I have mentioned in the past how much hubby travels. Until we got the pooch last January I also traveled quite a bit. I am still a frequent flyer on a major airline although I’ll lose my status next month, but, hubby can gift me status due to his high status. When we travel, one of the odd-ball things I do (well, odd to many folks, but maybe not to you all 
) is I hit the grocery stores. Not only do I like to view different grocery stores, but in states that sell wine in-store I like to look for wine tags. And, in other states I like to look for nbpr forms.
Ok, maybe you even think that is a tad odd.
Over the years, I’ve probably been in at least one store of 95% of the top 100 grocery chains in the US. And, I wish we a few of those chains locally.
For instance, I would looooove a Trader Joe’s if only for the dried fruit. They have Trader Joe’s in NYC so the no-wine-sales-in-store can’t be the reason they are not here. They built an Aldi’s next door to where the new CVS that is going in near me, and even on a Saturday there are never more than 10 cars (including employees) in the Aldi’s parking lot. My area is is not Aldi-centric. I really think Aldi’s missed the boat by not building a Trader Joe’s in that space instead.
Whole Foods aka Whole Paycheck. Yeah, yeah so it ain’t cheap. So deals are hard to come by at Whole Foods. I’d still like one to pick up the mambo sprouts coupon booklets and use the coupons at a cheaper store. 
While I’d really like a Whole Foods I doubt we will get one. I have a feeling they consider Wegmans too much competition (odd because around me the Tops have the better organic sections).
A Super Valu Store of any kind! Acme used to be here… oh maybe 30-40 years ago. They could just move back. Can you tell I am jealous of all the Super Valu loss-leader deals others get?
I’d like a Kroger affiliate just so I could get in on the Kroger conversation. I don’t go to Salt Lake much anymore, therefore no Smith’s shopping and so it is difficult for me to chime in. *pressing my nose against the glass* I don’t like to be excluded from the conversation.
What brought this on? Well, with Tops poised to buy Penn Traffic we are going to be losing another choice in the area. While I’ve seen a rise in independents, and with them, loss leaders, it is getting tight in the NY market outside metro-NYC.
So which stores do you currently not have access to that you wish you had in your area?
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I wish the Chicagoland area had Rite Aid. So many deals I’m missing out on!
I’m originally from NorCal and I wish we had a Raleys or Bel-Air grocery stores here in SoCal.
I also wish that our Albertsons stores had “doubles” like they do in WA state and other areas of the country. Our Albertsons sucks. We get lousy catalina deals and of course our prices are higher which is to be expected.
I loved Kroger when I lived in Ohio, but I do feel blessed with quite a few choices here. Tops, Wegman’s, Target, Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreen’s, Aldi, Save-A-Lot, Walmart…the Rochester area has a pretty good selection.
Ann,
I think you probably have it as least as good as the NYC metro area. We don’t have Tops or Wegmans around here. There are Trader Joe’s in the area but not near me. Trader Joe’s is pricey so I don’t mind that it isn’t convenient to get to. The only chains in the area that you never mention are Stop & Shop and Shoprite. Shoprite has good sales but unfortunately it isn’t easy for me to get to. Stop & Shop is my closest store but their deals aren’t usually all that great. From your posts, it seems like Tops is much better than what we have around here.
Gita
I wish that Fargo, ND had a Trader Joe’s and an Aldi’s. The closest ones to us are in the Minneapolis – St. Paul area which is a 4 hour drive from here. We have only Cash Wise Foods, Sunmart and Hornbachers grocery stores here and I also wish that there were some match-ups for these stores and their sales (I’ve searched many blogs and “grocery gathering” type websites and I have yet to see any match-ups for these stores).
Hi Gita,
I never mention Shop Rite due to the dreaded Inserra stores. Since you don’t know from store to store which is an Inserra store unless you shop there, and Inserra has much worse coupon policies and lousy customer service, I don’t attempt Shop Rite.
Ann
Hi Amy,
Try here
Ann
Hi Ann,
I find the Mambo Sprouts coupon books in my local health food store! I love Trader Joe’s for the freshest eggs, and the half-and-half, which is pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) and has no preservatives.
