Stop & Shop

Congratulations, you’re now on Martha’s Vineyard! Now is a great time to put your expectations of everything being just like the mainland aside and focus on enjoying this lovely vacation destination! Be aware that this is an island, so any items that aren’t manufactured locally must be imported here by boat, which creates additional cost in the supply chain… that means that the stores here will have higher prices than the mainland, out of necessity. You could complain about it, or simply acknowledge that that’s part of island life (you’ll find the same issue in the Caribbean and Hawaii, for example).
Now that you’ve adjusted your expectations, know that of the two grocery stores in Vineyard Haven, Stop & Shop and Kronig’s Market, this one is BY FAR the less expensive of the two. Now, keep in mind that it’s smaller and doesn’t stock as many fancy specialty items, but if you’re simply looking for regular, everyday groceries, this is definitely the place to go!
Since you’re probably DYING for some lobster, know that you can get a perfectly acceptable lobster roll here for about $ 6−7…ie, about $ 10 less than the average lobster roll on the rest of the Vineyard! Sure, it won’t be gourmet, but it’ll still be tasty, and you’ll enjoy it more thoroughly knowing that you didn’t get ripped off!
Need pharmacy items? Go around the corner to the drugstore-​like portion of Stop & Shop, entered on the side of the building about halfway up the parking lot. This area is stroller and WHEELCHAIR-​ACCESSIBLE, too, just like the regular food area. And unlike Leslie’s Drugs, it’s open until a reasonable time in the evening!
Need specialty «health» foods, such as gluten-​free, quinoa-​dusted air molecules or whatever it is your Manhattan-​based nutritionist/​guru insists you eat atop your kale salads? Fine. You *still* don’t have to shlepp to Kronigs. Just continue up the parking lot driveway even further, and at the back of the Stop & Shop building, you’ll find their newest offering, their version of a health-​food store. I’m sure you can find those yuzu-​and-​chia crackers you love so much there!
To people who criticize the employees at this store, please remember: This is a regular grocery store, with regular people who work long hours and have to put up with your ridiculous tourist attitude problems! If you are polite and offer them respect, they’ll respond in kind. I’ve never had a bad experience with an employee here, and I’ve frequented this store for years, since before it was even a Stop & Shop!
As with all businesses on Martha’s Vineyard, remember this: You might be on vacation, but there are people who actually live full-​time on this island, have normal jobs (teachers, firefighters, landscapers, mail carriers, etc.), and still need groceries. That’s who this store is for, people who have kitchens and need to cook their meals because they can’t afford to eat out at restaurants with $ 45 entrees every night of the week. So think about your local small grocery store at home wherever you’re from when you’re thinking about what this grocery store might have to offer!
Also remember that there’s free parking here. Yeah, for some of us who live other places year round, that’s definitely a luxury!

This seems to be the Stop&Shop that time forgot. There are three sections (2 of which are separate stores altogether) We just ran into buy water on one occasion, a toothbrush and then went to look in the back section which apparently used to be a clothing store owned my Carly Simon where they now have seasonal stuff and some organic offerings. Did not have a super negative experience with the staff but it would be nice to see a general overhaul and sprucing up.

WORST «CUSTOMER SERVICE» EXPERIENCE EVER!!!
On Martha’s Vineyard, where they’ll employ just about anyone, it seems, this grocery store is incredibly infamous for employing the WORST people, who would due to their lack of respect for themselves cast a ABSOLUTELY VILE repute for anyone with the same uniform.
Be wary of their younger help as they have no regard for common decency, respect for one another, or the fact they should retain a certain level of Professionalism with all customers who would have chosen this establishment to purchase their individual food needs. Some employees are so unkept and their manners so God-​awful, that it would be a small miracle to fail to imagine they were known as a «Pity Hire». The smell of illicit drugs (ie. Marijuana) would not be out of the norm for most of the 20-something’s on this island, who also happen to wander through the aisles red-​eyed and discourteous, all commonly due to slack regulations of the hiring process which is more than apparent.
I feel very empathetic to the actual decent and morally upright Adults who have the tendency to work with such foul mouthed or ill behaved people, again that outnumber them, or any good behaviour.
I’ll never shop here again! The Management team should absolutely gets its own act together in whom they’ll choose to be represented by; even then, with how any corporate business would fail to screen their employees and their skill-​sets better, to prevent any customer from being outraged, by any of their employees, without apparent repercussions, I highly doubt it!
I’m so very disgusted, in this moment, after my most recent shopping experience there, I would leave ZERO STARS but Unilocal won’t allow for that. They certainly do NOT DESERVE IT !

