Econofoods vs Cub Foods vs Just Food

Which grocery store do you prefer and why: Cub Foods or Econofoods or Just Food? What irritates you about them?

jf_logo.pngI’m a member of Just Food Co-op and they’re my overall favorite. Great produce, great variety, great staff. It irritates me that in this blog-infested town, they don’t have a blog on their website and therefore they make it tough to link to anything new going on there.

With that in mind, a number of golden vantage range hoods and food producers who are regularly stationed at the grill and also grill at home shared some tips and recipes.

I like their monthly newsletter but you can’t link to individual items in a big PDF file. And not having a blog breeds website outdatedness. General Manager Stuart Reid left a few months ago and they’ve got new board info/members and a new

General Manager but you’d never know it from their outdated Board page. And what about a staff page? I want to know these people!

econo_logo.jpgWhen County Market/Petricka’s bailed for Hwy 3 and became Cub, I was determined to do my other grocery shopping at Econofoods, in part because of my downtown bias. I was impressed that they invested in revamping the building inside and out. It irritates me that their produce section is consistently lousy and too many of their employees are customer-unresponsive.

Cub_Logo2.gifI’ve not shopped Cub Foods enough to have irritations yet but I’m sure I will, now that I’m doing less shopping at Econo.

37 Comments

  1. Mim Mueller said:

    Hmmm…interesting slant. I’d rather approach this by what I like about each local grocery store. I like the convenience of Cub foods; we often go there to stock up. I like the location of Econo foods and always prefer to buy meats there. I haven’t had an issue with unhelpful emloyees; just a cashier or two that like to talk so much you can’t get out of there quickly! (or maybe it’s me – haha) But I have to admit – I LOVE the co-op. For me, it’s a “marketing” experience. I go there frequently for smaller purchases and often for a quick, healthy soup and sandwich lunch. The produce is unbelieveably good and the prices are better than I’ve seen at other coops. Having said all this, I have a new secret! I “cooked” (read: assembled) at SocialeGourmet the other night, and it was FAB-U-LOUS! All the ingredients were fresh; the menu choices were interesting and family friendly; the portions were very generous.. and I was done with 5 huge family meals (that will probably serve us for 10-12 dinners), 2 appetizers and a dessert within 45 minutes!!! We’ve eaten the 1st meal (lasagne) and it was very tasty. The prices are extremely reasonable – esp. for my family of two – what we save in not purchasing or wasting the extra ingredients will more than make up for the cost of this convenience. For about $70 worth of meals, I estimate I would have had to buy about $200 worth of ingredients to make all these meals at home. Plus, I am just not that talented – cooking has never been a gift of mine!

    Still, I will be loyal to all the grocery marts in town. Just a little less dependent.

    March 17, 2007
  2. Griff Wigley said:

    Great post, Mim. I blogged about Sociale back in January:
    https://locallygrownnorthfield.org/archives/272/

    and it didn’t occur to me to put them in the “grocery store” category of my brain but you make a good argument for it.

    I forgot to mention that we also pick up some groceries — primarily frozen stuff — at Target, as their food section continues to expand.

    March 17, 2007
  3. I’ve only been to Econo once or twice in the past few years, so I can’t really speak to that.

    Among the other two, I definitely prefer Just Food. Cub has an absolutely repugnant shopping experience — forklifts zooming around corners during the middle of the day, a general warehousey feel, some haphazard organization (I ask you: why would pasta sauce be in a completely different aisle from pasta?), and those self-checkouts that never seem to work properly. They also have extremely limited organic selection — I think they might have one little corner staked out in their acres of meat selection for free range meats. No organic dairy that I know of, but the place is pretty huge: perhaps I just haven’t found it yet.

    Just Food’s more expensive, but it’s worth it: it’s friendly, personal, warm, and has better food.

    March 17, 2007
  4. Alex Beeby said:

    My preference need not be stated (I work @ JFC). People can also find groceries at gas stations and now Menards.

    March 17, 2007
  5. Tracy Davis said:

    Justin Watkins had a great post about “Cheap Food” which may be relevant in discussing our local options. I’d encourage everyone to check it out if they haven’t seen it already.

    March 18, 2007
  6. Tracy Davis said:

    I have to confess to buying cheap bananas at Kwik-Trip. But that’s not my preferred shopping venue.

    March 18, 2007
  7. John Thomas said:

    I could rant on and on for hours on this topic… but I will try to keep it short.

    Just Foods is just remarkable in so many ways.

