LostInSOMD
New Member
I was just in there. Day before Easter mid afternoon and there were about 20 people in the store.
Is Shoppers going to make it?
- Thread starter LostInSOMD
- Start date
Crockadilly
New Member
If you are talking about Shoppers in Charlotte Hall, I was there when it first opened and have never been back. I found them to be way expensive! The store was not crowded.
3CATSAILOR
Well-Known Member
Yeah, they sure are high priced. I didn't think they would last. All three in St. Mary's closing as said in this thread.
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
They're "high priced" but you guys keep lobbying for a Whole Foods where the prices are even higher.
Has anyone ever considered that St. Mary's, just like Calvert, may, just may, be over-groceried? I keep waiting for the Safeway in Dunkirk to close. Its business since Harris-Teeter opened is a fraction of what it was.
TPD
the poor dad
We are “over-DGed” which in turn causes hardship with a regular grocery store being successful.
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
I don't think Dollar General has that much of an impact overall on groceries where there are grocery stores. I know that it would be about number 97 on my Top 5 of where I'd go if I needed something a grocery carries.
I've never seen a Dollar Whatever store carry anything other than cookies, other snacks and boxed stuff like macaroni and cheese that a grocery has.
That brings up another point, those types of stores tend to go into areas with lower incomes. Maybe we're not as rich as we (especially those in Calvert) want to believe.
TPD
the poor dad
I personally spend more @ DG then a grocery store. I guess I'm in a lower income area. Besides it's convenient for me. I'm in our local DG at least twice a week buying bread, milk, cereal, creamer, oj, ice cream, chips, etc. You know - the everyday basics. My wife does the major grocery shopping once a month, usually at Weis because it is the closest grocery store to us. The last time I was in a grocery store was about a month ago, and it was Shoppers in San Souci (I was just in DG yesterday). It is convenient for me on my bank runs when I need something a bit more substantial, like veggies or meat, though our local DG does carry some fresh vegetables and fruits. I don't grocery shop on price - it's all about convenience for me.
Here is an interesting video about DG I saw last week explaining their MO. (disclaimer - I own DG stock)
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
Ok, I've never seen one with the more or less perishable/fresh stuff you mentioned.
OldHillcrestGuy
Well-Known Member
The Dollar General in Mechcanicsville was remodeled about a year ago and their sign outside says something like Dollar Market. Havent been in that one only saw the sign. I do go into the Charlotte Hall one to get hamburger rolls they are only $1.50 much cheaper then Food Lion.
glhs837
Power with Control
Then obviously you don't live near one or have one closer than your local grocery stores. Every tine I hear DG being lumped in with generic dollar stores, I know that person hasn't been in one. I have three pretty close, and more importantly, they are on the way to or from other places I go.
DGs carry , or some of them do, veggies, a pretty decent array of refrigerated and frozen goods as well.
I had to do a transfer station run yesterday. Needed a PVC adapter. Stopped into a great hardware store that has a small stool near the pvc fittings which I appreciated greatly, run by a young and helpful staff. Wife needed a box of elbow noodles. DG right there in Ridge had a box of Barrila noodle that fit the bill.
TPD
the poor dad
Every plumbing department without experienced help needs one of those chairs on wheels so you can figure that plumbing project out on your own!
DG isn't something that ever occurred to me for grocery shopping, so I stopped in to see what's what. The one near me is like a ghetto Walmart, with an excellent selection of junk food (Hot Pockets, pizza rolls, pot pies, etc). Price checking the things I buy regularly, they were slightly more expensive than Walmart - the mascara I typically buy was about a buck more than at Walmart, the bread I like was +-$2 more, they didn't have the bougie eggs I like but their normal brand was the same as what I pay for small farm pasture raised.
So anyway, not impressed with DG.
