treasure island - discrepancies, but happy

Awhile ago, I went into the Treasure Island in Old Town, and was disappointed that it was kind of grimy, and the selections didn't really catch my eye. So I kept going to Trader Joes, Jewel, Argyle street, and some small independent produce stores. I *had* to go to all of these places to get the kinds of things I wanted.
But! Yesterday, after going to Dirk's fish market, (on N.Clybourn) I decided to give T.I. another chance....and it was great! This store is clean, with tons of beautiful produce, things that are difficult to find, as well as all those small necessities I usually went to Jewel for (sponges, etc.) It was so nice to get everything on my list in one place. They even had Total Greek yogurt and Bell and Evans chicken
M
aybe I'm really thrilled because I had had a bad day and this place was such a nice surprise to me....plus, I love to grocery shop. Is anyone else as happy with T.I as I am?
Back to the original question....why are the stores so different?

Hi,

Treasure Island had an outpost in Lake Forest/Lake Bluff. You could roll bowling balls down the isles it was so vacant on every visit I made. All the produce looked tired and wilting with very little turn over.

I will also advise there are some very, very good grocery stores in Lake Forest which are deeply entrenched in the culture.

Lots of variety, very clean store, just absent of customers. When Treasure Island closed, Dominick's moved in.

Why are the stores different? Wouldn't you expect the answer to be management? I guess there are problems with the Old Town store's management, but also from above for allowing the situation to continue. Though I have a tickle of a memory there was some arguing and divisiveness amongst the partners, who knows maybe the weaker partner runs the Old Town store.

I'm sure someone will divine the answer.

Regards,
Cathy2

messycook wrote:Is anyone else as happy with T.I as I am?
Back to the original question....why are the stores so different?

I have no knowledge as to why the individual stores are different and can only surmise that the managers in each location have more independence than the managers in some other grocery chains.

Whatever the cause, I think you're right that there is a certain amount of difference and would add that it goes beyond issues such as discipline in cleaning, handling of produce etc. The two we have visited with some frequency over the past few years are the ones on Clark Street near the Newberry and the one in Streeterville; we like both very much. The one in Streeterville seems to me to have a much wider selection of fancy/imported/swell items in some sections but both are quite satisfying in the way that you say: they offer great specialty items as well as basic necessities, including non-food items (something for which Whole Food is essentially useless).

A couple of specific features/items which draw us into Treasure Island, beyond the general range of basic foods, specialty foods, and non-food items, are:
- Poilane bread from Paris
- special produce items, e.g., miniature vegetables, top quality Belgian endive (no green!), real new potatoes etc., i.e., things that the non-upscale groceries don't typically have.
- occasional great deals on high quality items in the meat department.
- Rummo brand fusille bucate (perhaps my favourite shape), long fusille, from Naples, which resist breaking up during cooking a little more than other brands. (They used to carry a brand of imported Italian pasta, Spigadoro, which came in 500 gm bags and offered some great shapes and, to boot, was remarkably inexpensive; alas, the last several times I've been there, I've seen no trace of this brand.)

Since we don't get to either one with great frequency, I'm sure we've underexploited their offerings. Are there other particularly swell things to be found at TI that are not or not frequently found elsewhere? I need an excuse to go grocery shopping later today...

A

I'm glad to hear that others like it as much as I did; I thought I was a little *too* excited, but I guess not... I understand about management - I assumed there was a "ruler" - someone who oversees the management in every store, so that things are consistent, but that seems untrue, considering what we're seeing. Too bad - they could make a lot more money if all the stores were this nice.

In terms of things I wanted to buy, but didn't:

-tiny pattypan squash
-morel mushrooms - I think they were 12$/pound - seems pretty reasonable to me, although I've never seen them in a regular grocery store. THey looked quite clean
-tiny new potatoes as well as fingerlings

I did buy 2 containers of spring salad mix - 1/2 poud each, ~ 2$ each.
Large bunches of scallions are 98 cents.
Yellow cherries are no bargain but they are very, very good.

A lot of the steaks looked nice, but I restrained myself; as well as the quails - so small! and appeared super fresh (color, texture).

I'm going to try that pasta that was liked by another poster - there were so many kinds I couldn't choose.

Oh and the olives - they have tiny provencal olives, which I love, so I got a large container, and it was only 4 bucks.

I shop at the Wilmette store pretty much every Saturday, and have been doing so since 1987. Excellent meat and poultry selection, particularly around the holidays, good ethnic selection of canned and dry goods(particularly Middle Eastern and European items), good produce (always including fresh-squeezed orange, grapefruit, and tangerine juices), and a very nice deli. Nice people, too. I love the vest-pocket size of the store, too, and the fact that there is always a place to park that doesn't involve a two-mile trek to the car. Only drawback: no liquor department. Oh, well.

The Treasure Island at 680 N. Lakeshore Drive was a godsend when Bill was in the Rehab Institute just across the street. I not only went there to grab food for myself, but also managed to squeeze some grocery shopping into what were otherwise pretty full days. I have particularly fond memories of their cabbage rolls.


On the other hand, on my way to looking up the right address, I found this distressing (to me) link http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0405260292may26,1,6424527.story

Maybe this is what the people are striking against? I have seen a lot of people outside their stores with signs, saying not to shop there, they are unfair to their employees, etc. Hmmm.

"On the other hand, on my way to looking up the right address, I found this distressing (to me) link [url]"

The link didn't work for me, so I don't know what the Trib. had to say, but I was in the Broadway store last Wed., and there were a couple of unenthusiastic looking pickets outside. But, inside, there was a large whiteboard with a bold declaration of TI's fairness to all and the big happy family that is the TI staff. It said that an overwhelming percentage of employees have rejected the union, and that the picketers are not TI employees, but just sent by the union. The message was signed by a whole bunch of people, presumeably the happy employees inside.

No way to tell if there was a gun to their head or what, but it's another bit of data.

The Streeterville location has a liquor department, with fairly reasonable prices to boot.

As someone else mentioned, I also like their selection of ethnic groceries (though prices for the Asian goods are a lot more than what you'd pay at any Argyle/Chinatown grocery store...still, comes in handy when you can't make the commute).

Only downside is that I've never been impressed w/ this location's seafood and poultry. Well, actually, I've never bothered buying their seafood b/c it always looks dried out and that whole corner of the store tends to smell strongly of ammonia, sometimes overwhelmingly so.

Used to buy their storebrand chicken, until once I noticed a strong ammonia-like aftertaste and smell after bringing it home. A friend has complained of this before as well, so I'm not taking any further chances.

I also like that they have aged parmeggiano reggiano at usually cheaper prices than Whole Foods. Also chunks of Callebaut (I believe) chocolate.