Eat Arkansas

I have a problem with places calling themselves "specialty stores" when in reality they sell the same brands as Kroger, but just market them nicely and jack the prices up. I'm fed up with Fresh Market and places as such. When are we going to get a damn Whole Foods here? Does anyone know the status on Whole Foods coming?

ARK. BLOG: Having read a great deal lately about their jackass owner and his anti-competitive practices -- not to mention disgusting political outlook -- I think I'd just as soon he give us a pass.

The Whole Foods deal is up in the air. Whole Foods and Wild Oats were going to merge together. However, the merger was stopped by the FTC. Now the merger is in court and is being investigated. The details I am not sure about. You can search for it on the web and get more info about the current updates. However, I did talk to the manager at Wild Oats about a rumor about the current store. He told me that the employees know as much as the public does about the possible merger, so I am going to assume that the merger is likely not going to happen. He did say that Wild Oats is looking for a new location for that store, which originally was supposed to Midtowne, but once the merger talks began, that idea fell through. He said the current building that houses Wild Oats is in bad shape and that once the decisions are made regarding the merger stuff that the store will be looking to move to a better location.

Wild Oats should check out the church on the corner of 6th and Maple. The owner is currently using it for a warehouse, but I wish someone would turn it into a thriving business--and what a cool use of that building as a grocery store. If you're in communication with the manager often there, you should mention it, Halo.

Oh, that's in Argenta, by the way... As if you couldn't guess.

We need something in Midtown! I'm sick of having to choose between the sorry excuse from a grocery store with non existent parking Kroger on Beechwood, and the Heights Kroger.

Living downtown, I'd LOVE to have one of the Hillcrest/Heights Kroger's instead of the crappy Harvest Foods at 17th and Main. I'll trade you, Mordy, and give you The Family Dollar Store in boot.

Central Arkansas needs a good chain of grocery stores, period. I went shopping one day to make a simple asian dish... something like Kung Pao Chicken. I went to three goddamn grocery stores and still couldn't find all of my ingredients--one in particular that I remember was soybeans. Soybeans? Yes, soybeans. Couldn't find a single grocery store (within a 15 minute drive) that carried soybeans. Finally, after over two hours of driving around and searching through stores, I gave up. I went home and ordered pizza. I've lived in several places around the country, and I understand that grocery stores generally carry items specific to the region... For example, you can't find Kraft garlic snack cheese outside of the south--and probably for good reason. I get it, that we're southern, and we eat crappy, processed food. I just wish that Kroger, or someone around here, could step it up and carry some quality food as well.

Can't argue with you there Quapaw - used to live in the Quarter myself, and I avoided that Harvest Foods at all costs.

Someone needs to take the Harvest Foods in the riverdale shopping center and do something with it. That would be a great location convenient to Midtown and Downtown, and would catch the WLR traffic as they leave work for home.

For us out-of-towners, how would you compare Copper Mkt to Fresh Market? Same? Better? Worse? More expensive? Less expensive?

ARK. BLOG: Good question. I haven't been to Copper Market yet. Maybe tomorrow. It's certainly smaller than Fresh Market. I'd be surprised if it compares in produce and fresh meat counter, simply on the volume necessary to sustain the Fresh Market selection.

"in reality they sell the same brands as Kroger, but just market them nicely and jack the prices up."

Eh, have you been to Fresh Market? True they do have some of the same brands and it's pricier, but their seafood, meat and deli selection trumps anything around and they have many products I've only come across on the coasts. It's a welcome addition.

My boss shops at Fresh Market because it's a lot closer than Kroger to his home, and he says that the prices for most things are maybe 4 cents higher. I shop there for stuff I can't get at my Kroger, and for the outstanding cheese selection.

Harvest Foods jacks their prices way up- they make Fresh Market look like a good deal. I might have to go on a 'price survey'- take a half dozen items and price them at Kroger, Harvest, and Fresh Market.

Eh, I have been to Fresh Market, several times. I went there in search for good pitas the other day and found the same exact brands that Wal-Mart sells, and actually less of a variety. I admit, their meat and fish selection are great... their prepared foods are wonderful as well. Why can't the rest of the store be just as amazing. My husband and I saw tomatoes marketed as "Tomatoes from Holland"--tell me, what is impressive about shipping your tomatoes from half way around the globe? If anything, that makes me want to steer clear of their produce section all together. At least I know Kroger's probably come from Mexico. My point is not that Fresh Market is exactly the same as any other grocery store--obviously it is nicer than Little Rock has seen before. My point is that compared to other specialty food grocery stores, frankly, it sucks. If I'm going to spend half my paycheck on food, I'd rather blow it at a Whole Foods, where everything is better.

Is it better that your tomatoes come from Mexico than from Holland? Neither are grown in the US and judging on the conditions and reputation of each country's produce, It would seem the Holland tomatoes are the better deal. And I still say they carry many brands not available in other stores.

Can you estimate about how long it would take to ship tomatoes from Holland? I used to live in Texas, and I ate plenty of produce from Mexico--and I found it all to be of excellent quality. Some of the best produce I've found in this area comes from a Kroger that is in a neighborhood with a large Hispanic population.... Hmmm, I wonder why? Coming from a culture that takes pride in their food, I trust any Mexican's produce.

If you look at the little tags on produce, sometimes it will have a place of origin on it. The exception is always bananas, but they come from South America.

My favorite example are the crawfish at Kroger's seafood. Marked with a small sign "Product of China" -- given recent news of growing conditions, I wouldn't eat those on a bet.

We live in Arkansas and we have to import our crawfish from China? That's sad... Same thing with tomatoes--we shouldn't have to import tomatoes when we grow so many great tomatoes here in our state. Buy local, people!