Things I Don't "Get"

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I get my groceries from H-E-B and nowhere else. I didn't understand why people ever felt brand loyalty to a grocery store until I found H-E-B. God bless Texas.

[shoothoops]

I get my groceries from H-E-B and nowhere else. I didn't understand why people ever felt brand loyalty to a grocery store until I found H-E-B. God bless Texas.

I will have to hit H-E-B more when there or Central Market. I alwaya se to be running in and out of a Kroger too often. .....I always make sure to hit up a Buc-ee's at leaat once when in TX. That place is wild. I will never forget my first time there.

[Billy Hoyle]

Trader Joe's is marketing by Aldi executives.

Most clear-minded Millennials realize that they don't have enough money to be constantly shopping at Whole Foods.  On the other hand, many people see Aldi's as kind of a "blue-collar" grocery store.  And Jewel/Pick n Save is too "macro."  Millennials don't want to shop at Aldi's or Jewel for the same reason that they don't want to be seen drinking Miller, Coors, or Budweiser.

So where to go?  Trader Joe's fills the niche--Goose Island in the beer analogy.

Corroborative anecdotal evidence: near my house, Oak Park has a Trader Joe's, but no Aldi's.  Berwyn and Cicero have Aldis, but no Trader Joe's.  Coincidence?  Don't kid yourself.

When I see AldI I think of Freeway.

[4everwarriors]

Herd ya gotta schlep yo own bags ta Aldi's, hey?

[HouWarrior]

I get my groceries from H-E-B and nowhere else. I didn't understand why people ever felt brand loyalty to a grocery store until I found H-E-B. God bless Texas.

Between college and law school, in the late 70s,  I managed a Pick N Save, then managed a Gerlands in Houston. A fellow Gerlands manager said his dream job would be to work for H E Butt out of San Antonio...I laughed at the silly name.

Today, HEB is the Texas go to grocery, and rated among the best:

https://www.chron.com/business/article/H-E-B-named-best-supermarket-in-the-country-by-15404118.php

[MU82]

One trend I have seen the past decade, nice, brand new Aldi's stores in upscale suburban neighborhoods.

Another trend is more competition in close proximity with some of the Fresh Market type of stores. For example, in a few block radius, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Lucky's Market, Fresh Thyme Market etc...all near one another. (Before Lucky's Market went bankrupt nationally and closed stores) And some stores have success in some parts of town but not others.

It of course all depends on the geography. When I lived in Manhattan, (and also when I visit) I would go to the Upper West Side, or Union Square or Chelsea,  Trader Joe's sometimes, and hoo boy they were packed often with lines.

When we lived in Chicago, we lived within easy walking distance of the Aldi's by Lane Tech. I only heard bad things about it, so I never stepped foot in the place even though I shopped just about weekly at the Jewels and Dominicks right next door.

After we moved to Charlotte, I started hearing good things about our local Aldi's ... and I love the place. They do some things better than others, and the produce sometimes is in rough shape, but most of the time its pretty good stuff at very good prices.

Aldi's ... whodathunk it?

[mu03eng]

There's also Pete's, Jewel (Roosevelt not the RF one) Sugar Beat Co-op, Mini target and carnival grocery in OP plus the RF jewel and fresh thyme. So it could be just an overcrowded market (especially if you factor in the Aldi Farmers fresh, Jewel and target in Brickyard, RF Jewel & Fresh Thyme, Or the Caputos on Harlem)

Personally I love Aldi, do most my shopping there, Trader Joe's or Whole Foods (amazon credit card makes up for the mark up). Don't know why the brand is "blue collar" here but you're absolutely correct that Aldi Nord is capitalizing on the usually better Aldi Sud's brand positioning.

Aldi's in the US is viewed as blue collar because it's viewed as a "knock off" brand and not a name brand. Aldi's is great but within the US there is zero understanding of the difference between Nord and Sud, it's all just Aldi's.

[mu_hilltopper]

You know what I don't get?

Flan.

It's just gross.  I mean, I can see someone coming up with the recipe, but didn't the first people who ate flan say, hey, this is edible but not good at all, do not ever make this goo again?

[4everwarriors]

Ever had rocky mountain oysters, hey?

[warriorchick]

When we lived in Chicago, we lived within easy walking distance of the Aldi's by Lane Tech. I only heard bad things about it, so I never stepped foot in the place even though I shopped just about weekly at the Jewels and Dominicks right next door.

