D&W

[Sunlover38]

Must be a generational thing. My folks shop at Forest Hills shoprite . . .no self-service lanes there and they still have bag boys to carry out to your car . . .I hate that but my folks love the service. I like to whip through the self-service lane at Meijer, bag my stuff and run out the door . . . . .to each their own I guess.

[GRDadof3]

Not to get off topic, but does anyone remember full service gas stations? Where some oily guy named Al would pump your gas for you. Then a lot of them went to full service and self service areas, which had different prices/gallon. That was also when every gas station also had a body shop too. Now they've mostly gone to gas station/convenience stores, but I still see a few like that (one by D&W on Rivertown Pkwy and Wilson).

I hardly see anyone doing their entire week's groceries at the self check, but it's the people by themselves who don't look like they know how to work a calculator, much less a self-check register, who drive me nuts. "Please go to the express lane where someone more competent than you will help you. Thank you and have a nice day."

[CK1]

Not to get off topic, but does anyone remember full service gas stations? Where some oily guy named Al would pump your gas for you. Then a lot of them went to full service and self service areas, which had different prices/gallon. That was also when every gas station also had a body shop too. Now they've mostly gone to gas station/convenience stores, but I still see a few like that (one by D&W on Rivertown Pkwy and Wilson).

Head to New Jersey sometime...was there a few months ago for work, pulled up to a gas station to fill up the rental, and they almost physically forced me back into my car - had ONLY full-service at the station...talk about feeling like a true out-of-towner! On another quick side-note...when I get back to Michigan this weekend, it'll be tough to complain about the gas prices...filling up at $3.45 a gallon out here in Los Angeles (and that was a bargain find).

[rallymatt]

Head to New Jersey sometime...was there a few months ago for work, pulled up to a gas station to fill up the rental, and they almost physically forced me back into my car - had ONLY full-service at the station...talk about feeling like a true out-of-towner! On another quick side-note...when I get back to Michigan this weekend, it'll be tough to complain about the gas prices...filling up at $3.45 a gallon out here in Los Angeles (and that was a bargain find).

Oregon is full service only as well.

[GRDadof3]

Oregon is full service only as well.

Yeesh, that's amazing! Welcome to the 21st Century Oregon and New Jersey. Do they accept credit cards (or even know what they are?).

[6th Gen local]

Not to get off topic, but does anyone remember full service gas stations? Where some oily guy named Al would pump your gas for you. Then a lot of them went to full service and self service areas, which had different prices/gallon. That was also when every gas station also had a body shop too. Now they've mostly gone to gas station/convenience stores, but I still see a few like that (one by D&W on Rivertown Pkwy and Wilson).

I hardly see anyone doing their entire week's groceries at the self check, but it's the people by themselves who don't look like they know how to work a calculator, much less a self-check register, who drive me nuts. "Please go to the express lane where someone more competent than you will help you. Thank you and have a nice day."

I used to pump gas at gas stations back in the mid 70's. A friends father managed a handful of them. Pump gas, check and fill oil, add water to the radiator. Our till was an old coffee can. Most of the stations I worked at are still around, they are just self-service now. The first one was an old Bay gas station at the corner of Walker and White. I think its a Speedway or Marathon now.

[AlexPKeaton]

When I was in high school I worked at a full-service grocer for a while. Unless the customer specifically told us not to take their groceries to their car we were supposed to do it. Most of you may think it's pointless, but for huge orders and little old ladies it was a nice service to have. Perhaps it would be nice to have full service lanes in addition to the self checkout lanes.

-nb

[GR1]

What about having your groceries delivered? I have a friend who lives near Boston that raves about Peapod. They're already in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas, and they cover some of the New England states. Would anyone use their service?

Linky

[torgo]

What about having your groceries delivered? I have a friend who lives near Boston that raves about Peapod. They're already in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas, and they cover some of the New England states. Would anyone use their service?

Linky

It depends. I like to pick out my fruits and veggies and meat, but for canned and boxed stuff, beer, etc I might

[CK1]

What about having your groceries delivered? I have a friend who lives near Boston that raves about Peapod. They're already in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas, and they cover some of the New England states. Would anyone use their service?

Linky

I usually enjoy going to the store for grocery shopping (as long as its not Meijers during the weekend rush)...I always seem to find something new to try when walking up and down the isles. Unless my lifestyle changes to the point I don't have 30 minutes a week to cruise through the grocery store, I probably wouldn't be looking for home-delivered groceries.

I think this is a great idea for large concentrations of super-busy people (i.e. Chicago, NYC, Boston, D.C., etc.), but I don't think having an independent home-delivery grocer in GR would be viable. Didn't Meijers toy with some kind of internet grocery shopping a few years ago??

[mejane]

My mom used to have groceries delivered when I was a kid - early 60's -

she was pregnant with her fourth, and, like most young couples back

my folks only had one car. Potato chips came in really large cans

(don't think Pringles, here), and we later used them to store our

winter mittens, etc.

AND, I loved full service gas stations. Nothing like having your gas

pumped on those below 0 degree days, or when it's pouring out,

although I only filled up when necessary on those days as I felt bad

for the attendant.

