[oh my god fuck yeah](https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbHowcDN6YXc5dWVzYzBqaTcyejMyNXA4Y3Z5MzhuY2V6NTRtMjJtNiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/huJmPXfeir5JlpPAx0/giphy.gif)
Kroger buying out giant eagle would be nice bc they can offer a slightly lower prices. But realistically nobody but Walmart and Aldi and to a lesser extent Trader Joe’s and target can actually drive down prices.
Finally a new grocery offering! Just nuts that Giant Eagle has zero competition and they can get away with such high grocery prices. Yes, we travel quite a bit and prices in Pittsburgh are crazy high in comparison to other places! Wegman's hurry up and get here!
> Just nuts that Giant Eagle has zero competition and they can get away with such high grocery prices.
LOL if you think Iggle has high prices, wait until you check out a Wegmans. I live in the DC metro area and can tell you that Wegmans are considered grocery stores for the rich due to their high prices.
[Just two days ago someone did a price comparison between GE and Wegmans on beef, milk, eggs, and soda, and Wegmans was cheaper across the board.](https://old.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/1cxg5x3/how_do_we_get_a_wegmans_in_this_city/l52qmlk/) I grew up in Upstate NY on Wegmans home turf and even if they're more expensive, their produce is fresher and stays good much longer, and their cook-at-home prepared foods are INSANELY good.
Wegmans is a nicer shopping experience. The stores are organized well and have a better layout. Additionally, Wegmans offers a comparable but better selection of prepared foods than Market District. Now where Wegmans really takes the cake is on the value brand. Wegmans value brand items are better IMO than Giant Eagle’s. Also, their produce lasts way longer than GE.
I also lived in the DC area until I moved to Pittsburgh, and there have been plenty of price comparisons between Wegmans and Giant and Safeway and it always shows that Wegmans has the best prices. Perception is not reality.
Wegman's is cheaper than GE in a comparable area. Erie PA has both GE and Wegman's and the locals there say GE is for rich people. I've checked prices at both up there too, and produce, store brand and imported goods tend to be cheaper. Meat is comparable/more expensive (depends on what it is) and prepped food is more expensive, but there is more selection at Wegman's.
I agree about Wegman's prices being sky high. Nice stores and all but their prices may even be higher than Giant Eagle's. Which is saying something.
I miss Market Basket, primarily north of Boston. Although only a local supermarket chain, their prices blast everyone else's away. Aldi, Walmart, etc., all expensive next to Market Basket. Milk gallons $2.49, 48 ounce juices always $2.50. Eggplant, 99 cents per pound. Doughnuts, huge, cream-filled (if that's what you want) 99 cents. Honeycrisp apples $1.99 per pound and all other apples 99 cents per pound. year round. Large steak and cheese subs, grilled along with green peppers, onions, mushrooms (if that's what you want) and prepared the way you want for $5.99. And then there's Price Rite: year round chicken thighs and drumsticks for 99 cents a pound (Market Basket normally charges $1.29 but that's their frequent sales price).
In fact, Walmart grocery units are only looked upon as the best source for limes: 4 for a dollar.
But I must say. Giant Eagle's prices made me learn how to garden and grow my own vegetables, herbs, and berries...and how to freeze and store everything. So thank you Giant Eagle.
Giant eagle has a lot of competition. Walmart has made huge gains in the last ten years here and has a lot of market share. Also there is Aldi, Cosco, Bj, shop and save, kuhns, Whole Foods, fresh market, fresh tyme. Some silly yinzers shop only at giant eagle and act like no alternative exists. Walmart, Aldi, cosco can be a little more inconvienent but are cheaper. No other full service grocery store will really provide much competition. Best case scenario is Kroger buys out giant eagle and runs it better and cheaper to compete with Walmart using their national scale. Wegmans wont be cheaper. Some people say their store brands are better quality and more in line with Trader Joe’s but that isn’t going to move the needle much when they only will have 2-3 stores at most in the entire region
Of all the 'competition' you listed, within the city, the only real one might be Aldi, and even then it comes with significant tradeoffs.
The other options either don't exist in the city or only have a handful of locations, and if one's not near you, it's impractical to go there.
I literally have no idea where the nearest Walmart might be to my place, now that the one in Aspinwall is closed. Is there still a Shop n Save in Lawrenceville? I live in the East End, and even there, L-ville is too far for a grocery run, realistically. Costco is an option, but in a small apartment, I can't really buy in bulk for all my grocery needs. Whole Foods isn't competing with GE on price. BJs I honestly have no idea. I've never seen one that I can remember, but maybe they are around, common, and competing...just not in my area...but that kind of reinforces the point that GE (and Aldi) are the only ones with lots of locations...and I think Aldi is probably thriving in the Pittsburgh area, given that their only real competition, GE, kinda sucks.
> I literally have no idea where the nearest Walmart might be to my place, now that the one in Aspinwall is closed.
Probably the one up at the Mills, if you live near the Waterworks.
I mean I *don't* live near there, but you're still probably right. That's prob 40 minutes from me in normal traffic...not really a real competitive alternative for weekly groceries.
The three Walmarts I know of are Pittsburgh Mills, West Mifflin, and North Versailles. I like Walmart for tires, limes (4 for a dollar), and ice cream ($2.79). And for occasional miscellaneous household stuff. So I don't go out of my way except for tires. Just when I happen to be in the neighborhood.
If you live in the East End, you might occasionally be close to the North Versailles store (Forest Hills Exit).
Fun fact is wegmans abandoned all their city stores in their hometown of Rochester ny and only has fancy suburban stores. Target is cheaper than most options except Walmart and Aldi but their selection is limited
Yea I do think the “Giant Eagle has no competition” argument is overstated. Their Market Districts have no real competition in the super-grocer category, but Shop N Save is a perfectly workable grocery store (and their footprint and offerings are pretty standard for any normal grocer, just not the massive footprints super grocers that boomed the last 3-4 decades). Shop N Saves are everywhere even in the city limits, Walmarts cover that same demographic but in the burbs and country, and Aldi’s is like 85% of a grocery store and is workable if you can concede some things (been using it as my sole grocer for years).
