The main reason I grocery shop at Byerly's is ease of use. The major chains are often too crowded and convoluted for this efficient shopper, plus they don't bag your groceries for you and the checkout lines are often insufferably long because of it. Other reasons I shop there are the good organics selection, 24-hour convenience, excellent bakery, enormous deli, and the in-store restaurants. However, I don't think I'll be buying my winter produce there anymore. I'm growing increasingly frustrated with the utter lack of selection, and when they do stock what I need it's often poor quality. Also worth mentioning: they've stopped carrying Wolfgang Puck Wood-fired Pizza and that just plain pisses me off.
So, I ventured out in search of better produce last week. I don't live near a Kowalski's, so I didn't bother seeking one out for comparison. Ditto for Whole Foods. If I'm going to find a new market, it has to be close and convenient. Despite living only 8 blocks from the giant grocery store my friends and I refer to as "Hottie Rainbow"*, it's often too busy to shop proficiently during my awake hours. The Eastside Co-op is only blocks from my house, but it's a tiny store with a limited selection that can't always accommodate my cooking needs.
What then? I headed up Johnson Street to the Columbia Heights Cub Foods, next to what used to be Apache Plaza Mall. I do shop at this store once every couple of months. It's the least-crowded Cub Foods I've been to, and the chain occasionally runs specials that are too good to pass up. That particular location has a large variety of Indian foods, which is great when you want to spice up dinner a bit. Their produce selection was ample. I filled my basket with what I needed and went home to make dinner. Much to my surprise, there was actually a difference. The tomatoes tasted significantly better and the spinach far outlasted the bunches I buy at Byerly's. The zucchini wasn't bruised or scarred up, and the avocadoes weren't grossly underripe, so I was able to use them right away. I didn't buy any other fruit. I don't really eat it; instead I practice the one-Blue Machine-a-day method of fruit nutrient consumption. Tasty.
I never buy produce from the grocery stores in the summertime. I live within walking distance of 3 farmers markets, open 7 days a week. Between those and my mother's garden, I have all I need for five months out of the year. Winter's tricky, though, if you're like me and cook with lots of vegetables all year round. Until I find a store that fulfills all my needs, I've resigned to basic grocery shopping at Byerly's and produce shopping at Cub Foods. I'm going to attempt the Hottie Rainbow* again sometime in the near future so I can check out their vegetables. Maybe the fact that they're always crowded is a good sign, meaning that produce is rotated out quickly.
*The Hottie Rainbow is located at The Quarry shopping center in Northeast Minneapolis. Aside from being in a neighborhood where the residents are inherently attractive, it's also the closest big chain grocery store to the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus and housing. Other hottie stores at The Quarry: Target, PETsMART, Home Depot, Office Max, Party City, and Old Navy.
Sorry for commenting so frequently BUT, I enjoy your blog. Anyways - the two grocery stores closest to me are Byerlys and Rainbow and I prefer the rainbow. Our Rainbow was just remodeled to look like a byerlys and I shop on weekday mornings (not much traffic). The produce section, candy counter, deli and bakery always have samples (which Eleanor loves and it enables my trips go go more smoothly - I am sure all parents love this feature) and the bakery has bread and pastry samples. I too, shop the farmers market every week during the summer - it is not a shock to me that you eat so many veggies - Debbi is your mom. well, I am going to stop going on so much. I do need to say that you are such a hipster - you are even a grocery store snob. Peggy says that we are music snobs - and maybe so - there are so many hipsters these days - you are oober hipster Alexis. I guess that I am mommy hipster - mommy snob. but I don't snob other moms, just like I am sure you don't snob us Rainbow shoppers. I kindof think that Rainbow is the mommy snob place to shop anyways - if you catch my drift - mommy snobs clip coupons and only buy our buffalo burger and specialty cheeses from Byerlys in order to save money.
ahh, law student husband is screaming ar me to stop typing - he can't concentrate - so BYE>
Rachael
Posted by: Rachael | March 14, 2005 at 09:39 PM