    I just need to remind Griff that not everything in the world is meant to be blogged, and the staff pages haven’t been updated because of the weird cyber stalker that we have in Northfield. 😎

    Anyway, Just Foods is constantly reworking itself, and always has wonderful surprises. I have not seen Luigi and the Demo Dudes and Dudettes lately. I hope that Saturday program will be coming back in the Spring.

    EconoFoods on the other hand… This has been the object of my frustration since I moved here in 2001. I must say right off, that I try to shop Just Foods first, but there are some things that I cannot get at JF, so I have to go to one of the others.

    ECONO just does not get it. There (lack of) service is disgraceful. Thier prices are way out of whack. Thier produce (oranges, etc) have been found moldy on several occassions. I try my best not to shop there, but alas, there are times I dont want to go clear to Dundas for a couple of items.

    As an example, just today, I went looking for a particular brand of low sodium (Progresso) soup that I enjoy, that I cannot get at JF.

    We stopped at Econo, and they had it for $2.79 a can. That seemed REALLY high. I passed on it. For some reason, later in the day, we were at Cub. I bought the same soup, not on sale, for $2.29.

    You tell me. What justifies the 50 cent difference? Its not the baggers, as they are only available about 50% of the time. There is never enough cashiers.

    I like to keep my money downtown, but I like to keep my money in my wallet slightly more. Reasonable prices within a dime are acceptable (as a business needs $$ to survive), but Econos prices are not even close to competitive.

    I am not big on Cub, but I can get the items (& brands) I need, at a reasonable price.

    March 18, 2007
  8. Tracy Davis said:

    John, I assume that the price difference you noted is largely due to economies of scale in purchasing and sales. I doubt that a small store of any kind could sell at Cub’s prices, or even $.10 more per item, and still be profitable enough to survive. So if we want choices, e.g. a downtown grocery store, we have to be willing to pay for that amenity.

    March 19, 2007
  9. kiffi summa said:

    Since there are only two of us at home now, and I have to be downtown for something every day (or multiple times a day) I tend to shop for the next day or two, and don’t stock up….more efficient, less wasteful for us. I love Just Food, am not only a member but an investor; doesn’t take much to make me a believer on the healthy food issue. If I had little kids now, i would be setting priorities to let me buy the “cleanest” food possible for them. Too many chemical unknowns in our world. I, too, would like to see Luigi back on that scene; just the sort of serendipitous fun that fits the co-op mode.

    But I have to disagree with those who are knocking Econofoods; they have really cleaned up their act since Just Food arrived, and they continue to improve……… Lots more organic produce, much better produce in general, loys of items alll over the store that aren’t at JF, and that I use to buy at Byerlys…. 5lb. bags of Botan rice, for example. I think they are really working hard to keep a share of the community, and also serve the JF customers, where there isn’t shelf space for everything.
    I NEVER go to CUB; that whole hi-jacking of the DT grocery, and SOUTHFIELD in general, are not on my route. If you want a economically secure downtown, you have to support it; look around the state.
    As a matter of fact, that’s why the liquor store should be built next to Econofoods; people going in to get snacks , when they do their liquor shopping, will help to keep grocery shopping choices downtown.

    March 19, 2007
  10. Peter said:

    I was terribly saddened to hear they took my my favorite food item off the shelf at the co-op. Pity, its one of the healthiest foods items know to man. Alas, due to a caring individual, I was allowed to rescue the remaining jars.
    http://www.vegemite.com.au/
    You know what they, if it tasts bad, it must be good for you.

    March 19, 2007
  11. Alex Beeby said:

    Co-op hat on here (unauthorized): I know Phil and a couple of other managers are working to try to work out a revamp of the demo program that will let us get Luigi back on the floor by, hopefully, the first Saturday in April.
    One of the really difficult things about running a store our size is finding a product selection that satisfies as many customers as possible and sells enough to justify the inventory and space use. Unfortunatelly, this means we are not always able to meet everyone’s particular preferences; in fact, there are products I want that we can’t justify carrying. Fortunately, however, we are able to special order many products for our customers, and if it requires the order of a full case, we can offer a discount on that order.
    Confession (co-op hat off): I, on occasion, buy things at Econo, but I have only been to Cub to evaluate the competition.

    March 19, 2007
  12. Andrew said:

    As others have said before me, the biggest difference in between the three is customer experience. In Cub, the experience is about repetition of products and getting the most inventory moved as quickly as possible. They want their customers to get in, get what they need, and get out. The store certainly isn’t attuned for people spending long periods of time there. If cheap and efficient is your route, that is the way to go.

