Hiller's Selling Out to Kroger

[G-DDT]

What we all feel when we take back returnables.

[313WX]

As I was on that side of town, I stopped by the Meijer on 6 Mile and Grand River today.

Considering that it's well within Detroit's city limits, I was impressed by how clean, well-stocked and organized that location is. It's comparatively better than the 8 Mile / Woodward location [[it's also less congested).

I'd say it's even better than the suburban locations I've been to.

My only disappoint was their very limited assortment of cookies [[I had to go to a suburban location any way for these). Though to be fair, it is a Sunday.

[G-DDT]

Dad went to school there [[when it was Redford High). There was a police precinct there, as well. I haven't been in that area for a while, so I don't even know if the 8-ball/horn sculpture [[that as a kid I though was where the monthly weekend air raid sound came from) is still there.

Kind of hoping Old Redford makes a come back [[just as Brightmoor gradually is becoming). After all, you got the Theater and such.

[detroitbob]

Considering that it's well within Detroit's city limits, I was impressed by how clean, well-stocked and organized that location is.

Why wouldn't the store be cleaned and well stocked? The corporate standards are not dictated
by locations...Meijer is Meijer and managers are held to the same standards. If anything the Detroit stores would have a top notch management staff to maintain the quality.

[313WX]

Why wouldn't the store be cleaned and well stocked?

Traditionally, stores/restaurants in Detroit proper tend to suffer from apathetic management [[which also leads to apathetic employees being hired / kept on) simply because it's Detroit [[with the high cost of doing business, the customer base being poor and the lack of competition), and thus the businesses aren't nearly as well-run as their suburban counterparts.

[G-DDT]

^^^by the same fashion-not all Kroger's are modeled the same. Some that are near the city limits [[in Southfield) are not well stocked on some items. Their stock that is present can also be dented and in poor condition. The question is, is it the fault of the store or manager?

Sometimes being suburban doesn't improve things. Hiring apathetic and jaded Hank High kids is a real baaad move for some Dearborn businesses [[even if it is to give them their first job-yet, I guess all kids tend to take the first few jobs as being a big jaunt for slacking off). Case in point: Buddy's. I feel real sorry for anyone whose first [[or only) impression of the awesome thing that is Buddy's pizza be that of the Dearborn location that is staffed by a bunch of idiot kids who ruin the orders, treat the customers poorly, and fail to bake the pizzas properly.

[Now&then]

We may be taking all our grocery concerns to Meijer's now.

We use only two brands of TP, and we use the Ultra Strong Double Rolls. Kroger is phasing out those and carryingonly Mega Rolls versions for all the brands, so that you pay more for those. We have an older style house with a recessed tile dispenser that can hold Mega Rolls. I'm old, and have to use that cramped first floor bathroom that can't even hold a TP stand [[and I can't reach behind me to just grab at some roll on the back of the toilet).

We went to two locations and called another. They are all doing this. When we sent a complaint online, we got someone who suggested we try smaller counts of Angel Soft [[yuk). That doesn't help. Meijer has no problem carrying larger counts of the non-Mega, and they said they won't be changing any time soon. So, we will have to support them, if Kroger likes to snub us like that.

Anyone else have trouble with Mega Roll TP?

[Bigb23]

We may be taking all our grocery concerns to Meijer's now.

We use only two brands of TP, and we use the Ultra Strong Double Rolls. Kroger is phasing out those and carryingonly Mega Rolls versions for all the brands, so that you pay more for those. We have an older style house with a recessed tile dispenser that can hold Mega Rolls. I'm old, and have to use that cramped first floor bathroom that can't even hold a TP stand [[and I can't reach behind me to just grab at some roll on the back of the toilet).

We went to two locations and called another. They are all doing this. When we sent a complaint online, we got someone who suggested we try smaller counts of Angel Soft [[yuk). That doesn't help. Meijer has no problem carrying larger counts of the non-Mega, and they said they won't be changing any time soon. So, we will have to support them, if Kroger likes to snub us like that.

Anyone else have trouble with Mega Roll TP?

Only that the mega rolls are half the thickness of the regular rolls.

And I had a question that my local Kroger deli could not answer. So I called the national number, who put me on hold- and put me back into the local Kroger deli that could not answer my question in the first place. Ahh corporate.

