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Sharmaal
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Username: Sharmaal

Post Number: 943
Registered: 09-2004
Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 6:58 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll /article?AID=/20061024/BUSINES S06/610240378

This was part 2 of continuing series. I personally shop at the Honey Bee (La Colmena).
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Bussey
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Post Number: 280
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 9:06 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I went to the Honey Bee for the first time last weekend.

Great store. Very clean, fresh produce, stocked shelves and good prices.

And the five minute drive is the best part!
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Rfban
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Post Number: 15
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Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 9:35 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Honey Bee is very well run. I enjoy going there.
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Bvos
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Username: Bvos

Post Number: 2049
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Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 1:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Metro Foodland is a great place. Many, but not all, of their items are for sale at the same price as the major chains.

As the related article states, the store is as clean or cleaner than any suburban counterpart. They have baggers and the staff are all very nice, probably more so than the suburban ones.
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Detroitstar
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Username: Detroitstar

Post Number: 254
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Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 1:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I frequent the Farmer Jack on East Jefferson. I've never had a bad experience, and the meat and produce is always good.
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Gannon
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Username: Gannon

Post Number: 6936
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 1:32 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wigley's at the north end of Eastern Market...except for the short hours, they're wonderful. Limited selection, but everything of good quality...another great local family-run business.
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Mayor_sekou
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Username: Mayor_sekou

Post Number: 195
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Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 1:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Farmer Jack Donuts are beyond heavenly especially at the 7mile and Livernois location which I frequent. But dont worry more grocers will jump on the bandwagon like most Tigers fans once the city keeps on the revival path.
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 768
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Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 3:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I've been shopping Indian Village Market (heavily supplemented by eastern market of course). It's right up the street from my house (like 7 blocks).

It's interesting to know it has less violations than Farmer Jack or Harbortown. I've definitely gotten some rotten stuff at Harbortown. Never had problems with the food at Farmer Jack -- I still go there once in a while -- but it's just so big and slow to shop there.

IV market is uber-efficiently run and has most of the same stuff that Harbortown has -- plus it's a nicer store and the staff are really nice -- my wife and I chat with them all the time.

If only they sold glass bottles of beer. Their no glass policy is annoying. I guess the broken glass from the returns is a real hassle for them. Anyone know why they won't sell anything in glass bottles?
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Jams
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Post Number: 3983
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Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 4:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Easier to run the empties through the machine into plastic bags rather than sort bottles and devote space to storing them?
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Dtown1
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Post Number: 312
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Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 6:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I like glory supermarket, it used to be Full Service, but I guess they were having problems, so the deli, bakery is closed. However, I hear the Pharmacy is still open. The likely favored location is 8 Mile and Groesbeck.

Also, last time I've been to the Farmer Jack on Jefferson, the availability of food was limited, and we couldnt find the name brands we came for.

Dont ever shop at Del-Pointe, the worst place to go when it comes to sales and discounts. it was one sale for Pepsi products, so we got a Sierra Mist and Pepsi. When we got to the front, the registers werent even set for Sierra Mist, which is a pepsi product. So we stopped shopping there.

Saveway supermarket, the staff is friendly overall and the meats are very reasonable, but they have limited selections of name brands and continue to offer more and more off brands. Also, it seems like every day, the prices are being raised and its not full service at all.

really, dont have a favorite supermarket in the city. Last time I've been to Indian Village, the foods were out-dated, but the store was ritzy, of course. Kroger used to be my favorite, but we know what happened with that isssue and the location in the city.

Mazens, have three words, RATTY, RATTY, RATTY. Although its one of two independent full service grocery stores on the east side, i know of two ocassions of spottinga mouse in the store. One was on the selves eating the food and another ran across the cereal aisle carelessly.