    Econo is just a plain jane store. Nothing special going on in this downtown shop. They could do more to improve what is happening in atmosphere to increase the experience, but this doesn’t seem to be in their train of thought. It is most likely location and convenience are the biggest parts here.

    Before I rattle more, let me say I was not a Co-op man before. My mother has always been a champion of this model but I was not as impressed. However, I can’t believe how great Just Foods is.

    They are concerned with bettering people’s lives. They look at what they can do to offer the best products and do it. Even the lighting is drastically different. It also warmer in this place, it feels better and not so cold and open.

    More and more, things are about the experience that is tagged along with them. It is about the products, but also about what you can gain from visiting that store.

    Before I go, read the recent quotes from the NY Times in a story that talks about customer experiences. Maybe this is what people in retail need to hear.

    “And the stores were remarkably successful, spawning the current era of “big-box” retailing. Companies like Best Buy, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Target have achieved a level of dominance, in the American popular imagination and economy, that earlier stores could hardly fathom. But they did something else, too: they took the romance, and arguably the magic, out of American retailing. These stores sold products, but they never celebrated them.”

    -af

    March 19, 2007
  13. Cynthia Child said:

    I love Just Food Co-Op. Definitely a neighborhood store. Friendly people, health programs etc.

    Econo ain’t bad. People often go out of their way to ask if I need help finding anything. Good point Tracy on the cost difference. Yes, I imagine they can’t buy in the scale Cub can so it makes sense if their prices get beat out.
    Pharmacy folks there are also very friendly.

    I do (cringe) shop at Cub sometimes. But I find the downtown locations more convenient.

    March 19, 2007
  14. Donna said:

    I moved to Northfield a year ago. I went to Just Food looking for Shepard’s Way cheese and to check out the store. I asked an employee if they had what I was looking for. She said she would check. I spent the next 10 minutes standing by the cheese…waiting…until a different employee walked by (for the 3rd time) and said “are you the one looking for cheese? We don’t have that kind”. I wasn’t that impressed with the rest of the store and I haven’t been back.

    Econo has helpful employees, especially management. Their sales often beat Cub. Cub obviously has the size to have the most variety. I must admit that most of my shopping/purchasing is price-driven.

    March 20, 2007
  15. Alex Beeby said:

    Great comment Donna, thank you. I am truly sorry we did not provide the kind of service you deserved in this case.

    This illustrates how crucial constant attention to customer service is. Even one unfortunate experience, no matter how out of the ordinary, can flavor a whole store impression.

    I hope you will come to try us (Just Food) out again and give us the opportunity to show you our true colors. I would much rather have someone shop elsewhere because they preferred a different product mix than because of an atypical experience.

    March 20, 2007
  16. As a small food retail business owner in Northfield, I have followed this discussion with interest. The differences in prices at many of these stores has much to do with their purveyor pricing. A large corporation such as Cub, Target, Perkins, etc. can get preferred pricing for items that a smaller store cannot get just because the small retailer does not purchase in such huge quantities. What the small retailer provides in quality and/or service should also have a value.

    March 21, 2007
  17. Philip Spensley said:

    One of the values of shopping at Just Food is that they care about providing food without hormones, without pesticides, neither of which is good for us. One of the values of buying grass fed beef and eggs from free-range chickens is that you help cut down on e-coli and the chances of mad-cow disease.
    One of the values of shopping at Just Food is that, although it costs a little more to shop there, farmers and farm workers who provide that food are getting paid better, and more fairly, so they can begin to make a decent living without being exploited by huge corporations who care more about their own profits than their workers’ economic welfare (or their customers’ health).
    One of the benefits of shopping at Cub and Econofoods is that basic commodities with nothing to do with the local economy are often cheaper there, and some items are not carried by Just Food, and so that is helpful for consumers. But more generally speaking, while
    lowest price is unfortunately a factor that too many people use as their basic guideline, and that too many people are forced by circumstance, to operate by, there are many hidden costs to “cheap”. Cheapest is more often than not more expensive in the long run…we don’t always attribute the effects “cheapest” have on us and on society as a whole, including the cost of health care, to its original causes.
    One of the values of shopping at Just Food is that you know you are doing something to support sustainable agriculture, you are suppporting the local economy and local farmers, therefore the good of the local area, and overall, the greater betterment of your own and your children’s health.
    And shopping at Just Food is an experience that is simply more human in scale. I get a really good feeling out of that factor, too.

