?
6. Kowalski’s
When Lakeville had a Kowalski’s, Kim and I would go in there for their premade meals in the deli. They had desserts similar to those at Byerly’s without the driving distance and without prices quite so high. We rarely found ourselves shopping there for anything “normal” as the prices were too high. Obviously now that it’s closed and leaves a huge hole in the Lakeville shopping center it once occupied, the best thing for them to do was to relocate to another area of the South Metro (this time in Eagan) and open up shop there.
I know of one person who shops at the Eagan Kowalski’s and I’m wondering if anyone else does too. Why do you shop at Kowalski’s over any of the other options and again, as I’ve asked before, how do their prices compare with the other grocery store options around?
7. Other
There are plenty of alternative places to shop including specialty groceries like Asian, Indian, Co-ops, etc. Which ones do you frequent and why?
So, comment on and let us know where you shop and why. Being that I’m always looking for the best deal to please the Budget Nazi and squeeze the most out of our budget so I can continue to go out to eat to add reviews to the site, I’m up for suggestions :)
Grocery Store Preference
- Cub (44.0%, 33 Votes)
- Target (16.0%, 12 Votes)
- Byerly's (13.0%, 10 Votes)
- Rainbow (11.0%, 8 Votes)
- Other (8.0%, 6 Votes)
- Wal-Mart (4.0%, 3 Votes)
- Kowalski's (4.0%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 75
Loading ...Then, after you comment, be sure to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
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February 8th, 2009 at 9:55 am
I shop at Byerly’s because it’s extremely close to my office and home.
However, I do buy most of my “staple” items that I can get in bulk (frozen chicken breasts, paper products, anything non-perishable) at Costco and split the cost with my roommate. My Byerly’s shopping is mainly produce.
February 8th, 2009 at 11:04 am
We do most of our shopping at Cub. If we need some Target-type things, we’ll go there, but our preference is Cub. For some reason I don’t like Rainbows. If we had a Kowalski’s still, I’d probably shop there when I had the money, cause I’m snobby. (We didn’t live here when it was open)
If I need some special meat, I’ll get it from Valley Natural, but I’ve only ever gone in there once, my step-dad will bring it home for me if I “order” it. His brats are the best. (That sounds like an advert, but it’s not, it’s an opinion)
February 8th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Growing up in Stillwater, I’ve always been a Cub Foods guy. I did the Byerly’s Delivery for awhile, but now since my food bill is cut in 1/2, I don’t see a need for the 8$ delivery fee.
Rainbow I’ve found has sub-par produce, and I’ll still shop there if I need staples like milk or soda in a pinch, but try and stick with Cub as much as possible, I know right where everything is, and my weekly bill is always within a few bucks depending on what meal staples I need like rice or breads.
Kowalski’s is great for some odd or unusual things like the raspberry honey mustard pretzel dip.. mmmmm…
February 8th, 2009 at 11:25 am
I am a long-time Simon’s/Coburn’s Delivers customer, and if I have a preference, that’s where I’ll shop. If I need to go to a store, I’ll go to Cub (I love their new self-service lanes with the belts and paper bags!)
I know I may end up paying more for my groceries from Coburn’s, but for me the convenience outweighs the cost. I have a list of items I buy regularly, and I can pick from that each time. I can log in from work and place an order, or add to an order if I forgot something. With Simon’s, they regularly had deals where you could get money off a big order, so I’d do a big stock-up and save a ton.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Believe it or not, Target is my favorite… I go to the Super Target in Midway… and for stuff they don’t have I’ve been going to the new Seward Coop.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I voted with the emphasis on “preference” not so much actual buying habits. Of the options, Byerly’s is far and away my preference. I like the freshness, quality and higher-end selections. I also like Valley Natural Foods when I have some specific needs. Both are just within a mile of our house.
Percentage-wise, most of our shopping is done at Target and Cub (Highway 13 and Nicollet location). We cycle in and out of Coborn Delivers and my wife just re-upped us at Sam’s Club after a couple years away.
A significant factor for use is for more than half the year, we get our fruit, coffee and vegetables from the CSA. We also just bought 1/8 of a cow from a farmer which amounts to just over 100 pounds of meat. So that puts a limit on the overall shopping. If I had a chest freezer, I’d probably buy pork and poultry direct as well.