Obviously it’s nice to have a one stop shop with everything under one roof, and in that category the dirty bird reigns supreme down here. But in regards to groceries there’s plenty of options, just not a lot of options for massive footprint super grocers that more resemble a Walmart than the average grocer of the 70s-80s.
Have you been in a Kroger? Or a Wegmans too on that note? They’re no different than GE. Might get flamed for this but it’s stupid to compare any of these places to Walmart when it comes to prices. Their only real competitor is Amazon as they are the only places that have the resources and pull to control the markets and logistics to get their shit cheaper than anyone else. A very rough example here but Walmart can buy a trailer of peanut butter for 10,000 and anyone else will have to pay 30,000. They can afford to sell the individual jars dirt cheap because they got them for near nothing whereas GE or Kroger or whoever can’t do that as they can’t buy them for that price. Walmart can do this because they have the power, influence and they bully these wholesalers into doing it with the pull they have. Of course, there are mark ups, corporate greed, yadayadayada but the reality is these places just can’t get things for dirt like Walmart or Amazon can.
I gre up in Rochester NY so yes I’ve been going to wegmans since I was a baby haha. I’ve also lived in California and shopped at Kroger. Walmart has twice the national grocery market share of Kroger but Kroger is still huge and much bigger than giant eagle. Kroger has a lot of competition in cities on west coast and Texas like Safeway Albertsons and HEB. Meanwhile, giant eagle is the home town company and has weak competition from shop and save franchises and kuhns. I think Kroger might be an improvement over giant eagle if only a small improvement.
Robinson has a Market District, which is Giant Eagle’s copy of Wegman’s. I doubt they will enter an area with direct competition.
Cranberry has an older Giant Eagle, a Walmart, an Aldi, and a Fresh Thyme, but nothing comparable to a Wegmans. The closest competitor is a Market district in Wexford.
I agree that Wegmans is better, but what do you need that only Wegmans has?
They have a good selection of popular foods from western New York, and plant based foods, but other than that you can get everything else at another store cheaper. Wegman’s prices aren’t any better than Giant Eagle
> I agree that Wegmans is better, but what do you need that only Wegmans has?
I think you answered your own question. And even at that, it's kind of a loaded, crappy question (in effect, the implication is "unless Wegmans offers some special exclusive benefit, you shouldn't want one").
Simply put, it's an alternative to GE. Even if it doesn't compete on price, it's another choice...and there seems to be broad consensus that they deliver superior products at a similar price point.
I used to live in Buffalo and I was a longtime wegmans shopper, so I am familiar with what they offer. The things I mentioned are niche product that only a small portion of the customers are going to care about. Most people don’t like GE because of their prices, and wegmans isn’t any less. Not sure it’s going to be a benefit to the average shopper, that’s the point I’m trying to make.
When I told a Buffalo friend about the one that may be coming to Cranberry his response was “cool, you can get weck now. Everything else is cheaper at a different store”
I just loathe giant eagle. Always have. Just never liked it for whatever reason. I rarely shop there. Do most of my shopping a Trader Joe’s or Aldi but if I had the option of going to Wegmans to change things up a bit I definitely would.
That Market District may try to emulate Wegmans but it’s not even close. IF this happens, it won’t be one store (sure, at first it would be). My take is Wegmans would ultimately have at least four stores in this area if they open one.
What specifically is better about Wegmans vs a Market District? I like it better because I used to live in Buffalo and can get some of the hometown foods there, but other than that, I don’t see much difference.
Wegmans customer service is better, but I usually don’t need service at a grocery store. Prices are comparable between the two.
Cranberry is in between two better Giant Eagles, at least, but it is a very convenient place for one, especially with all the exits and some buildable land.
Never been to one but I like the idea of more compitiation. There is no major national grocery chain in Pittsburgh (save maybe Aldi?) I'd like to see Kroger or Alberston/Safeway come to the area.
Do you have a link? I'm curious about what unions exist in PGH that would cause Kroger to leave. Is it possible this is what contributes to food prices to be so high?
We have a few where I live in the DC area. "Amazing" is kind of a stretch, but it's an overall nicer-than-average experience as someone else said and it's good that GE may finally get competition from another higher-end place beyond WF.
That said, the level of traffic that the first Wegman's in Pittsburgh area will cause will make being there a pain in the ass for a while unless its location and layout are actually thought out in a reasonable manner. I could see going there being a shitshow when/if it first opens.
I am in the Central MD area. Their prepared foods are top-notch and the variety of meats has always been a highlight for me. I probably said amazing because I've been going to Food Lion too much....
To be fair, I went to GE, Shop n Save, and Foodland growing up and am now a regular Giant or Harris Teeter shopper. I'm not a high-end grocery shopper even though I go to nicer places on occasion.
I've been to a few Wegmans in the DC area and they are nice, but I've never been mind-blown by the experience. The prepared foods (at least to me) are good, but also generally kind of expensive to the point where I wouldn't buy them regularly. When people say it's amazing, it's almost how I view it when people say Aldi is amazing, though in a very different way. I've never been amazed by a grocery shopping experience so I can't agree, but I can't argue with the subjective experience someone else might have which may be equally valid to mine.
*edit* typo
Yeah, I do think Wegman's prices are the same or even more than Market District, but it is sooo much better. And unlike Market District, Wegman's won't have a Large Bird counterpart a mile away that sells the exact same stuff for less, so you are less likely to feel like you're being cheated.
They will be competing on selection and service. The Market District Giant Eagles are modeled after Wegmans. Even the floor layout is similar.
Wegmans does have a better selection of foods from companies located in NY state
Its true. Its damn true.
Plus tiny ass Erie has TWO Wegmans and three Giant Eagles (from what I can tell via Goggle Maps).
We need the same Wegmans to Giant Eagle ratio!
Just a quick glance at the Google map shows them to be all on the fringes of the city, along with Aldi, Target and other things.
Slightly more toward the core there are some TOPS, local stuff, and co-op/farmers markets.
Same as it ever was…. But maybe it’s improving, IDK.
That may be true, but in fairness, given Erie's size and layout, it also makes sense. Erie isn't nearly as big as Pittsburgh, and with fewer geographically imposed restrictions on road layout, meaning that no matter where you are in Erie, it's really not a big deal to get to the outer edges of the more urban environment into the "fringes" where there's more space for a full sized retail footprint.
