Merchants Park: Retail Center At 1303-1421 W. 11th St.

[20thStDad]

I may have to agree on the pet food aisle. It stinks bad. I think it is the kitty litter, not the food.

Oh, and my dogs hate you, too.

I like dogs/animals. Just not pets, because that implies taking care of some animal's stinkiness and poo and hair. Not fun, in my opinion.

edit: grammar

[Omar2bar]

On the exterior you can see that they've also made some key changes by bringing in brand new homeless guys to sit on the benches at the side of the store and look creepy as you walk back to the car at night.

You can also see that they're saving up for the big expansion by cutting out all training for the baggers and adopting the tried and true "cram it into a paper bag just like you do plastic bags" method. Eventually they'll save money on buying paper bags because customers won't ask for them anymore. BRILLIANT!

If Kroger invests in that store anymore I might start going to the new HEB on I-10 now for EVERYTHING and not just for big weekly trips.

EDIT: how did I manage to quote myself? Fixed now.

I've also noticed that they tend to keep expired produce and dairy products on the shelves rather than replacing them with fresh items. I check all "sell by" dates because once I made the mistake of bringing home some yogurt that was almost a month expired! I made a quick trip there a few weeks ago and after searching through ALL the bags of salad, I finally found someone to go in the back and find some that weren't past their "sell by" date. He brought back a huge crate full of bags of salad so it wasn't like they just hadn't received a new supply. I too now shop at the new HEB on I-10. It's great.

[Zippy]

This thread is cracking me up.. All about grocery stores.. heh

The gas guy needs a new schtick..

The W. Gray Kroger topic on the attractiveness of patrons I believe was discussed somewhere else here. Definitely more attractive there.

I enjoy the Studewood Fiesta on occasion, for a case of beer or wine.. Their fish and meat selection is abysmal..

I'll have to check out HEB.. but anything "outside the loop" is far for me.

[dbigtex56]

And a trip through the WOW Circle is a good way for me to test my aggressive driving habits.

Seriously, what's the WOW Circle? Washington, Westcott...? I'm unfamiliar with the area.

Also, HAIF is well-represented on search engines. WOW Circle might beat World of Warcraft Circle as top spot, and a definition would be great to go with it.

[crunchtastic]

Seriously, what's the WOW Circle? Washington, Westcott...? I'm unfamiliar with the area.

Also, HAIF is well-represented on search engines. WOW Circle might beat World of Warcraft Circle as top spot, and a definition would be great to go with it.

... don't know what the O is for, but yea, it's that traffic circle. The dual-Specs sounds cool. I thought it was just a uni-Specs.

I laughed at Red's post, since I'm somehow compelled to do the Clark Griswold line outloud every time I drive that circle.

[tanith27]

... don't know what the O is for, but yea, it's that traffic circle. The dual-Specs sounds cool. I thought it was just a uni-Specs.

I laughed at Red's post, since I'm somehow compelled to do the Clark Griswold line outloud every time I drive that circle.

Washington On Westcott

http://www.wowroundabout.org/

[heights_yankee]

i shop at all those supermarkets, depending on the day/time and my needs. another one here who has never been approached by any beggar or vagrant on 11th street. and i definitely don't look scary. i'm pregnant as all get out and i would imagine i look like a pretty easy target...

but, really, i am posting here just to VENT about the bagging situation. it exists at ALL houston super markets and drives me crazy!! when i was in college i had a summer job working at a grocery store. i was a cashier but in a small town, cashiers typically bag most times as well. eitehr way, we had a *training* on how to bag groceries and, for better or worse, it has stuck with me for all these years.

bag boxes with boxes. do not put glass next to eachother; seperate with soft sided items. never put raw meat with anything that is ready to eat. i have had all these things happen. the raw meat next to cheese makes me ->

BUT the thing that chaps me the most that not a soul in houston knows how to do... not at whole foods, or central market or fiesta or the new HEB: put all frozen and cold items together. they keep eachother cold, people! when it's 110 outside, this makes a difference! every.single.time i go shopping i unpack my groceries to find one forzen item in with 2 boxes of cereal, or icecream in with my freaking rotisserie chicken. even when i ask for everything cold to be packed together,t hey still don't do it! grrrrr. that's why 9 times out of 10, i bag my own groceries. thank you, stop & shop, for the training you gave me all those summers ago!

rant over

[tmariar]

i shop at all those supermarkets, depending on the day/time and my needs. another one here who has never been approached by any beggar or vagrant on 11th street. and i definitely don't look scary. i'm pregnant as all get out and i would imagine i look like a pretty easy target...

