Supermarket Sweep

Posted by Colin Edelman Mar 29, 2007

In response to the classic question, “why do bad things happen to good people?” one can respond, why do all good things happen between 1 and 3 a.m.?

I moderately enjoy where I live, which is a suburban area outside of New York City. The problem is that the population of the town has a majority of people 45 years or older (43%). This translates to few businesses open past 10 pm. The town literally shuts down because everyone’s in bed watching television, reading, or getting ready to sleep.

This isn’t a complaint about a lack of things to do during the night. This is about performing a basic human need: grocery shopping.

Buying groceries during the day in a town that thrives on coupons is a test of patience and general sanity. You have to deal with crowded aisles that are very narrow to start, slow moving customers that take browsing to the next level, and typically apathetic cashiers tired of arguing with customers over pennies and nickels.

King Kullen is one of the few stores that boast, “Open 24 Hours!” Unfortunately, for this town, it comes with the disclaimer, “Tuesday to Friday only, closing at midnight on Saturday and 9 p.m. on Sunday.”

If you are thinking, what the hell is this guy talking about, you obviously never went to a grocery store at 1 in the morning when the aisles are wide open, there are plenty of employees to help you find a product, and no lines to wait on at all.

In my short experience of grocery shopping, there is no doubt that Meijer is the best “grocery supercenter” in the country. Unfortunately, they are limited to the Midwest (Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky). I recently called Meijer corporate office to open up a store on the East Coast and am awaiting a call back.

What sold me on Meijer was that their brand of food products that is extremely comparable to any brand name you find on the shelves. Beyond this, the deals you find are great, and most importantly, don’t require a coupon or the club card that so many supermarkets deem necessary.

And finally, the trump card...the alcohol. Meijer has a full aisle dedicated to beer, wine, and alcohol. Not just your basic Coors, Bud, Sam Adams, and few foreign imports. You walk into a liquor store within a supermarket. This is what Long Island needs to catch up with.

Until then, I’m still waiting for that phone call back.