Super Grocery Stores

Take note grocery store designers, I get sucked in by bright colors and informative signs. My fiancé hates shopping with me for a couple of reasons. First off, I am the kind of food shopper who doesn't like to take a list or a recipe with me. I like to walk down every aisle and see what tickles my fancy. The second reason she hates to shop with me is because I zone out. The neon signs, and information boards telling me intimate details about items captivate me. I like to know that the Fuji apple I have in my hand is grown in so and so a place, watered with a spray bottle, and only harvested at night. I made those facts up to prove a point. The ways super markets are created now are in a completely different league then back in the day. I remember the first time that I was in awe of a grocery store. It was in Ithaca, New York at a Wegmans. Wegmans was the first super grocery store that did it all, at least that I am aware of. Everything your heart could desire could be found inside. And the prepared food was unbelievably tasty. So tasty that you would see crowds of people coming to the store on their lunch break just to eat, not to shop.

The next super store I encountered wasn't like the usual stores. It has no true store front, but rather is a home delivery grocery store. For people who have lived around the New York City area, you know how difficult it is to grocery shop. Typically you don't have a car because of the ridiculous fees to park it. So every time you go to the store you have to walk blocks after block with bags on your arm from your wrists to your shoulders. When you finally get inside your front door and drop the bags to the floor, you have indentations in your skin for hours. Not much fun, take my word on it. So we came up with a solution in the name of Freshdirect. The delivery aspect of Freshdirect was a huge bonus, but that wasn't even the best thing about it. The food quality, choices, and information were outstanding. The produce was restaurant quality. And the choices were amazing. You can choose to have fish filleted, with or without skin, and you basically pick the portion size. It's like having your own informed butcher in your house. You do pay a premium for this service, but what doesn't cost more in New York City?

Now that I am in Dallas, I have found yet another incredible store. I am like a kid in a candy shop when it comes to this store. The layout is ingenious. The information about products is gripping. And the assortment and quality of items is stunning. They should pay me to promote their stores! To anybody who has been to Texas, or lives in the state, it comes to no surprise that I am talking about Central Market. Whoever designed the layout of Central Market probably did okay in business school. Just like an IKEA, the layout makes you walk through every section of the store. I don't complain about that because I do it on my own anyways. Yes there are a few well hidden short cuts, but why take those? I especially like the cheese and bread sections. One item you can't pass up is the fresh made flour tortillas. I will actually drive to Central Market just to pick up this one item. I recommend you get the butter tortillas and use them right away, while the bag is still steaming! In keeping in line with Wegmans, the prepared food is incredible. Even though I don't typically eat prepared food from grocery store, unless I am feeling lazy, I still stop and stare at the variety before I proceed to checking out.

With the competition between grocery stores ever increasing, who knows what the future will bring. What will be the next big idea that draws the shopper to one store over another? I know what works on me, bright shiny objects!

Readers…. Please share your favorite regional grocery stores!