Russ’s Market

I shop here on occasion, reluctantly, because it’s only a few blocks from where I live. It is dingy inside, the meat & produce selection is somewhat disappointing, and the clientele leaves a lot to be desired. To their credit, the employees always seem friendly. But, the Russ’s Market at 33^rd and Highway 2 is much nicer.

Just a regular grocery store. Nothing to bad, nothing particularly great.
I like Hy-​Vee better.

This store is one of the smaller stores here in Lincoln, but the service is just as big. Store is usually clean and well stocked and is my favorite place for produce as it always seems so fresh here. The deli food is pretty good and the dinner specials are affordable. When I was pregnant they even made me chicken fried steak when I was craving it, even though it wasn’t the dinner selection for the night… they always provide wonderful service. I also like that the always help you take your groceries to your car and load them up.

My neighborhood grocery store! How could I not love it to death? Well, occasionally, the generally amusing clientele verge on the creepy, the cashier’s are chattier than I’d like, the quality of the meat and fish is, at best, fishy, and they still have an «ethnic food» aisle. What does that even mean? But hey, they’re family. I can’t help but love them.

This won’t be a commentary of how this Russ’s fairs compared to other of the franchise — this is the only one I’ve visited, but hope to add more later. I found it to have average priced produce for the area, but was displeased with the quality. There were some more «exotic» fruits, like mango and avocado, which was a plus. I appreciated the selection of canned tomatoes (always a staple in my cupboard), and there was also adequate selection of dry goods, including baking mixes ad supplies, cereals, etc. I wasn’t a huge fan of the meat selection — not as many lean options as I would like, but I can’t speak to the quality until the rest of my kitchen arrives so I can actually cook. The deli section carried only one brand and was a bit disappointing too, but this may be more of a regional thing. Bread selection: It was nice to see a variety of fresh breads, including baguettes and some focaccia, but no crusty ryes or french styles. Cheese selection: better than some local stores because it had some aged cheeses, though they are the standard gouda and cheddars. I appreciated a few brie and Camembert options, including individual bries. I give them props for having my favorite brand of pita chips (Stacy’s), even if it wasn’t my favorite flavor (garden vegetable).
Altogether, I liked this supermarket and will probably shop here often. It’s open 24 hours which is conducive to my schedule and enjoyment of midnight grocery shopping.