The fish department was hopping as usual today.

ronnie_suburban wrote:

pairs4life wrote:I've purchased fish here before for my family and they were fine. Is this a disease that is caused by mishandling?

I love Fresh Farms!

Me too and it doesn't seem so. From the article linked above:

suntimes.com wrote:The disease causes swelling and breakdown of skeletal muscle thought to be caused by a toxin sometimes found in buffalo fish in the Mississippi River.

=R=

Agreed. I was quite concerned so I went digging. It is a terribly rare disease and with these new cases we still have fewer than 20 people infected in over 20 years. Fortunately, there have been no fatalities. http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/08/04/w ... -sickness/

I've become a huge fan over the last year. My schedule changed so that I now consistently have a weekday off every week. I don't have the patience to navigate the place on a Saturday or Sunday but weekdays work out great.

Beyond the product selection, fair prices, and super-fresh produce, I have come to really appreciate the service. It's taken me awhile to get the lay of the land but staff never hesitates to approach me to see if I need help when my body language or facial expression indicates that I might. By contrast, the staff at the Jewel I sometimes stop in seems to go out of their way to ignore those cues.

Today, just as I had finished unloading my cart a manager/supervisor was walking by. He picked-up a bottle of wine at the back of my stuff, swung around and swiped it for the underage cashier. No words were exchanged. He just did it quickly and efficiently. I find the managers here to be very observant.

Again, what a contrast from my experiences at Jewel where the cashiers seem to always hold back the alcohol to the end before they make the call for assistance. Then we wait for a manager to come over and they often have a pained expression on their face. How dare I make a purchase of one of their highly profitable non-perishable items.

Anyhoo, just chiming in as a fan. And I do buy their seafood, without incident thus far.

Also, they keep a log book of forgotten paid-for groceries, so if you ever leave a bag behind call them up and tell them when, and they'll check the book. If your items are listed, they'll let you come back and retrieve them. Just grab whatever it is you forgot from the shelves, check in with customer service to make sure it matches what was logged, and you're good to go.

LynnB wrote:I've become a huge fan over the last year. My schedule changed so that I now consistently have a weekday off every week. I don't have the patience to navigate the place on a Saturday or Sunday but weekdays work out great.

Beyond the product selection, fair prices, and super-fresh produce, I have come to really appreciate the service. It's taken me awhile to get the lay of the land but staff never hesitates to approach me to see if I need help when my body language or facial expression indicates that I might. By contrast, the staff at the Jewel I sometimes stop in seems to go out of their way to ignore those cues.

I wholly agree. As with Portillo's, the owners here know that adding employees increases the bottom line, not the other way around. For instance, how often do you or how long do you have to wait at checkout? Anyplace else (cough Costco cough) can you check out so fast?

The one big exception to the service rule is in the bread selection. The woman who (I believe) manages that area is so surely but so surely that it's become funny surely, like we're living a Larry David bit. Given the quality of breads and treats (even with the glorious Serbian baker on summer break), we put up with this show all the time.

If Fresh Farms did want one way to improve profitability, I'd say this. Cut back on the plastic bags. Believe me, you could save $1,000's a year if you just used the same amount of bags per groceries as most places do.

Hi- How much local produce does Fresh Farms carry this time of year? I don't go there a whole lot, because I am not often in the neighborhood, since I am not a big fan of Walmart. The Walmart further East on Touhy is going to open up in a few months anyway, and that store is going to be closer for me. Thanks, Nancy

Hi, Nancy. I've been trying to think of how to answer your question, and I don't have a concise answer.

Fresh Farms has more local produce than Jewel will, but I don't think they make a big priority of sourcing locally. Not infrequently they make a point of labeling "Michigan Apples" or "locally grown" something else, but that appears to be a minority of the stock.

What I think they DO make a point of is procuring the best quality, most affordable produce they can find, from wherever. The variety is good, and the store is frequently mobbed, so the turnover of the produce is very quick. I pretty much don't buy produce anywhere else.

I'd say that next time you're that far west check it out yourself. The produce department is kind of like Marketplace on Oakton on steroids.

Giovanna

Thanks, Giovanna. I too was mulling over how to answer Nancy's question and I think you summed it up quite well.

A semi regular stop for me is FF and I pick up their seven Grain salad in the premade fridge. About $3.50 for a container and a darn nice meal. I have tried a few other salads there but the seven grain is still my favorite. It does not list curry on the ingredients but I sure taste it. Wish I knew their recipe.

NFriday wrote:How much local produce does Fresh Farms carry this time of year?

I bought 2 16 oz containers of Michigan blueberries [sign had prominent "Michigan" on it] for $3 Sunday. AND, I know you'll like this, Nancy, they have coupons available for money off your total bill [like $5 off total of $20] starting Aug. 1

Giovanna [also really a Nancy]

Hi- I got a bunch of coupons in the mail today for Fresh Farms, including a $10 off a $30 purchase. I was surprised to get the coupons, because I live probably six miles from Fresh Farms.