I also do some specialty shopping up in the city. The Golden Fig on Grand, the cheese shops (Premier Cheese Shop, Surdyks), Coastal Seafoods, Legacy Chocolates, etc.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Coops are the way to go. Avoid high fructose corn syrup, Cargill powered franken-foods.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Tim, as far as produce goes, I think it must depend per individual store (regardless of whether it’s Valley, Rainbow, Target, or Cub). Now that we workout in Lakeville, I sometimes head over to their Cub to do shopping and I notice that their produce is worlds better than what’s available at Cub or Rainbow in Apple Valley. Unless you go to AV’s Cub early in the morning on a shipment day, it’s like looking through a pile of mushy seconds. Rainbow in AV has a lot better produce in comparison probably just because people aren’t rummaging through piles of tomatoes like a bunch of starving animals.
Ed, believe it or not, I have tried to use the Valley Foods Co-Op in Burnsville but just can’t get around the very, very, very limited selections and high priced organics. Even though I was disappointed with what I got from the CSA we used all last year, it was much less money than if we had continued to shop at the co-op. I mean, I’m no wimp when it comes to eating around fruit that has mold but I really don’t want to see it in the store itself, especially when there isn’t that much of a selection and I’m going to pay 2.5x what I would anywhere else.
February 8th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Basically we shop at Cub, but have been paying more attention to ads lately from Rainbow and Aldi. Since they are all in close proximity, if its worth a stop, we’ll compare ads and stop at each for what is at the best price. If I’m in Target and I need milk and don’t want to get out of the car again in the cold, I’m just going to get it there. Wal-Mart’s narrow aisles make me feel claustrophobic, and I just don’t like shopping there for anything. I’m intrigued by the idea behind the CSAs. Can anyone provide a link to one or more that they’ve tried and been happy with? I’d love to have an inside track on some REAL tomatoes!
February 8th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Bill, have you been there recently? I know Valley just did a big remodel. Though I haven’t been in and have no idea if it’s changed their selection or pricing at all.
February 8th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
dm, no, I haven’t been there since the remodel and I honestly forgot all about it. Maybe I should go back and check it out but I really doubt that it would help the quality being that they’re probably still sourced by many of the same places they were before.
February 8th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
I have no idea. I just know there was a remodel, and they grow their own cows :)
February 8th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I like Cub due to the deli meats and that they carry the Original Vitamin D milk (red cap). It’s been my experience that they have a better selection and are better quality. Also strange that I only see the Original milk at the AV cub but not the others. Of course the coupon books and weekly specials help and overall, I like the layout of Cub also.
On the occasion I make it up to Woodbury, I will stop in at Trader Joes. They have great salsa!
February 8th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I get all of my produce, dairy, and meat from coops/farms and most shelf/freezer items from Cub. I live in Prior Lake and had been going to Valley Natural Foods for big trips until I realized they charge over 50 cents more per half gallon of Cedar Summit milk than the other coops. In fact, most things cost more at Valley compared to other area coops. They also try to get me to become a member every time I go there even though I’ve told them I am already a member at the coop in St. Peter. I’ve been rotating through other coops but primarily shop at seward since I work a couple blocks away. Everyone at seward is great and their new store has an incredible cheese section.
February 8th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Its all about the experiance…..
WalMart for staples because of the price, if you can handle the poor customer service
Roundys/Rainbow – close proximity – most of shopping there.. 42&13. Surprised still in business with CUB across the street, always empty. The lame attempt of them bagging your groceries is laughable.
Target & Bylerys – I’ll thrown in the same camp, with Bylerys getting the nod up for the “sushi” options & cuts of meat. (Although if I’m getting a dead cow, lamb, or pig — need to goto Von Hansen for that) Very good customer service from my experience.
CUB – used to be a big shopper. But putting the frozen foods at the beginning of the rat maze, completely turned me off.
Kowalski’s – can’t comment on that one, since my Savage life style, isn’t readily available.
Summary – got the extra $$ spend & want to drive a bit it (for me) would be Bylerys – there is always something new to test out your cooking skills
February 8th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Ever since retiring have taken up cooking as a hobby…….. I have started a new organization called “Waist Watchers” (that is being trade marked as we speak) . We don’t loose weight we just watch our waists grow…… anyway my goal is to find the best recipes (that is a relative term) of foods that I enjoy and hopefully my family will equally enjoy. That said, most of my shopping is at Cub, Rainbow, sometimes Byerlys and an Asian store for jasmine rice and seasoned rice vinegar (best prices). If anyone would like a fantastic simple teriyaki sauce, let me know. We do a lot of stir frys here. What is interesting is the competition between Cub and Rainbow as observed in their fliers and NOT. Last weeks best non advertised three day deal was 99 cent butter at Cub beginning on Thursday. Remember you can always freeze butter.