[DCCR]

I moved to Central California in 2000 back when D&W was the local higher end grocer here in town. I discovered California grocers like Raley's. Not only did Raley's bag your groceries and bring them to your car, they also unloaded them from your cart. Their produce was methodically placed and never did I find an avacado that felt like a wet sponge on their shelf. The proximety to fresh produce likely resulted in their ability to stock the best produce. When I moved back to GR last year I was excited to start shopping at D&W again only to find it a shell of what it once was. Very disappointing and even more disappointing when word came that Spartan was buying them. I've been to the revamped Caledonia store and frankly I'm not impressed. It lacks the fundamentals for those of us that like to cook at home. I look at Meijer the same way and only shop there when I need one or two items. In this day and age I'll take warehouse clubs over traditional grocers any day.

[Sunlover38]

Potato chips came in really large cans

(don't think Pringles, here),

omigosh I totally remember those huge cans. Seyferths? I think that was the brand. They did not sell those in N.C. when I was a kid, so when we would return to Michigan to visit family, we would get a couple of cans . . . .

[WOT]

omigosh I totally remember those huge cans. Seyferths? I think that was the brand. They did not sell those in N.C. when I was a kid, so when we would return to Michigan to visit family, we would get a couple of cans . . . .

I grew up in Speedway, Indiana. We had "The Charlie Chip" man deliver our potato chips in a can. He would come each week and deliver a new can(s) and pick up the empty!

[NorthCoast]

Up until a few years ago we still had a milk man come to our house. We would sit the emptie glass jugs out on the porch in a metal crate and he would replace them for us.

Being this thread's creator I probably shouldn't contribute to its continual digression...but then again who cares.

[tamias6]

i hated D&W, they were expensive, with no selection, and crappy service

D & W, high prices, lack of selection. The bannannas they sold were like and tasted like cast iron.

Wal-Mart. Cheap crap, dirtier, and crappier surrondings, and even worse service.

Give me Meijer any day...even the 28th and K'zoo Meijer.

[Thrillhouse]

D & W, high prices, lack of selection. The bannannas they sold were like and tasted like cast iron.

Wal-Mart. Cheap crap, dirtier, and crappier surrondings, and even worse service.

Give me Meijer any day...even the 28th and K'zoo Meijer.

Exactly. D & W had some high prices and the quality wasn't there.

[Phizzy]

Not only did Raley's bag your groceries and bring them to your car, they also unloaded them from your cart. When I moved back to GR last year I was excited to start shopping at D&W again only to find it a shell of what it once was. Very disappointing and even more disappointing when word came that Spartan was buying them.

Interesting, considering that at many (if not most) Family Fare locations your groceries are bagged for you, carted to your vehicle, and unloaded into your vehicle.

[snoogit]

D & W, high prices, lack of selection. The bannannas they sold were like and tasted like cast iron.

Wal-Mart. Cheap crap, dirtier, and crappier surrondings, and even worse service.

Give me Meijer any day...even the 28th and K'zoo Meijer.

lack of selection? it was the D&W (at least here anyway) that basically had the little things you could only find at that particular store, stuff you could never find in a Meijer, or Family Fare.

[Sunlover38]

Some D & Ws were/are definitely dumpy (4 Mile/Alpine & Zeeland) . . but the one in Rockford, Cascade and Walker (Walker one is now closed) are very nice and their delis have an excellent selection . .ever have their redskin potato salad or grilled chicken pasta salad? To die for.

But prices, yup, definitely overpriced.

[EGR-ARCHI]

Some D & Ws were/are definitely dumpy (4 Mile/Alpine & Zeeland) . . but the one in Rockford, Cascade and Walker (Walker one is now closed) are very nice and their delis have an excellent selection . .ever have their redskin potato salad or grilled chicken pasta salad? To die for.

But prices, yup, definitely overpriced.

The Gaslight Village D&W has always had a nice selection (excellent wine section) and a good Deli. I haven't noticed a drastic change since changing over to Spartan. Prices certainly haven't gone down, infact I don't think that there weekly sales are as good as D&W's were. Any news on Gaslight village D&W (Spartan) face lift??

[gvsusean]

lack of selection? it was the D&W (at least here anyway) that basically had the little things you could only find at that particular store, stuff you could never find in a Meijer, or Family Fare.

the only thing you could find at D&W that they dont have at meijer, are high prices for a junk spartan store product

[GRGyp]

the only thing you could find at D&W that they dont have at meijer, are high prices for a junk spartan store product

With all the consolidation you are going to pay high prices wherever you go. Be it shopping exclusively at Meijer, D&W, or Family Fare. You are going to get hosed on prices in some area at each store.

Give me the good old days when I had a Meijer, a Sy's Market, a D&W, and a Family Fare all within 5 minutes from the house. I could run errands on Saturday and stop at each place buying 90% of my grocery list from just what was on sale that week on the front wall of each store.

Back when we had Sy's, Daane's, Great Day, Family Fare, Fulton Markets, D&W, and Meijer competing in one market. Each sending out a sales flyer each week. Each having 2 or 3 items on sale that the others didn't. Relatively speaking, I saved money then. Not now...