[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by Glass Onion

I'm from the Midwest and I hadn't heard of albertsons till I moved here. Or smiths for that matter.

You must live in a glass box because they are on the national news. I have never seen a Winn Dixie or a Hardees, but I still know who they are obviously.

[kimba01]

I do live in a glass box too...never remember hearing about either of them. But, I do not watch TV much or listen to the radio much...I like silence. (big family and I have 4 kids so...silence is def golden)

In SE MI, we have Kroger (which I now know owns Smiths), Meijer, Spartan stores under all different names...plus the Walmart, Target, Kmart stores that carry groceries. Farmer Jack used to be big here, but they went bye-bye....

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by delgadobb

Smiths seems different to me, but they carry a number of Kroger products. Both Smiths & Food4Less are part of the Kroger corporate family.

Margins are small in the grocery industry, so there's been a lot of consolidation as those companies try to make money. Most of the grocery stores in the US are now part of one of a few corporate giants (Safeway, Kroger, SuperValu). Don't be surprised if a store you've never heard of in a different part of the country reminds you a lot of one at home.

I like shopping at Mom & Pop grocery stores when I can, but it's so hard for them to be competitive these days ...

While I have never been a Krogers fan, I give them ENORMOUS credit that when they acquired Fred Meyers and Smiths, they DID NOT make wholesale changes and maintained their local identity.

Safeway came into the Chicago market with the purchase of Dominicks Finer Foods. They have turned a $1.1 BILLION investment into a chain that they counld not unload for $300M five years later. They stripped all the great things that Dominicks was from the chain. Dominicks WAS the #1 grocer in Chicago but is a now a distant second.

There are a LOT of Mom & Pops in Chicagoland and are generally a lot cheaper than the national chains. They are very successful because the owners 1) know the market and 2) are able to differentiate from the large chains. As one owner told me, "I don't worry about WalMart opening up. Do they carry the quality of deli items? Do they carry the same fresh produce? Do they carry the groceries out the car like we do? NO."

[PinkString]

Originally Posted by kimba01

Farmer Jack used to be big here, but they went bye-bye....

Are all the Farmer Jack stores gone? Although I have never been in one, I have a little coffee mug with the Farmer Jack face on it. I think it's from the 60's. Someone from Michigan gave it to me.

[uli2000]

I am a huge fan of Sunflower Farmers Market. There's one on Pecos/Tropicana and another on Rainbow and something, Sahara I think. Kinda like Whole foods but without the elitist attitude. Bigger selection than Trader Joes but nothing is quite like Trader Joes. I also preffer International Market on Decatur just south of Tropicana for Asian/foreign groceries than Ranch 99. Much wider selection (with the exception of meat/seafood) than Ranch 99 and you wont get treated badly for being non-Asian (which has happened to me at Ranch 99. I'm part hispanic and I get dirty looks from staff and customers every time Im in there). I've only been to Seafood City once and remember the seafood selection was incredible but wasnt blow away by the rest of the food selection.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by uli2000

I also preffer International Market on Decatur just south of Tropicana for Asian/foreign groceries than Ranch 99. Much wider selection (with the exception of meat/seafood) than Ranch 99 and you wont get treated badly for being non-Asian (which has happened to me at Ranch 99. I'm part hispanic and I get dirty looks from staff and customers every time Im in there). I've only been to Seafood City once and remember the seafood selection was incredible but wasnt blow away by the rest of the food selection.

Sign up for the frequent buyer program with the International Market and they will treat you like a king.

Seafood City is a Filipino markey and has some great fish and seafood. I would agree with you that other than that, there is little you will not find at Ranch 99.

[kimba01]

Originally Posted by PinkString

Are all the Farmer Jack stores gone? Although I have never been in one, I have a little coffee mug with the Farmer Jack face on it. I think it's from the 60's. Someone from Michigan gave it to me.

Yes, they are all closed. Never know, maybe the mug is worth something now!

[tijlover]

I've been a fan of Food4Less from day one, 13 years ago. Oftentimes they have discounted meats early in the a.m. (I get off work at 6am).

And I refuse (perhaps stupidly) to patronize stores where cards are required.
I came from a part of the country without ever shopping somewhere where you carried a card to buy there. Am I totally dense, or what's the whole point of it!

Sometimes, I'll buy my produce at the Mexican grocery chains. No card required.

[BUGBULLY]

Good thing about Smiths with their cards, are the points! You points add up and you get coupons for money off. I usually end up with at least $15.00 to $20.00.

[OC Investor2]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

I am not being mean, but this has to be the funniest thing I have read in a long time. To me, it is almost like saying you never heard of Walmart or Burger King. I have not lived here long either, but Albertsons is a major chain that is all over the USA, and has been at least since I was born 34 years ago.

Albertsons stores are not called Albertsons in most of the rest of the US. In Philly they are Acme, New England, Shaws, Chicago, Jewel. The actual Albertsons brand/banner is only been in the west, TX, a few in OK & LA and a division in FL.