Save on Foods grocery stores in Victoria

[Fairbanks]

Who thinks this is a good idea? Walmart's food section in Langford is CRAP. GC Superstore at Westshore has limited selection of grocery products and is messy most of the time.
Fairway closed it's Colwood location at Colwood Corners 3 years or more ago.
Thrifty's is way too pricey. Becel Margarine at Thriftys is $7.29. Same item at Superstore is $4.47. Similarily priced at Save on Foods.

Please answer yes or no and give a reason why. I am not affiliated with Save on Foods in any way. Just a fan and would like to see one out here.

[Dylan Leblanc]

Sure, why not.

[ressen]

I would rather have a 'Quality Foods' store with their deli restourant.

There are lots of these stores up Island but none down here.

[Mr_E_Squirrel]

I had no idea Fairway left....More competition the better for consumers. I don't find the superstore messy but I really like the Gas bar that gets you Ten cents a liter towards your purchase in store. Also the very wide aisles.

Colwood/Langford is pretty covered for grocery stores it seems, but it is growing and is probably room for a country Grocer/Save on Foods

Real Canadian Superstore
Wal-Mart
Market on Millstream
Costco Wholesale
Western Foods
Thrifty Foods

[Mike K.]

Red Barn Market is opening soon (if it hasn't already) at Veterans and Latoria. They're smaller than all of the major grocery chains in the CRD but their regularly priced items are often lower -- definitely lower than Save-Ons (I compare prices on a daily basis as I live near a Save-Ons and our office is near Red Barn).

[LJ]

There is also a Fairway Market in the Westshore Mall.

[bluefox]

Also don't forget that the proposed anchor tenant of that empty lot for lease at Millstream and Treanor in Langford is supposed to be a 30,000 square foot grocery store, which I'd say could easily be a Safeway or Save-on-Foods, given they have no presence yet on the Westshore.

[LJ]

^Where did that info come from, I hadn't heard anything about it being a grocery store?

If it is indeed true, my wish would be for a Safeway.

[Nparker]

Originally Posted by LJ

..my wish would be for a Safeway.

Highly unlikely. With the exception of significant renovations to 3 of the 4 stores in the region, Safeway hasn't built a new store on this part of the Island in over 30 years (yes I know the Foul Bay store was rebuilt from the ground up 10 years or so ago, but it was an existing location.)

[concorde]

Originally Posted by Fairbanks

Who thinks this is a good idea? Walmart's food section in Langford is CRAP. GC Superstore at Westshore has limited selection of grocery products and is messy most of the time.
Fairway closed it's Colwood location at Colwood Corners 3 years or more ago.
Thrifty's is way too pricey. Becel Margarine at Thriftys is $7.29. Same item at Superstore is $4.47. Similarily priced at Save on Foods.

Please answer yes or no and give a reason why. I am not affiliated with Save on Foods in any way. Just a fan and would like to see one out here.

I would highly doubt it. Save on Foods in Duncan closed within 1 year of the Wal Mart Superstore opening up there and they indicated Wal Mart was the main reason for shutting the store.

[Lorenzo]

Originally Posted by Fairbanks

Walmart's food section in Langford is CRAP...... ....

As much as I detest going to WalMart, I must confess to being pleasantly surprised at their grocery section. Produce quality and prices seem good, and prices on packaged goods seem pretty good. I haven't bought meat there, and probably won't because I want to be able to see the butcher area. I think Wal mart may get the attention of the bigger area grocers for some even better competition.

[Fairbanks]

Originally Posted by Lorenzo

As much as I detest going to WalMart, I must confess to being pleasantly surprised at their grocery section. Produce quality and prices seem good, and prices on packaged goods seem pretty good. I haven't bought meat there, and probably won't because I want to be able to see the butcher area. I think Wal mart may get the attention of the bigger area grocers for some even better competition.

Are you speaking of the new Walmart at Uptown or the one in Langford. Admittedly, the Uptown location is a true supercentre with an enormous food floor. My beef is with the one in Langford.

[aastra]

...Safeway hasn't built a new store on this part of the Island in over 30 years (yes I know the Foul Bay store was rebuilt from the ground up 10 years or so ago, but it was an existing location.)

I can't remember precisely when the reconstructed Fort and Foul Bay was built but the timeline in the Starbucks thread suggests it was 1995-96. I could have sworn it was at least a couple of years earlier than that. Memory...

Back in the day, Safeway had pretty much cornered the market re: large supermarkets in Victoria. The Thrifty's in James Bay was a Safeway, the Fairways in Quadra village (The Brick) was a Safeway, the Esquimalt Road supermarket was a Safeway... some others, too.

[sdwright.vic]

Originally Posted by bluefox

Also don't forget that the proposed anchor tenant of that empty lot for lease at Millstream and Treanor in Langford is supposed to be a 30,000 square foot grocery store, which I'd say could easily be a Safeway or Save-on-Foods, given they have no presence yet on the Westshore.

This site call for a 30,000 sq ft anchor, not specifically a grocery store. Yet Thrifty's was originally supposed to be the Market on Millstream, but they pulled out because of construction delays. They may be interested in a location in Langford again.

But as I said its not specifically for a grocery store.

[Mike K.]

Save-On-Foods continues to increase prices at a faster rate than other grocery stores I shop at and this leads me to believe the chain is trying to win business from individuals who no longer feel Thrifty's is the same store it once was.

This morning I spied prices at Save-Ons and later at Red Barn. Not surprisingly all three items I had planned to purchase at Save-Ons were more expensive.

Eco-brand cereal
Save-Ons: $9.99 | Red Barn: $7.99 (20% less)

Bananas
Save-Ons: $0.78/lb | Red Barn: $0.59/lb (25% less)

Coconut Milk (for cooking, same brand)
Save-Ons: $3.79 | Red Barn: $2.69 (30% less)

Imagine what the grocery bill would be for 30 items if just three net you a savings of some $3.50.

[cakeman]

I generally shop Thrifty's or Fairways as both are closer to me than the Saanich Save-On.. had a gift card though so the wife and I thought we'd give em a try tonight..

I will never go near that store again.

7 on a Sunday night.. not particularly late or anything.. in that entire large store I saw 4? staff .. 1 deli, 1 bakery, 1 cashier and 1 manager standing around the forest of Self Checkout's..

The fruit and veg were awful.. including a swarm of fruit flies over the pile of oranges with this large, mold covered rotting orange on top of the pile.. prices were way over what Im used to paying at Thriftys.. and their push to go Self Checkout is just dumb... mind you my biggest beef with the whole visit was the Cashier.. rude, hucking my fruit into the bag.. complete lack of any customer service skills..

raaaant rant rant rant..

back to Thriftys I go.

cakes..

[Mike K.]

The Vic West store also emphasizes the self-serve checkouts. During "rush hour" there are usually three or four cashiers while two or three other checkout isles remain closed.

Granted the staff at the Vic West store is a cut above the staff in Saanich. Just my opinion, of course.