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Grocery shopping in Dayton: my mom’s view

We take a lot of things in Dayton for granted. My mother, who just moved down from Cleveland, where she would drive all over to do her “marketing”- or grocery shopping to the rest of us, has given me some perspective to share.

She thinks the produce at Kroger on Wayne is great- esp. after they restock on Mondays and Thursdays. She likes the small store- and can walk there from South Park.

Dot’s is her favorite though. Only being here a month- she’s taken a liking to the amazing customer service. The meat counter will cut anything she wants, and even has chicken backs for making soup. Dad’s loving giblets and gizzards and all the stuff that I’m still a little twitchy about eating, but the old fashioned, real butchering they do, makes my mom happy. Dad also marveled at how the guy who was pulling old English muffins off the shelf dropped everything to go get a brand new fresh package for my father.

She was used to Trader Joe’s in Cleveland, even though it was a long haul. She likes the one we have, although, you can’t get everything you need from TJ’s.

She thinks Dorothy Lane Market is a bit “dear”- but, has everything- including some extra light virgin olive oil she likes. Also, they stocked the powdered buttermilk she likes- something the Kroger manager said he’d stock if she showed him a package.

I’ve introduced her to my favorite vendors at the Second Street market. The baby spinach from Hydro-Growers, the fresh cheeses from Blue Jacket Dairy, the bread from Rahn’s Artisan bread, and the “Armando” tomatoes and pungent garlic from the little organic farmers who set up outside next to the Grand Lake St. Mary’s people. I should have the name of the organic farm- but, I don’t.

She’s also made great friends at Halal International Market where she can buy bulk spices, Bulgar, olives, feta, Jasmine pita- and Labne- all just a short walk from the cottage.

I haven’t taken her to “Basically British” yet in the Cannery- but she just got a care package from my English cousins who came for a visit last week. She was born in the UK- and still likes her “Digestives” – a dry, sweet, buttery biscuit that begs for milk.

Me, I’m just happy to be able to see the parents everyday- and get a few home cooked meals a week.

For all you foodies in Dayton- the ingredients are here, if you know where to look. And, with the exception of Kroger and Trader Joes, you can still be supporting local businesses with your grocery dollars.

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Jeff

Still plugging that lame-ass Second Street Market, I see.

Findlay Market is about 45 minutes away and is worth the trip because of the selection and price.  I wouldn’t waste my time going downtown for 2nd Street, though it is closer to you in South Park.

Jeff

For UK goodies Basically British is what it is and what it is is small.  You need to take your mum up to WISE Choice in Huber Heights for a bigger store/selection. 

We are fortunate (if we are into English food) that there are two specialty stores in the area that stock this stuff.

truddick

Missing: Far East, where one can get fresh lemongrass, frozen Chinese buns, and similar oriental standards…and some Hispanic fare too.  Not to mention servingware.   Also Health Foods Unlimited; even if you’re not fond of homeopathic/macrobiotic/vegan/etc., they have great produce even in winter and better nuts, beans and rice than you’ll find in other outlets.

And when do you take Mum on the ultimate supermarket destination drive to Jungle Jim’s?

Melissa

Tonight, I bought “homegrown” produce at the Kroger on Dorothy Lane – green beans from a farm in Urbana. There were a few other locally grown produce products, too. I’m just thankful the one on 48 opened back up, so everyone will leave “my” Kroger alone. LOL

Gene

True that Kroger and TJ might not be local businesses, but they do employ people that live here and if you don’t support those stores then they might pick up and leave, putting a lot of people out of work.

Oh, that work thing. Yes, bigger businesses do serve a purpose folks.

D. Greene

truddick: there is a Latino/Mexican style store off of 741 at Alex Bell in West Carrolton, it’s in a strip mall next to Marco’s pizza, and last I checked I thought there was a hispanic grocery store on Linden in Dayton, just west of Smithville.  I’m sure will see more of these in the coming year, the two I mentioned are smaller, neighborhood style stores.

There’s an Indian store too, I think called Mall of India, at the Fairfield Mall next to men’s wearhouse, they even do Indian style cooking classes some Sundays.

Besides, for the size of Dayton,  I think we have a very good, diverse restaurant selection.

David Lauri

I don’t think the Second Street Market is “lame ass.”  Sure, Findlay Market is nice, but not everyone wants to drive to Cincinnati every week.

