Harris Teeter and Kroger Merger

I recognize that each person has their own preference for grocery shopping. My preference is to shop ALL of them: Wegman's, Global Food, Wal-Mart, Safeway, Costco, Shoppers Food Warehouse, Lotte, Target, Sam's Club, Food Lion, Grand Mart, and – of course – Harris Teeter. (Yeah, I'm a little bit of a grocery store geek.)

Each chain has its own redeeming qualities as well as things that drive me nuts, but as kevinq pointed out, Harris Teeter has some really awesome specials, so you can score some incredible deals (e.g., buy 2 get 3 free, weekly meal deal, etc.) if you just take a few moments to peruse their weekly circular. What's more, the buy 1 get one 1 (BOGO) offers at HT are actually 50% off because you are not obligated to buy two items – just purchase one and enjoy half off at check-out. I would agree that some of their regular prices are high, but if you start making a few comparisons you will figure out which products are good values at the Teet.

BTW, if you want to see scandalously high everyday prices, you need to walk through the grocery aisles at Target – worst value in the area.

 

It would make more sense to make the trip for the "quick things" that you "buy more often" because the quick things you mention are high ticket items. Maybe you meant to say it differently?

 

where are they building a new Walmart?

 

I answered my own question...just what we need, another shopping center

http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/southern_loudoun_get_new_shopping_center999/

 

I'm not sure that I would qualify my shopping at HT to be hard work or more more than driving to Wegmans or Walmart and dealing with traffic or longer lines. Nonetheless, in many cases, I am not wed to a certain brand. If Coke is on sale and not Pepsi, I buy Coke. If Pepsi is on sale, I buy Pepsi. I have to merely move five feet to one side or another in an aisle to get a great deal. Throw in a good butcher shop and nice customer service and the shopping trip is an quick and painless trip. But that is just me. The less people who agree with me, the shorter the lines will be and the quicker my shopping trip will be.

 

HT, Giant and Safeway are nothing more than large convenience stores. Wegmans has the best prices the best product and the best overall selection. Why shop anywhere else?

HT does have some grocery items that you can only find there, but you pay though the nose to get them.

 

Honestly, for Wegman's; location and layout. I love the store but it's often terrible to try and get in and out of there and when I am there it's a hectic experience. The two HT's are much more accessible and laid back. Wish it was different.

 

Or better yet go to the less hectic store in Leesburg. They have a much better beer selection as well.

 

Great tips gents. Thanks.

Nothing more compelling then a good, easily accessible beer selection. Now if I could just get kegs closer than Total in Sterling.

 

The changes in the Dulles Wegmans leave me wondering about the direction of the store. The first change was the produce department where the convenient angled displays were replaced with tacky plastic boxes to support the fruit & veggies. Next to go was the household goods section which has been cut down to a few half-aisles. Now the wine department has been gutted and the previous displays replaced with Costco-style metal racks and lighted advertising panels. What was once an attractive store has been reduced to looking like a budget warehouse. I haven't heard anyone yet who likes the new look over the old.

 

I agree about the warehouse look. It looks cheap.

 

The racks are permanent. They are bolted into the floor. Construction has started on the former Vineyard room, they are splitting it in two. One side will be a refrigerated room for the pricey wines, I don't know what the other side will hold.

 

The good news is that the Leesburg Wegmans has plans to create a new exit on the Route 7 side of their parking lot. No entrance at that point, just exit only according to a sign they had up in the store recently.

 

The Teet is running some of their famous "buy 2 get 3 free" deals this week. There's one for Smithfield bacon that makes the effective price $2.80/lb. (compare to Costco's Kirkland brand at $4.25/lb.). 8-oz. bags of HT brand shredded cheese wind up being $1.16 each – nobody sells this product for anywhere near that low, so now's the time to stock up. There's also a BOGO deal for Pepperidge Farm Goldfish for $1.25 per 6.6-oz. bag, with a unit cost well below the mega carton.

 

Twriter - exactly the sentiment we sent to Wegmans via their response mailer. We got a phone call and a follow up email. Their response is that it allows them to stock more inventory. Honestly, I could live with them being out of something every so often rather than shopping in a warehouse style store. I really liked the inviting look of Wegmans when they opened (both stores). It seems they're giving up all the things I loved about the store in favor of making more money. I wonder if it's changes made now that Robert Wegman (son of founder) died in 2006.

Tell Wegmans what you think

Really - Danny Wegman, are you listening?