"So as far as I'm concerned Hilo just took a step into the 21st century in a way. Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad... but it is happening and Safeway won't be short on customers." IMHO ..NOTHING fostering competition to cause price wars. Wally and KTA have nothing to worry about ...
Some deals to be had but one has to wade through it all and so far, IMHO, its business as usual for Safeway vs.everyone else ... Same s@$t ... differnt bag + right now wait extra time in line. I gotta ASSume its gonna be like that 'till the "wow" factor chills.
Kapohocat .. Yep ... lame. Why not a REAL thing ??? Short term loss, long term gain kine.
Otherwise, another haolenized abomination cloaked in our (your) best interest. Caveat emptor !
Most sincerely,
pog
Posts: 259
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Rob...I am with you....too bad there is not a salad bar in the new Safeway. I was really hoping for one. The salad bar in the health food store up on the Hilo Shopping Center (I think the name is Island Naturals??) is a lame excuse. I have never seen an olive bar before...so I don't know if this one is good or bad. Does seem like something I could easily live without.
The self-checkout is going to be a learning curve for all of us. The folks in front of me had 60 cans of Spam...that's a lot of work for the first time in a self-checkout. But it was fun and everyone was in a good mood on Friday despite the crowds.
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...and once you get your club card, be sure to sign up for the "Just for U" plan. No need to clip coupons anymore -- you get an email notice of upcoming sales and coupons and you load them onto your club card account. You also get longer-term individualized sale pricing on many of the items you buy most frequently (for example, I'm paying $.69 for bananas that were selling for something like $1.25). And you can select which sale items you wish to buy and then print out a customized shopping list. You still need to compare prices with other stores, but "Just for U" helps you maximize savings on sale priced items.
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"So as far as I'm concerned Hilo just took a step into the 21st century in a way. Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad"
More choice is always good. If people don't like it, they're free to go elsewhere. The blessings of a free country.
Posts: 138
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Joined: Aug 2004
Ditto on the club card and the new Just for U plan. We shop at Safeway occasionally and never do so without that card (you can enter your phone number if you forget).
We've found that deals can be found across multiple stores in Hilo. Fortunately, they are all so close to each other. With the increased competition (including the Target store), I hope that pricing will come done, that the experience will be more pleasant, and that the selection will increase.
We raise our own eggs and a number of veggies so we try to avoid buying these at the grocery stores. The farmer's markets also seem to be a better place for produce. Produce is typically expensive at these stores.
BTW - I was in KTA (Puaniko) yesterday and was met with a very interesting experience. They had someone walking around in a huge dino outfit entertaining the kids, someone handing out balloons, free cake tastings, tastings at the deli, a mini-raffle, and a constant barrage of 'for the next 15 min' sales announcements... It must have been a reaction to the SafeWay opening. They should have started this weeks ago...
They did not pressure wash.
Posts: 274
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Joined: Nov 2003
I have to say that while I'm excited about the new Safeway, I am and always will be a little more loyal to KTA. They carry local products, all their Mountain Apple brand is local, eggs, milk, and beef, which also equates to fresher. They have better produce, fresher fish, and little niceties like taping your egg carton. I also like that they are actively giving back to the community by way of different school funding. But I do find that shopping at Safeway is cheaper for things like their dry goods on sale and frozen products. I will still shop both as I always have, along with Island Naturals. But if I can get it for the same price I prefer to support a local business.
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I almost always find the produce cheaper in KTA than Safeway....at least for common stuff like potatoes, onions, napa cabbage, etc. However, the produce from KTA starts to rot almost immediately. I have to use it within the first day or two or it ends up being thrown away. Therefore, in the long run Safeway is probably cheaper.
I am another big fan of the Safeway Just for U online program. It is fun to see a price on the shelf and know that I will actually pay a much lower price because it is something I buy often. If you don't subscribe to this program, you should sign on immediately. Sometimes there are really good FREE things also.
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I love the new Safeway. Unfortunately the prices are so outrageous, I will probably only shop there for the specials. I hate the way KTA smells but they have local produce and much better prices on almost everything. When I saw $4.49 for a ripe little Haas avocado at Safeway, I about had a conniption! I bought a bunch of stuff but only sale items.
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I've been in the new Safeway twice. There seems to be a lot more 'stuff'. That said, I don't know if I really care that there is a lot more stuff. Prices are high. So it was a lot more high priced stuff.
Learning the layout is going to take some time that I would really rather spend elsewhere. Bottom line is I ain't going there for a couple of items like I did at the old Safeway. Buying on sale at Safeway is critical.
I am hoping that the new Target is a more pleasant shopping experience.
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Please don't pee on my leg and then try to tell me that it is raining.
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