Support your local COVID-19 fighting Grocery Stores!

[haele]

I'll start - San Diego/San Diego county stores-
1. Baron's Markets -7 locations
www.baronsmarket.com
Small Trader Joe type stores - organic, vegan, and paleo/keto friendly at very reasonable prices, sort of like the old Henry's markets without the butcher area.
Locally sourced produce, local flavored olive oil and balsemic vinagars, olive and salad bar, store made quick meals, bin dry produce; they have now portioned the loose and binned products (other than fruits and veggies) and there is an employee that provides gloves for shoppers. Masks mandatory, and they limit shoppers inside.

2. Northgate Gonzalez Market (This is a Los Angeles local chain that moved down to San Diego) 3 locations in the city.
www.northgatemarket.com
A full service Mercado that is focused on lower income neighborhoods, one of the best Panderias in town for special event cakes and cupcakes. Lots of fresh local and indigenous produce, a smallish carneceria, a tortirilla and a really nice in-house deli/taqueria. Masks required, sanitized carts, and very attentive employees.

3. North Park Produce - El Cajon and Normal Heights
Family business-Middle Eastern market with their own bakers, lots of spices and fresh produce, middle Eastern "pick up" meals, and "global marketplace" drinks and treats. Oh, and hookah. Very reasonably priced, and the bread ovens are constantly in use through the early afternoon.
They do postmates and delivery - haven't been to one since the stay-at-home since both markets are a bit out of the way, but I want to help them stay in business.

There are a significant number of other local stores with roots in the broader ethnic areas of San Diego - Somali, Japanese and Korean, Indian, and the ubiquitous Southern California 99 Ranch Market that can also use a little notice as well as the local bodegas. Feel free to list any others that can use foot traffic.

Haele

[Siwsan]

1. Aldi. Hands down my first choice

They are serious about precautions, to the point of waiving the 25 cent cart deposit, and sanitizing the carts as soon as you return them. It's a small store and I know the stock lay out so well, I can write a shopping list to match it. The customers are all following guidelines (I shop during the 'vulnerable shopper' time). The check out routine is fast, so the time from in the door to loading my car is is usually about 20 minutes. Sometimes less.

That being said, I stopped at a Kroger, this week. All of the aisles are one way, the staff is all masked and gloved, and again it was a very fast stop.

[jimfields33]

2. You clearly haven't been to Publix. Best grocery store in the country.

[Siwsan]

3. Well, for good reason. I don't think there are any in Michigan

In my area we have Meijer, Kroger, Walmart, VG's (a Spartan store), Sav-A-Lot, and Aldi. Out of the lot, I prefer Aldi.

[PennyK]

4. It's pretty good!

I just wish the Senior Early Bird Shopping Hour wasn't 7 AM (I am NOT an early riser). I have done this with my husband for three weeks now. He comes in with me, grabs a pack of TP and a box of tissues, checks out, and waits for me to do the actual food shopping. They have designated one-way in the aisles and have clear demarcations at the checkouts.