I don't look scary, either, and have never had a problem at 11th St. Kroger, which is my primary grocery store. I think in some cases, being female and/or otherwise "not scary looking" can be a shield against guys who are just out scamming for money.

As for frozen food being in a bag together - I'd never really thought about the benefit of its keeping everything cold. I guess that's a good reason to bag it that way. I've always liked it being in one bag so I can toss it all in the freezer together. Seems like they usually get that right at Kroger, but I probably haven't been paying as much attention as I would if I'd had lessons!

[20thStDad]

I don't look scary, either, and have never had a problem at 11th St. Kroger, which is my primary grocery store. I think in some cases, being female and/or otherwise "not scary looking" can be a shield against guys who are just out scamming for money.

As for frozen food being in a bag together - I'd never really thought about the benefit of its keeping everything cold. I guess that's a good reason to bag it that way. I've always liked it being in one bag so I can toss it all in the freezer together. Seems like they usually get that right at Kroger, but I probably haven't been paying as much attention as I would if I'd had lessons!

I don't let them bag if I can help it. I'd rather do it myself. No official training, just started young on trips to the store back when it was paper only. I always hated having to fold the bags up afterwards, of course we re-used them for tons of stuff.

[Dan the Man]

i shop at all those supermarkets, depending on the day/time and my needs. another one here who has never been approached by any beggar or vagrant on 11th street. and i definitely don't look scary. i'm pregnant as all get out and i would imagine i look like a pretty easy target...

but, really, i am posting here just to VENT about the bagging situation. it exists at ALL houston super markets and drives me crazy!! when i was in college i had a summer job working at a grocery store. i was a cashier but in a small town, cashiers typically bag most times as well. eitehr way, we had a *training* on how to bag groceries and, for better or worse, it has stuck with me for all these years.

bag boxes with boxes. do not put glass next to eachother; seperate with soft sided items. never put raw meat with anything that is ready to eat. i have had all these things happen. the raw meat next to cheese makes me ->

BUT the thing that chaps me the most that not a soul in houston knows how to do... not at whole foods, or central market or fiesta or the new HEB: put all frozen and cold items together. they keep eachother cold, people! when it's 110 outside, this makes a difference! every.single.time i go shopping i unpack my groceries to find one forzen item in with 2 boxes of cereal, or icecream in with my freaking rotisserie chicken. even when i ask for everything cold to be packed together,t hey still don't do it! grrrrr. that's why 9 times out of 10, i bag my own groceries. thank you, stop & shop, for the training you gave me all those summers ago!

rant over

I used to bag groceries too, and we learned all of the bagging "rules" you mentioned. You left out an especially important one - Cleaning products (AJAX, bleach, etc.) never go in the same bag as food.

It really irritates me when supermarket employees don't follow these rules. Some don't even ask if you want paper or plastic, they just start putting everything into 50 gazillion plastic bags; many of which are over-stuffed and break on the way to your car.

Several times, I've asked baggers to stop, I'll do it myself.

[Heights CPA]

Not to be undelicate here - but it is pretty obvious that the baggers at that Kroger must be part of a "special" program. I take things out in the order i want them bagged. Of course it does not always happen that way.

[jc281]

somethings happening with the gas station out front...

[samiamj]

They are replacing the Mobil gas station with Kroger's gas. Now I can finally use my Kroger gas points.

[20thStDad]

Don't forget about the Papa John's in the corner of the parking lot, that place is always hopping with fun. Every time I've been there, there have been at least 5 other people there just visiting the people who work there. And everyone talks loudly. All good fun.