After we moved to Charlotte, I started hearing good things about our local Aldi's ... and I love the place. They do some things better than others, and the produce sometimes is in rough shape, but most of the time its pretty good stuff at very good prices.

Aldi's ... whodathunk it?

No one who has spent any amount of time in Chicago calls it "Jewels".  It's either "Jewel" or "The Jewel".

I remember being very impressed when a character on E/R (which, as you recall, is set in Chicago) talked about going to "the Jewel".  That's some first level research right there. Either that or some Chicago native corrected them during rehearsal.

[4everwarriors]

Pretty sure dey were referrin' too da family jewels, hey?

[MU82]

No one who has spent any amount of time in Chicago calls it "Jewels".  It's either "Jewel" or "The Jewel".

I remember being very impressed when a character on E/R (which, as you recall, is set in Chicago) talked about going to "the Jewel".  That's some first level research right there. Either that or some Chicago native corrected them during rehearsal.

You of course are right about the Jewels. A tousand apologies. My friend.

[warriorchick]

You of course are right about the Jewels. A tousand apologies. My friend.

[Galway Eagle]

No one who has spent any amount of time in Chicago calls it "Jewels".  It's either "Jewel" or "The Jewel".

I remember being very impressed when a character on E/R (which, as you recall, is set in Chicago) talked about going to "the Jewel".  That's some first level research right there. Either that or some Chicago native corrected them during rehearsal.

Wow way to disrespect Osco Drug

[warriorchick]

Wow way to disrespect Osco Drug

I am just telling it like it is.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I will have to hit H-E-B more when there or Central Market. I alwaya se to be running in and out of a Kroger too often. .....I always make sure to hit up a Buc-ee's at leaat once when in TX. That place is wild. I will never forget my first time there.

There's a Buc-ee's between College Station and Houston. Its a must stop, both ways, every time we make the trip. Cleanest bathrooms in America, delicious kolaches, beaver nuggets for dessert, and just a fascinating place to visit.

[mu03eng]

No one who has spent any amount of time in Chicago calls it "Jewels".  It's either "Jewel" or "The Jewel".

I remember being very impressed when a character on E/R (which, as you recall, is set in Chicago) talked about going to "the Jewel".  That's some first level research right there. Either that or some Chicago native corrected them during rehearsal.

I still occasionally slip up and say I'm going to Jewel when I mean I'm going to Pick N Save

[Spotcheck Billy]

Why do some people question eating chili in the summer because it's hot out? Do they only eat food cold in summer?

[shoothoops]

Why do some people question eating chili in the summer because it's hot out? Do they only eat food cold in summer?

Related, I only drink hot coffee, including on hot summer days. (Sure I'd drink an iced coffee if you hand me one or if it was the only thing available. But just give me the hot coffee as much as possible.)

[Galway Eagle]

Why do some people question eating chili in the summer because it's hot out? Do they only eat food cold in summer?

Personally I think its easier to warm up than cool down.

[Galway Eagle]

I don't get post college age adults who drink crap alcohol. For a small bump in price you can feel like a million bucks the next day.

Anecdote: There's a jewel going out of business by my house and the entire top shelf imported wine section was still there, most craft beers, and till yesterday most the top shelf whiskeys. Meanwhile the domestic beer, bottles of barefoot, and bottles of Smirnoff and Jim Beam & jack Daniels were all picked over immediately.

[warriorchick]

I don't get post college age adults who drink crap alcohol. For a small bump in price you can feel like a million bucks the next day.

Don't you be dissing Spike like that!

[mu03eng]

I don't get post college age adults who drink crap alcohol. For a small bump in price you can feel like a million bucks the next day.

I'll thank you to not bad mouth my PBR on this forum

[MU82]

I'll thank you to not bad mouth my PBR on this forum

My little brother, a lifetime Milwaukeean, visited me in NC a couple years ago. I took him to a great craft-beer bar. They musta had 100 choices, and so many were wonderful. He got a PBR, saying: "I hate all that froo-froo shyte."

[warriorchick]

My little brother, a lifetime Milwaukeean, visited me in NC a couple years ago. I took him to a great craft-beer bar. They musta had 100 choices, and so many were wonderful. He got a PBR, saying: "I hate all that froo-froo shyte."

I was at a similar craft beer and saw a guy actually look at all the choices for 3-4 minutes, and then ordered a Bud Lite.

But he was a FIB, so...