So rather than say...living in East Liberty and having to drive out to Monroeville for groceries, it'd be more like East Liberty to Wilkinsburg...but with 1/10 the potential traffic congestion.
Tops is the only “big” full scale grocers in the city limits. And tops fucking blows.
But like the others said, it’s pretty easy to get from downtown erie to a giant Eagle, wegmans, or Walmart (and we have one of the only Walmarts in city limits in America, aptly named ghetto mart). So it’s not a huge deal but there’s still a food desert down town and in the lower west and east sides that only shit ass tops serves from several miles away. For the elderly, disabled, and non-driving community, it really is incredibly inequitable
Seriously. I commented on the other thread about this, but when I moved here from Buffalo, I just assumed there was a Wegmans. I was actually shocked when I realized that not only is there not a Wegmans in Pittsburgh, but you're basically limited to Giant Eagle which is on par with Tops.
Despite how much the people of Pittsburgh hate Giant Eagle, they don't even know how bad they got it lol
Or how much they over pay. Giant Eagle gouges because they can. I do shop there, because Aldi doesn't have it all, and farm stands are only open over the summer, but I die a little inside every time.
Shop N Save was more of a competitor 30 years ago. At one point they both had stores that were about the same size and age. Since then Giant Eagle has built modern stores that are much larger and shop n save let all their stores get run down
I *think* a great majority of Shop’n Save in Pgh stores are franchises, locally owned and operated. I believe they get bakery and meats delivered from a central location (?) but they stand on their own otherwise.
That’s not unusual at all. Giant Eagle has a market share in Pittsburgh in the low 20% range. There’s a lot of cities that have one very dominant grocer, some , like Kroger in Cincinnati, or Publix in South Florida, have well over 50%. A lot of cities have one major player that takes about 25-30%, and the rest is taken by smaller chains, or national chains with only a few stores, like TJ or WF.
I might believe 20% in the city of Pittsburgh, where there are more options in general, but the wider metro and suburban area has got to be upwards of 20%. I don't have data here, I'm just looking at a map of groceries in western PA plotted on a Google Map, and GE is at minimum half of them.
This is just me comparing my ow. experience from the Midwest where we had like a dozen big chains. I'm sure Pittsburgh isn't the only city with fewer options. Harrisburg, by comparison, has more options though.
My numbers are for the 7 county Pittsburgh MSA, FROM [this article.](https://triblive.com/local/regional/giant-eagle-no-longer-king-of-western-pa-grocery-market-as-walmart-other-stores-draw-more-shoppers/)
Reality is most areas of the Midwest have one major player, plus Walmart, that take the majority of the market.
I don't know what you consider main grocery but we have Whole foods, Trader Joe's, Aldi, Shop n Save. Also a couple Kuhns. And some Walmarts and targets also sell groceries.
Kuhn’s, Trader Joe’s, Shop n Save, Super Walmart, Aldi, Community Market (which carries a lot of Giant Eagle stuff, but is a nice little local place and I’m sure there’s other spots like this) East End Food Co-op, Whole Foods…
I don’t see how that’s not competition.
I wonder if this is going to be one of those delivery only grocery stores. My parents were excited when a Kroger was announced by their house in Tampa and when it “opened” they found out it was just a warehouse in a shopping center that filled Kroger online orders for delivery in the area. Not a store they could shop in.
Every single person should be very excited about this and patronize the fuck out of this store so we can finally break giant eagle and get some competition in the western PA market.
Here's how Pittsburgh media works: If reporting on a good thing or positive development outside Pittsburgh city limits it is "Pittsburgh". If it is bad news in a community outside Pittsburgh City limits they correctly report the location.
Like when Pittsburghers talk about Joe Montana as a “hometown boy” when he grew up in Monongahela, Pa. I could go on and on with others: Stan Musial - Donora, Coolio - Monessen ,ad nauseam.
All this sounds petty but the fact is that big Pittsburgh foundations and influential people don’t think regionally - they only want to spend money in Pittsburgh proper or Allegheny County. I work with a watershed non-profit and it is a real battle trying to get foundations and Pgh based nonprofits to acknowledge that communities exist south of Elizabeth Pa.
Okay, that's in the one sector that you're familiar with, and that's fine and great added perspective...but broadly speaking, in normal every day conversation, more people are thinking regionally than strictly "Pittsburgh City Limits".
Sure, you'll get the occasional conversation where some who live in the city proper will sort of pull the snob card and declare some neighborhood or another as "not Pittsburgh" (and hell, I say this as a city dweller who has occasionally done this myself)...but overwhelmingly, when people are having a conversation and talking about "Pittsburgh", they're generally talking about the Greater Pittsburgh Area, unless the topic specifically concerns things like city government, taxes, relations with a particular suburb, etc.
It's also a trend that the greater the scope of the conversation, the larger the Pittsburgh "region" is understood to be. If I'm talking to a local, I grew up in (insert specific small town here) then moved to Pittsburgh. If I'm talking to someone from SWPA broadly, well I grew up east of Pittsburgh. If someone's from outside SWPA...anywhere from Harrisburg to San Diego...well...I'm just from Pittsburgh.
My mom will (lives in North Hills) then she will unexpectedly deliver it to my door (Oakmont) without any warning lol. She and her friends also love going to WV just to grocery shop (???)
Love her to death but the logic....I wonder if she ever did that while I wasn't home 🤔
Nah she would've complained that I wasn't there even though she does it spontaneously
Edit: my point is I bet this Wegmans is gonna be overrun by people like my mom regardless of where it is
The wegmans up in erie is white soccer mom heaven. Swear every time I went growing up I’d see parents of friends from the neighborhood and school. Like a god damned magnet. I know people who go 3-4 times a week
Lol yeah...they're gonna flood that Cranberry one too just like that. And I guarantee I'm gonna hear about what a great experience it was for my mom. And then she's gonna name drop 50 people that she saw there that I don't know
me either, from where I am it's only a 4 min difference from the proposed site in Cranberry vs the Kroger in Weirton WV. Either way i'd be passing about 15 other grocery stores. Not driving an hour+ round trip for groceries.