Lisa
Hi Ann,
I loved checking out food stores in other areas back before having kids when i used to travel for work and pleasure. I loved Tesco and Marks and spencer in london, Star marktet in Hawaii, Ralphs in Los Angeles. I too wish there was a Whole foods closer to me, nearest one aprox 10 miles is a pain to get to (takes at least 35 min or more, local traffic is bad). I wish we had Krogers here on Long Island too. I usually shop at Waldbaums and King kullen, there’s a new target marketplace not too far and I like it so far, but they have trouble keeping stuff in stock.
I miss Publix!
Lived in Fl for almost 50 years and Publix and I ‘grew up’ together. I never worked there but the shopping experience has evolved into the best I have ever experienced. Publix: “Where Shopping is a Pleasure!”
I now live in Tx and the closest thing we have here is Kroger Signature which is quite a long drive from my house.
My wish? I wish that either Publix <—-(pipe dream) or Kroger Signature build a store near to my house.
I wish we had a Kroger nearby (Spartanburg, SC). My SIL has one by her house that I visit whenever I’m there. Other than that, I’m perfectly happy with our Publix. I never used to shop at Publix before couponing because I thought it was too expensive. Now I know better! I live in the land of doubles and where B1G1 actually means half price!
Makes for some GREAT sales!
We also have Bi-Lo, Ingles and Food Lion, but they’re not as good as Publix. Bi-Lo has crappy customer service, Ingles only doubles 3 coupons per $10 purchased and Food Lion is way too expensive and doesn’t double at all.
Ann,
What is Inserra? I’ve never heard of it. The Shoprites in the NYC Metro area usually have the best sales and their coupon policies seem to be at least as good as anyone else.
Gita
Hi Gita,
The Shop Rites are mostly franchise stores. Inserra is a big franchiser. They franchise a LOT of metro-NYC Shop Rites. Their CS is awful. They may have the same ad, but they do stuff like they won’t double a coupon if it is free or they will allow you one sale item free after coupon and stuff like that. When we have a choice of an Inserra Shop Rite or another SR two miles down the road, we pass right on by the Inserra store.
Ann
Ann,
I never knew that ShopRites were franchise stores. My friend has one near her and she does most of her shopping there. My sister shops at several ShopRites in New Jersey and I’ve never heard either of them complain.
The CS at my friend’s store is amazing. If you “forget” your coupons, they’ll let you bring your coupons and receipt later and get a credit!!! My friend isn’t very organized so she never has coupons with her. Sometimes she’s given me her receipts and I go through my coupon box looking for matches for her receipts. I’ve been with her several times when she brought receipts and coupons for credit after the fact.
I’ve always been jealous of the good deals that my friend and sister have access to and I’ve wished that I had a ShopRite that was easy for me to get to. I never suspected that there was a problem with some of the stores. I wonder if the stores that my friend and sister go to are Inserra stores. Is there a way to find out?
Gita
Yes, there should be a sign by the office or front door that lists the franchiser. I’ve also seen them in the window at various Shop Rite stores. Or, they could ask at the office who the “owner” is.
Ann
Any store that would double a coupon would be nice….and a walgreens, and maybe a target, although I am afraid I would spend waaaaay too much time and money there!
My wishlist….a SuperValu store so I don’t have to drive an hr. away to get in on one of their great Cat deals, a Publix since I hear they are a good one for sale and coupons and a Food Lion would be nice since I use to shop there when we lived in the south…tho I hear they have changed greatly for the worse.
I hear the Shaw’s SuperValu chain is the best of the lot of SuperValus.
We are lousy with Rite-Aids and CVS, only a few WAGS. Shop-rite is a drive for me so I don’t go their in the winter. Lots of little independent shurfine affiliates, Price Chopper, Wegman’s(that I avoid) and lousy with Weis markets. Except my local Weis will NOT take IP Qs….even tho the website has Qs you can print….go figure!…I have to drive 2 towns away to use an IP Q at a Weis. Danged inconvenient!lol We do have a Redner’s tho which is good for some low prices but are very Q unfriendly. And there is Aldis which is ok. I guess the only BIG chain we have is Wegman’s.
Slugmama did you ever contact Weis CS to find out why the store won’t take printables when they advertise them on their website? I’d loooove to hear the response to that!
Ann