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Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Tue January 09, 2018 6:57 pm

A favorite topic of mine. HEB is king around here. A store that’s fun to shop at; unique to each neighborhood with a ton of variety and great prices.

There’s also a series of farmers markets across my city put on at different locations throughout the week. Typically we’ll shop for produce there once a week and then head to HEB to get meal ingredients later. Super H Mart is another fun one, but we only go there once a month or so (whenever we need taro root and rice.)

When I travel I like to step inside a regional grocery store and check it out.

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Tue January 09, 2018 9:05 pm

we usually hit 2 farmers markets per week..one of them is just 3 blocks away

like you, I have a "hobby" of going into local grocery stores when traveling to look at prices and to see if they have that isle that has stuff you just don't see in your local..

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Tue January 09, 2018 9:13 pm

Publix and The Fresh Market are my go-to's here. Also, we have a local Asian market called Hong Kong Market that has a great selection of all Asian groceries. Kind of like a mini Uwajimaya in Seattle.

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed January 10, 2018 3:06 am

I love Asian supermarkets. Everything is colorful and full of energy, plus they typically have great food courts.

We’re going to Dallas in a couple of days and shopping one there. I have low expectations compared to my Super H Mart, but maybe I’ll be surprised.

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 4:55 pm

We went to check out the brand new massive HEB yesterday and were so very disappointed. Here's why:

1. It's advertised as two stories, which it is. However, "two stories" would lead you to believe there is twice the grocery store, right? Not the case. The first story is actually just a parking garage and entrance area and the entire grocery store is on the second story. Catfished!

(The one cool thing about this is a carts-only escalator next to the humans-only escalator that you get to use to get the groceries back down to the first floor.)

2. There are no food samples given out at this location after 6pm. What is that?

3. No bar. Whole Foods has a bar. Central Market has a bar. This new HEB is TWO STORIES and doesn't have a bar. They have an area with beer taps and wine bottles that would lead you to believe that there is a bar, but no... Just another place to give out samples that aren't available after 6. Catfished again.

4. Produce areas, in particular the garlic bins, were woefully under-stocked. I'm talking two bulbs of garlic total. In the beginning of the week!
Last edited by washing machine on Wed August 15, 2018 5:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:00 pm

washing machine wrote:We went to check out the brand new massive HEB yesterday and were so very disappointed. Here's why:

1. It's advertised as two stories, which it is. However, "two stories" would lead you to believe there is twice the grocery store, right? Not the case. The first story is actually just a parking garage and entrance area and the entire grocery store is on the second story. Catfished!

(The one cool thing about this is a carts-only escalator next to the humans-only escalator that you get to use to get the groceries back down to the first floor.)

2. There are no food samples given out at this location after 6pm. What is that?

3. No bar. Whole Foods has a bar. Central Market has a bar. This new HEB is TWO STORIES and doesn't have a bar. They have an area with beer taps and wine bottles that would lead you to believe that there is a bar, but no... Just another place to give out samples that aren't available after 6. Catfished again.

4. Produce areas, in particular the garlic bins, were woefully under-stocked. I'm talking two bulbs of garlic total. In the beginning of the week!


I'm not sure how any grocery store is planning to compete with the Whole Foods acquisition by Amazon, because Amazon/WF has been really cagey about what changes we will expect to see. But they'll most likely be rolled out in TX, as that's where WF is headquartered and where Amazon is already offering same-day delivery. So I bet this new HEB will continue to grow and evolve as WF 2.0 becomes more clear.

(Also, the food sample thing makes sense, I think: it's a high-traffic time, and most of the management staff has probably gone home for the day.)
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Wed August 15, 2018 5:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:01 pm

Thanks for preserving my rough draft, trag.

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:05 pm

i just changed it to reflect your edit

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:09 pm

I love this place with all of my heart: https://tonysmarket.com

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:12 pm

tragabigzanda wrote:
washing machine wrote:We went to check out the brand new massive HEB yesterday and were so very disappointed. Here's why:

1. It's advertised as two stories, which it is. However, "two stories" would lead you to believe there is twice the grocery store, right? Not the case. The first story is actually just a parking garage and entrance area and the entire grocery store is on the second story. The one cool thing about this is a carts-only escalator next to the humans-only escalator that you get to use to get the groceries back down to the first floor.