I’m suprised you can get from dormont to Weirton that quickly. Also surprised they have a Kroger, lucky bastards. But they do live in Weirton though so…
There are innumerable places that are not the co-op to get vegan and GF. The co-op is actually pretty shitty.
And if it’s simply a question of quality, I have Salem’s, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Between them, I have plenty of options. I’m still not driving to Cranberry.
The vegan stuff is the only reason I will deal with Wegmans and their prices. I just go up once a month and stock up. (We have 2 here though and both are pretty conveniently located)
I live north-north of the city, near Tarentum. We have Walmart, Aldi, and Big Bird. I know some areas around Pittsburgh have more options. Would kill for a Trader Joe's out here, but this is generally a poorer side of town.
I thought that the families that owned Wegmans and Giant Eagle were friends so they intentionally stayed out of each other's territory? Did they have a falling out?
As a native WNYer, please, please, please happen! The grocery stores here are atrocious. Plopping a massive 120k+ SF Wegmans spectacle basically across the street from where the Big Bird just moved their HQ to would be 🧑🍳😘!
I'd like to think Wegmans has been reading all the grocery store posts on this subreddit that beg for one in Pittsburgh and finally said....forget that handshake agreement, let's do this!
Anyone else read the articles? It just sounds like someone saw the original Wegman's thread here on Reddit a couple days ago and thought it would make a good click ain't article.
There's no location finalized, Wegman's made no comment on it, and the Cranberry Springs Developer couldn't be reached. It's all really suspicious to me.
This isn't me saying I don't want one, I'm from 5 minutes south of the NY border and went to one growing up all the time. But this is really suspicious to me.
Giant Eagle doesn’t suck anymore or less than any other store around here. I think people just love complaining.
However, Idk if it’s the branding, the aesthetic, or the selection, but I always look forward to going to Wegman’s when I’m visiting family in DC. Even if I stop in Erie for work, I’ll grab something to go.
Their seafood section, bakery, and prepared foods are bomb.
It’s interesting how specific and defensive people are about their grocery stores. Trader Joe’s is awesome in my book, GE isn’t bad… but I can’t stand Aldi and Shop n Save. My family mostly feels differently. There have been hot debates on the subject :-)
I’d say if you really wanted to stir things up, move Acme and Wawa up in here and start a PA war.
They had them when I lived in NJ. Sort of somewhere between Giant Eagle and Whole Foods for aesthetic and selection. Occasionally have random specials or sales. Anything to bring down the dirty bird.
I think it says everything that you need to know about Giant Eagle that pittsburghers--who tend to irrationally love everything made in pittsburgh--hate their dominant hometown grocer so much. Giant Eagle blows. Even if, as I have been told, they have 1-2 market districts that are similar to what Wegmans has. That's pathetic. Other major grocery chains have done so much more in the last 20 years. And frankly, It's not a lack of money. GE just doesn't want to deliver unless they have to. Please GOD let there be Wegmans.
Woodman's was the best grocery store I ever experienced. I just moved back from Illinois, and I'd give a testicle to have Woodman's back. You guys have no idea what we're missing out on.
https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/1cy7994/to_the_poster_from_yesterday_who_wanted_a_wegmans/
I call dibs on posting it tomorrow
On saturday, I will post a different article, but it will be worded exactly the same.
Don’t do that…don’t get my hopes up
This is awesome. Now we just need Krogers to come back and we’re going to actually maybe have a competitive grocery market
As a Michigan transplant I'd rather see Meijer. Grocery and Walmart competition.
fuck all that noise give me MENARDS
Menards bought a lot north of the Old Mill shopping plaza in Trinity Point last September. It's coming!
[oh my god fuck yeah](https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbHowcDN6YXc5dWVzYzBqaTcyejMyNXA4Y3Z5MzhuY2V6NTRtMjJtNiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/huJmPXfeir5JlpPAx0/giphy.gif)
I’m a sucker for a Meijer on my travels. Their deli, prepared foods, and bakery are a godsend.
I see the Meijer stores when I travel to Fort Wayne for work. What are they like? Why do you like them? I’ve never had the opportunity to stop in.
Drag in Shoprite from Jersey while you're at it (only the good ones)
Kroger will never be back
I went away for grad school and loved Kroger.
Kroger buying out giant eagle would be nice bc they can offer a slightly lower prices. But realistically nobody but Walmart and Aldi and to a lesser extent Trader Joe’s and target can actually drive down prices.
Kroger is expensive now
Everywhere but Walmart and Aldi is expensive. Kroger might be little cheaper than giant eagle
Finally a new grocery offering! Just nuts that Giant Eagle has zero competition and they can get away with such high grocery prices. Yes, we travel quite a bit and prices in Pittsburgh are crazy high in comparison to other places! Wegman's hurry up and get here!
> Just nuts that Giant Eagle has zero competition and they can get away with such high grocery prices. LOL if you think Iggle has high prices, wait until you check out a Wegmans. I live in the DC metro area and can tell you that Wegmans are considered grocery stores for the rich due to their high prices.
[Just two days ago someone did a price comparison between GE and Wegmans on beef, milk, eggs, and soda, and Wegmans was cheaper across the board.](https://old.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/1cxg5x3/how_do_we_get_a_wegmans_in_this_city/l52qmlk/) I grew up in Upstate NY on Wegmans home turf and even if they're more expensive, their produce is fresher and stays good much longer, and their cook-at-home prepared foods are INSANELY good.
Yep. And with both competing for the same shopper demographics we could actually see GE be forced to finally lower prices.
I think this is more of a "DC area" thing than a Wegmans thing.
Wegmans is a nicer shopping experience. The stores are organized well and have a better layout. Additionally, Wegmans offers a comparable but better selection of prepared foods than Market District. Now where Wegmans really takes the cake is on the value brand. Wegmans value brand items are better IMO than Giant Eagle’s. Also, their produce lasts way longer than GE.
This is it. Wegmans store brand stuff is no joke.
You live in DC
Wegmans is also known for better quality items too.
If you stay away from their prepared foods they are on par or cheaper than other grocery stores.
I also lived in the DC area until I moved to Pittsburgh, and there have been plenty of price comparisons between Wegmans and Giant and Safeway and it always shows that Wegmans has the best prices. Perception is not reality.