My brother was looking for kaffir lime leaves and Fresh Farms, his usual source, was out. He went to several other spots (H-Mart, Assi Plaza, Fresh Farms on Dundee, etc.) and had no luck. No one had them. On a whim, he went back to Fresh Farms, hoping that perhaps their delivery had come in. He asked the same gentleman in the produce department that'd he'd asked the day before. The guy reached into his pocket, pulled out a plastic bag with several lime leaves inside it and handed it to my brother. He told my brother that he had a feeling he might be back because of how persistent he had been. This guy, whose name I do not know, had actually gone to his house, cut some leaves from his own plant and brought them back to the store, figuring that my brother might come back. That's just incredible service and an example of just one of very many things that makes Fresh Farms in Niles such an extraordinary store.

=R=

I just went to their website to see how late they are open tonight (7am-10pm everyday) and see that they're opening another store at Golf and Milwaukee in Niles. I'm thinking this is at the same location of the previous grocery with the same lot as Walmart. So, wow, that will make two on Milwaukee Ave and two in Niles.
http://myfreshfarms.com/locations/

I love Fresh Farms, but it's far enough away that it makes returns prohibitive-- so that case of mangoes from Ecuador for $10, where the fruits looked great on the outside but more than half were black inside... just not worth my while to return it. Boo. Don't buy the mangoes-- at least not this week!

BrendanR wrote:I just went to their website to see how late they are open tonight (7am-10pm everyday) and see that they're opening another store at Golf and Milwaukee in Niles. I'm thinking this is at the same location of the previous grocery with the same lot as Walmart. So, wow, that will make two on Milwaukee Ave and two in Niles.
http://myfreshfarms.com/locations/

The new Fresh Farms is going where the Jewel used to be, but they've expanded the former Jewel building. It's going to be huge. Much bigger than the Touhy location.

The local paper had a note about the Four Flags Fresh Farms, and that they will lose six figures of tax incentives if they don't open by the end of the year... which had no chance of occurring.

The guys at the Touhy store said they had massive permitting issues at the new store. Evidently, it's full speed ahead now.

stevez wrote:The new Fresh Farms is going where the Jewel used to be, but they've expanded the former Jewel building. It's going to be huge. Much bigger than the Touhy location.

Thank heavens, that Walmart parking lot is ..challenging.
And b-b-Bigger than Touhy?! This is gonna be awesome.
I guess you'd call this more Golf than Milwaukee but close enough.

Pie-love wrote:I love Fresh Farms, but it's far enough away that it makes returns prohibitive-- so that case of mangoes from Ecuador for $10, where the fruits looked great on the outside but more than half were black inside... just not worth my while to return it. Boo. Don't buy the mangoes-- at least not this week!

Weirdly, this came up while I was talking to a coworker in the company lunchroom on Wednesday or Thursday this week. He cut into his mango and threw it down in disgust. "That's the second rotten one this week!" he said, noting he had bought them at Marianos. Same thing, it looked beautiful outside but yucky inside. I was at Marianos this afternoon and noticed that the mangoes were also from Ecuador.
So maybe it is an Ecuadoran mango thing rather than a Fresh Farms thing.

I was surprised to see that my celery was in a bag with the Fresh Farms Market logo and contact information.
How much celery do you have to commit to for your own bags to make sense?

BrendanR wrote:I was surprised to see that my celery was in a bag with the Fresh Farms Market logo and contact information.
How much celery do you have to commit to for your own bags to make sense?

They've had those bags for years; I think when they were only on Devon, those bags were already used. Before the Devon store was renamed "Fresh Farms," it was called "North Water Market." They really began as a produce market, so perhaps that explains the proprietary bags.

The new Fresh Farms on Golf Rd does look truly huge as it is being built but I wonder if that is because the parking lot seems so small. Even when Jewel was there, the lot was completely inadequate. How will they accommodate the cars when this new place opens, I wonder?

This seems especially true when I think of the gigantic lot at the Fresh Farms on Touhy. I know that lot is being shared with a tiny WalMart and other stores but it is still almost never full (but you may have to walk. Reminds me of the lot at Ikea).

Joy wrote:The new Fresh Farms on Golf Rd does look truly huge as it is being built but I wonder if that is because the parking lot seems so small. Even when Jewel was there, the lot was completely inadequate. How will they accommodate the cars when this new place opens, I wonder?

This seems especially true when I think of the gigantic lot at the Fresh Farms on Touhy. I know that lot is being shared with a tiny WalMart and other stores but it is still almost never full (but you may have to walk. Reminds me of the lot at Ikea).

You can call that Wal-Mart on Touhy tiny, but it's as crowded as any I've ever been to. It's one of the parking lots from hell. Their customer base is loaded with some of the most ignorant, rude, clueless, (add any adjective) people I've ever come across. My friend is an eye doctor at the Wal-Mart vision center, so I go there once a year. I am literally in awe of the people that go there and how miserable it feels just to be there. If I need Fresh Farms, I just go 5 minutes from my office to the Wheeling location.

