Whole Foods vs. Brooklyn Fruit/Vegetable Store

[MrSpice]

I normally buy a lot of fruits for the whole family at the large produce store on the corner of Ave. Z and East 18th Street in Brooklyn or on Brighton Beach Avenue. Yesterday, I decided to get off the train at Union Square and sample the Whole Foods store. After all, they are expanding like gang busters in our city and across the US and I wanted to buy some quality produce, especially the organic ones.

Now I know why they are able to pay those outrageous rents in the middle of Manhattan. The prices are out of this world even for regular, non-organic fruits and vegetables. The same pears and apples that I buy on in Brooklyn for 69-89/pound, go to 1.99/pound at Whole Foods. Every little pack of raspberries goes for double the normal Brooklyn price with the exact same or lower quality. Grapes are 2 times more expensive. Fruit spreads cost 1 to 2 dollars more. All cheeses, coffee and smoked fish are 1.5 to 2.5 times more expensive. The only bargain in the store is their own brand. Whatever they make themselves (chocolate, bread, tea, etc.) is relatively inexpensive.

But overall, I spent almost $80 in one shot without buying that much. So Brooklyn is now a bargain in many different ways (in addition to housing)...

[OmegaNYC]

I used to work at Whole Food's in Ridgewood, NJ, a few years back. I can tell you, Whole Food's is expensive! It is mainly because most the food that you will buy there is organic.

[Ninjahedge]

I like Ridgewood....


Anyway, yeah, that store is VERY expensive. But so are places like the oxymoronic "Amish Market" that I see so many of now. (Odd that an "Amish" market has AC, refrigeration, lighting and electric appliances..... ;) ).

The odd thing that strikes me is that people PAY for it? Kings in Hoboken is the same way, some of the stuff costing almost as much as dining out!

:p

[lofter1]

If you want to see crazy prices go to Dean & Deluca at Prince / Broadway ...

Eye the checkout line -- you'll see little shopping carts loaded with food -- the total comes to hundreds of dollars :eek:

I do buy bread there at times -- good quality, not such outrageous prices.