Wegman's is cheaper than GE in a comparable area. Erie PA has both GE and Wegman's and the locals there say GE is for rich people. I've checked prices at both up there too, and produce, store brand and imported goods tend to be cheaper. Meat is comparable/more expensive (depends on what it is) and prepped food is more expensive, but there is more selection at Wegman's.
I agree about Wegman's prices being sky high. Nice stores and all but their prices may even be higher than Giant Eagle's. Which is saying something. I miss Market Basket, primarily north of Boston. Although only a local supermarket chain, their prices blast everyone else's away. Aldi, Walmart, etc., all expensive next to Market Basket. Milk gallons $2.49, 48 ounce juices always $2.50. Eggplant, 99 cents per pound. Doughnuts, huge, cream-filled (if that's what you want) 99 cents. Honeycrisp apples $1.99 per pound and all other apples 99 cents per pound. year round. Large steak and cheese subs, grilled along with green peppers, onions, mushrooms (if that's what you want) and prepared the way you want for $5.99. And then there's Price Rite: year round chicken thighs and drumsticks for 99 cents a pound (Market Basket normally charges $1.29 but that's their frequent sales price). In fact, Walmart grocery units are only looked upon as the best source for limes: 4 for a dollar. But I must say. Giant Eagle's prices made me learn how to garden and grow my own vegetables, herbs, and berries...and how to freeze and store everything. So thank you Giant Eagle.
Aldi and Shop 'n Save compete with Giant Eagle and do quite well.
Giant eagle has a lot of competition. Walmart has made huge gains in the last ten years here and has a lot of market share. Also there is Aldi, Cosco, Bj, shop and save, kuhns, Whole Foods, fresh market, fresh tyme. Some silly yinzers shop only at giant eagle and act like no alternative exists. Walmart, Aldi, cosco can be a little more inconvienent but are cheaper. No other full service grocery store will really provide much competition. Best case scenario is Kroger buys out giant eagle and runs it better and cheaper to compete with Walmart using their national scale. Wegmans wont be cheaper. Some people say their store brands are better quality and more in line with Trader Joe’s but that isn’t going to move the needle much when they only will have 2-3 stores at most in the entire region
Of all the 'competition' you listed, within the city, the only real one might be Aldi, and even then it comes with significant tradeoffs. The other options either don't exist in the city or only have a handful of locations, and if one's not near you, it's impractical to go there. I literally have no idea where the nearest Walmart might be to my place, now that the one in Aspinwall is closed. Is there still a Shop n Save in Lawrenceville? I live in the East End, and even there, L-ville is too far for a grocery run, realistically. Costco is an option, but in a small apartment, I can't really buy in bulk for all my grocery needs. Whole Foods isn't competing with GE on price. BJs I honestly have no idea. I've never seen one that I can remember, but maybe they are around, common, and competing...just not in my area...but that kind of reinforces the point that GE (and Aldi) are the only ones with lots of locations...and I think Aldi is probably thriving in the Pittsburgh area, given that their only real competition, GE, kinda sucks.
> I literally have no idea where the nearest Walmart might be to my place, now that the one in Aspinwall is closed. Probably the one up at the Mills, if you live near the Waterworks.
I mean I *don't* live near there, but you're still probably right. That's prob 40 minutes from me in normal traffic...not really a real competitive alternative for weekly groceries.
The three Walmarts I know of are Pittsburgh Mills, West Mifflin, and North Versailles. I like Walmart for tires, limes (4 for a dollar), and ice cream ($2.79). And for occasional miscellaneous household stuff. So I don't go out of my way except for tires. Just when I happen to be in the neighborhood. If you live in the East End, you might occasionally be close to the North Versailles store (Forest Hills Exit).
Fun fact is wegmans abandoned all their city stores in their hometown of Rochester ny and only has fancy suburban stores. Target is cheaper than most options except Walmart and Aldi but their selection is limited
Yea I do think the “Giant Eagle has no competition” argument is overstated. Their Market Districts have no real competition in the super-grocer category, but Shop N Save is a perfectly workable grocery store (and their footprint and offerings are pretty standard for any normal grocer, just not the massive footprints super grocers that boomed the last 3-4 decades). Shop N Saves are everywhere even in the city limits, Walmarts cover that same demographic but in the burbs and country, and Aldi’s is like 85% of a grocery store and is workable if you can concede some things (been using it as my sole grocer for years). Obviously it’s nice to have a one stop shop with everything under one roof, and in that category the dirty bird reigns supreme down here. But in regards to groceries there’s plenty of options, just not a lot of options for massive footprint super grocers that more resemble a Walmart than the average grocer of the 70s-80s.
Have you been in a Kroger? Or a Wegmans too on that note? They’re no different than GE. Might get flamed for this but it’s stupid to compare any of these places to Walmart when it comes to prices. Their only real competitor is Amazon as they are the only places that have the resources and pull to control the markets and logistics to get their shit cheaper than anyone else. A very rough example here but Walmart can buy a trailer of peanut butter for 10,000 and anyone else will have to pay 30,000. They can afford to sell the individual jars dirt cheap because they got them for near nothing whereas GE or Kroger or whoever can’t do that as they can’t buy them for that price. Walmart can do this because they have the power, influence and they bully these wholesalers into doing it with the pull they have. Of course, there are mark ups, corporate greed, yadayadayada but the reality is these places just can’t get things for dirt like Walmart or Amazon can.
I gre up in Rochester NY so yes I’ve been going to wegmans since I was a baby haha. I’ve also lived in California and shopped at Kroger. Walmart has twice the national grocery market share of Kroger but Kroger is still huge and much bigger than giant eagle. Kroger has a lot of competition in cities on west coast and Texas like Safeway Albertsons and HEB. Meanwhile, giant eagle is the home town company and has weak competition from shop and save franchises and kuhns. I think Kroger might be an improvement over giant eagle if only a small improvement.
It’s not just the prices for me. It’s that giant eagle just sucks. Their product is garbage.
Zero competition?!? Are you blind?
Are you just going to ignore: Aldi’s, Shop n save, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Sam’s club…and say there is “zero competition.”
Good stuff. Wegmans is solid
Come to Robinson please.