Bill, how about a best recipe poll????? This will keep us off of each others necks concerning confrontational topics. Remember food is and can be nonconfrontational.
February 9th, 2009 at 9:19 am
i guess you have to know what the prices are in general to know what’s actually on ’sale’. two weeks ago rainbow had ground beef for 1.88 per lb, and ham’s for .99 cents a lb. last week turkey breasts for .99. these are good sale items.
cub has somewhat the same deals, but usually with a 25.00 minimum purchase. except this week they have bush’s beans different varieties for .58 cents each, no minimum. that’s about .30 or cents off their normal price.
target doesn’t advertise, BUT they have soy milk for .50 cents cheaper than cub. my wife likes that.
specialty items kowalskis or byerlys, (anchovys).
asian foods, curry, bulk rice i like united noodles, 24th and minnehaha. VERY large grocery store.
sams is good for bulk staples and such. their walleye and salmon is 2-3 dollars cheaper than anyone else. 12 bucks a lb at rainbow, byerlys.
i guess our bottom line is we use them all, percentage wise cub and target are about equal, followed by sams, and the rest slide in behind.
bb
February 9th, 2009 at 9:22 am
It’s mostly Cub for us. I like that they have a good selection of ethnic foods, including a number of things I used to have to go to a specialty store to find.
I don’t have anything against Rainbow per se, but the Cub in Eagan is much closer to me. I usually only get groceries from Target if I’m already there for something else (I’ve found the prices are decent, myself, but agree that the selection is often wanting, plus they run out of some things very quickly). Byerly’s is only if I want a particular item they have. I only stopped in the Lakeville Kowalski’s once and haven’t been in the Eagan one yet.
I also go to United Noodles in Minneapolis every so often for Asian foods. It’s easily the best grocery store of it’s type that I’ve been to around here.
February 9th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Sam, out of curiosity, how does Valley “try and make you a member every time”? I’ve been in there hundreds of times since the day they opened and I am not a member. Aside from asking at the register “are you a member” so they can punch in your number and give you credit for your purchase if you are a member, I’ve never been asked to become a member…ever.
Do I unknowingly have some sort of “don’t ask me to be a member” look?
Bill, the remodel has expanded the produce section considerably although I haven’t noticed any change in quality. That said, I’ve never noticed issues with quality there. Prices also haven’t changed. You’ll pay a premium to shop there.
February 9th, 2009 at 9:56 am
MSPD,
Thanks for the information on the remodel/prices/quality. Even though I may have seemed as if I was speaking as an authority on the quality of their produce, I didn’t mean to be. Perhaps I should go back to VNF especially that we will not be participating in the CSA this year due to various factors, especially financial ones.
Re: them asking you to be a member, I have also never run into any problems where I felt uncomfortable. They asked if I was, asked if I wanted to be, and left it at that.
–
For those of you that go to United Noodles, what are you shopping for there that makes it worthwhile to drive to Minneapolis to get your Asian groceries? I am fond of Asian food and have been slowly trying to get it into our dinner rotations and any help in this area would be great.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:07 am
there’s a bunch of asian grocery stores in and around the burbs. the ones i visited seem a bit more expensive and less of a selection than united. much smaller too. size wise there’s another huge asian place on university ave the other side, east, of lexington. i’ll slip in there if i’m in the area.
bb
February 9th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Bill-
You gotta stop the Target bashing. Fine if you don’t enjoy shopping there, but get the facts straight. It is simply false to claim that Target is overpriced. They tie each nearly all of their grocery items against the competition so they are never over priced vs. the local competition.
There have been numerous instances when Target has won on price when news outlets such as the star tribune and fox news have priced identical grocery baskets at the major grocery chains in the twin cities.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I have most of my groceries delivered by Byerly’s. I like the convenience of delivery. Grocery shopping is not something that enjoy, however, I prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner at home most days of the week so it’s a necessary evil. If I had my choice and money was no object I would have a personal chef. Unless I win the lottery that’s not gonna happen.