    March 21, 2007
  18. Holly Cairns said:

    Hi,

    Positive remarks about Econofoods: Yesterday the blueberry bin in my cart opened and blueberries spilled all over the floor. I didn’t notice until my daughter Hannah rounded the corner and said, “That’s not from you, is it?”

    I went and got an employee who helped me out. Even though Blueberries were everywhere, and some were squished and being rolled around by my cart wheel, the guy WAS REALLY NICE. No yelling, just a polite “Can I get you another package of blueberries?”

    I thought I would pass this along to you. I notice that Econofoods is working on the produce section (getting steadily better, always an employee there poking around, and organic selections).

    Oh, and the flower shop there is great. I know, grocery store? But they wrap things so nicely, and they have a nice selection, and the lady that runs it seems to really care about everything.

    My two cents.

    April 4, 2007
  19. Griff Wigley said:

    Good to hear, Holly… thanks for posting that.

    My wife Robbie got a call back from a manager asking for feedback and she evidently gave him an earful of criticisms … and he was appreciative and concurred with much of what she said. So they are trying.

    April 5, 2007
  20. Holly Cairns said:

    Today’s Strib has an article about the
    science of shopping
    — SuperValu’s efforts to provide a better shopping experience. Does our local Cub have a new layout?

    Econofoods definitely has a new layout, and I like it much better. Organic is right next to conventional, produce has been stepped up, and the store seems smooth and clean.

    By the way, and because I liked it–
    Jim Farrell’s
    One Nation Under Goods is spectacular and is down this same road. Fascinating.

    September 10, 2007
  21. I shop everywhere.

    1. Cub had more variety of deli meats and cheeses. They do have organic dairy and produce and several isles of organic pantry goods. I can get good exercise there and usually spend an hour per week checking out new products as I shop, never got run over yet.

    2. Just Foods has good bread which the two town bakeries should make; gluten free and wheat free, and sprouted. One is a Canadian product. Just Foods should carry only nutritious foods, and throw those boxes of air and salt out the window. Go all the way organic! Also, don’t make such an effort to make people feel alright that they are not members.

    3. Econofoods has variety but at too high a cost.

    Cub has a lot of employees who I am sure spend some money downtown.
    Wasn’t it Barbra Streisand in “Funny Girl”, amongst others who said, “Let the money flow!”

    September 10, 2007
  22. Holly Cairns said:

    Econofoods doesn’t ask for my driver’s license number, Cub does (INVASION). I dislike that A LOT.

    I see people from my community at Econofoods, and I don’t recognize hardly anyone who works at Cub.

    Econofoods is downtown, and a vacant Econofoods would be ugly.

    JustFoods has better produce but is so darn expensive– it’s terrible.

    Some things are cheaper at Econofoods– and more expensive at Cub. Do more research.

    At Econofoods they run to help you find things, and at Cub it feels like an alarm sounds if you ask for help– or the other times they just shrug and say “I dunno, I just work here.”

    Finally, I believe the lines take less time by far at Econofoods.

    Right back at you, then, Bright!

    September 10, 2007
  23. Jerry Bilek said:

    Just Food is not the most expensive store for a lot of the products I buy. I have not checked lately, but I did my own price comparison of products that all 3 stores carry. Just Food was the best. I was comparing juice, cereal, yogurt, granola bars etc. Every month they have sales on particular products. They send the list of items to members, non-members can pick it up in the store. I get coupons in the mail as well. Blue sky coupons are good too if you use the items w/coupons. I buy a lot of juice and don’t care which brand(they only cary quality brand juice at Just Food) so I buy the brand on sale for that month. Next month I will switch brands.

    Produce is a different story. You get what you pay for. Some prices for produce are higher, but I find I throw away less because the quality is better at Just Food.

    The staff at Just Food is top notch.

    September 10, 2007
  24. Holly Cairns said:

    Yep, I do like Just Food, too, but do a price comparison again and look at Econofoods for new availability. Blue Sky, Cascadian, Bob’s Red Mill, natural chicken (not local chicken, and that’s bad, I know), etc. Fair trade coffee. All seem to be cheaper than Just Food.

    I agree Just Food staff is top notch. Especially Rolly = top notch. The store is fun and I do shop there– I’d hate to see that store go… Really, now that they are pushing “local” I like the store a lot better. Also, I like their new layout, too. Much better than the old one.

    But I like the change that’s happened at my mainstream grocery store.