I love how theres a main store, then the pharmacy with natural toiletries, and a natural grocery all connected!

I’m pretty sure the locals call this place Stop & Steal, LOL. It’s absurdly expensive, though I should expect that for the location, considering everything has to be imported. The selection is decent. The isles are WAY too close together. There is a health food store that isn’t attached to the main grocery that has wonderful organic options. It’s a strange set up to me as I’m surrounded by One Stop Shopping type locations, but it serves it’s purpose for the area.

Their pre-​made sandwiches are much better than expected– would be a good place to pick up picnic fixings.
I’m not sure what’s up with the 3 separate, unconnected spaces that all share the same building (cards, beach stuff/​organic, regular). A quirk of the vineyard, I guess.

Very small but clean and has all basics. Did go there for a milk alternative like almond milk but they didn’t have it. The store had wonderful prices and was surprised that there wasn’t a markup like most things on the island. Was in walking distance to our hotel which was wonderful convenient! Can get everything you need for a nice meal or a picnic!

The go-​to place for groceries on the island. Has standard grocery fare, but can be SUPER busy in the summer time, which makes sense. All around an ok place to keep your fridges and bellies full.

Hey, there are only about Three (3) super markets out there on MV and Stop & Shop just happens to be Two out of Three.
There are one or two other market type stores but one cannot live without a super market for the baiscs.
The staff is super helpful and friendly.

For starters, this is the only mega-​mart grocery store on the island where you can get staples for the household at a reasonable price. Yes, it’s not the very best, island-​raised, organic and top quality produce or meat, but it’s fine and perfectly good. The staff here is always very friendly and helpful, and they manage to pack a whole lotta stuff into this one teensy store that’s here to serve the ENTIRE island. Seriously.
Now, seeing that MV is an incredibly self-​sufficient place and there are loads of local farms that supply most islanders with meats, dairy, produce and even personal items, you can’t really scoff at this S&S. It serves is purpose and sells paper products, pharmacy items, dry goods and mass-​produced goods at a reasonable price. Of course these prices are marked up and slightly steeper than say, Providence or Boston-​area markets — it’s on a island! The cost to get these items here alone is the reason for the slight price increase. Deal with it.
Sure, I’d rather shop at Cronig’s or Morning Glory, but those places aren’t open year-​round, and their prices are quite a bit higher when it comes to things like toilet paper and dried spices. This S&S serves it purpose, and I for one am grateful it’s here.

Any Stop and Shop will have the same inventory but this one is definitely lacking lots. Not even some basic first aid goods.
I live in Vineyard Haven but I only get the simple packaged snacks or sodas, otherwise, it is not inspiring for dinner preparation really.
Instead, I use Stop and Shop in Edgartown as the space is 4 – 5 times bigger and has more fresh produces, more organic foods, deli’s (they don’t speak English much!, a sign of illegal employment?) It is just like any superstores and you will be content.
However, the price at both places are at least 20% higher than Boston area Stop and Shop. And, often the salad leaves are gone bad and no staff seem to monitor them (VH branch).
That is why I give ²⁄₅. Once you are familiar with the staff, they are very friendly to you. So, Smile twice to them.
And, this is a warning for the waspy kids who can barely afford the supermarket snacks during the summer seasons. Did you leave your brain at home when you arrive on MV? Don’t you ever show your piggy bare feet and walk around scantly dressed still dripping the water and sands from the beach? Next time I see the lousy ill-​mannered ones, make sure that you will be tortured by me. They do not show any respect for the locals. Those WASPY rats! ;)
Oh, you will find no other supermarket In Vineyard Haven other than Cumberland farm convenient store next to the post office. So, too bad for all of us;)
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I caught them recirculating the food from the pantry and because the amount of the fresh veggies and fruits are scarce over the year and this recession time, I also lower my rating, too. downtime.
For the worse, Stop and Shop allowed the bunch of amateurs to paint and hang the uninspiring mural on Azek board, calling it a VH Mural project. come and see it yourself. Some Grafitti Artists could create a better work than that. I feel sorry for the voluntary school kids for painting this lousy one for weeks.
Then again, *sigh*, the ugly pavement stencils in the parking lot already ruined the first impression of the island from the ferry terminal. Just a horrible and tasteless bunch.