Readers say they like the wine selection and prices. We pretty much love the olive bar. What's your take?
Update: Some information about the opening and the store from Dominick's press release: "In honor of Veterans’ Day, a trumpeter from Loyola University played the national anthem for the crowd of neighbors, business and civic leaders who gathered for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the store. Continuing its legacy of giving through partnerships with non-profit organizations, Dominick’s made a contribution to Care For Real. The center supports the community by providing food, clothing and counseling services to those in need.
The new Dominick’s is nearly 55,000 square feet, over 15,000 feet larger than the old store. It is a ground-up replacement for the store built in 1978 on that site. The store has several environmentally friendly features, including energy saving refrigeration cases, native landscaping that requires less water, a cool roof that reduces the urban heat island effect, and other energy saving and environmentally friendly features."
LOVE IT!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat's the big deal now with "olive bars?" I see them at Jewel, and now Dominick's. I'd MUCH rather have a salad bar like at Treasure Island.
ReplyDeleteI love the store. Prob will still do my regular shopping at Jewel, produce shopping at Edgewater Produce Market and go to Dominicks for quickies and specialty items.
ReplyDeleteThe prices are much more expensive, but I love the prepared foods, wine/cheese selection, and just the overall cleanliness of the store and friendly employees.
I also noticed Jewel had a "greeter" welcoming people when they came into the west enterance. They havent had a greeter in the 3 years I've been shopping there. My prediction is they will have to continue to make small changes to try to compete.
Love the new store - and a nice (re)addition to the neighborhood. I doubt I will shop there because Jewel is still more convenient, but it is nice to have options and competition in the area. Abundance of quality grocery stores is one of the MANY characteristics that make Uptown/Edgewater a great place to live.
ReplyDeleteWarning to all - DRIVE SLOW AND BE CAREFUL when entering and leaving the parking lot, including coming up and down the ramps. The layout is fumbly and tight at best, and the lot up on top seems a little small. I am sure they took the high number of pedestrian shoppers into account when planning.
I kind of wish they would develop the lot next door into a more convenient quick in-out lot for the store. Not sure who owns that parcel or what intentions are, but something to consider.
Happy Shopping!
I haven't been there yet, but if they have the perception of being more expensive, it wont work in their favor. This isn't the time or place for premium positioning!
ReplyDeleteI did like the roof top parking and I would say the prices where not much different then what other grocery chains offer. I usually buy all my produce from Pete`s as I would say everything is almost 1/2 the price of Jewel, Treasure Island and dominick`s.
ReplyDeleteIt's just 1 stop later on the bus for me so I find myself there quite a bit to pick up something small or grab dinner for that night. Yes, prices are more expensive but probably not more than any other Dominick's. I was very disappointed that they do not have a salad/hot food bar like other Dominick's. Also I was suprised that the bank inside is US Bank, I've never seen anything other than Chase but then there's a Chase across the street so I guess we don't need another one.
ReplyDeleteI love the new store! We used to do our shopping at the Dominick's on Broadway and this one is SOOOO much nicer/cleaner/closer that I'm converted. I've noticed that the prices are actually a bit cheaper than our "old" Dominick's (I think these are short-term promotional price cuts) BUT if you register your Dominick's card - you'll receive 10% off all purchases for 30 days!!!! Can't argue with that! I think my favorite feature is the nice, big, wide aisles (but the wine selection doesn't hurt a bit!)
ReplyDeleteWhat's the big deal about an olive bar? Well, I like olives. It's nice to have a good selection. Stuffed with blue cheese.. yum! I've been known to drive to the big Dominicks around 6100 Broadway just for the olive bar, so it's handy to have one closer to home.
ReplyDeleteMy only complaint about the new Dominicks is the entrance on Foster and the trucks that need to stop traffic in all directions to back into the loading dock. It's a really narrow street, even with four lanes. Can't be easy for them, and it's kind of scary for me as a driver to be in traffic there and have to back up to let them wiggle through the tight corner turn.
