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Yelp
Summary: Good value, original products, annoying customers in Cambridge store, value wines at 3 stores that carry wine in MA, doesn't allow pets
VALUE: cheaper than Shaws and Whole Foods, more expensive than Costco.
GROCERIES: I like the Cambridge (Memorial Drive) store better for size and selection (and wine & beer) than the Boylston store in Boston. Medium size selection of organic and seemingly healthy foods. The fresh fruits and vegetable vary in price compared to Shaws...tomatos can be more expensive, but cucumbers less expensive, for example. Cheaper than Whole Foods however in almost every category. The frozen foods, such as the Alsacian Pizzas, are tasty. Breads are good and so are cheese selection (ALTHOUGH THEY STOPPED CARRYING RACKLETT CHEESE!!).
CUSTOMERS: The Cambridge customers seem to be mostly uptight tree-hugging smug hybrid car driving know-it-alls who block you out when you are trying to pick items from the shelf or when directing your grocery cart. The Boylston store crowd is better: young professionals trying to get in and out quickly who cooperate in navigating the store.
PETS: you can tie your dog to the front of the escalator area on Boylston, but it seems risky -- someone could steal your pooch. The old man (skinny cranky cashier dude) rudely yelled at my girlfriend for bringing in our 7 pound pooch in a carry bag, although I can understand that since it is a grocery store. He also yells at the skateboarder kids, which is good.
WINE: Great wine values, BUT: Trader Joe's only sells wine & beer at 3 locations in MA (thanks an anti-competitive MA law and the morons who voted down MA Proposition 1 to not allow all supermarkets to sell wine & beer). The bar and restaurant liquor distributors (such as United Liquors and Horizon Beverage) out-spent advocates of the proposition by over $15 million in advertising to kill the proposition. Even Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) had a TV commercial indicating that the proposition had nothing to do with drunk drivers -- those idiots drink anyhow. Also, quotes like "There are plenty of places to buy alcohol already, you don't really need more," (see http://www.npnweb.com/daily/news.asp?a=565320) don't account for the free-markets and consumers to decide on this. I think consumers should be able to decide whether and where they will buy wine & beer. How does Europe ever cope with this?!? :)