Stop & Shop

I love this store! People say it’s expensive but I don’t think so. Deli meat is pricey, yes, but it’s high quality. I love that you can scan and bag your groceries as you go. It’s so easy, forget the checkout lines! And it’s so spacious, not crowded like some other grocery stores.

We finally got to visit this Stop & Shop last weekend as we normally visit the one in Bedford. This place is easy to reach from the highway and is quite large. The high ceilings and the natural lights from the skylights reminds me of the warehouse stores. Their selections are good as we were able to find some items that we were unable to find in other stores in the area. Checkout was quick and I found the cashier to be friendly.

I love this store. The peapod associates are great, the Nutrition counselor, Julie, is fantastic. The store has all types of food for every lifestyle. The produce is great.

Sure it’s more expensive than Trash Basket across the street, but I’d rather pay a little more for the conveniences. I love the curbside pick up. It’s priceless with two little kids. When I am kid free, I use the scan system. I’ve never had a problem with their produce not being fresh.

New location is clean, organized and a much better experience. Until this location gets old and ratty it’s my new spot.

The old location was SO disgusting and gross, it is nice to see the new facility. Clean, well lit, and bigger. It seems as if their prices have gotten a little lower and more competitive with Market Basket across the street. Their baked goods are no different than the previous location, average chain grocery store carbs and sweets. I do like their nifty hand scanners; it meets my needs and I appreciate not having to stand in line for check out. Choice is always good but I still gravitate towards Market Basket. Better prices, better selection, and truly local.

Love the new location! Ordering from work and picking my groceries up after saved me a lot of time and money. Knowing me, I would browse the aisles and buy everything. Especially since I would be starving at the time, I would buy things I wouldn’t need. So by doing this I spent half of what I usually spend and was still able to fill up my fridge.
The prepared foods were not all fried. They have the rotisserie chicken, meatloaf, meatballs, sandwiches, salads, etc. The sushi is actually quite scrumptious too. Also the prices were affordable. I bought lunch for my husband and I for 6 bucks! 2 big pieces of white meat with seasoned rice. It would have cost me more to make it myself.
Scan it is also great. Scan and bag as you go. Saves time at the checkout lane, but since I’ve discovered curbside delivery, I might not ever have to go inside anymore.
Its also a lot better than Market Basket. Its cleaner, friendlier, more spacious and even the customers are friendly. So I definately give it 5 stars.

Just went to the new 72,000-sq-ft Stop & Shop, which was 10 years in the making because of litigation from another supermarket across the street. This store replaced the tired one about 2 miles away that was half the size. I waited til after T-​giving and for 1pm, when there would be fewer parents there. As expected, the new store (about 2 weeks old) is clean and the employees are friendly.
I just have a few observations and comments because I have an opinion about EVERYTHING (see my profile):
1) Shoppers can now use SCAN IT! scanners to price out products as they put them into their carts. However, not many people were using them, judging from the «scanner» shelves at the front of the store. Actually, I think I was the ONLY one using a scanner, as all the other slots were full. It’s a good idea; it’s just that shoppers are afraid of them, just as they are about self-​checkouts.
2) The ladle-​your-​own soup section (actually, 3 soups) was in the deli department. It should be near the salad bar. I had to circle around twice to locate it.
3) I had noticed some advertisements concerning Kosher deli that would be sold in this store. They do not have any, so am not sure why that info was included in a brochure.
4) They need a few more cart corrals. I parked in the middle of the lot and couldn’t find one close by.
5) I was disappointed with the prepared food section. They had lots of different types of fried chicken, tho. I don’t eat that stuff. I thought there’d be a greater variety.
6) They need to advertise the curbside pickup amenity. It’s a good idea, I guess, but I wouldn’t use it. There were no fewer than 10 curbside-​pickup people standing around and looking at each other, waiting to help.
Other amenities include an in-​store nutritionist and a supervised child play area (I was curious about it but couldn’t locate it). Having a nutritionist on-​site is a good idea, but I’m not sure if they did a focus group on that for this area. I don’t personally think there’d be a big calling for one. Perhaps in Lexington, MA, but not in Chelmsford. Just my opinion. There’s also a little café with WiFi and pastries. Am thinking they should also sell little sandwiches, fruit, finger foods.
Prices are high, and once the curiosity factor goes away, I predict that the Market Basket across the street will still be number 1.
Will probably head back, but only for sale items. And it won’t be tomorrow.