[heights_yankee]

I used to bag groceries too, and we learned all of the bagging "rules" you mentioned. You left out an especially important one - Cleaning products (AJAX, bleach, etc.) never go in the same bag as food.

Yes yes yes! i just love finding a bottle of bleach in with my loaf of bread. Gah!

Not to be undelicate here - but it is pretty obvious that the baggers at that Kroger must be part of a "special" program. I take things out in the order i want them bagged. Of course it does not always happen that way.

Agreed, but like I said, this is the case at all the markets in town as far as I can tell. Sometimes it's someone with a handicap. but just as often it's not. I know and understand that some people have limitations. I didn't even get mad when a "special" bagger at Kroger put a full bag of canned good ON TOP OF MY NEWBORN BABY IN HIS CARRIER. Still, a lot of the people who bag the food are perfectly capable of knowing that bealch and raw meat should not go in with bread and that one frozen pocket sandwich in with cereal and soup is not the right thing to do...

[jc281]

Don't forget about the Papa John's in the corner of the parking lot, that place is always hopping with fun. Every time I've been there, there have been at least 5 other people there just visiting the people who work there. And everyone talks loudly. All good fun.

eating cold leftovers from there as i browse

[darva]

I used to bag groceries too, and we learned all of the bagging "rules" you mentioned. You left out an especially important one - Cleaning products (AJAX, bleach, etc.) never go in the same bag as food.

It really irritates me when supermarket employees don't follow these rules. Some don't even ask if you want paper or plastic, they just start putting everything into 50 gazillion plastic bags; many of which are over-stuffed and break on the way to your car.

Several times, I've asked baggers to stop, I'll do it myself.

AMEN! I worked at a small town Wal-Mart when I was in college... even though I didn't start out as a cashier, we were still trained on the registers and HOW TO BAG GROCERIES! It makes me very annoyed when people don't properly bag my groceries. I too, try to group them together either on the belt or in the cart on how I would like them bagged, but still several times have asked the bagger to stop and just let me do it. lol gah! It's not hard!

[cottonmather0]

Not to be undelicate here - but it is pretty obvious that the baggers at that Kroger must be part of a "special" program. I take things out in the order i want them bagged. Of course it does not always happen that way.

Yeah, that doesn't work. I keep trying of and they keep testing the structural integrity of the paper. I think it's just a hobgobblin for me at this point.

[HoustonConfederate]

Yeah it's glorious. I don't have to truck my drinkin arse down to midtown any more. They greet you outside and ask you what you plan to buy so they can direct you which one to go in. They asked if I wanted wine/beer or liquor, of course my answer was "yes". The liquor one has some wine too so I won. And no cheap $6 Yellow Tail for me...I am a wine snob and only drink $9 wine that has a label I find interesting.

As for the Kroger, I have seen that guy asking for gas too. And he was DRIVING around in his car saying he was short on gas. Even funnier, I was approached the exact same way 7 years ago in a Randall's parking lot when I first moved here. It may have been the same guy, but I can't claim to have that good a memory of what he looked like.

The one thing I hate about the Kroger on 11th is the freaking pet food aisle. I never shop on this aisle, but I have been down it in other others and it doesn't make me want to vomit. But even being a row over from it at this Kroger (baby food aisle of course) and I start to gag. Dry pet food doesn't stink, so either they're watering it like the produce or someone is opening cans of dog ass wet food and leaving them there. Disgusting. I hate pets.

I work off of Yale Street and the "I need money for gasoline OR the bus" story seems to be the norm. Different people.

Regarding the smell at the Kroger at 11th, I once asked one of the employee what the ????.

Maybe to remove the shelves take some bleach and a mop and do some ole' fashioned cleaning would help!

I have pets and NO DOG FOOD smells like that any way you mix it.

Whatever that smell is does cause the gag reflex!

Did anyone ever see the lady that would ask for money at the corner of Yale and 610 Feeder where the Burger King is?

Sometimes Purple Hair. Sometimes well dressed and would change clothes mid-day. And would go up to your car and put her hands together like she was praying and start asking for the moo-lah.