When I do shop in an actual store I usually go to the Cub in Burnsville, Hwy 13 & Nicollet or Valley Natural Foods. VNF has the yogurt I like at a good price and I purchase meats there as well. I’ve rarely purchased produce there so I can’t say what the quality is now. I did shop at the Kowalski’s in Burnsville a fair amount before it closed. I’ve been to the one in Eagan a couple of times but it’s not a regular stop.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Gophers, sorry, I take everything you say regarding Target with a grain of salt.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:42 am
I like Target for frozen dinners–Stouffers (reg and Lean Cuisine), Weight Watchers, Healthy Choice, et. al. They are routinely cheaper than the others.
Byerlys–I go there for the salad bar, cakes, coupon deals (sign up for their weekly e-mail and you get a coupon each Thursday along with their ad flyer in PDF format), produce, deli.
Cub–I like that for staple items, sale items, etc. and I’m usually dispatched there to pick up items the folks want from the one in WSP but the store is always out of…
Rainbow–only go there for sale items.
Wal-Mart–I’ll hit the Super Wal-Mart in Shakopee if I’m out that way. I like some of their Sam’s Choice crackers offerings.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:55 am
We should do our own price comparison. A generic list of staples everyone buys, and one person goes to Cub, one to Rainbow and One to Target. (I think it’s pretty well understood that Byerly’s/Kowalski’s/Lunds are more expensive) we buy only the things on the list and report back with the prices straight from the receipt.
Bill, it looks like this was a good poll idea. Go me. And it is interesting to hear other’s thoughts. Apparently everyone else isn’t as lazy as me.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:55 am
ack. stupid apostrophe.
February 9th, 2009 at 11:23 am
We’re Cub shoppers.
I used to be a Rainbow shopper. I liked the “Easy Saver” card and the prices. When Roundy’s purchased Rainbow I liked some of the improvements (i.e. baggers/carry out helpers) but I also noticed the prices went up to cover their costs. The last straw was when I purchased three bags of sharp cheddar cheese that were on sale for a reasonable price – the first time I used the cheese I didn’t think it tasted quite right but didn’t investigate further. The second time I ate some of the cheese the taste was really off so I checked the date on the package – it was TWO months expired! Obviously I took the expired products back to the store with my valid receipt and they acted very suspicious of me and then would only give me credit on a gift card. I waited until something I needed was on sale and went in and used only the gift card to pay for the purchase. I haven’t been back since (I believe that was 2005).
We will shop at Super Target once in a while if we need other non-grocery items.
Kowalski’s was ridiculous from start to finish (the Lakeville store). Bad location, over priced merchandise, grocery store saturation in the area…I think I was in there 3 times and felt ripped off every time I shopped there.
I will probably check out the prices at the new Super Wal-Mart but I’m totally disgusted that they are adding another grocery store to the area and I don’t anticipate spending the bulk of my grocery dollars there. Both Cedar Avenue Cubs are closer to my house.
February 9th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Cub . . . Yeah – But only because of the convenience. See, we have only 2 options here in this little river town. Coburns and Cub. I agree with a Bill posting back a while ago – there must be differences by location. The one here, because of its’ “big box” approach to stocking groceries, tends to decide the products that I will buy. For example, I like Egg Beaters in teh small, “approximately 2 eggs per container”. But apparently they are too uneconomical to stock. So, no matter how often I request them in the smaller containers, it’s ignored.
Now, maybe I’m just being bull-headed about this, but I wish they’d be a little more consumer friendly. Also – seems like they are so busy pushing the Cub brands, they neglect to restock the competitors products.
Anyway – yeah, Cub for me, too
Cheers
Irving
February 9th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
For the majority of the shopping list, it’s Target.
For special items….. Byerly’s, Trader Joe’s, or Rainbow (the Lakeville store is very nice).
February 9th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Dave (and others), I have only been to Trader Joe’s three times and never saw anything that made me go “oooh, this is completely worth the drive.” In fact while everyone says how wonderful it is for its organic offerings, I honestly was shocked to see so very many items as processed/packaged food. I’m really interested in knowing what is it about Trader Joe’s that keeps you going back? Are you going for the packaged foods knowing that they’re a little bit better being “organic” or are you going for their other offerings that aren’t packaged?
February 9th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Most of my grocery shopping is done at Rainbow in Eagan. I like the fact that they bag my groceries, and they carry items I can’t get at any other chain in the Cities. I purchase milk and some meats at Sam’s Club-best value, and I don’t mind buying in bulk.
