Stop & Shop Revisited: Olives and SUVs
June 28, 2006 on 9:53 pm | In Local, Main |
Note: I promised myself I wouldn’t write another entry about the new Canaan Stop & Shop for awhile, but so many people continue to talk about the store that I just couldn’t resist.
The image on page B1 in the June 29 Lakeville Journal [see photo at left by Karen Bartomioli] said it all. A Mercedes SUV is taking a left off of Route 44 and into the parking lot for the new market. In addition to what Karen pointed out in her terrific story, two things stand out: 1) The upscale vehicle is emblematic of the kind of clientele Stop & Shop hopes to attract and; 2) Ignoring signs urging him to do otherwise, the boneheaded driver is entering the parking lot from the exit ramp. Not only do the signs counsel against it, but the exit itself splits into curving left and right lanes so that the man (or woman) behind the wheel of the Mercedes practically has to make a hairpin turn (or go up over the curb) to get into the place. This is symptomatic of another problem …
As for #1, I haven’t done a formal study on the matter, but people who have been watching tell me the Super Stop & Shop’s prices leave something to be desired. On one level we shouldn’t be surprised at that: It is a union shop (which means higher labor costs than some of its competitors); Stop & Shop’s parent company, the Dutch conglomerate Royal Ahold, wants to recover its investment in the new building as soon as possible; and there are no other stores like this one in the immediate area, so Stop & Shop can mostly get away with charging higher prices than it did before.
But I also have a hunch that with its enhanced variety of upscale offerings, Stop & Shop is trying to lure away the denizens of Labonne’s and Guido’s. This can’t be good news for those two stores. It will be particularly interesting to see if Labonne’s (which is only about 10 minutes away) is negatively impacted. Sources tell me Labonne’s isn’t a gold mine to begin with and that any erosion of its customer base would be most unfortunate. Let’s hope the two stores can co-exist by offering goods and services that the other does not.
As for #2 (the wrong-way Benz), it’s a perfect metaphor for the confusion many shoppers feel when they first enter the store after having shopped in the old one for years. You may not be able to locate toothpaste or light bulbs right away, but it’s not hard to find olives [see photo at right by Karen Bartomioli]. I like the salty morsels as much as the next guy, but an olive bar 20 feet long?
Never mind. I’ll bet there are a lot of shoppers who say the same thing about my beloved new coffee section.
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OK, so no human being on the planet needs a choice of olives 20 feet long. That notwithstanding, sniping as S&S for taking aim at the Weekend Warriors and their fat checkbooks is disengenuous; as you pointed out, LaBonne’s and Guidos have been thriving off them for years. That a new S&S is joining the feeding frenzy ought to be no surprise–nor should they be condemned for what they’re offering: more choices of more stuff.
And I’ve found the prices, BTW, very, very good. Your coffee aisle is rife with bargains and I bought enough Pepsi, at the best price I’ve ever seen, to last me the summer.
Comment by Doug Richardson — June 29, 2006 #
i dont mind having a union store in the area. and having to pay a fraction more than the competition is worth it. The Union offers the working class protection and security. they wont get elsewhere.
They are at least not stuck in situations like a Wal-MArt employee who is paid below poverty levels, and has management trained to take advantage of them in every way possible.
Comment by Fred S — June 29, 2006 #
I was pointed to your blog by my mother, who wrote the story you mentioned and took the photo. While I have not read Mr. Shaw’s letter to the editor (as soon as I find a copy I will), I find it interesting that the only people who complain about the new Stop & Shop are the ones who have the time and money to shop around. If Mr. Shaw feels so anonymous at this “suburban” store, let him shop at Guido’s and pay twice as much for his free-range sprouts. I surely won’t miss him.
Comment by Amy — July 1, 2006 #
I’d like to point out the Labonnes is in the process of a large renovation which includes moving all of their items around. You may not be able to find the toothpaste there either.
Comment by Ali — July 5, 2006 #
Flies near the bakery products, out of date packages (still, and again as in the old S&S), don’t inspire me. LaBonne’s is a tad better, but they need to up their quality, which has been hit ‘n miss for years. They truck in their deli salads by the gallon from some big warehouse, pre-made, just like S&S, and most of them are awful, tasting like some chemical preservative. Guido’s, on the other hand, is worth the trip in gas cost. As far as price, Guido’s has their share of bargains, and rarely, even with their bargains, do you get rotten or out of date goods! And Guido’s can be cheaper on a lot of things than are LaBonne’s or S&S (ex., Amy’s frozen dinners). If we buy meat and fish, it’s ONLY at Guido’s, the only way to be sure that it’s fresh. I’ll do some absolute necessity shopping at S&S, when I don’t have the energy or time to drive up to either Big Y or Guido’s in Grt. Barrington. The Big Y rarely disappoints, and always has 2-fers. I just got a “random” coupon for $20 off with a $100 purchase at Big Y. Shocked the h..l out of me, but it worked! And for quality sandwiches, go across the street to the Maine Caboose. For a buck or so more, you get fresh home-made good stuff with generous proportions, including specially made ice cream. And no, I am not related to anyone there, and have no financial interest in the place. But I’d sure hate to see this great “small business” (along with a lot of others) suffer from the S&S monster with its woo woo factor. Oh, and do take a jacket if you go to S&S. It’s too cold in there.
Comment by Kris — July 20, 2006 #
Oh boy, what you need is a Super Walmart! 24 registers and 8 self-checkout lanes. And talk about getting lost; you can walk around for weeks in there. Arrive late on a Saturday and you’ll walk 3/4 mile from the far end of the parking lot, too.
But the variety is amazing and prices are cheap.
I still prefer one of the chain grocery stores over Walmart. Here, where I live, in a large suburb, intense competition affords us variety, freshness, and uniqueness.
Two years ago I visited my hometown of Salisbury and shopped at Labonne’s. It was dark and crowded in the narrow aisles, with no choices in most products. The prices were outrageous.
Most fellow shoppers just scowled at me anyway, and the ones that were chatting with each other blocked the aisles. In other parts of the country, folks find other places to socialize. I’ll gladly give up the personal touch so I can have selection and cleanliness.
I was desperate for band-aids, for blisters on my feet from walking around Lakeville on it’s broken sidewalks, hoping to find an interesting gift shop. Shopkeepers, although their front doors were open in what seemed like a welcoming gesture, didn’t even look up from their NY Times to see if I needed help. I never even saw the shopkeeper at a sporting goods store in Salisbury.
I guess for amusement next time I’m in the NW Corner, I’ll go to Canaan and watch the perplexed locals!
Comment by skyler — July 25, 2006 #