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iandavid t1_j65r7s2 wrote

I want Urban Greens to stick around because nearly every other supermarket around me is an out-of-state business:

  • Shaw’s is owned by Albertsons (Idaho) which is merging with Kroger (Ohio)
  • Stop & Shop is owned by Ahold (The Netherlands)
  • Trader Joe’s is owned by half the German family that split the Aldi chain in two, and the US Aldi is owned by the other half
  • Whole Foods is owned by fucking Amazon
  • Price Rite is owned by Wakefern (New Jersey)
  • Vicente’s and Market Basket are both Massachusetts-based

Who does that leave that’s actually local? There’s Shore’s Market in North Providence and Cranston, which is mostly limited to Italian stuff. Then there’s all the little neighborhood markets that are generally too small to have most of what I’m shopping for.

I know Urban Greens has had a rough time lately, but I really hope it finds its way, because it’s exactly the kind of small, cooperative market that I want to shop at.

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[deleted] t1_j65uegw wrote

[deleted]

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iandavid t1_j65uott wrote

Oh right! The closest Dave’s to me is the Smithfield Crossing one, and getting in and out of that strip mall on the weekends is almost as bad as navigating Bald Hill Road on the Saturday before Christmas.

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Silentjosh37 t1_j672uqo wrote

What about the one in Cranston near Cranston East seems like that would be closer than Smithfield.

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iandavid t1_j674xpe wrote

Depends on what part of Providence you’re in. I live off Smith Street, so getting to Cranston means circumnavigating the city. I used to go to that Dave’s more when I lived in South Providence, but now it’s a slog.

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Silentjosh37 t1_j672paa wrote

Farm Fresh, Dave's, Armandos, Union Market, Good Fortune, Dockside, Tom's, Brigiados, Seabras, any number of small markets, they might not be giant markets but are "local".

I am all for staying as local as possible but having a store that has everything you might be looking for as you said you didnt like about the smaller markets but those things are directly opposed to each other. How many "super"markets would you like to have headquartered/owned by a RI only company? Our population is just way too small for that and that was the case decades ago but they just couldn't sustain and draw shoppers as they all carried the same products, from the same distributors(also not local) that they were just fighting each others.

Depending on your age names like Roch's, Jerry's, Almacs and IGA are usually only heard when giving or getting directions, like "take a left after the old Almacs but before the Dunkins." But they used to be the heavy hitters in the area, but then people started wanted more variety at the market and those supermarkets just couldn't offer as much and thats when Stop and Shop gained a foothold. Shaws as well, they were owned by a Massachusetts company at the time though.

The list I provided is just what I can think of off the top of my head and sure I have forgotten plenty. Not all out of state companies are a bad thing, especially if like Aldi's they can provide decent quality food that meets peoples budgets and doesn't break the bank.

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rubylily7 t1_j6bbvym wrote

I love good fortune but they’re definitely not a local chain

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iandavid t1_j674mn0 wrote

Some of the local chains you mention died because they couldn’t compete, but others were victims of greed. From what I remember hearing from my relatives who worked there, Almacs was in the latter category. Unfortunately since it happened in the 90s, there’s not much info online to back that up.

> having a store that has everything you might be looking for as you said you didnt like about the smaller markets but those things are directly opposed to each other.

I can buy 90% of the groceries I need at Urban Greens. Usually they’re better quality than what I can find at the Shaw’s that’s closer to my house. I can’t say that for most of the other local markets, even Dave’s. I recognize that my family’s shopping habits are different from other people’s, but UG hits the sweet spot for us, and that’s going to be hard to replicate if it goes under.

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Silentjosh37 t1_j676ak2 wrote

What you are saying about Urban Greens is exactly what happened to a majority of those other stores. While they check the boxes you need they don't check enough boxes for enough other people to stay in business. Should it exist simply because it is "local"? Especially if all the reports of years of mismanagement are true? Its what killed most of the other "local" markets that have had the same fate.

A grocery store starting a gofundme is a really telling sign of poor sales and things not being managed correctly. If they wanted to raise $50,000 quickly they could do an inventory clearance sale and make bank, they just don't wanna take the hit and lower costs and would rather have someone else foot that bill. How long you think the gofundme will keep them afloat?

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iandavid t1_j6772ge wrote

Well for one thing, it’s a member-owned cooperative, not a traditional corporation, so it’s not the same situation as other chains from the past. Fundraising isn’t out of step for a business that’s more focused on serving the community than turning a profit.

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WafflesTheBadger t1_j66yokd wrote

I do appreciate Vicente's and MB and consider them somewhat local. Vicente's is very inclusive and they opened in a neighborhood that needed grocery. Market Basket is brilliant in their strategy of maximizing purchasing power and focusing on volume vs margin.

Other RI options:

-Dave's -Brigidos -Confreda's (their sales are insane)

Plus all of the farm stands in RI. I know a great group of girls who have been working with local producers to try to get their retails down (recently got LOCAL certified organic potatoes delivered for $1.99/lb and they offered me an additional discount if I wanted to take more)

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Silentjosh37 t1_j6731ic wrote

This is basically my thinking, plenty of options, just not all of them being great and some less budget friendly than others.

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CaroKannyeWest t1_j6b777n wrote

Just a shout out for Nueva Era on Cranston for produce as well.

Gigantic fricken carrots, etc at a quarter of the price. They grind and butcher meats right in front of you per order.

It's in a rough spot, no doubt but many don't realize there are 2 or 3 parking spots literally right in front of the store that are often vacant.

Back of the house you need to know a little Spanish but the cashiers and managers are all kind people willing to help any patron who walks in.

For only 2 aisles, they have everything as far as non perishables as well.

And the back of the store is a cafeteria spread with Dominican food.

One of the best kept secrets in Providence. Just don't use the traditional word "bolsa" when asking for a bag. They use "funta" to say shopping bags. They use bolsa as a word for a ballsack. Speaking from experience here. 😂

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