Supermarket or small corner shop for grocery shopping?

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Sep 22, 10, 13:23 #1

Do you prefer food shopping at supermarkets or vising the shops -- family-owned groceries, bake shops, butcher's, fishmongers, etc. Or both? Why?
The Polish markets in Michigan are a lot like the old corner grocery, esp. where meat is concerned. They've got these long butcher counters where meat is on view in glass-front, refrigerated display cases, you take a number and when it turns up you get to pick out the cut you want and discuss things and with a real, live, flesh and blood butcher (or butcherette). The mainline American supermakets have self-serve open meat counters where everything is pre-packaged and you can't see what the bottom is like (through the styrofoam tray) so you never know what you're throwing into the trolley.

scottie1113Threads: 11 Posts: 873 Joined: Mar 13, 07 ♂	Sep 22, 10, 14:44 #2
Polonius3: trolley. There are no trolleys in America. They're called shopping carts. And are you talking about shopping in the US, UK, or Poland?

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Sep 22, 10, 15:20 #3
Supermarket or corner shop? Primarily, the market, then, the shop. Supermarkets are for people who can't cook, or live in a place where there are no good shops.

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 ♂ [Suspended]	Sep 22, 10, 15:38 #4
Supermarket. Mainly because catfood there costs one zloty and two grosz per can less than the corner shop and I get thought 120 cans a month. And because the nearest place that sells the cat litter I need is in the same building as a Carrefour. And partly because the selection of beer is far better at the supermarket. And slightly because I'm too lazy to cook.

BzibziohThreads: 6 Posts: 3,657 Joined: Oct 15, 08 ♀ [Suspended]	Sep 22, 10, 15:47 #5
Polonius3: Do you prefer food shopping at supermarkets or visitng the shops -- family-owned groceries, bake shops, butcher's, fishmongers, etc I like both. Supermarkets for lower everyday prices and shops for more ethnic variety selection.

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Sep 22, 10, 17:22 #6

I prefer local shops most of the time because they're much more personal and a lot friendlier. If they don't have exact change, they'll give me what they have on hand and I'll bring them a zl or two later. Sometimes it works the other way. And sometimes I don't have to say anything other than hello (in Polish, of course) and they smile and give me my regular purchase. That ain't gonna happen at BOMI.

In addition, I live 100m from Hala Targowa in Gdansk Old Town, so convenience is a factor. The meat and poultry shops I frequent will also order things for me if they don't have them, or don't have them in the quantity I want, as in a large leg of lamb or 16 chicken breasts for a dinner party I'm having on Saturday.

I know that people complain about customer service in Poland, but because I've been going to the same shops for years, that hasn't been my experience, at least with them.

And I get to improve my Polish by chatting with the small shop owners.

David_18Threads: 111 Posts: 1,212 Joined: Jan 4, 07 ♂	Sep 25, 10, 14:41 #7
Local shops for the win!!!!!!

beckskiThreads: 19 Posts: 2,148 Joined: May 15, 07 MEMBER ♀	Sep 26, 10, 01:49 #8
Polonius3: Supermarket or small corner shop for grocery shopping? For everyday items, I usually shop at a supermarket. For a specialty product, such as homemade kielbasa, I shop at a mom n pop delicatessen. A sincere thanks PF, for putting up with me FIVE terrific years, muah!

polkamaniacThreads: 1 Posts: 514 Joined: Aug 2, 09 ♂	Edited by: polkamaniac Sep 27, 10, 22:22 #9
Bottom line is that that in the" ma and pa" shops you will pay a premium for the "hands on" service.In the the grocery chains,the prices are cheaper but you are on your own to fend for yourself.Like they say---"you get what you pay for".

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 ♂ [Suspended]	Sep 27, 10, 22:29 #10
Harry: Supermarket. Mainly because catfood there costs one zloty and two grosz per can less than the corner shop and I get thought 120 cans a month. 120 cans of cat food a month? Are you feeding a small tiger?!

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