I love the new Dominick's and it is a welcome asset to the community. What I am not liking is the traffic situation! The amount of congestion that is being created BOTH by the new Dominck's AND the several parked CTA buses on these corners is crazy. Coming off LSD at 5:00PM to go home, it takes me 20 minutes to crawl from the LSD Foster exit ramp to Sheridan Road. Why can't there is a left arrow on the traffic signal to allow people traveling west on Foster to turn left southbound onto Sheridan? This seems common sense, but someone left it out in the planning. The congestion on Foster for the eastbound traffic to get to LSD is ridiculous both in the morning and at night which starts to back up starting at Clark to Broadway. Why can't the CTA buses relocate to somewhere else with more room? It seems idiotic to have 4-6 (sometimes more) accordion buses stacked on top of each other on each corner of that intersection that no one can get around. I saw a police officer move them a few evenings ago as he and everyone else could not turn onto Foster going east from Sheridan. He was clearly frustrated, turned on his lights, parked, and got out screaming at the bus drivers to move.
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ReplyDeleteIn the community meetings that were held last year, the community was told by the builder and Dominick's representatives, that there would not be a truck-dock on Foster and that there would not be access drives on both Foster and Sheridan, however, now, clearly, there are. From the traffic study in 2009, "The redevelopment of the existing Dominick's Finer Food store at the northeast corner of Foster Avenue and Sheridan Road will not have an adverse impact on traffic conditions in the area due to the low volume of additional traffic. It will actually improve traffic operations by eliminating an access drive on both roads, providing for an on-site truck dock, and relocating the Foster Avenue driveway further east on Sheridan Road. Pedestrian access to the store from the parking lot and from the street has been improved and more accessible with two street level entrances and two elevators/three stairwells serving the rooftop parking." What changed? Now the main garage entrance ramp is on Foster!
I think we all should review the proposal again to ensure we got what we were promised in the beginning, which was March 2009.
http://www.ascosheridanroad.org/files/DominicksSheridanTrafficStudy20MAR09.pdf
I agree, Stash, that it would be nice for them to use that adjacent lot for street-level parking. While I really enjoy being up in the rooftop parking (its pretty!) it really is tight on the ramp. I don't understand it because they seem to have more overall space than some other grocery stores that also have ramps. Luckily I haven't had to exit onto Foster when there was a lot of traffic. With the Admiral coming in soon (and of course summer traffic) I am a bit concerned.
ReplyDeleteAs for the food, the produce is 1,000% better than what that location had a year ago. It is displayed nicely and looks very fresh. The floral section looked particularly lovely as well. I also like that you see all of Uptown in there and everyone seems to be having a nice shopping experience with the sampling stations and stuff.
All in all I am happy for the new addition to the neighborhood but after all of the waiting I guess I've realized that I am a Whole Foods/CSA consumer with a Costco side habit. I try to buy organic and local as much as I can. While I can get organic eggs, dairy and basic veggies at Dominicks I still find more (and even better prices) at stores that have a different market niche. For example, I bought their store brand organic roasting chicken only to find a better quality bird for about 1/2 the price at Whole (Paycheck) Foods!
The new Dominick’s’ has ramped up the competition in the neighborhood. I’ve shopped at the Dominick’s on B’way, and the Jewels at Montrose, Clark, Boystown and Berwyn and I really don’t know where everyone gets this “Dominick’s costs more” stuff. My usual checkout runs about the same, +/- $5. I’ve lived here long enough to have shopped the old “Dominick’s of the Damned” and this one, and it’s a giant improvement!
ReplyDeleteI find the carping about the parking and the trucks to be a bit selfish. Condemn the store because of the CTA? Seriously? It’s a grocery store, not a political statement.
It’s oddly like the new store on Lincoln & Foster, there are two “front doors.” The street entrance drops you into the “impulse buy” section. The door to the roof parking is located down quite a way from the registers, and the little tiny “side” door drops you into the produce department? The only people who buy produce live north of Foster?