[Bobl]

Our neighborhood Kroger store was recently moved a quarter mile, where heavier traffic adds a few minutes to trips for grocery shopping. I now do much more shopping at local fruit and vegetable markets. Walk right in, walk right out. Glad that we do not live in a food desert, and enjoy supporting small businesses.

[G-DDT]

Nope, Bigb, those rolls are bigger than the Double, and they do not fit in the tile work recessed dispenser in my mom's bathroom like the Doubles do. My love/hate with Kroger has been heavily leaning towards the hate lately.

[preserve]

I've never been to that Kroger store in the commercials where the staff know the customers by name, I think that must be on another planet. Whenever I use the self checkout and have a problem at the Kroger in Dearborn on Greenfield, I get the clerk who hates her job, hates life and definitely hates me for being so stupid that I can't scan my own groceries. Only go to Kroger when there is no time to travel any further or something I want is really on sale there. It's not only the super rolls of TP, it's the super size of anything. They've quit carrying smaller sizes of detergents and canned vegetables and fruits.

[SDCC]

I've never been to that Kroger store in the commercials where the staff know the customers by name, I think that must be on another planet. Whenever I use the self checkout and have a problem at the Kroger in Dearborn on Greenfield, I get the clerk who hates her job, hates life and definitely hates me for being so stupid that I can't scan my own groceries. Only go to Kroger when there is no time to travel any further or something I want is really on sale there. It's not only the super rolls of TP, it's the super size of anything. They've quit carrying smaller sizes of detergents and canned vegetables and fruits.

Kroger is a $40 billion company - that's market capitalization, not sales. There is a chance [[granted a small one) that you are not familiar with the 400,000 plus employees that Kroger's has. I enjoy shopping at the Kroger that you have singled out; are you referring to the Kroger employee that has shoulder length blond hair that seems to be regularly stationed at the self service check out?

[G-DDT]

I've never been to that Kroger store in the commercials where the staff know the customers by name, I think that must be on another planet. Whenever I use the self checkout and have a problem at the Kroger in Dearborn on Greenfield, I get the clerk who hates her job, hates life and definitely hates me for being so stupid that I can't scan my own groceries. Only go to Kroger when there is no time to travel any further or something I want is really on sale there. It's not only the super rolls of TP, it's the super size of anything. They've quit carrying smaller sizes of detergents and canned vegetables and fruits.

That location isn't known for being all around friendly at all or decent with customer service [[sometimes you have to walk right out and scour the lot for shopping carts).

Despite what initial reports in the Press & Guide stated based on witness testimonials, there was an incident last year where an Arab American man [[who was with his two daughters) got harassed, jumped, and beaten by some white dudes [[downriver?) who then fled. The story oddly changed as it was printed and broadcast in follow-up reports, as police and staff there seemed to almost side with the attackers or claim "it never happened".

[Don K]

I still go to the ex-Hillers at 14 and Haggerty, because Kroger is stocking most of the items that made Hillers unique. Kroger does, however, have some interesting blind spots, such as fresh bean sprouts [[or any bean sprouts for that matter - I didn't even find LaChoy or Chun King canned sprouts) or ziti. I mean, cmon, baked ziti is a pretty standard Italian dish, and Kroger doesn't even stock ziti? Thank god for Market Square at Walnut Lake and Inkster. For a small store they pack in lots of stuff!

[compn]

don, have you been to johnny pomodoros? at 14 + middlebelt ? http://www.johnnypomodoros.com/
not sure if they carry fresh bean sprouts, best call first. its been a while since i stopped there.

those kroger commercials are so creepy. where the cashiere knows your name! wow. they must be going for the boomer demographic with those?

all i can say is invest in door-to-door grocery delivery services because thats the future. i've seen the trucks, i've seen the boxes in the trash , its coming.

no more walking around krogers' aisles where the common items everyone buys are intentionally split up in the four corners of the store. click a few buttons and groceries delivered to your door.

[compn]

The high quality Hiller's store in Ann Arbor which was bought out by Kroger instantly became the worst Kroger store in the area, not nearly as good as the existing Maple Rd. and Plymouth Rd. stores, and not even as large as the dreary Carpenter location. I don't know why they bothered. I lived in Burlingame CA for years and loved the local Draeger's Market. I don't think I'll see it's like anytime soon in Michigan. Sob.http://www.draegers.com/images/_home/home_slide.01.jpg

plum market on maple road in a2 is pretty nice, although its way overpriced. all i wanted was a jar of helmanns, $9??

[preserve]

SDCC: No that's not the clerk I was referring to.