Almost all of my spices are purchased at an Indian grocery store in Eagan, or the one in Bloomington-I couldn’t tell you the name of either one, just that spices purchased there are more potent. I visit Penzey’s for spices as well, but I’ve got a feeling they won’t be able to survive much longer in their Lakeville location.
I visit Trader Joe’s in Woodbury once a month for some specialty items. The Woodbury location is far better than the one on Excelsior-parking there is an utter nightmare, especially if you have a larger vehicle like I do.
If company’s coming, I go to Byerly’s for the meat and seafood. Given the financial ability, I would spend the extra money to shop at Byerly’s. It’s a more pleasant shopping experience, the meats are far superior to Cub and Rainbow and their cheese selection is exceptional. The Eagan location also has some great wines that I can’t find elsewhere in the Cities. Also-the driveup is awesome. I have an incredibly demanding schedule, and it’s nice to get those little details taken care of. I hate schlepping groceries out in the rain-or worse, six inches of fresh snow-and that’s a great perk.
I am embarrassed to admit that I have not yet visited Kowalski’s in Eagan. The only reason for this is the unfortunate location. I have no idea why they plopped it down at Diffley and Johnnycake, but I live a mile from the Yankee Doodle and Pilot Knob intersection, which is pretty much the epicenter of Eagan. I can get all of my errands done in a couple hours on a Saturday and not have to leave that little corner of town. Even though Kowalski’s is probably only 3 miles away, it might as well be a half hour drive. I’m sure I’ll visit soon-perhaps for a special Valentine’s dinner.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
I’ve never understood the Trader Joe’s allure either. A friend of mine runs the culinary shop at a Byerly’s, which I only say to illustrate that she knows food, and she LOVES it. I just don’t get it. But it has a very loyal customer base.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I’ve done some price comparisons with Cub and Target and most of the time, Target comes out alittle less, or the same. Like someone else mentioned, I buy alot of the weight watchers meals, and those tend to be quite a bit cheaper, and usually they have some on sale, so I’ll stock up with afew extras of that variety.
I used to be a huge super walmart fan (I moved from Maple Grove to Lakeville) but the service and the atmosphere is so much better than walmart. You do pay a bit more, but I’ll do that for the better experience.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
IMO, Trader Joe’s offers healthy & quality foods that are also generally less expensive than any other grocery store.
One example, organic ketchup is $1.99 at Trader Joe’s, and everywhere else it is at least $3.00. Frankly I find it hard to buy ketchup that doesn’t list tomatoes as the first ingredient.
They have a great selection of Cheese. A nice 1/2 lb. block of aged Vermont cheddar is $3-4 at TJs, and $7-8 at Cub/Rainbow.
There are also a ton of great frozen meals. I love their Crab Stuffed Flounder ($2.99), the Spicy Orange Chicken, the Chicken Burritos Verde, etc. As someone else mentioned, they also have great salsa.
If there was a TJs in the South Metro, I’d be there weekly. As it is, I still get to the SLP location once a month or so.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Dave, thanks! That’s exactly what I was looking for. Much appreciated.
February 9th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Trader Joe’s has wine for a good price…only drawback is that it comes in a glass bottle…wtf?
February 9th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
What do they have against boxes?
February 9th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Favorite Subject of mine-
Bias aside-
1) My top store in Apple Valley is Rainbow. They have a decent assortment and full service meat counter. Their prices on advertised items are great, on everything else not so much so you have to be smart there. I was in there on Sunday and have as sinking suspicion they’re making moves to close that store however. they’ve seriously reduced inventory and were out of stock on many deli items.. we’ll see I hope I’m wrong… but I got an eye for that sort of thing.
2) Target- Target/Rainbow/Cub you name it, I always always buy house brand items, never national brands. In this arena Target’s Archer Farms has some really nice, and unique items you can’t get else where, specifically in coffee, Asian stuff, appetizers etc. I completely agree that their assortments are soft.. but where you gonna get Tikka Marsala in Apple Valley?
3) Valley Natural Foods. I love that place, would shop there more except for.. I’m changing my mind on organic these days, their prices are really high on most items, and their assortments aren’t quite there. I still need to make another trip to a full line store when I go there, which discourages me.
4) Bylerys- Love their stuff, produce especially, it’s outta this world, and it’s outta my weekly food budget. They might be close to everyone one else as they claim, but I’m not always looking for Cadillac quality.
