10 August 2008

Favourite local supermarket?

| Hammo
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Recently, I discovered two good local supermarkets – IGA Chapman, and Friendly Grocer Campbell.

It inspired me to ask, what’s your favourite community supermarket?

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The guys who own the Campbell shop now also own the Chifley one. Which is darn good, because the product range has updated a bit. They now have fair trade, organic chocolate, coffee and tea. The bakery is still running, they employ the baker who used to own the shop (I think he sold it so he could work less now that he’s getting older). Also means they’ve joined the Friendly Grocer and Local Liquor chains, which means regular specials.

novocastrian5:42 pm 11 Aug 08

For Southsiders, the farmers market at CIT Woden on Sunday mornings is good for fruit, veg, eggs and the odd sausage. Not only is it good quality it is a hell of a sight cheaper than most fresh produce at supermarkets (Fuji Apples $2.50/kilo).

But for day-to-day convenience I have no major problems with Woolies Erindale.

wtf is a “community supermarket”?

it’s a lo-cal shop, for lo-cal people… doesn’t anyone watch league of gentlemen?? bang! 😉

‘locivore’ – is this a new word? can i have it??

and yup, on that, i thoroughly second choku baijo’s rap from ruff – excellent produce, very good price with lots of the stuff as close to organic as you’ll get without them trying it on. and the king brown mushrooms are the business. sat’dy ritual and as often an evening one too – they cleverly open 3 – 8pm… and they’s nice.

Also ,if you are a committed locivore and like to buy local produce but can’t wait for the EPIC markets on Saturday, check out the local producer’s shop at North Lyneham shops. Great produce at cheap prices, and the money goes to the farmers, not middle men.

Hackett IGA is also great – friendly staff, they’ll order items for you, and competitively priced with other IGAs. They also put a lot of things that I regularly buy, like cordial and fruit juice, on special (cheaper than Woolies) quite often. Good job Hackett IGA, I say!

Hill Street Grocer. Internet delivery, fresh, local produce, shut the gate.

Slightly off-topic, but the supermarket at Duffy has a real frontier feel to it. Last time I was there I expected to see Burke and Wills pop in for a bottle of water.

Chapman IGA is pretty good.

I’ll second IGA Florey.

wtf is a “community supermarket”?

Ha ha. The last time I went to rivett minimart (shortly before it closed) we wanted something to drink. We went to the fridge (which we discivered wasn’t turned on) to find some cases of Tooheys Blue (?), a box or two of fruity lexia and a six pack of XXXX.
When we paid our change was given in 5C pieces.
For the record, we went with XXXX.

I avoid Rivett shops like the plague. The shop-rite there is an absolute rip off and the food is far from fresh.
They do have an excellent wine selection – should I require a $200 bottle of chilled Dom Perignon, I know where to find one.

Chapman Shops is fantastic. The owner always says hello, stocks the shelves himself continually and carries your bags to the car. If the queue gets longer than 1 person, he’s quickly there to serve you. If you want something, just ask and he’ll get it in. Its good old fashioned personable service.

Aubergine said :

I second the vote for the IGA in Chapman. I’ve never seen such a neat and clean well-stocked neighbourhood supermarket. Someone must be patrolling the aisles constantly adjusting stuff, because every product is always lined up right along the front of the shelf. Either that or nobody is buying anything… just kidding, it does a good trade.

Yes, Michael and his brother bought the old Greeks out, he finally retired at 72! Michael does a fantastic job running the place. Chapman rocks and the IGA is the cleanest, most well stocked little supermarket i’ve seen !

Shannski said :

There use to be a minutemart next door… It was like shopping in Soviet Russia, every few shelves, there would be an out of date can of something, or a stale loaf of bread… And the guy who owned it was scary, It closed down only a few months ago, but in the year i have lived here, it’s a wonder how he stayed open for so long!

Ahh yes, they set fire to the place to get insurance a few years ago … then the big John had a hear attack the year before last and they closed up shop ( he ‘worked’ and slept there, smelt like he didn’t shower for weeks and was 200kg+ ).. i’m sure it was a front for something..

another vote for ainslie iga. quick, convenient, relatively well priced, good range and did i say quick? other local would be woolies at dickson, but i resent lining up like a muscovite for three things.

The O’Connor IGA is fair enough. I’m not one for local shop runs really. I try to go to the supermarket once a week. As such I’m going to break the rules and nominate the ALDI in civic as my favourite.

I second the vote for the IGA in Chapman. I’ve never seen such a neat and clean well-stocked neighbourhood supermarket. Someone must be patrolling the aisles constantly adjusting stuff, because every product is always lined up right along the front of the shelf. Either that or nobody is buying anything… just kidding, it does a good trade. And, yes, the late unlamented Rivett Minit-Mart. I’ll never forget going in there years ago to get something, only to be distracted by the luminous green fungus growing in a bag of lebanese bread hanging right by the checkout. I fled. It must have been a front for something else; there’s no other reason it could have survived so long!

Griffith. Fantastic foodie bits and pieces without wanky prices. How they fit the range into the store I don’t know.

Woolies Gunghalin

Just love IGA Florey. Busy little supermarket. Great staff. Always well stocked. They’re doing well in there.

I like that place at Campbell. If there’s 2 people queuing at a cash register, an urgent yell goes up! Lots of interesting foods you don’t see at the “bigs”, including some pre-prepared pizzas from Murrumbateman called Big Dog or something, with fancy toppings. Nice cooked chooks. Really excellent range of little luxuries too, cheese and stuff.

I’m becoming more and more partial to my other “local”, Mother Natures in Qbn. They have almost the full range of supermarket stuff now… I patronise their markdowns bit and scored several bags of excellent lemons today (ready for my favourite lemon pickle, super easy to make and tastes brilliant and lasts for ages). They’ve got pre-packed lumps of Sopressa for $10/kilo, by the way. And they have free range largish eggs for $5 a box. Seldom queues, and lots of interesting useful food. Including bits of Goat.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy8:34 pm 10 Aug 08

I reckon Woolies in Jerra is the best. I make the pilgrimage there regularly. Generally having a better class of people as the local customers tends to make for a higher than average level of service.

The little local one to me, The Rivett Shoprite (I think) is good, No rush hour, prices are good, They are good for a quick pick up of something, Woolies is only down the road, Go there for the big shops… or Aldi in Tuggies.. (Until we get one at Weston)

There use to be a minutemart next door… It was like shopping in Soviet Russia, every few shelves, there would be an out of date can of something, or a stale loaf of bread… And the guy who owned it was scary, It closed down only a few months ago, but in the year i have lived here, it’s a wonder how he stayed open for so long!

IGA Lyneham… Great selection of European groceries alongside more regular stuff… Good place for a selection of cheeses Anti Pasto ingredients and good breads and dips..

I love woolworths.

*Ahem.*

Ainslie is a good shop, definitely better than Lyneham IGA. Great fruit & veg section, they’ll stock things you ask for, you never queue for longer than a few minutes even in rush hour, and Lyneham is much more expensive. Their (very young) checkout people are pretty well trained and seem happy. And it goes without saying that Ainslie is better than the “rotten food people” Woollies Dickson. If they accidentally sell you old veg that goes off quickly, they will replace it.

Felix the Cat7:06 pm 10 Aug 08

Palmerston (IGA?) seems pretty good. Good variety of stock.

Woolworths Kippax.

cook friendly grocer is great, fantastic beer selection.

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