tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post4124077996215439706..comments2023-04-11T09:34:03.031-04:00Comments on Polybloggimous: Adventures In ShoppingNathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648438549121320566noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-64978869316713846352008-03-24T22:26:00.000-04:002008-03-24T22:26:00.000-04:00re: Fred MyersIf memory serves its a gigundous gou...re: Fred Myers<BR/><BR/>If memory serves its a gigundous gourmet grocery...like whole foods sorta.Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00648438549121320566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-49409342819711556382008-03-24T22:17:00.000-04:002008-03-24T22:17:00.000-04:00Seattle's Best is owned by Starbucks? Really? Hm...Seattle's Best is owned by Starbucks? Really? Hmmm. Somehow I feel like I've been had...<BR/><BR/>Speaking from the DC metro area -- what is Fred Meyer's?neurondochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12155027993661209263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-37923006997605238502008-03-24T18:15:00.000-04:002008-03-24T18:15:00.000-04:00Jeri,I'm reminded that I stayed at The W Hotel in ...Jeri,<BR/><BR/>I'm reminded that I stayed at The W Hotel in Seattle for two weeks a few years ago. One morning, I went downstairs to get my morning coffee and met one of the other crew members walking out the door. He said we should go to Starbucks. (There's one across the street and one at the end of the block in the other direction). I said I didn't like Starbucks and I was going next door to Seattle's Best. He laughed at me and told me Seattle's Best is owned by Starbucks. When I asked him why they needed three of their own stores so close and why they didn't just call all of them Starbucks, he said, "so idiots like you who don't like Starbucks will still drink Starbucks."Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00648438549121320566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-89038383304520618402008-03-24T17:02:00.000-04:002008-03-24T17:02:00.000-04:00Jeri, describing Seattle's providers as "surly, go...Jeri, describing Seattle's providers as "surly, goth and overcaffeinated" is perfect.<BR/><BR/>Since I don't live there, I tend to view them as part of my entertainment when I'm in town. If I were local, it's probably be a whole 'nother story.Taniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18142380580388373496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-44246589141216618892008-03-24T12:43:00.000-04:002008-03-24T12:43:00.000-04:00Vince,I snorted a little over the fact that you fe...Vince,<BR/><BR/>I snorted a little over the fact that you feel lucky you can head into Virginia or Duluth if you feel the need for a larger city. Although, to be fair, if you wanted to head to a smaller one, you'd be headed to Cotton or Twig. :DNathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00648438549121320566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-64497545354962138232008-03-24T12:25:00.000-04:002008-03-24T12:25:00.000-04:00Seattle customer service tends to be surly, goth a...Seattle customer service tends to be surly, goth and overcaffeinated.<BR/><BR/>We have no Fred Meyer near - the closest is about 20 mi/30 min away. This is a sad thing! But, their customer service is horrid, they've trended toward taking people off the floor and staffing the fewest possible lines any time we've gone there. (That's not in Seattle, that's in small-city Bremerton)<BR/><BR/>In Seattle, you'll usually find minimum wage personnel with many visible body piercings, sleeve tattoos, black and/or rainbow colored hair and Doc Martens. Eye contact is not their thing, nor is actually speaking in complete sentences above a resentful mutter.<BR/><BR/>My oldest fell in love with our raspberry-haired punky waitress at downtown breakfast dive Minnie's Cafe. She freely admitted to being very hung over, slammed dishes around, and shouted across the diner to the cook anytime she needed something, calling him "cook-slave".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-79568601629276220822008-03-24T12:18:00.000-04:002008-03-24T12:18:00.000-04:00And what the hell is it with the recent trend to s...<I>And what the hell is it with the recent trend to stocking shelves in the middle of the day?</I><BR/><BR/>Part of it has to do, at least in us small towns, with when the trucks arrive (we are literally at the end of the road here in Ely) and if they can get people to work during after-store hours. Some can, some can't.<BR/><BR/>Michelle, you're right about the trade-off. When I lived in and around Minneapolis, I could get food 24/7, and had great live comedy, theater (Mpls has the Gurthrie and some wonderful smaller, cutting-edge theaters) great live music venues, and so on. But I love living in a small town. We have a pretty good selection of goods, great live music, especially in the summer, and a community theater that's pretty good for the size town.<BR/><BR/>I'm fortunate in that I can drive an hour and be in a larger city (Virginia), 2 1/2 hours and a larger city still (Duluth), and I make forays to Minneapolis from time to time, which is about 4 1/2 hours away. So I can stock up on things I can't get here.vincehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16955307244053931069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-9666161003116126002008-03-24T12:14:00.000-04:002008-03-24T12:14:00.000-04:00I shop mostly at Fred Meyer (Fred's was bought up ...I shop mostly at Fred Meyer (Fred's was bought up by the Kroger folks a few years ago), and Jim is right - the staff are usually friendly, and if they don't know where something is, they find a co-worker that does and <B>that</B> person helps you out.<BR/><BR/>My local bookstore is awesome, but we also have a deal worked out - at the first of the month I bring them in the list of titles I think I'm going to read for the next six weeks, they order 'em up for me, and call me when they come in.<BR/><BR/>John loves shopping at Nordstrom simply because they have customer service that is wonderful. Yes, my bearded lineman husband likes shopping at Nordies. He's rather spend money there than at Wal-Mart, and my husband is a cheap, penny-pinching bastard.Taniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18142380580388373496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-63730387361480544162008-03-24T12:04:00.000-04:002008-03-24T12:04:00.000-04:00I do most of my grocery shopping at the AF Exchang...I do most of my grocery shopping at the AF Exchange in Anchorage - because it's one hell of a lot less expensive for me. But for average things I hit the local Fred Meyer, it costs more but it's clean and has <I>excellent</I> customer service. Every employee knows where everything is, and, Michelle, they stock a complete line of King Arthur flour products - including high-gluten pizza/bagel flour :)<BR/><BR/>I won't go anywhere with lousy customer service. Fuck 'em. Wal-mart can kiss my ass. <BR/><BR/>And what the hell is it with the recent trend to stocking shelves in the middle of the day?Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-27913003839024317582008-03-24T11:45:00.002-04:002008-03-24T11:45:00.002-04:00Hassid do-it-yourselfers? o.OHere're two great thi...Hassid do-it-yourselfers? o.O<BR/><BR/>Here're two great things that <I>don't</I> go together: a Porter-Cable circular saw and tassels.Jeff Hentoszhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060570930866182531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-70925355654746894842008-03-24T11:45:00.001-04:002008-03-24T11:45:00.001-04:00trade OFFjesshtrade OFF<BR/><BR/>jesshRandom Michelle Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13817444379694818074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745748859173296736.post-25848149276803495572008-03-24T11:45:00.000-04:002008-03-24T11:45:00.000-04:00Well, as a trade of, I can all but guarantee you h...Well, as a trade of, I can all but guarantee you have a lot more variety than I do. The vast majority of my books are now bought from Amazon. And although our "speciality" food item selection is getting better, I still depend upon King Arthur Flour and trips out of state to stock some items. (Let's just say that finding Ghiradelli baking bars in a local grocery store was cause for a happy dance right in the middle of the aisle.)<BR/><BR/>But I'd still rather live in a small town than a big city.Random Michelle Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13817444379694818074noreply@blogger.com