5) Von Hansens- for special meat cuts can’t be beat. Their produce is inconsistent, good one day, horrible the next. They don’t rotate their stuff fast enough and lose track.. however if you have a heavy meat week, it’s nice to hand your list to a guy and then walk out with bags if white paper wrap.
6) Any other store on the planet that sells food except Cub. I HATE Cub. I stopped in a week ago for the first time in a couple months and was instantly reminded why I hate them. For one thing, I was surprised to see their produce prices were higher than Rainbow.. didn’t expect that, cello Cuc’s for $2.50? Rainbow is at $1.90. Cubs ads are good, but I’ll damned if I’m going to fuck with coupons in this day and age. Most stores have eliminated them because they’re a pain in the ass for the customer. When I find out the guy in front of me, who has nothing better to do on a Sunday morning than cut out coup’s and is paying less than I am for the same items, I’m thinking they don’t want my business and they can keep their loss leader losers. I also hate the way the store is organized. Doesn’t make sense to me, especially dry goods. you go from food, to non-food and back again.. it’s a mess. Lastly I’m not bagging my own groceries if I don’t have to, and the Cub checkers are some of the laziest people I’ve ever seen. No goodness there.
Wal-Mart– I’ve shopped their Superstores in Wisconsin when we’re at the lake. I have to say, when they come in here they will be a game changer. Their prices are amazingly low. Their produce is not so good, but it’s amazingly cheap. Those cuc’s I bitched about? $1.30. Tomatoes are a buck a pound under Cub and ‘bow. Sams Choice and Great Value are Aldi cheap.
I wouldn’t be too upset about too many grocers in town, I would predict the day Wal-Mart opens Rainbow closes, keeping the status quo. Cub will have serious problems as well as they don’t compete well with Wal-Mart either.
BTW, the folks at Cub don’t consider Wal-Mart a competitor. They don’t believe that people want to shop groceries at a general merchandise store. I’m thinking, based on financial performance, we’re about 5 years away from the demise of Cub as well, unless something really changes there.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Sank, FYI, Archer Farms and market Pantry are the exact same items, when something is available in both house brands. So buy the cheaper one. A friend who works in Target’s product marketing told me that.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
We do most of our grocery shopping at Cub (13 and Nicollet). The store is nice and clean, not overly huge, and has a decent selection. I have become somewhat addicted to coupons, and its normal to save 15 to 25%+ on most visits. $30 to $40 bucks on a $200 grocery bill is a big deal to me. It is a pain to try to reconcile the coupons from the sunday paper with the little flyer book they give out in store, but it usually adds a couple dollars of savings.
If we are in target (Burnsville) and need a few things, we will pick them up there. I dont mind the place, but its generally not our first choice. Just walking over into the in store eating area (the little food court pizza spot) is enough to make me lose my appetite.
If we are getting meat or produce for a special occasion, or I am just picking up one or two items, I go to Byerlys (cr 42). We also try not to miss thier buy one get one free sales. Given an unlimited budget, I would do all my shopping here, as I find it less hectic, more pleasant, and superior quality for the meats/cheeses/produce.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
MSPD, definitely not “every time;” that was a major exaggeration. Probably more like half the time. It usually happens when they ask if I’m a member at the check out and I say I’m a member in St. Peter. Sometimes an older woman is walking around and stops me. I think I definitely have the “will cave in under pressure” look, so you might have that advantage over me. I’ve shopped at nearly all MN coops and Valley just has a different feel than the others. The workers aren’t as friendly as others and I just feel like I’m getting scammed. I might go there when I’m short on time but I don’t plan on doing any big spending there anymore.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Dawnmarie, beg to differ. Market pantry is positioned as equal to the national brand at a lower price, and typically is the staples; canned corn, pasta sauce etc. Archer Farms is the “premium” brand for Target. You’ll find more exotic ingredients, or different flavor profiles etc. With a few exceptions they don’t have the same items in each brand.. but where they do, kind of, I would agree with you.
February 9th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
I wasn’t saying that they had the same items for each brand, just that when they do, it’s the exact same product, according to my “source” at Target. So if they have Arch Farms granola bars and Market Pantry granola bars, they’re the same. But no, they don’t carry all of the same items in both brands. We’re agreeing here, I think.
February 9th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
We are..
February 9th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Meijer!!!