In Panama City there's a Food for Less, which advertises 10% over cost. Not sure what normal markup is, but FFL is significantly cheaper than even Walmart for things I buy regularly. Each week they have what they call "power buys" that are dramatically lower than normal. So like my bougie eggs, 2 cartons for $5 when they're normally $4 each, that sort of thing. They also cater to an ethnic crowd, so you can find interesting items that Publix and Walmart don't carry.
I hit up Sam's Club for things I can shop for once a month - meat, dish soap, toilet paper, etc. Last week I bought this enormous thing of broccoli florets that I'll end up tossing most of, but it was cheaper and better looking than a smaller bag at Walmart.
As you can see, I'm obsessed with grocery shopping.
So anyway, not impressed with DG.
In Panama City there's a Food for Less, which advertises 10% over cost. Not sure what normal markup is, but FFL is significantly cheaper than even Walmart for things I buy regularly. Each week they have what they call "power buys" that are dramatically lower than normal. So like my bougie eggs, 2 cartons for $5 when they're normally $4 each, that sort of thing. They also cater to an ethnic crowd, so you can find interesting items that Publix and Walmart don't carry.
I hit up Sam's Club for things I can shop for once a month - meat, dish soap, toilet paper, etc. Last week I bought this enormous thing of broccoli florets that I'll end up tossing most of, but it was cheaper and better looking than a smaller bag at Walmart.
As you can see, I'm obsessed with grocery shopping.
glhs837
Power with Control
DG isn't something that ever occurred to me for grocery shopping, so I stopped in to see what's what. The one near me is like a ghetto Walmart, with an excellent selection of junk food (Hot Pockets, pizza rolls, pot pies, etc). Price checking the things I buy regularly, they were slightly more expensive than Walmart - the mascara I typically buy was about a buck more than at Walmart, the bread I like was +-$2 more, they didn't have the bougie eggs I like but their normal brand was the same as what I pay for small farm pasture raised.
So anyway, not impressed with DG.
In Panama City there's a Food for Less, which advertises 10% over cost. Not sure what normal markup is, but FFL is significantly cheaper than even Walmart for things I buy regularly. Each week they have what they call "power buys" that are dramatically lower than normal. So like my bougie eggs, 2 cartons for $5 when they're normally $4 each, that sort of thing. They also cater to an ethnic crowd, so you can find interesting items that Publix and Walmart don't carry.
I hit up Sam's Club for things I can shop for once a month - meat, dish soap, toilet paper, etc. Last week I bought this enormous thing of broccoli florets that I'll end up tossing most of, but it was cheaper and better looking than a smaller bag at Walmart.
As you can see, I'm obsessed with grocery shopping.
Grocery shopping, like getting more than one bag? Nope, but where they shine is when you need that one or two item trip that a trip into Wally simply ain't worth the time.
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
I don't, but I've been in a few in the middle of the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania and none of them have what you're describing.
glhs837
Power with Control
Try the ones here in St Marys.
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
Why? I don't live in an underserved location.
glhs837
Power with Control
But that's just it. It's not underserved locations. These things are carefully calculated to be just enough easier to get to than a box store that you'll stop there instead.
Looks like most of your shopping is about 15 minutes or 8 mi away. If there were a clean well kept place that offered brand name fresh stuff at half that eight mile distance why wouldnt you go there?
Looks like most of your shopping is about 15 minutes or 8 mi away. If there were a clean well kept place that offered brand name fresh stuff at half that eight mile distance why wouldnt you go there?
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
Probably not since I do check expiration dates. The same reason I rarely buy food items at WalMart. The dollar stores I've been in don't have name brands as a rule for the food stuffs (as I mentioned; cookies, snacks).
glhs837
Power with Control
Which is sort of my point. Dollar general is not quite the same as other dollar stores virtually everything they carry is brand names. Think I mentioned buying Barilla pasta in there just the other day right? That's why I'm saying you should visit one because then you can speak from a position of knowledge. This is very similar to someone saying that they refuse to shop at Target because they've shopped at Walmart and big box stores are big box stores.