July 01, 2007
“Sacramento” Magazine.
Tags: sacramentoWhenever someone brings up Sacramento Magazine, I cringe a little. I really believe the title should be in quotes because the magazine’s key demographic isn’t really Sacramento’s multicultural pizza, it’s the chewy, tasteless, white crust that surrounds the City. (This is a magazine whose readers once said, if I’m remembering correctly, that Taco Bell was among the best places to get Mexican food.)
Witness the current issue’s cover story rating Sacramento’s grocery stores. The magazine does write-ups of seven area grocery stores: Raley’s, Nugget, Bel Air, Trader Joe’s (hardly a grocery store), Whole Foods, Safeway, and the Co-Op. As one might expect of a magazine chock full of special advertising sections, the write ups are largely positive, although they are mildly critical of Whole Foods’ prices and Safeway’s customer service.
It is important to note that the write-ups focus on specific stores rather than on the companies as a whole. Incredibly, for the first two write-ups they chose locations for two area-based chains that are so far out of the City that they don’t even have Sacramento addresses: Raley’s new store in Folsom and Nugget’s new store in Roseville. I have to wonder why. It is because those stores are new and God forbid lest we talk about anything old in this glossy mag? Granted, Raley’s urban locations are long gone (if you remember the store on 28th between L and K, raise your hand), but there are several stores to choose from that are still within city limits. Nugget has a location in Greenhaven/Pocket that is within city limits and only a few minutes from downtown. As the car drives, even their West Sacramento location isn’t more than a few minutes from downtown and would have been a better choice. At least “West Sac” is still a “Sac” and not a “ville.”
I’m actually surprised they bothered with the Midtown Safeway but, as stores go, that one is also shiny and newish, as are the Trader Joe’s on Folsom Blvd. and the Bel Air on Arena. Whole Foods on Arden is, I think, a bit older, but if I had to guess, I’d say the Co-Op, which moved to its current location while I was in college (or thereabouts) is the oldest of the bunch.
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Isn’t Corti Brothers the oldest? Where else would I get lefsa, haggis and uzo?
The two downtown Safeways (and the one on Howe too) are little more than liquor stores. Oh Gawd, it’s 1:30 AM can we still buy a case of Shaeffer light tall boys? The union employees can handle the large homeless panhandler population better than anyone.
Trader Joes is certainly one of the four convenience stores of the Econopocalypse. They are presently shushing up their third food recall this year. Beware of the free samples!
A visit to the Co-op can be uh, interesting. Tattooed, branded and pierced indentifiers separate the regulars and employees from the members too disheartened to admit that the place is not what it’s founders ever would have envisioned. Including seeing all the money evaporate in a ill fated scheme to have a sister store in Elk Grove, that failed immediately for obvious reasons.
I haven’t read an interesting article in Sacramento magazine since they wrote up the “Batgirl” murders back in the late 1980’s.
July 02, 2007 @ 3:26 am
Mal - good point. They included TJ’s but didn’t include Corti’s? Shame.
I’m not as down on the two urban Safeways — I think the 19th Street one manages to get away from the “liquor store” feel except maybe late at night, but their customer service leaves much to be desired (except at the pharmacy, where I always get great service).
July 02, 2007 @ 7:16 am
I slightly disagree for I like to catch up on the latest news/ads regarding Hair Salons, Cosmetic Dentistry, Facelifts and Chiropractors in Sacramento/Sactown/Comstocks Magazines. The News and Review does not carry this much needed news source.
I personally like a good Pastrami Sandwich and would dearly love to buy one from Safeway over on 19th, except I am a little leary of sitting on the sidewalk to eat it. Andronico’s over at Stanford has a nice simple outdoor eating area, but I guess quite wisely the Owners/Developers/Architects didn’t want that old lady in the Prom Dress who hangs out over at Starbucks on J and 19th to come over. Say, I bet that’s why Peet’s has some pretty crummy outdoor seating too! Having people sit outside eating and drinking a Stawberry Frappucino is Soooo yesterday and suburban.
But I did hear the Designer of Safeways once say that the water tower at Safeway was reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower, or maybe it was the Arc de Triomphe…and would lend a gentle reminder of the Champs Elysees to R Street, something I can really get behind!
July 02, 2007 @ 4:38 pm
cole - the Eiffel Tower? Really? It’s a water tower. More Paris Texas than Paris France.
July 02, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
Well said indeed.
Taylor’s Market is old, old, old and fabulous! Best butcher shop in town and great customer service. Wonderful wine selections and hard to find grocery items.
I love The Nugget in the Pocket for absolutely spot-on customer service and a deli that is wonderful.
Love Corti’s as well..but don’t live near there anymore.
Yep, if I ever need ( can afford really) a plastic surgeon or a $5,000.00 coffee table, I’ll pick up Sacramento mag.
July 08, 2007 @ 11:52 am
Melly, I live so close to Taylor’s I’m almost a daily customer; but, I don’t think they would have been a good fit for the article. They fit a more “neighborhood grocery” model — too big to be a convenience store, to small to be a supermarket. Then again, TJs aren’t exactly “super” markets.
July 08, 2007 @ 1:41 pm
I have often shopped for a weeks worth of groceries at Taylor’s. It’s a market for sure..and it’s a super market IMO. Maybe it’s not a “supermarket”.
July 08, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
The water tower at the 19th & R Safeway was supposed to reflect back to R Street’s industrial heritage, not the Eiffel Tower. The design of the Peet’s, with the tower, was intended to reflect the railroad interlocking tower that was nearby, controlling traffic where the SP crossed the WP and on WP’s Whitney Avenue wye.
Although comparisons with the Eiffel kind of work to cross purposes: the Eiffel was designed as a radio broadcast tower (practical use) that was also aesthetically pleasing: the Safeway water tower is strictly an aesthetic touch that was intended to look like a practical use.
And yeah, it would have been nice to have more outdoor seating at the various sites out there.
Re Taco Bell: Actually, it was the SN&R whose Reader’s Choice “Best of Sacramento Awards” often went to places like Taco Bell and McDonald’s, which is part of why they do their Bests based largely on editorial input, with the Reader’s Choice choices as a sort of runner-up.
July 09, 2007 @ 11:39 am