February 10th, 2009 at 12:09 am
Sank mentioned that they thought the Apple Valley Rainbow looked like it was going to close. I was in that store a few months ago and thought the same thing. Lots of empty shelves and nothing was very kept up. If there was a south metro grocery store dead pool, I’d put that place on the top of the list. If they aren’t toast now I’m sure the Walmart expansion will finish them off. The Lakeville Rainbow is a million times nicer. Doesn’t even look like it’s the same chain.
I used to be a solid Cub shopper, but we go to the Lakeville Target more now. I think Target is actually much cheaper on lots of things. Pizza, soup, and cereal are often a dollar or more less at Target. I also hate that Cub makes you go through the pain of tearing out coupons from the ads that they have right in the store. Just give me the damn deal and don’t make me tear out two coupons. Seems like a waste of paper to me.
One other interesting thing that I’ve noticed is that the Target stores don’t all price the same. The Cedar ave Target seems to be higher priced than the Lakeville store in some cases.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:20 am
John, you’re right, the Target stores don’t all have the same prices (I used to work for Target, which is how I know this, but it’s not a secret and they acknowledge this openly). The pricing takes a number of different factors into account — the proximity of other Targets, the prices at nearby stores, etc.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:25 am
If the Rainbow in Apple Valley closes, so too will the Cedar Cub in Lakeville as it’s just as empty (if not more so) than the AV Rainbow.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:53 am
one more thing, ok maybe two. i live close to the zoo in av. so the cub in rsmt and super targ’ are the closest to me. rainbow, cub and greatland in ‘downtown’ are out of the way.
i haven’t heard anyone mention aldis in rsmt??
speaking of trader joes, aren’t they opening one on randolph, lexington and 35e soon?
ok three
bb
February 10th, 2009 at 8:55 am
bb, I only shop at Aldi in Rosemount when the deals are too good to pass up on fresh fruits and vegetables. If I’m in there for those (like the pineapples and baby carrots they had around TG/Christmas) then I’ll pick up some other stuff too.
February 10th, 2009 at 9:30 am
They are opening a Trader Joe’s there, BB, you’re correct.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Primarily shop at Cub. Rainbow sucks because of their color scheme.. well, and their prices. I am not a strong proponent of Target. But my wife is finding it more and more competitive with Cub and has been shopping there more frequently. Generally speaking, Rosemount Cub produce is superior than Bill’s favorite Target on Pilot Knob. But not across the board. I think no matter where you go, it’s a matter of timing. Unless you go to Byerly’s or the like.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
I love Traders, and yes they are opening on Randolf in St. Paul. That one’s going to be a disaster for parking I predict.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Can’t be much worse than the TJs in SLP, can it?
February 10th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
We shop mostly at Cub, i think when you combine service, convenience , price and selection they come in best. I think their worst section is the deli which has much lesser quality in prepared foods than say Byerly’s.
On price I would say Walmart is the lowest. But the produce isnt so good.
Byerly’s , like others I only shop there for really top shelf aged beef, or some other type of fancy or special ingredients.
Also use Valley Natural for some organic and specialty products. Trader Joes is as others mentioned a brilliant concept and really a sweet combination of quality and price and service in terms of organic.
Finally for Asian ingredients I have found the expanded Asian store in Burnsville across Hiway 13 from Menards to be very very good on selection and price. It isnt as big as United Noodle or the one on Nicollet Ave in Mpls… but it pretty close.
For Olive Oil, olives, feta cheese , hummous… and Greek or middle eastern ingredients Bills Imported Foods near Lake and Lyndale in Mpls is also brilliant. Bill’s olive oil selection and prices are great and the service and the conversation with the family run Greek owners is really a treat…if you are over 50 years old and grew up with small family owned stores… this is the type of place that will bring back memories.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I too have done some hard, item-by-item comparisons and Target is almost always cheaper than Cub. However, their selection is not as wide as a traditional grocery store, especially in produce. If I am buying mostly packaged goods I would go to Target first. If it is a good week with lots of fresh produce, Cub’s is cheaper (Braeburn apples are usually 1.69-1.89 at Target, they are usually 1.49 at Cub!) and they have way more variety.
I like the Rainbow on University Ave, but no longer live in that area. I will not shop at Wal-Mart.
John if you hate tearing coupons, take advantage of the self-checkout if they have it at your store! I just fold up the circular and scan all the appropriate coupons, hit the “skip bagging” button. No tearing, no cutting, easy!
February 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Katarina, are these items you speak of staples or prepackaged items like Lean Cuisine entrees?