Hi- I took somebody who was handicapped to that Walmart store a few times, and only because he did not want to go to the other Niles store, or in one instance I took him to the Touhy store, and they did not have what he wanted. I am not a really big fan of Walmart in general, but the store on Golf Road is by far my least favorite. When I would drive Don there, it would take me forever to find a parking space, and let alone a handicapped spot. One time out of frustration I ended up parking the car in the spot next to one of the handicapped spots, and as I was getting out of my car, a woman comes up to me and questioned why I was parking there because I was not handicapped, and I told her that the gentleman in my car was. She then told me that I could not park in that spot, and I would have to move my car, even though the closest spot was a mile away. The people that shop at that Walmart kind of remind me of the people that shop at Jerry's. I hate Jerry's parking lot. I've been to that Walmart store at 10:00am on a weekday, and I have had problems getting a parking spot even then. When I want to go to Walmart, I go to the new one on Touhy in Skokie, which is much more pleasant to shop at, even though it was semi crazy right before Christmas.. At least at that Walmart, it does not take me 15 minutes to find a parking spot. Thanks, Nancy

Hi- I go to the Sears Outlet which is also in four flags on occasion if I am in the neighborhood. Every once in a while they have free clothing day on Tuesdays if you are a shop your rewards member. I can verify that it is hard to find a parking space. It should help though that the secretary of states office is no longer there though. When Sears Outlet has there free clothing day, it gets crazy busy in the store too. Hope this helps, Nancy

Vital Information wrote: The one big exception to the service rule is in the bread selection. The woman who (I believe) manages that area is so surely but so surely that it's become funny surely, like we're living a Larry David bit. Given the quality of breads and treats (even with the glorious Serbian baker on summer break), we put up with this show all the time.


If Fresh Farms did want one way to improve profitability, I'd say this. Cut back on the plastic bags. Believe me, you could save $1,000's a year if you just used the same amount of bags per groceries as most places do.

On the other hand, they credit you back 50 cents per bag you bring in (up to $5.00 I believe.) This incentive is enough to make me remember not only to put bags in my car, but bring them into the store with me. Very nice touch. (I wish all stores would do this - I believe it could be very effective.)

Regarding rudeness in the bakery: I found the employes and customers to be rude all over the store, but since I actually need something from the bread employes (ie: slicing) I kill them with kindness so they simply can not be rude.
IMO their Pumpernickel Raisin bread is to die for.*

NFriday wrote:Hi- I got a bunch of coupons in the mail today for Fresh Farms, including a $10 off a $30 purchase. I was surprised to get the coupons, because I live probably six miles from Fresh Farms.

Wow, may I ask how they were delivered? In their own envelope? With other coupons? I would love to get these as I am a regular at FF Niles.



Regarding the parking lot, I also regret ever going there on a week-end - craziness. However, I simply do not see how the parking lot at Four Flaggs is going to be better - seems much smaller overall to me.

jilter wrote:Regarding rudeness in the bakery: I found the employes and customers to be rude all over the store, but since I actually need something from the bread employes (ie: slicing) I kill them with kindness so they simply can not be rude.
IMO their Pumpernickel Raisin bread is to die for.*

The more times I shop @ Fresh Farms Wheeling AND Fresh Farm Niles (like today FF Niles), the more I'm convinced the better of the two is Wheeling. And one of the main reasons is the selection of dark breads. If you like pumpernickel, I highly recommend trying some from that location for comparison's sake.

I will say this for Niles today, non-local yet highly cool, huge bunches of greens signed as "callaloo" but also known, I suppose, as amaranth for like $3.99.

PSA - the brand new deli department 2.0 that's been hiding behind the blue tarps for the past many months is now open. They moved the freaking large selection of feta cheese and olives over to the new department. The rest of the new department consists of prepared hot foods. I didn't have time to investigate further as I was in a bit of a hurry today. The old section of the deli case that had the feta and olives is now occupied by additional meaty deli delights. Fresh Farms constantly amazes me.

I could not resist calling the Fresh Farms in Niles to ask when the Fresh Farms on Golf Road will finally open. The guy said OCTOBER! If all goes well! Yikes.

I don't know why I get all enthused about not-yet-open food stores. As soon as they open, I lose interest in them. They never live up to the pre-opening enthusiasm. They always disappoint in some way. How is this a metaphor for living! Ha ha ha

Have a great Fourth!

Hi- In the lobby of my condo building in Evanston today, I noticed there was a huge pile of coupons for Fresh Farms. The coupons are good for both the Niles and the Wheeling locations. The first set of coupons are good from 7/8-7/26. One is good for $10 off with purchase of $30 or more, and the other coupon is good for a two pound package of Olybio pitted Deglet Noor dates for $2.99. The coupons that are valid 7/17-7/22 are good on canola oil, Dean's whole milk, and Krakus polish ham. The coupons that are valid 7/23-7/31 are good for $5 off with purchase of $20, and $1.29 eggs, and $1.99 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast. I am surprised to see these coupons in my condo building, because we are at least five miles from the Niles store. I suspect the coupons are going to be available in both the Niles and Wheeling stores too. Hope this helps, Nancy