Hint: Milan Dollar Mart is owned by Mazens for future reference.
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Diehard
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Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 6:55 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I shop at Del Pointe, if only because I can walk there and I appreciate any store that doesn't have "buggy barriers." Ugh. I hate those things. I don't buy meat there, though, and am careful about produce. I'll take Eastern Market anyday.
Another nice, but small, independent one is Yorkshire Market on Mack near Cadieux. Great wine selection.
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Detroiternthemist
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Username: Detroiternthemist

Post Number: 75
Registered: 01-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 9:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I don't see the big deal everyone being so.... about getting a national food chain. I would rather have Harbor town type markets small and quaint. Clean with a deal here or there. Fresh meats and fish. Open when i need to to be.
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 771
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 10:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I totally agree Detroiternthemist. We don't need national chains. We need more quality independent stores. The article makes it sound like Detroiters are suffering because of the lack of soul-sucking - community identity-crushing - 50,000 sq. ft. - 24 hour - acre upon acre of parking superstores. Screw those places. I like the idea that my hard-earned cash that I spend at IV market and Eastern Market circulates through the community rather than cycling through the bank accounts of distant mega corporations.
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Sharmaal
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Username: Sharmaal

Post Number: 948
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Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 10:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I also agree. For years, my family (sterling heights) shopped at Randazzo's, both in the city and the burbs. And to this day, they still make the trek down to the Detroit location.

Back in the heights, one of the best grocery stores I've ever been to is in a strip mall at 17 and dequindre. It's called Agrusa Meat and Fruit Ranch.

Detroit doesn't need a chain. The quality independents that we have are pretty damn good. We just need more of them.
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Dtown1
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Post Number: 319
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 12:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well all the independent stores around my house suck, I particulary like the Farmer Jack in Grosse Pointe on Mack. The fruits and vegetable were fresh, it was clean, and I want to go back to that location soon enough.
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Supersport
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Username: Supersport

Post Number: 10793
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 1:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

While I love shopping at Meijer downriver, my perspective on things is greatly changing. My last trip to Meijer a few weeks ago was only because I was in the area watching a movie. All the stuff I needed, like razor blades, toilet paper, paper toils, etc I could have picked up at a local CVS, Rite-Aid, or University Foods. My trips to Meijer are slowly getting less and less frequent. Now that's not to say I wouldn't like one in the city, perhaps down Jefferson some place near the Farmer Jack. Yet in all honesty, I now do 75% of my shopping at Eastern Market and I don't foresee that changing anytime soon.
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Jimaz
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Post Number: 855
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Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 2:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I just returned from Meijers to get a prescription filled for antibiotics. I was skeptical about their free antibiotics claim but it's true. It was absolutely free!
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 772
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Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 5:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

A while back, I tried driving out to Meijer on 13 mile to save money on groceries. What a pain. It's so freaking' huge it took 2 hours to drive there shop and drive home. I didn't even save much money. Actually, I think I spent more money because I would by other stuff besides groceries.

Now, I mostly buy staples at the grocery store and stuff in packages. Just about everything else I get fresh at Eastern Market and I buy my bread at Avalon every Saturday. It takes only a little more time but it's a very enjoyable experience driving around the city, stopping at the market, Avalon and finishing at IV market. Shopping in big box superstores is just a chore - their is no pleasure in it - you just want to get it over with. I would dread having to drive to Meijer. I never dread shopping at Eastern Market. There's no comparison. It's just a totally different approach to grocery shopping.

What I'd like to see is more party stores becoming like the little neighborhood groceries in Europe, with the fruit and vegetables out front -- that's what some of them used to be. But for that to happen people would have to start shopping every couple days - pretty unlikely - but think of how much fresher the food would be that we eat? I don't know how people shop every two or three weeks. They must eat a lot of processed and frozen foods.
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Livernoisyard
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Username: Livernoisyard

Post Number: 1638
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Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 5:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Duh! For somebody living near downtown, the Meijer's Downriver cannot be much more than a twelve minute ride, once you're on I-75.
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 773
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Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 5:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well my next door neighbor shopped at the downriver Meijer. But hey, I'm a Woodward Corridor guy. I don't stray far.