February 10th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Oh yeah, I forgot about Aldi. I was going to the one in Burnsville regularly this past summer but switched back to Cub after a while when I wanted more options. I think they’re good for some staple items (milk, flour, sugar, eggs, etc.) and I liked a few of their store brands. I still think they’re good if you really need to save money, but otherwise I’d probably only go back there for certain deals like Bill said.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Thanks for the tip Katarina. I’ll give it a try, but I’m not a fan of the automated checkouts either. ;)
Bill–Interesting point on the Cedar ave Cub. I never really think of that place as being dead, but I guess it usually isn’t very busy either. The crazy thing with Cub is that they built yet another Cub in Lakeville about two years after the Cedar\Dodd store opened. That one is near “downtown” Lakeville. It almost seems like they’re trying to corner the market before others move in.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
One more thing….. I can’t shop Aldi. Feels like I’m shopping the Goodwill of food. I’m not picky, but that place just bothers me.
February 11th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Yay, this poll has the highest response rate ever!
February 11th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
awesome bill, yah, great poll. something everyone can identify with. from the listers it seems pretty much both the mister and mrs share the shopping. i do the majority of our shopping, and the majority of the cooking.
bb
February 12th, 2009 at 9:43 am
- Coscto for bulk purchases/most of the calories
- South Valley coop (or whatever its name) on McAndrews/11 for non-homogenized milk, organic sourcream, occasionally yogurth
- Burnsville SuperTarget
- Thai store on Cty 42/11
- Occasionally Byerly’s for flowers, icecream, fruit and vegetables.
Never (well, almost never) at Cub. Never at Rainbow, Kowalski, Walmart.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:25 am
-local meat counters for beef and pork: Widmers and Korte’s, St Paul– better than Lund’s and cheaper than Whole Foods (cheapest, best pork butt.)
-Whole Foods for organic strawberries and Cascade Mountain yogurt etc
-Target for cereal, icecream etc– seems a shame to pay over $4 for a box of cereal at Lund’s and Bylerly’s.
- Costco and Sam’s bulk fruit and veggies, coffee, flowers
-really dislike CUB.. it’s so big I end up with way more than I bargain for
-AND CANNOT WAIT for Trader Joe’s on Lexingon and Randolph! The best party food ever.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:32 am
All of these elitists out in the burbs. Are you sure these people aren’t from Highland Park or Edina or south Minneapolis?
February 13th, 2009 at 11:08 am
What’s elitist about buying food at a price point you’re comfortable with from a place you like? From the comments here it seems we are all over the place as far as where we shop and why. What makes you feel anyone is being elitist?
February 13th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Tearitup,
I’m not 100% sure what bf is getting at but it might be the comment “John” made about Aldi’s being the “Goodwill of food.” You’d have to ask “bf” if that was what he/she found elitist.
February 13th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Actually, I was just trying to stir up the pot so more people would post. That would make it that much more difficult for Bill to break his Posts/Article record.
The Aldi comment was a bit elitist but it doesn’t really bother me. I’ve shopped there many times as it DOES have its place in the market.
August 10th, 2009 at 5:30 am
With regards to Rainbow, I continue to run into the same erratic quality of both product and service in both the produce and bakery departments. Bakery can be outright comical at times. Quality of what goes on the rack depends on who got scheduled to bake. Incredible as it may sound, the bakery managers being hired by Rainbow – Roundys’ don’t know much if anything about baking themselves. Have complained to management, and was actually told by a
‘Asst Mgr Chuck’ at the Eagan store, ‘Why do you come here’. When I responded that perhaps the owners of the company would be interested in the indifference of management to the issues of quality and service, I was then informed with a big smirk that Roundys is owned by a leveraged buyout firm in Chgo, Willis & Stein, and so they don’t have shareholders to worry about nor do they have to respond to customers who don’t like the collapse
in quality in their bakery and produce departments.
August 10th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Sounds to me like you need to satisfy AM Chuck and take your $$ to another store. I am sure Cub, Byerlys, or even Target/Walmart would be more than happy to provide for your grocery needs, and soon Chuck will find himself looking for a new job.
All that said, I would be willing to guess that with a little bit of research you will find that Rainbow still has a management structure that cares for client feedback, regardless of who the ultimate owner is. There is almost certainly a store manager to contact. If that person does not help, move on the the area/regional manager. If that gets you no satisfaction contact Chgo, Willis, & Stein and find out who is in charge of the portion controlling Rainbow.