[RedScare]

I stopped at a Shell station at 4:30 in the morning last Monday...IN THE WOODLANDS. Two guys pull up next to me. As I prepare to get robbed, one gets out and ask me to pump 5 bucks of gas in their tank so they can get to work. I ask if 2 or 3 bucks will do. He shrugs and says OK. I guess the beggars are higher class up there. Houston beggars only cost me a buck.

The experience immediately made me think of this thread.

[cottonmather0]

I stopped at a Shell station at 4:30 in the morning last Monday...IN THE WOODLANDS. Two guys pull up next to me. As I prepare to get robbed, one gets out and ask me to pump 5 bucks of gas in their tank so they can get to work. I ask if 2 or 3 bucks will do. He shrugs and says OK. I guess the beggars are higher class up there. Houston beggars only cost me a buck.

The experience immediately made me think of this thread.

What, the Shell station in THE WOODLANDS needs to be remodeled?

[cottonmather0]

I was at the Bunker Hill HEB tonight and the girl bagging my groceries - in paper - asked the checker if there was any more meat to go into the meat bag!

I have been driving out of my way to shop there for a while now and after tonight I am done with Kroger on 11th.

[heights_yankee]

I was at the Bunker Hill HEB tonight and the girl bagging my groceries - in paper - asked the checker if there was any more meat to go into the meat bag!

I have been driving out of my way to shop there for a while now and after tonight I am done with Kroger on 11th.

supermarket managers must be reading this thread. today at whole foods, i had fabric softener, baby bubble bath and dish soap in addition to my food. the cashier asked if i would like them in a small, seperate bag! it's a grocery revolution!

[Nick]

I refer to the Kroger off West Gray as the "Cranky Kroger" because the employees always seem to be in awful moods.

The new HEB off I-10 and Bunker hill is very much worth the drive.. especially on weekends when there is virtually no traffic on I-10. The employees are friendly and knowledgeable. imagine that!

[plumber2]

Some how the Kroger on 11th Street will always be refereed to as Henke's in my mind. All of the others are just Kroger's.

[Omar2bar]

supermarket managers must be reading this thread. today at whole foods, i had fabric softener, baby bubble bath and dish soap in addition to my food. the cashier asked if i would like them in a small, seperate bag! it's a grocery revolution!

I've been driving out to Bunker Hill for my groceries too so I haven't been in the Krogers to see if there are any signs yet of a renovation or major improvements. Is there any signs of hope??? I wish they would do something. Although it will take a lot to convince me to switch back from HEB. Like everyone is saying, the selection is great and the employees are wonderful. Plus, no horrible smells.

[Hartmann]

On the exterior you can see that they've also made some key changes by bringing in brand new homeless guys to sit on the benches at the side of the store and look creepy as you walk back to the car at night.

You can also see that they're saving up for the big expansion by cutting out all training for the baggers and adopting the tried and true "cram it into a paper bag just like you do plastic bags" method. Eventually they'll save money on buying paper bags because customers won't ask for them anymore. BRILLIANT!

If Kroger invests in that store anymore I might start going to the new HEB on I-10 now for EVERYTHING and not just for big weekly trips.

EDIT: how did I manage to quote myself? Fixed now.

I've had the same experiences recently and have abandoned the store as a viable place to shop for groceries. The smell that overcomes you as you walk toward the frozen section is appalling and the people working in the deli are the most unhelpful employees I have ever met.

We have been shopping at the HEB at Bunker Hill and Central Market on Westheimer, both are worth the drive over dealing with the Kroger on 11th.

[sunsets]

We used to call our nearest Kroger in Ann Arbor "The Kroger of Incompetence". (That was to differentiate it from the "Ghetto Kroger" across town.)

I think the 11th street one is a new contender for both titles. I stick with Fiesta most of the time.

[goastros]

I can't get past the sewage smell on the outside of the 11th St Kroger as you walk in the store.

We started shopping at the large Kroger over in Oak Forest off of 43rd. I love that store. They have a lot more selection and I don't feel like it's as crowded as the one on 11th. Plus I love looking at the little 50s style library across the street.

[Dan the Man]

I hope Kroger reads this thread.