Still, be it a matter of personal taste, Meijer's is just too big for me. I can be in and out of IV market in 20 minutes and it's 7 blocks from my house. I don't even have to get on a major thouroughfare. Yeah, Meijer has EVERYTHING - but it's not for me.
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 774
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Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 5:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Getting back to the article, one good point it did make was that groceries in the city do much of their business in the first 10 days of the month. I have noticed ups and downs in the quality of some of the produce at Detroit grocery stores. I got bagged lettuce that was slimy a couple of times. I never paid attention to when that occured in the month. Probably near the end of the month. I'll pay closer attention now.
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Swingline
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Username: Swingline

Post Number: 609
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 6:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

Another nice, but small, independent one is Yorkshire Market on Mack near Cadieux. Great wine selection.


Yes, a cool little market. It's kind of expensive for a major weekly grocery run, but the meat, wine and specialty stuff are great.
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Livernoisyard
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Username: Livernoisyard

Post Number: 1639
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Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 6:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

On account of the welfare income for a fair portion of the city's residents, the food prices, as witnessed in those competitive stores who use weekly flyers, come down considerably as the month draws down. And, of course, suddenly rise cyclically again for the first week or two of each month (all other things being equal).
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Neilr
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Username: Neilr

Post Number: 371
Registered: 06-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 10:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Parkstone Market was located on the corner of Agnes and Van Dyke in West Village. It was family owned and run. They had a fresh vegetable counter and a real meat counter where the butcher would cut and trim your meat to order. While they did carry beer and wine, that was not the focus of their business.

The market did a great deal of their business on credit. Behind the checkout there was a shelf with receipt books with family names on the spines. Many people phoned in their orders which would be filled, charged in the book, and then delivered in one of their vans.

The market was a neighborhood institution; but, alas, it faded in the 1970's.
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Jams
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Post Number: 3998
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Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 11:46 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I find it interesting the nostalgia for the type of shopping,I grew up with, by so many that never experienced it.

Will it be a successful business plan, unlikely, unless a business can combine the experience of the past with what the the patrons expect from a food market in this day and age.

It's a matter of dollars, would a market in Detroit displaying its wares ala Seinfeld in outdoor bins actually be able to sell enough to pay the rent and labour?

There is a reason why the corner stores are party stores rather than butcher shops with smokehouses in the backyard.

I'm amazed at all the acclaim of Avalon has achieved, while family bakeries of 1/2 a century that sold their products at 1/4 the price disappear. (not knocking Avalon, I'm actually impressed by their marketing)

If the support (read Dollars) is not there, the best we can expect is corporate shadows.
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 775
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 11:59 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Neilr, thanks for the story about the Parkstone. I still go there maybe once a week to buy a six-pack of beer or a coke when I don't wanna drive. They say they plan to remodel soon but I'll believe it when I see it. I don't think it will ever be like it was. Maybe, if the neighborhood got uber-entrified it could turn into a fancy hair salon I'll never go to.

Regarding Avalon, Jams you have a point. The main reason small gourmet stores are successful is they have high prices and a very niche high-quality product - plus they sell to grocery stores. I'm hooked on Avalon but I still pinch pennies at the supermarket. I love bread so I manage to pay extra. I never buy anything but two loaves of bread from them a week. Occassionally I'll buy a foccacia for lunch, but that's it.
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Gistok
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Post Number: 2980
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Posted on Thursday, October 26, 2006 - 12:12 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Dtown1, I agree on that GPW Farmer Jack's. A very nice store. They have a great deli. I've also been to the Yorkshire Market several times in the last few weeks. It just screams Mom & Pop store, and I will frequent it often in the future.

I buy most of my produce at the small manageable Nino Salvaggio's in SCS at 11 & Harper. A nice place that is not overwhelming like the their other stores. Great quality selection.
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 776
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, October 26, 2006 - 12:16 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I've also heard the Yorkshire is a great place. I'll have to see for myself sometime.

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