2. No bar. Whole Foods has a bar. Central Market has a bar. This new HEB is TWO STORIES and doesn't have a bar.

3. Produce areas, in particular the garlic bins, were woefully under-stocked. I'm talking two bulbs of garlic total. In the beginning of the week!

4. There are no food samples given out at this location after 6pm. What is that?




I'm not sure how any grocery store is planning to compete with the Whole Foods acquisition by Amazon, because Amazon/WF has been really cagey about what changes we will expect to see. But they'll most likely be rolled out in TX, as that's where WF is headquartered and where Amazon is already offering same-day delivery. So I bet this new HEB will continue to grow and evolve as WF 2.0 becomes more clear.

(Also, the food sample thing makes sense, I think: it's a high-traffic time, and most of the management staff has probably gone home for the day.)


To the first point: HEB has already been competing with WF/Amazon in the same-day department. Kind of. https://shop.hebtoyou.com/

To the second point, my beloved Montrose HEB gives samples during volume hours and have plenty of staff to do it. We are actually on a first name basis with the cheese lady. This new HEB might just be understaffed in the early opening phase.

While Whole Foods and HEB are both Texas based grocery chains, HEB seems to be held in much higher esteem than Whole Foods. Rural and urban market is covered by HEB, prices are much better, inventory is curated to local neighborhoods, and shopping there just feels less (I hesitate to say) pretentious (but that's pretty much the long and short of it.)

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:13 pm

tragabigzanda wrote:i just changed it to reflect your edit

Lol. You did that while I was responding to (and quoting) your preservation of my pre-edit.

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:15 pm

washing machine wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:i just changed it to reflect your edit

Lol. You did that while I was responding to (and quoting) your preservation of my pre-edit.

sorry, rming on my phone now, the old edit stays!

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:15 pm

good thread

go here if you ever have a chance https://www.sprouts.com/

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:37 pm

--- wrote:good thread

go here if you ever have a chance https://www.sprouts.com/

I've been once or twice. There's one going up in the neighborhood where I work. When an underserved neighborhood skips the natural Fiesta>HEB>Trader Joes>Whole Foods evolution and goes straight to Sprouts, it's definitely gentrifying at an exponential rate.

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:41 pm

LoathedVermin72 wrote:I love this place with all of my heart: https://tonysmarket.com

Looks great!

How many ways can they sell you hatch chili peppers in the month of August? I'd really like to delve into the hatch chili economy. Who is growing all of these peppers?
Last edited by washing machine on Wed August 15, 2018 5:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 5:41 pm

washing machine wrote:
--- wrote:good thread

go here if you ever have a chance https://www.sprouts.com/

I've been once or twice. There's one going up in the neighborhood where I work. When an underserved neighborhood skips the natural Fiesta>HEB>Trader Joes>Whole Foods evolution and goes straight to Sprouts, it's definitely gentrifying at an exponential rate.

i had forgotten all about fiesta until my early april sojourn

what a place

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 6:01 pm

Fiesta is great! Where else can you buy high end wine, obscure cuts of meat, regional produce, Mexican pastries, Sonic Youth tickets and affordable guayabera shirts all in one trip?

Six or so years ago, developers tore down my neighborhood Fiesta, put up condos and then put my HEB across the street. As much as I love shopping there, I always feel like pouring one out for the old Fiesta before I walk in. What a place. RIP

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 6:09 pm

washing machine wrote:Fiesta is great! Where else can you buy high end wine, obscure cuts of meat, regional produce, Mexican pastries, Sonic Youth tickets and affordable guayabera shirts all in one trip?

sounds awesome

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 6:21 pm

tragabigzanda wrote:
washing machine wrote:Fiesta is great! Where else can you buy high end wine, obscure cuts of meat, regional produce, Mexican pastries, Sonic Youth tickets and affordable guayabera shirts all in one trip?

sounds awesome


Fiesta in a nutshell:

Image
Image

Re: Grocery Stores and Farmer Markets

Wed August 15, 2018 6:25 pm

texas is great
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