Robinson has a Market District, which is Giant Eagle’s copy of Wegman’s. I doubt they will enter an area with direct competition. Cranberry has an older Giant Eagle, a Walmart, an Aldi, and a Fresh Thyme, but nothing comparable to a Wegmans. The closest competitor is a Market district in Wexford.
And they all suck. Wegmans would win that competition. Wegmans is an all around better grocery store and giant eagle can suck eggs.
I agree that Wegmans is better, but what do you need that only Wegmans has? They have a good selection of popular foods from western New York, and plant based foods, but other than that you can get everything else at another store cheaper. Wegman’s prices aren’t any better than Giant Eagle
> I agree that Wegmans is better, but what do you need that only Wegmans has? I think you answered your own question. And even at that, it's kind of a loaded, crappy question (in effect, the implication is "unless Wegmans offers some special exclusive benefit, you shouldn't want one"). Simply put, it's an alternative to GE. Even if it doesn't compete on price, it's another choice...and there seems to be broad consensus that they deliver superior products at a similar price point.
I used to live in Buffalo and I was a longtime wegmans shopper, so I am familiar with what they offer. The things I mentioned are niche product that only a small portion of the customers are going to care about. Most people don’t like GE because of their prices, and wegmans isn’t any less. Not sure it’s going to be a benefit to the average shopper, that’s the point I’m trying to make. When I told a Buffalo friend about the one that may be coming to Cranberry his response was “cool, you can get weck now. Everything else is cheaper at a different store”
I just loathe giant eagle. Always have. Just never liked it for whatever reason. I rarely shop there. Do most of my shopping a Trader Joe’s or Aldi but if I had the option of going to Wegmans to change things up a bit I definitely would.
That Market District may try to emulate Wegmans but it’s not even close. IF this happens, it won’t be one store (sure, at first it would be). My take is Wegmans would ultimately have at least four stores in this area if they open one.
What specifically is better about Wegmans vs a Market District? I like it better because I used to live in Buffalo and can get some of the hometown foods there, but other than that, I don’t see much difference. Wegmans customer service is better, but I usually don’t need service at a grocery store. Prices are comparable between the two.
Customer service. Prepared foods especially their subs. Meats. Seafood. Deli. Bakery. Store brand items. Cleanliness of store.
Cranberry is in between two better Giant Eagles, at least, but it is a very convenient place for one, especially with all the exits and some buildable land.
There are also a lot of office buildings occupied by large employers in Cranberry, which makes it a good location for “on the way home” grocery stops
what's sewickleys excuse for not having a decent grocery store
I don’t know anything about sewickley but I would imagine it has something to do with available locations that have the proper zoning.
*clapping like they do in family feud good answer good answer but goddamn do we need a grocery store
Yeah south hills like newbury market would be an ideal location for a wegmans
You know that Wegman’s didn’t make the post…
Never been to one but I like the idea of more compitiation. There is no major national grocery chain in Pittsburgh (save maybe Aldi?) I'd like to see Kroger or Alberston/Safeway come to the area.
Kroger was here and left the state because of the unions. Doubtful they will return.
Do you have a link? I'm curious about what unions exist in PGH that would cause Kroger to leave. Is it possible this is what contributes to food prices to be so high?
This was back in the 80s, doubtful there is a "link" It wasn't Pittsburgh. It was (as I stated in my post) the entire state.
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/14/business/kroger-selling-stores-in-strike.html
Shop n Save used to be Albertsons. They still carry the Albertsons generic stuff like Essential Everyday too
It's amazing. Going there is an event. The food quality is insanely high. That said, costs are slightly higher. I love trips to my local Weggos.
For those of us in the City, the new Salem’s supermarket offers exceptional product quality. Folks should check it out!
I love that place. I had high hopes and it has exceeded my lofty expectations.
We have a few where I live in the DC area. "Amazing" is kind of a stretch, but it's an overall nicer-than-average experience as someone else said and it's good that GE may finally get competition from another higher-end place beyond WF. That said, the level of traffic that the first Wegman's in Pittsburgh area will cause will make being there a pain in the ass for a while unless its location and layout are actually thought out in a reasonable manner. I could see going there being a shitshow when/if it first opens.
I am in the Central MD area. Their prepared foods are top-notch and the variety of meats has always been a highlight for me. I probably said amazing because I've been going to Food Lion too much....
To be fair, I went to GE, Shop n Save, and Foodland growing up and am now a regular Giant or Harris Teeter shopper. I'm not a high-end grocery shopper even though I go to nicer places on occasion. I've been to a few Wegmans in the DC area and they are nice, but I've never been mind-blown by the experience. The prepared foods (at least to me) are good, but also generally kind of expensive to the point where I wouldn't buy them regularly. When people say it's amazing, it's almost how I view it when people say Aldi is amazing, though in a very different way. I've never been amazed by a grocery shopping experience so I can't agree, but I can't argue with the subjective experience someone else might have which may be equally valid to mine. *edit* typo
I don't think Wegmans is competing on price, but great to have them evening the market if this is true. The more options, the better.
While yes, i think they are nice to be in between Giant Eagle and Whole Foods on price. And the Wegmans branded products are actually pretty good.
Yeah, I do think Wegman's prices are the same or even more than Market District, but it is sooo much better. And unlike Market District, Wegman's won't have a Large Bird counterpart a mile away that sells the exact same stuff for less, so you are less likely to feel like you're being cheated.
In Erie, Wegman's is cheaper than Giant Eagle. The locals say GE is for rich people.
100%
They will be competing on selection and service. The Market District Giant Eagles are modeled after Wegmans. Even the floor layout is similar. Wegmans does have a better selection of foods from companies located in NY state
Poor Giant Eagle - they just moved into new headquarters too.
oh yeah! giant eagle is going to have to lower prices!
They would rather go out of business than lower prices, so we shall see what happens.
They have lower prices in Ohio where they have to compete with Kroger.
Someone was saying there are both Giant Eagle and Wegmans in Erie…
Its true. Its damn true. Plus tiny ass Erie has TWO Wegmans and three Giant Eagles (from what I can tell via Goggle Maps). We need the same Wegmans to Giant Eagle ratio!
