Grocery stores in a new town are an intimidating thing for a little introverted girl like me. As I walk through the store (probably going the wrong way-- everyone knows there's a right way to proceed through the grocery store), I am sure everyone is looking at me and thinking "Obviously she's new in town... she's going down the cereal aisle the wrong way." But I quickly realized that that was not the case at all, and people were, in fact, really nice.
The first store I warmed up to was Aldi. Maybe it was the amazingly low prices, maybe it was the close proximity to our apartment. Whatever it was, I still love Aldi and prefer to go there first. Seriously guys... amazing prices.
But not everything can be purchased at Aldi. There are some things they simply don't have, so I need to supplement my Aldi shopping with another grocery store. HyVee has become this store. I think it was due to the fact that I got a weekly sale ad from them in the mail. They are also open 24 hours a day and on Sundays, and since I did a lot of grocery shopping after 9 pm and/or on Sundays, this was handy. But the real reason, is that I was afraid of Fareway...
Why am I afraid of Fareway? Well, I could chalk it up to the fact that my first trip there was on a morning when half the senior citizens in town (which is a lot) were shopping and I had too many close calls of almost running into people.
But if I am truly honest with myself, and I dig deep into my soul, the real reason I am afraid of Fareway is...the Meat Counter. To buy pretty much any meat at Fareway you have to approach the Meat Counter and ask for the meat. You have to approach someone completely unknown and make your requests for all of the meat you want, including how much. In short, you have to ASK FOR HELP. AGH!!!
Let me pause here for a second and explain something. My husband does stop and ask for directions if he needs to... and I sit there in the car, hiding behind the map, gritting my teeth, absolutely determined that I can figure out where we are going without help from someone else.
Its pride... or complete shyness on my part. Let's go with shyness.
Well, kids, I finally conquered my shyness, and went to Fareway to buy meat (everyone knows Fareway has the best meat in town... which is saying something in a farming community). I walked up to the Meat Counter and that nice boy with the white shirt and apron and paper hat said, "How may I help you?" My heart melted instantly. I love those boys behind the Meat Counter-- so polite, so helpful, and always trying to sell you more meat :). After they get one piece of meat for you, expertly wrap it in plastic, then paper, they hand it to you and always, always say "And what else?" One day I had a particularly long list of meat that I needed, and after the nice young man have given me almost 20 pounds of meat and asked "And what else can I get you?" I informed him that that was all I needed. "Oh, really? Ok..." He was not being sarcastic!! He seriously seemed surprised that that was all the meat I was buying! I love those boys.
Once you get all your groceries (which are better prices than HyVee, hands down-- and if they're not, Fareway will match the price), they take it out of your cart and put it onto the conveyor belt. They even wheel your cart out to the car and unload the groceries into your car. This is a very good idea for someone who is clumsy with a cart, like me.
In short, Farway treats me like a queen, and has low price to boot.
Tim and I have decided that when our children are teenagers, we want them to work at Fareway.
I am looking forward to shopping at Fareway now that I have two more days off each week, and can shop during the day. Sayonara HyVee!
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