Yes, I’m sure its some kind of “innovative” store design, but it’s very unfriendly. Furthermore, is it really a smart marketing idea to blockade the grand entrance to your 24 hour store at 9pm? I rolled up there at 930 on Monday night, saw the chained shopping carts and thought the place was closed till I saw someone shopping. They might want to rethink that one.
I do love the convenience of having a nice clean grocery store so close to home. The staff is amazing and super friendly. I truly hope it continues. Management plays the key role in that area and only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is great, it doesn't seem too different from other Dominick's Fresh Stores in various areas of the city, so I wouldn't call it a "Flagship Store", unless an olive bar lifts them to that level. Who knows? I'm not complaining, just stating the obvious.
My only wish would be to have a designated organic section similar to the Jewel on Broadway. I know, I know; an organic section might not cater to the demographic in the area, but it would save a few of us a trip or two to Whole Foods when the need arises. Jus' sayin'.
The new Dominick's loading dock is poorly marked. I've seen two semis drive past it, which forced the all the traffic on Foster to stop while the trucks reversed to get into the right driveway. Otherwise, the store and its employees have been great. It's about time we had something that looks a little high end in our neighborhood. Can't help but compare it to the drab-looking Wilson Yards development.
ReplyDeletehow about using that empty lot for a bus stop/turnaround? I think there may have been talk about doing something like that at Berwyn (although it would take a complete teardown of Jewel or the strip mall next to the station), but it seems like that vacant lot might be good (not sure as far as size if it would be doable for a turnaround, I haven't noticed it that closely.)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Dominicks. Hop off the bus and hop right back on? Perfect!
I agree with Local Lassie...the salad bar at Treasure Island ROCKS, its the only one with real blue cheese and other good stuff.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I like about the store is that the parking isn't out front suburban style. The new Jewel on Southport as well. It just fits in better, more pedestrian friendly. Everything needs to be more pedestrian friendly...its a greener and less meaner way to be.
I LOVE the new Dominick's!
ReplyDeleteIt's aways from my "Food Stamp Jewel", as some have called it, at Montrose and B'way, but it's such a great addition.
The thing that puzzles me is that the CTA changes drivers on the 147 on many runs at Sheridan/Foster going Southbound. I mean the run just started 15-20 minutes earlier at Howard certainly the driver can finish the route that ends at Congress and Michigan! I can understand the 151 needing to change drivers mid-route since that route takes probably twice as long at the 147 to complete. It doesn't seem the Northbound driver changes screw up traffic quite as much, but I do agree the buses that stop for an extended period on Foster just East of Sheridan are a big problem. I don't even drive and I generally have little sympathy about drivers that moan and complain incessantly about parking and traffic in the big city when there are alternatives to driving.
ReplyDeleteThey probaly will do a salad bar-thing with olive bars is they do not spoil if not bought right away like veggies.
ReplyDeleteI think this a signal to Jewel that they need to do more store like the one they did on southport.
ReplyDeleteBecause Dominicks is a little ahead in this new type of store.
I think the Berwyn Jewel would be SO MUCH better if it was abutting the street corner directly and had parking on top. I hate the old fashioned layout of the grocery stores.
Its funny how long it takes chicago/illinois to get with the program. They have had this type of layout for years out in LA.
Its much better IMHO.
When you put parking on the roof you free up space that can be used for other buildings and other retail/uses. Yes it causes more congestion, but hey its a CITY.
And it will promote people to use their cars less and PROMOTE public transportation. Its also just natural that the limited space available in a city be put to better uses than the old fashioned surface parking lot
I agree with KenCondoPrez...traffic is a nightmare. Getting out of the parking garage onto Foster takes forever...no one wants to let you in b/c they themselves have been sitting in traffic forever. The store is great, but the parking and traffic will keep me going to on of the two Jewels until they figure it out.
ReplyDeleteLove it. Great wine section. Was impressed.
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