    September 10, 2007
  25. In response to Bright about the two bakeries in town that should be making wheat-free and gluten-free breads, I cannot speak for Sue at Quality Bakery, but in order to make these kinds of breads a bakery must avoid and disclose any cross-contamination. Strict sanitation procedures have to be followed, along with equipment isolation. That is why you see bakeries that are gluten-free, wheat free. Flour dust gets everywhere, so it is difficult to produce both, especially in a small facility such as ours. There is a very good gluten-free bakery in Eagan that we refer our customers to.

    Brick Oven Bakery

    September 10, 2007
  26. To clarify, what I meant to say is that it is difficult to produce both wheat-free/gluten-free products and products from wheat flour or rye, barley, oats, since these items contain the same protein as wheat.

    September 10, 2007
  27. Debra, I appreciate the dilemna now. Thanks.

    September 12, 2007
  28. Jerry Bilek said:

    I did some price comaprisons at econo and Just Food. Just Food was cheaper on the items I bought.

    Knudsen juice was $2.50 at JF and $3.50 at econo.
    coffee same price although JF carries coffee that is roasted better and not all of the econo coffee is fair trade.
    oatmeal $.89 lb bulk at JF and $2.83 at econo.

    September 13, 2007
  29. Tracy, your comment “So if we want choices, e.g. a downtown grocery store, we have to be willing to pay for that amenity.” was just one of the many comments that makes this point, which is that buying from smaller shops has to be driven by something other than price. But is also smacks of the old “Look for, the union label” slogan that used to drive a wedge between the workers who created products and their customers by trying to shame the customers into buying union mad products. Same for the old “Made in the USA” labels and associated jingoism. But the “World Is Flat” (Friedman) so it takes a conscientious and conscious decisions to forgo the Cubs and the Targets of the world to spend that extra nickel, or dollar, on those items day after day. And if the products are the same, then the extra money you spend is not helping the whole supply chain.

    The question (for my part) is, if we cannot teach kids that their minds are uniquely vulnerable until they reach age 25, and the obvious consequence of that fact being that mind altering drugs from tobacco to heroin are a bad idea, then how can we hope to teach them the complexities of economic theory so that they can make those conscientious and conscious choices? And if the lesson from failed anti-drug campaigns is that they won’t listen to reason then we cannot expect them to be savvy consumers (aware of the total costs of buying strategies) based on apocryphal horror stories either.

    See Little Johnny. See Johnny run. See Johnny buy cheap shoes at CheapieMart. See Johnny run. See the tread separate on the cheap shoes. Look out Johnny! See the train run over Johnny.

    Yeah, like that will sell any better than “Reefer Madness” does. And the alternative

    See Little Johnny. See Johnny run. See Johnny buy cheap shoes at CheapieMart. See Little Johnny’s attempt to maximize marginal utility in a free market lead to lower income in his backyard. See Johnny run to the polls to vote for more government intervention to repair the unintended consequences of his choice in shoes.

    Yup, that’s a real pot-boiler too.

    So, public discussions like this one, which can serve to raise our ability to be conscientious and conscious consumers (C3, “C-cubed”) are probably the best alternative of all. Followed up by our economic votes, we might slowly make a difference. So meet me at Jacobsen’s everyone, and we’ll put on a play about being C3!

    September 13, 2007
  30. kiffi summa said:

    I, too , have recently noticed a huge improvement at Econofoods (although I am a committed Just Foods shopper). The way they have integrated the organic choices right next to the conventional is really a positive move; I understand they have added 1000 new items.. I think this is a very smart marketing move on their part, and I hope their improved configuration and shelving draws some people back from Cub. It’s imperative to keep Econofoods in the downtown, and I think the competition for that downtown market is good for both E-foods and J-food.

    But it is interesting to note that whether shopping at E-foods or J-foods, I always run into lots of people I know. Someone noted, some posts back, that they don’t see people they know at Cub. Are we splitting into two different business centers, two miles apart? That’s not good. In the long run, the deepest pockets will win out. Our downtown cannot become a museum.

    Congratulations to Just Food and Econofoods; we’re going to support you both!

    September 13, 2007
  31. Great topic! These days I split my dollars (not necessarily evenly) between Just Food and Econo and the farmers market, and rarely go to Cub. I just don’t enjoy the shopping experience there, and I feel my purchases there do the least good, except occasionally my pocketbook. I’ve been trying to maximize local foods in my own diet (my son, I’m afraid, subsists mostly on chicken patties). The long-term costs of “cheap” food are real; right now, although money is definitely quite tight in my household, I prefer to pay the true cost of fresh, locally produced, high-quality food than let society (my children?) absorb the hidden costs of cheap. I’d rather buy less food of higher quality than a larger quantity that’s less satisfying to the palate and the conscience.

