Drive-in killed by Culvers

[Biltmore Bob]

I think Wally's groceries stink. I'd rather shop at HEB. It's a Texas chain.

 

[Dismuke]

I think Wally's groceries stink. I'd rather shop at HEB. It's a Texas chain.

HEB is a good chain - they have reasonable prices and most of their stores I have been in were nice. Unfortunately, except for Central Market, which they own, HEB has never made it to the Fort Worth/Dallas area. There were rumors a couple of years ago that Albertsons was pulling out and that HEB would take over their stores - which I thought would have been neat. But that did not happen.

As far as Wal-mart's groceries stinking - on the vast majority of items, they carry the same items that anyone else does. Even on generics or store brands, such products are usually manufactured by either the major companies or the same companies that makes similar generic products for everyone else.

Personally, for produce I go to Fiesta Mart, another Texas chain which caters to Hispanics. Produce is a big thing for the Hispanic market, so Fiesta's prices on produce items are a usually a fraction of what the other chains - including Wal-mart - sell them for and often tends to be more local and, therefore, better than the stuff shipped in from across a continent. I go to Central Market for specialty items that I cannot get at Fiesta or Wal-mart - or any other store, for that matter. For the rest, I go to Wal-mart and have never had any problems with poor food quality - and some of their store brand stuff is actually quite good.

My guess is what is eventually going to happen is there will be a major shakeout in the grocery business and there will emerge a couple or so strong competitors that get their act together in terms of taking advantage of the same efficiencies that Wal-mart does and becoming effective competitors. The big grocery chains are trying to do that - but they problem they face is they are highly unionized in certain parts of the country which puts them at a huge disadvantage. The chains that have to pay close to $18 per hour for a unionized cashier who does work that involves roughly the same amount of skill of people earning half that in other industries - well, it isn't the chains that have to pay out that extra $18,500 per year per cashier, it is their customers whenever they go through the checkout line. Companies such as HEB (which dominates the grocery market in many parts of Texas) and Wal-mart don't force their customers - many of whom make considerably less money for harder work than does a unionized grocery cashier - to pay for overpriced cashiers. There is nothing at all special about the grocery industry which entitles its workers to properly demand significantly higher wages than people who do similar work in other types of retail. So in the end, if pressure from Wal-mart and regional chains such as HEB can break the stranglehold the labor unions have over certain parts of the industry, that will be a good thing for grocery buyers everywhere.

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Clarification...Wally's meat and produce stink. HEB and Fiesta produce are much better.

 

[ITG]

I for one am a Walmart shopper because of the low prices. But I also shop at Tom Thumb, Kroger, and Albertsons if they have good deals in their ads. For me, Walmart is trying to do the shopper a favor by helping him/her save money. Yeah, it may attract lower income families, but hey, they need a break and if mom and pop shops choose not to be competitive, that's their choice. Really my only vice about Walmart is their lack of friendly service (at least with some of the employees I've encountered, I've encountered friendly ones at times) and all the shopping buggies that are left in parking spaces drive me nutso...that's more of a pet peave of mine toward the lazy shoppers that don't care if a buggy hits your car and not so much the fault of the store(as long as the employees are collecting the carts regularly). But still it makes for an unattractive parking lot.

I agree, Walmart's meat ain't that great. Neither is Piggly Wiggly's meat.

Dismuke, I agree about HEB. I love shopping there. I've seen only one north of Dallas about 5 years ago. Maybe in McKinney or Keller? I just remember passing by and thinking "Wow! An HEB in the Dallas area!"

 

[Dismuke]

I agree, Walmart's meat ain't that great. Neither is Piggly Wiggly's meat.

Hmmmm. The reason that Piggly Wiggly's meat ain't that great is they waited until he was old and sick before they butchered him. By then his meat was tough and foul tasting. I think they ended up turning most of him into sausage and canned dog food.

Dismuke, I agree about HEB. I love shopping there. I've seen only one north of Dallas about 5 years ago. Maybe in McKinney or Keller? I just remember passing by and thinking "Wow! An HEB in the Dallas area!"

Are you sure it was north and not south? The closest ones that I have ever seen are in Cleburne and Waxahachie. I entered in my zip code in the store locater on heb.com and the only other one near the Fort Worth/Dallas area that was listed was in Ennis.

BTW - are there still Piggly Wiggly stores in the area? There used to be one in Lewisville and perhaps even Denton as well several years back. But I don't get up that way often enough to know if they are still there or even how to find the street they were on. Piggly Wigglys tend to be independently owned - sort of like IGAs and Affiliateds.

 

[ITG]

Hmmmm. The reason that Piggly Wiggly's meat ain't that great is they waited until he was old and sick before they butchered him. By then his meat was tough and foul tasting. I think they ended up turning most of him into sausage and canned dog food.

LOL, that's pretty funny!

Are you sure it was north and not south? The closest ones that I have ever seen are in Cleburne and Waxahachie. I entered in my zip code in the store locater on heb.com and the only other one near the Fort Worth/Dallas area that was listed was in Ennis.

It was north. In fact I think I was on my way to a ski shop in McKinney. It's possible they've closed up since then, as it was about 5 years ago. I had forgotten about the Waxahachie one. Is it still around? My dad lives out in Red Oak and I vaguely remember him mentioning an HEB there once.

BTW - are there still Piggly Wiggly stores in the area?

Not that I'm aware of. The one I went into with bad meat was in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. I made my mom stop there on the way to Beaver's Bend because I'd never been inside a Piggly Wiggly before. Even the sealed professionally packaged meat was turning colors.

There used to be one in Lewisville and perhaps even Denton as well several years back. But I don't get up that way often enough to know if they are still there or even how to find the street they were on. Piggly Wigglys tend to be independently owned - sort of like IGAs and Affiliateds.

Here are the Texas ones. There's one as far south as Stephenville, but most seem to be in the Denton/Sherman area:
http://www.pigglywiggly.com/cgi-bin/zipLocator?state.TX

 

[Gil Man]

California Drive-in

I still go to this one!
Can't beat it! For $5 a pop!

Mission Drive-In Theatre
10789 Ramona AVe
Montclair, CA 91763

the Rubidoux Drive-In Theatre in Riverside, CA is a real nice one too!

 

[Wild Root]

Hello Gil Man, Welcome to the lounge.

I live in Monrovia, I have seen a few great drive In's get trashed. There used to be a swell one on Live Oak and Peck in Arcadia that I used to go to. It's not there any longer.

What a shame!

Root.

 

[Dr. Shocker]

what where did this thread go......when I first moved to Carson City there was an old A&W Drive In still opperating food was pretty good considering A&W food wasn't great back then and on fridays they held a kar hop.....used to see vacationing stars to (not big ones just tv).......but then they tore it out to extend a mall parking lot......about 4 years later after I left tha town they put a Sonic in on the other end of town.,....now why take one out to put one in I still don't get.......

as for the mom & pop vs. big brand I agree this argument has gone on for far to many years.....if a mom & pop want to compete they need to do it with quality and service because they are never going to beat the prices....

 

[Gil Man]

anyone been to "The Hat"!
Great place!
http://www.thehat.com/