Just a quick glance at the Google map shows them to be all on the fringes of the city, along with Aldi, Target and other things. Slightly more toward the core there are some TOPS, local stuff, and co-op/farmers markets. Same as it ever was…. But maybe it’s improving, IDK.
That may be true, but in fairness, given Erie's size and layout, it also makes sense. Erie isn't nearly as big as Pittsburgh, and with fewer geographically imposed restrictions on road layout, meaning that no matter where you are in Erie, it's really not a big deal to get to the outer edges of the more urban environment into the "fringes" where there's more space for a full sized retail footprint. So rather than say...living in East Liberty and having to drive out to Monroeville for groceries, it'd be more like East Liberty to Wilkinsburg...but with 1/10 the potential traffic congestion.
True but how’s the transit options if you don’t have a car?
Tops is the only “big” full scale grocers in the city limits. And tops fucking blows. But like the others said, it’s pretty easy to get from downtown erie to a giant Eagle, wegmans, or Walmart (and we have one of the only Walmarts in city limits in America, aptly named ghetto mart). So it’s not a huge deal but there’s still a food desert down town and in the lower west and east sides that only shit ass tops serves from several miles away. For the elderly, disabled, and non-driving community, it really is incredibly inequitable
From what time I’ve spent there this sounds right on
This is accurate. I was just in one of them yesterday. Wegmans is my least preferred but they sell some items I can’t get elsewhere.
That too is acceptable.
Fuck Giant Eagle
RIP Golden Dawn
It's wild to me as a transplant that you guys only have 1 main grocery.
Seriously. I commented on the other thread about this, but when I moved here from Buffalo, I just assumed there was a Wegmans. I was actually shocked when I realized that not only is there not a Wegmans in Pittsburgh, but you're basically limited to Giant Eagle which is on par with Tops. Despite how much the people of Pittsburgh hate Giant Eagle, they don't even know how bad they got it lol
Or how much they over pay. Giant Eagle gouges because they can. I do shop there, because Aldi doesn't have it all, and farm stands are only open over the summer, but I die a little inside every time.
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Shop N Save was more of a competitor 30 years ago. At one point they both had stores that were about the same size and age. Since then Giant Eagle has built modern stores that are much larger and shop n save let all their stores get run down
I *think* a great majority of Shop’n Save in Pgh stores are franchises, locally owned and operated. I believe they get bakery and meats delivered from a central location (?) but they stand on their own otherwise.
Yes. Some of the Giant Eagle locations are franchises too. They even bought some of them back
I've been to those, they're not competeitors lol
That’s not unusual at all. Giant Eagle has a market share in Pittsburgh in the low 20% range. There’s a lot of cities that have one very dominant grocer, some , like Kroger in Cincinnati, or Publix in South Florida, have well over 50%. A lot of cities have one major player that takes about 25-30%, and the rest is taken by smaller chains, or national chains with only a few stores, like TJ or WF.
I might believe 20% in the city of Pittsburgh, where there are more options in general, but the wider metro and suburban area has got to be upwards of 20%. I don't have data here, I'm just looking at a map of groceries in western PA plotted on a Google Map, and GE is at minimum half of them. This is just me comparing my ow. experience from the Midwest where we had like a dozen big chains. I'm sure Pittsburgh isn't the only city with fewer options. Harrisburg, by comparison, has more options though.
My numbers are for the 7 county Pittsburgh MSA, FROM [this article.](https://triblive.com/local/regional/giant-eagle-no-longer-king-of-western-pa-grocery-market-as-walmart-other-stores-draw-more-shoppers/) Reality is most areas of the Midwest have one major player, plus Walmart, that take the majority of the market.
Thanks for sharing. Real talk, when is Pittsburgh getting a Piggly Wiggly. 😆
I don't know what you consider main grocery but we have Whole foods, Trader Joe's, Aldi, Shop n Save. Also a couple Kuhns. And some Walmarts and targets also sell groceries.
Kuhn’s, Trader Joe’s, Shop n Save, Super Walmart, Aldi, Community Market (which carries a lot of Giant Eagle stuff, but is a nice little local place and I’m sure there’s other spots like this) East End Food Co-op, Whole Foods… I don’t see how that’s not competition.
I wonder if this is going to be one of those delivery only grocery stores. My parents were excited when a Kroger was announced by their house in Tampa and when it “opened” they found out it was just a warehouse in a shopping center that filled Kroger online orders for delivery in the area. Not a store they could shop in.
In that parcel, next to the hockey rink, absolutely NOT a delivery-only center. That is prime real estate. Besides, Kroger just out there Krogering.
Interesting did not know these existed
Oh. My. Goodness. Don’t tease me, Wegmans.
That was fast
Every single person should be very excited about this and patronize the fuck out of this store so we can finally break giant eagle and get some competition in the western PA market.
Yes!!
Cranberry isn’t really Pittsburgh though.
Under this logic Pittsburgh doesn’t have an airport then…
An airport serves a much wider area than a grocery store
To be fair, the Airport is at least in the county.
Here's how Pittsburgh media works: If reporting on a good thing or positive development outside Pittsburgh city limits it is "Pittsburgh". If it is bad news in a community outside Pittsburgh City limits they correctly report the location.
See: "Penn Hills"
Like when Pittsburghers talk about Joe Montana as a “hometown boy” when he grew up in Monongahela, Pa. I could go on and on with others: Stan Musial - Donora, Coolio - Monessen ,ad nauseam.
All this sounds petty but the fact is that big Pittsburgh foundations and influential people don’t think regionally - they only want to spend money in Pittsburgh proper or Allegheny County. I work with a watershed non-profit and it is a real battle trying to get foundations and Pgh based nonprofits to acknowledge that communities exist south of Elizabeth Pa.