    I’m pleased with what I’m seeing at Econofoods. I like the positioning of natural/organic brands next to the traditional brands, and I love the wider aisles.

    September 15, 2007
  32. Bob Gilbertson said:

    Just Foods is our clear favorite, but it serves only a portion of our needs. We try to buy everything possible there. For the rest of it, I vastly prefer to support a downtown store, and agree with those who characterize Cub as impersonal. But I feel that Econo is not taking advantage of a real opportunity. It will never be able to compete with Cub on overall variety (just not big enough), or probably on price (just not the same buying power). But it could just KILL Cub on the shopping experience, and it isn’t doing that. I find that the further back you go in the store, the better the people get. Some of the employees, particularly in the meat section, are just what you’d expect in your local downtown grocery store: engaged, positive, helpful, and friendly. But up front, at the registers, mostly what you find are employees who clearly are not happy to be there. Even the very basic idea of the cashier saying “thank you” to the customer is not consistently done, and when it is, as often as not it is an obviously pro forma, unengaged following of a rule. In the one person-to-person interaction that you are sure to have, Econo really disappoints.

    Cub is usually quite a bit more convenient for me, given where I live, and I find myself stopping there more and more, rather than heading over to Econo. I hope things develop in a way that prompts me to make different choices.

    September 17, 2007
  33. john george said:

    I do all the grocery shopping for our household (except for incidentals I forget). I shop Cub, Econo, Just Food, Brick Oven and Quality Bakery. There are specific items I like from each store. I also know people who work at each store (some are new friends I have gotten by doing business there). I would recommend all our grocery stores and bakeries to any new Northfielder. I have not had a bad experience at any of the stores in the eleven years I have lived here. (I know! I’m barely a newcomer!) That being said, I think there is enough variety in town to meet anyone’s shopping desires. It is also great to have Just Foods, as I was used to an excellent co-op in Owatonna when we lived there. We need to remember that our friends and neighbors work at various stores around town, and keeping our dollars in town rather than taking them to Apple Valley helps us all.

    September 17, 2007
  34. Holly Cairns said:

    You do all the grocery shopping, John? That’s pretty modern. We share the shopping in our family…

    Regarding Penny’s post: Well said, as usual.

    Just Food doesn’t meet our needs, either, but I do like the change it has caused in mainstream shopping and I like to shop for certain things at Just Food. I wonder if it is doing well financially– we didn’t like the mercantile part of the store and thought that undertaking was pretty risky.

    September 19, 2007
  35. Rob Hardy said:

    I love Just Food because of the local and organic produce, the grass-fed beef, the bulk items like rice and granola and flour, and the cheese. I like the people who work there. I love Rollie, except I always want him to help me try on shoes (I still have a mint-condition pair of Converse All-Stars from Jacobsens that I preserve like relics). I love Just Food because I own it. After a year of expensive and over-packaged food in England (much of it shipped in from Spain or South Africa), I don’t mind at all spending a little more for what Just Food has to offer.

    I’m also quite fond of Econofoods (which I can’t stop referring to as More 4, the way people used to call Petricka’s the Red Owl). It’s two blocks from my house, so in the morning I can run out quickly and get the half-and-half for my coffee that I stupidly forgot to buy yesterday. The only problem with Econofoods is that I always manage to stand in the slowest line. Even if it looks like the shortest, there is always a time-consuming price check or a need to change the cash register tape before my turn comes.

    I have been to Cub two or three times since it opened. It’s too far away. If possible, I walk to the store, or hook the Burley up to the bike to carry larger loads of groceries. Just Food and Econofoods are close to where I live.

    September 20, 2007
  36. john george said:

    Holly- Yes, I do all the grocery shopping. I happen to have Monday & Tuesday off, so it is really handy to shop when there are not so many people in the stores. My wife and I have this deal. She did the cooking and grocery shopping for the first 28 years of our marriage, and I am doing them for the next 28 years. Maybe after that, we can have someone else do it all for us! I’ve never been called “modern”, but for an old man, I guess I do fairly well.

    September 20, 2007
  37. Ran into Kiffi at Just Foods today, finally found the goji berries, and saw Jean the cashier and my sculpting pal, liked the new layout of the store and would say it was a very good experience.

    September 28, 2007

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