Anti - Wal-mart Shoppers... where do you like to shop?

[shelbylovesmelby]

So since we are all starting to really open our eyes & dislike alot of their practices where do you shop outside of wal-mart including & excluding big retail chains?

I really dont shop much at all except at flea-markets, gargae sales and thrifts. Only shop at Walmart and HEB for groceries. For me to buy anything brand is rare!

[tinapbeana]

groceries: bloom (a southeastern chain, i think it's in 4 states, great sale prices on meat plus they offer 'build your own 6 pack'), local natural foods store (milk, veg, coffee, bulk items), flea market in season (cheapest & best quality veggies in spring/summer), publix (sale items), cvs/walgreens (sale items).

clothes: goodwill, jeans from rugged wearhouse (seconds), tops from tj maxx (seconds), undies from target (clearance), work pants from k&g fashion, socks from the sporting good store, casual male or hamricks for DH when needed.

housewares: old time pottery, bed bath & beyond once every 13 blue moons

giftwrap: dollar tree has the best gift bags around year round, walgreens just had a sale on paper & i got 100 sf for $2

all these places are within a 10 mile radius of my house, most are within 4, and they're all closer than the nearest walmart.

[asmom]

Kroger/CVS/Target

[PrincessPerky]

so is target really that much better?

We tend to go there, because they are..currently.... nicer and cleaner in general..but seeing as how when Walmart first came to PA, it was the 'new clean' place to shop, I find it hard to believe that target will not follow suit (and I remember people telling me K-mart was the new big clean place to shop...which I will never go in due to repeat rude service, and lousy messy layouts)

[Elgin526]

Target and Costco for household items and certain groceries, JC Penney's and Eddie Bauer clearance racks for clothes. Kohl's on occasion for kitchen stuff and clothing. Jewel for my main groceries (I don't have a super Walmart near me so that's a moot point, though), although a New Year's resolution of mine is to try out Aldi's and see how I do.

And Princess Perky, Targets have been in my area since around '93 and they are still a clean, bright, and pleasant place to shop, so I would be greatly surprised if they went down hill in your area. The Wal-Marts in my area, on the other hand, range from 3rd world conditions (and that is not an exageration!) to so-so.

Edit: Sorry OP, you said to exclude big retail chains. All we have in my area are big retail chains, that's what you get for living in the burbs! I don't shop at Wal-Mart for various reasons, their business practices are only part of it, and are actually #3 on my list of why I won't shop there, #1 is dirty over-crowded stores with 2 check out lanes open and #2 is that anything not name brand is crap for quality. #4 is that around here, their prices aren't really all that competitive anyway. I'm not anti-big box business per sey, Wal-Mart just has too many strikes against them for me to want to shop there.

[sparkysgirl]

Target!! love Target!! their clearances are unbelievable!
goodwill and garage sales for clothes

dollar general--don't forget they take coupons!
save a lot -- great for marked down vegetables and fruits...(nothing but second best for my family!)
giant eagle - our local overpriced grocery store that marks down bakery items at night.. including bread
our local bread thrift store
cvs-- for the ecb items
walgreens for the far items

[sparkysgirl]

we get the meat we do eat from angelfoodministries
http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by PrincessPerky

so is target really that much better?

We tend to go there, because they are..currently.... nicer and cleaner in general..but seeing as how when Walmart first came to PA, it was the 'new clean' place to shop, I find it hard to believe that target will not follow suit

I don't think they will because, at least around here, they attract a very different clientele. The Wal-Mart stores are located in more urban locations and are frequented predominantly by lower income customers. The Target stores, on the other hand, are in more upscale suburban locations and attract a predominantly middle class customer base.

[asmom]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

I don't think they will because, at least around here, they attract a very different clientele. The Wal-Mart stores are located in more urban locations and are frequented predominantly by lower income customers. The Target stores, on the other hand, are in more upscale suburban locations and attract a predominantly middle class customer base.