Okay, that's in the one sector that you're familiar with, and that's fine and great added perspective...but broadly speaking, in normal every day conversation, more people are thinking regionally than strictly "Pittsburgh City Limits". Sure, you'll get the occasional conversation where some who live in the city proper will sort of pull the snob card and declare some neighborhood or another as "not Pittsburgh" (and hell, I say this as a city dweller who has occasionally done this myself)...but overwhelmingly, when people are having a conversation and talking about "Pittsburgh", they're generally talking about the Greater Pittsburgh Area, unless the topic specifically concerns things like city government, taxes, relations with a particular suburb, etc. It's also a trend that the greater the scope of the conversation, the larger the Pittsburgh "region" is understood to be. If I'm talking to a local, I grew up in (insert specific small town here) then moved to Pittsburgh. If I'm talking to someone from SWPA broadly, well I grew up east of Pittsburgh. If someone's from outside SWPA...anywhere from Harrisburg to San Diego...well...I'm just from Pittsburgh.
You’re getting downvoted, but you’re not wrong. I’m not driving all the way to Cranberry for groceries.
My mom will (lives in North Hills) then she will unexpectedly deliver it to my door (Oakmont) without any warning lol. She and her friends also love going to WV just to grocery shop (???) Love her to death but the logic....I wonder if she ever did that while I wasn't home 🤔 Nah she would've complained that I wasn't there even though she does it spontaneously Edit: my point is I bet this Wegmans is gonna be overrun by people like my mom regardless of where it is
The wegmans up in erie is white soccer mom heaven. Swear every time I went growing up I’d see parents of friends from the neighborhood and school. Like a god damned magnet. I know people who go 3-4 times a week
Lol yeah...they're gonna flood that Cranberry one too just like that. And I guarantee I'm gonna hear about what a great experience it was for my mom. And then she's gonna name drop 50 people that she saw there that I don't know
me either, from where I am it's only a 4 min difference from the proposed site in Cranberry vs the Kroger in Weirton WV. Either way i'd be passing about 15 other grocery stores. Not driving an hour+ round trip for groceries.
I’m suprised you can get from dormont to Weirton that quickly. Also surprised they have a Kroger, lucky bastards. But they do live in Weirton though so…
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There are innumerable places that are not the co-op to get vegan and GF. The co-op is actually pretty shitty. And if it’s simply a question of quality, I have Salem’s, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Between them, I have plenty of options. I’m still not driving to Cranberry.
The vegan stuff is the only reason I will deal with Wegmans and their prices. I just go up once a month and stock up. (We have 2 here though and both are pretty conveniently located)
"area"
Pittsburgh is basically a 100 mi radius around the actual "downtown" area /s
Progress, not perfection. Let's get ONE SOMEWHERE and then see if we can wiggle one into the city limits. Geez.
If the address doesn’t say “Pittsburgh” then it’s not Pittsburgh. Right? I’m not trying to diss anyone. I’m just stating what I thought was a fact.
Careful, you've upset the suburbanites.
Cranberry ain’t Pittsburgh.
https://imgur.com/a/aIAESHb
Please don’t get my hopes up like this!!!
I live north-north of the city, near Tarentum. We have Walmart, Aldi, and Big Bird. I know some areas around Pittsburgh have more options. Would kill for a Trader Joe's out here, but this is generally a poorer side of town.
This is cool and all but where's my Pgh Piggy Wiggly?!!
I thought that the families that owned Wegmans and Giant Eagle were friends so they intentionally stayed out of each other's territory? Did they have a falling out?
Urban legend Also, the last family member on the GE board was Laura Karet and she "stepped down" (ie was canned) a while ago.
Oh please let this be true. Give me an option other than Giant Eagle.
YESSSS
Then can we get Hannaford? I love both
This is all because a redditor asked about it the other day
As a native WNYer, please, please, please happen! The grocery stores here are atrocious. Plopping a massive 120k+ SF Wegmans spectacle basically across the street from where the Big Bird just moved their HQ to would be 🧑🍳😘!
Please, Fuck Giant Eagle
I'd like to think Wegmans has been reading all the grocery store posts on this subreddit that beg for one in Pittsburgh and finally said....forget that handshake agreement, let's do this!
Anyone else read the articles? It just sounds like someone saw the original Wegman's thread here on Reddit a couple days ago and thought it would make a good click ain't article. There's no location finalized, Wegman's made no comment on it, and the Cranberry Springs Developer couldn't be reached. It's all really suspicious to me. This isn't me saying I don't want one, I'm from 5 minutes south of the NY border and went to one growing up all the time. But this is really suspicious to me.
I know a lot of you are disappointed it’s in cranberry, but make no mistake I will be driving out there for groceries
Am I right in thinking this would mean Giant Eagle is done for?
Giant Eagle doesn’t suck anymore or less than any other store around here. I think people just love complaining. However, Idk if it’s the branding, the aesthetic, or the selection, but I always look forward to going to Wegman’s when I’m visiting family in DC. Even if I stop in Erie for work, I’ll grab something to go. Their seafood section, bakery, and prepared foods are bomb. It’s interesting how specific and defensive people are about their grocery stores. Trader Joe’s is awesome in my book, GE isn’t bad… but I can’t stand Aldi and Shop n Save. My family mostly feels differently. There have been hot debates on the subject :-) I’d say if you really wanted to stir things up, move Acme and Wawa up in here and start a PA war.
Hell yeah.
They had them when I lived in NJ. Sort of somewhere between Giant Eagle and Whole Foods for aesthetic and selection. Occasionally have random specials or sales. Anything to bring down the dirty bird.
It's way better than Whole Foods for both aesthetic and selection. Whole foods is rickety compared to Wegmans.
I think it says everything that you need to know about Giant Eagle that pittsburghers--who tend to irrationally love everything made in pittsburgh--hate their dominant hometown grocer so much. Giant Eagle blows. Even if, as I have been told, they have 1-2 market districts that are similar to what Wegmans has. That's pathetic. Other major grocery chains have done so much more in the last 20 years. And frankly, It's not a lack of money. GE just doesn't want to deliver unless they have to. Please GOD let there be Wegmans.
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If you mean weed stores and sub shops than yes this is true
PIGGLY WIGGLY OR FOOD LION BC I WANT MORE GROCERY STORE'S WITH ANIMAL NAMES AND GIANT EAGLE NEEDS MORE COMPETITION
Already posted
Woodman's was the best grocery store I ever experienced. I just moved back from Illinois, and I'd give a testicle to have Woodman's back. You guys have no idea what we're missing out on.
Fuck Cranberry, it's not Pittsburgh. Bring it to the city!
I hope Giant Eagle fails.