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I shop at Fresh Market, Rouse's and Winn Dixie. I am happy enough with all of the stores in my area (Covingotn/Mandeville).

I will say that our supermarkets pale in comparison with those I visited in Barcelona. Barcelonano not only had La Boceria, the best market I have ever seen (it was really unbelievable, the stuff that was available there), but also great supermarkets, with some many more products that we see in our stores.

Everyone at the Rouses on Vets has been helpful and friendly. I was even escorted to my vehicle with an umbrella when it was raining.

jshushan wrote:I use the Breaux Mart on Magazine or the Rouses by Tipitina's. I go into the Winn Dixie on Tchop for one thing. The Check Diet Cream Soda is both cheap as dirt and very good. I put up with that store for that stuff only. I go the WalMart on Tchoup for household items because most of it really is cheaper and it's one stop for almost everything except meat and produce.

I just put up with what we have. If not for the Rouse family and the Breaux family, I'm told the stores would have just closed and we'd be stuck. What we have is better than nothing.

Jonathan

That Chek diet Cream soda IS the only reason I go to WD. I just love it and you can't get Mug cream soda in diet. That and the occasional Chek 2 lt red cream soda. Coke has stopped distributing Barqs Red Cream Soda in 2 liter bottles and nectar ice cream has been our family's summer staple for over 30 years now.

Tchoupitoulas wrote:I'd hit the Breaux Mart on Gen Meyer before I step foot in there. .

Ain't dere no mo! Victim of Katrina. One guess what sits there now????

RIGHT! A Walgreens!!!!!!! How did you guess?

As far as Rouse steak, I LOVED the Black Angus Choice Rib Steak I had yesterday. Perfectly marbled, cooked to Med Rare on grill, delicious. And only $5.49/lb. Going back for more. You can buy whole cryovac too.

And their Lobster from "L.L.Bean's Grandaughter" wasn't bad either. Especially at $8.88/lb. These were fresh in air freight box, they were not put in the tank of pollution.

Now the Rouse Crawfish I had Friday cooked fresh in the parking lot of the Belle Chasse store could have soaked for a few more minutes. Just a tad undercooked, but fresh.

Guess I will cook the Rouse Mussels tonight!

People were scooping the large Shrimp ($3.47/lb.) as fast as they could put them out. I go to Shrimp Lot for that.

Hey...at least I ate red meat once over the weekend...

I go to the Rouse's on Carrollton for staples (primarily beer, milk and cheese). No complaints. Their produce is decent, service is at worst indifferent and usually friendly and quick. Their local shrimp are usually great. Their boiled crawfish suck, but KJeans is right there, and still best (commercial) in the city.

Any main course or fresh seafood or meat, I go to Langenstein's on Metairie Rd. Even better than Whole Foods IMO.

justagirl wrote: The cashier and her bagger were rapping songs back and forth dropping f and n bombs all over the place. At first I though maybe they were just trying to make me uncomfortable but then I realized they are just ignorant and had not much to do with me.

I don't find this just at Rouse's. It's amazing to me the things I hear these days and people don't even bat an eyelash at them. I'm thankful to have a husband who does makes groceries. I don't care where he goes as long as I don't have to go. I wake up on Saturday morning and it's done and he's finishing the laundry. But if I don't put it on the list, he won't get it.

I agree about both Winn-Dixie and Rouses. I was excited when Rouses bought the Sav-A-Centers b/c I was expecting a better quality of produce and meat, but I have to say at the Rouses near my house(Power Blvd) the quality of produce is quite poor. The first thing I go for is lettuce(I love my salads) and usually I'm so disgusted with the brown, wilting, or slimy lettuce that I leave my basket right there and exit the store...this has happened on more than one occasion.

I use the Wal-Mart Grocery Store(only a grocery NOT a supercenter) on W.Esplanade and Williams at almost any time. Since it's not a supercenter, it is not crazy at all and they surprisingly have very good produce(at least better than Rouse's). I can go in there at 1pm on a Sat. or Sun and be done in 30 minutes without a long wait in line. I can get a lot more for my dollar at Wal-Mart also, I find sometimes that my grocery bill is almost cut in half if I shop Wal-Mart instead of Winn-Dixie or Rouse's.

I wish I had a Langenstein's or Whole Foods closer to me for meat and produce, although I'm not sure I could afford Whole Paycheck for meat and produce LOL

We really just have a lack of good grocery stores here and not much competition either, IMO. New Orleans apparently is just a sucky market for almost anything I guess. Retailers don't want to open down here(Ikea, REI, Garden Ridge, Frys, Crate & Barrel, etc. etc.)

I'm a fan of Rouse's, as at least some of the produce is locally sourced; the company does try to buy from local farmers. The cheap stuff at Wal Mart is sourced nationally & internationally; check the labels carefully and you'll discover that the produce has more passport stamps than you do.

globe9 wrote:. New Orleans apparently is just a sucky market for almost anything I guess. Retailers don't want to open down here(Ikea, REI, Garden Ridge, Frys, Crate & Barrel, etc. etc.)

I agree with this. Alot of it of course just goes back to who lives here and who will be your employee base, regardless of the store.

I made my first visit to a Publix last month while on vacation at the beach. This chain is employee owned and the store was brand new. I was blown away at how nice the place was and how awesome the employees were.

Good point BTG. The customer and employee bases make a huge deal.