Joe

I don’t find the Kroger on Wayne to be to bad either. It’s close and usually has what I need. I think people have an issue with the clientele (i.e. poor, food stamps, black or Appalachian ,etc…) and the store gets a bad reputation for being “shady”. I don’t think new Kroger’s is needed when that one was built/remodeled in 2003 (plaque in the entry way gives that date)

There is a need for better access to quality food in the City, however. That doesn’t necessarily translate to another Kroger’s. What about a larger farmers market somewhere downtown. Let’s block off part of a street every Sunday and get more local produce downtown. That wouldn’t directly interfere w/ 2nd Street since they are closed on Sundays. It would be a fun outing like 2nd street is, but larger and outside.

Dot’s does have the best meat! Brunks on N. Dixie is good as well.

Allison

I buy all of our meat at Brunks, and can’t recommend it highly enough. If you have some of Jack’s hand-ground chuck, you would never eat that garbage from the grocery store again.

They don’t call it “the Krazy Kroger” for nothing – some seriously disturbed people shop there. When I worked downtown, there was a woman who worked in the deli there that made the best meatloaf  (on Wendesdays, I think).

Gene

Driving far to a “market” defeats the point of the Market. The Market is supposed to be close, easy to walk or ride to, so one can buy local things or things that a brought closer to them.

It is officially know as SCARY KROGER. No other name counts. I did a poll (unscientific, yes, but 6 out of 9 people said SCARY KROGER immediately.) Other names including Crack Kroger (My Favorite), Dirty Kroger and Ass Kroger. The last one was by a drunk guying saying he thought the people at Kroger were asses, therefore he immediately nicknamed it Ass Kroger. I shop at that Kroger on occasion. Have never really had a problem myself, and I think most of the names are funny.

The Kroger on Needmore is worse. And WTF can’t people return carts to the proper locations? Seriously. Why so many carts across the street, out by the street, all over the parking lot, over in apartment complexes, etc. I hope someone defends these losers.

Butcher Block in Kettering (over by Community Golf Course) re-opened. I think A Thurs-Fri-Sat thing, not sure, just heard from the Merlot Vine.

Jeff

Driving far to a “market” defeats the point of the Market. The Market is supposed to be close, easy to walk or ride to, so one can buy local things or things that a brought closer to them.

I do my Findlay Market trip when doing cigarette runs to Covington or on my way to and from visiting kin in Kentucky.   So it’s not all the time.  But its 100 times more worth the trip than driving downtown to 2nd Street “Market”.

Jeff

I should say that I have heard there is a butcher operation up west of Englewood run by some religous group who has farmland up there.  Haven’t been there (way out of the way for me) but maybe others have heard of it?

Allison

You’re probably talking about Landes Meats, near Northmont High School. They have been around for years. They have a nice store where they sell their meats, eggs, bakery items, etc. They are a dunkard family, not actually a religious “group” :)

Drexel Dave Sparks

Farmer Brown @ The Paris Flea Market on Sunday morning.

Joe

Kroghetto is my favorite nickname. The Kroger on Needmore is the real Kroghetto. There is very little actual food there. The cars in the parking lot/across the street are probably from the public housing close by. No car=take a cart home.

Landis (Landes?) has good beef. Their whole turkeys are good too. They have a great deal of land in northwest Montgomery County and some in Darke County. The 153rd Darke County fair is coming up, too. Good food there, and a true rural county fair. The best meat I’ve had is from a family friends cow. Grass fed, happy, free to roam in it’s pastures. Tasty. There couldn’t have been more than 1-2% fat in the ground beef we got from them. Never had to drain the grease because there wasn’t any!

David Lauri

My favorite politically incorrect name for the Wayne Ave Kroger is “Deliverance Kroger.”

(Good thing I never intend to run for anything because comments like this would come back to bite me.)

Janie

Where can I purchase good lamb at?

Deb in Ohio

“Armed robbery Kroger’s” is the way I’ve heard it (Wayne Ave.) but I used to stop there on my way home from work all the time and NEVER had the slightest problem. Yes, the area is a little down-at-the-heels, but the staff and customers were never any less than friendly and accommodating. I seldom stop there now, but only because I don’t work downtown any more.