Grocery Shopping ...?

[1@3_aBc]

We  have gotten so lazy lately, a good part due to the epidemic's consequences.
We haven't seen driving to the other side to shop COSTCO as being worth the time and effort.
A trip to COSTCO is like a trip to L.A. and dealing with their traffic.
We've been doing all our shopping locally in Pahoa or Hilo.

Had bought a big 20+ cuft freezer.
Would stock it up with large quantities from COSTCO forays.
Only been making relatively small quantity local trips recently.
The freezer is getting a bit bare.
I'm thinking of adding a fairly large amount to it again, but doing it locally.

On my recent shopping trips, prices at Hilo's Safeway, and Pahoa's Malama have seemed pretty compareable, making trips into Hilo to access Safeway, Target, and KTA appear not all that worthwhile anymore, other than the varieties available.
I've never been overly impressed with Cost U Less's [or what ever it is] variety or pricing.
Haven't been by there for years.

I'm wondering if a shopping trip into Hilo is really worthwhile anymore?

Thoughts, comments, advice ...?

[My 2 cents]

The place you like the least is the one I like the best. I guess it's a good thing we all have different preferences, otherwise we would all be packing ourselves into one store.

The 2 main things I like about Cost-U-Less are the wide aisles (substantially wider than the other stores) and the lighting.

While it appears to be darker in Cost-U-Less than the other stores, I find it easier to read the labels. The fluorescent lighting in the other stores make label reading more difficult for me even with reading glasses, and even though it appears to be more lit up.

[kalianna]

I like shopping in Hilo. You may want to give Cost U Less another chance. They have a good variety of organic produce (sometimes) and dairy (often). They also have a fairly reliable supply of Kirkland animal food and other Kirkland items. Aisles are wide and it's almost never crowded. I avoid Safeway because I try to keep my money on the island instead of patronizing a corporate conglomerate. KTA has everything else I need. And I also shop at Hilo Farmer's Market to get local produce which is way less expensive than grocery stores. Happy shopping.

[tada]

I pass through Wal-Mart looking for the 12 pack of Maruchan ramen or is it another victim of inflation? My favorite meds for Covid. Though I must be one of the lucky people who felt way sicker from the Moderna shot.
The main thing I stock the freezer with is the 5 oz Portuguese sausage when on sale at $1.25.

[ALOHANO]

Cost-U-Less is owned by the Northwest Company. They are out of Winnipeg in Canada. They also run a chain of stores in Alaska dba Alaska Commercial Company.

[AaronM]

Non refrigerated items are ordered online in bulk. Veggies come from the greenhouse, fish comes from Suisan and eggs come from the coop. Easy peasy.