In my neck of the woods, Target and Walmart are often in direct competition, most of the time across the street from each other. But I have never known a Target to go down like WalMart's often do and I do think it is because they attact a different clientele as you say. Those differences are not necessarily limited to income but also the way people looking at the shopping experience.

Target just seems to have a different management philosophy. Often when I am in there, they have one person whose job it is to make sure the lines don't get too long and they will open up right away when needed. I rarely have time to pick up a magazine and flip through it in the line. That NEVER happens at WallyWorld.

[sarah]

I shop at ShopKo and Target for household items. Goodwill and Salvation Army for Clothes. I shop at Quillins (a local chain) for grocercies. I am also shopping more and more shopping on line especially e bay. I did most of my Christmas shopping on line this year.

[katwoman]

Kohls, only during their 15%-20%-30% off days
Value City dept store- only with email coupons and homemailers w/coupons
Target- clearance racks
Dollar Tree/Dollar General/Family Dollar - the last two take coupons
Aldi- Cheap prices, no coupons
Jewel- Use coupons + promos + loyalty card
Domincks- Use coupons + promos + loyalty card
Bread thrift store - only on double punch days
Village Discount Outlet- Every holiday is half price on almost everything
Goodwill- Use loyalty card and coupons from their homemailer
Chico's- Only with their coupons
Linens & Things and Bed,Bath & Beyond - TONS of their 20% off coupons.
Dick's Sporting Goods- Current printable coupons for $10 off $25.
Amazon.com- I have Amazon prime + Amazon/Chase Credit card
KMart- Their jean deals in the early Fall are KICKER!
Sears.com- Great detergent! Has to be on sale AND rebate for shipping.
Menards- Only rebate items and maybe really cheap items
Ace Hardware- Rebate items


The bottom line is you have to really know your prices and your limits as to what you want to pay. Some people just never learn.

[tabbycat31]

For me I tend to shop for quality instead of quantity. Most people I see in the local Walmart are doing the opposite. And our Walmart is very crowded and it really brings out the worst in people (behaviorwise).

I do buy a few craft items there but that's about it.

[I'm going to win]

Hey! I know I started this mess about Wal-Mart but I will only shop for the everyday stapels no meat or vegetables. Not sure how long it's been sitting in the case. I own a small business in a very large town and Wal-Mart
is very far away from downtown so the traditional stores ie:safeway albertons are safe, costco is not a option I being by myself and all. What am I going to do with 55gallon drum of butter. but raise my chelseriol? level

[gackle]

Target and Kroger. Once while shopping at Wal-Mart I got stuck behind somebody paying for their purchase with all change, including pennies. The cashier had never seen a 50 cent piece before and had to ask her supervisor if it was real. During this, two guys tried to cut in front of me. This same cashier on another visit tried to tell me that I couldn't use two of the same coupon when purchasing two of the same product. This never happens at Target.

[project15]

The main reason I don't shop at wal-mart is because they're usually dirty. I prefer Target and Meijer for most of my shopping.

[rob62521]

I shop a variety of places avoiding Wal-mart whenever I can.

I do most of my grocery shopping at Cub Foods and some at Kroger's. I buy my meat at a locally run grocery called East Side Locker. I do hit Aldi as well for staples.

I buy from Target and K-Mart for cleaning supplies (I watch their ads).

We buy from Lowe's and Menards for home improvement and such.

If my husband didn't want Dean's Easy 2% because he's lactose intolerant, we probably wouldn't step foot in Wal-Mart. As it is, we go once every two weeks to buy his milk. I've asked the other local stores if they will carry it, but they don't because they say there isn't a big enough demand.

I also shop the Dollar stores and Dollar General.

Thanks for asking!

[mom-from-missouri]

I avoid Walmart when I can. Instead, we use:
the local owned pharmacy for RX
Walgreen for HBA (many items are free after I coupon or use their rebate booklet)
Aldie's for most grocery items--most our cooking is from scratch, so we don't need the packaged prepared foods from Walmart
Dollar General for HBA and cleaning products and school supplies
$1 shop--great for things like candles, papergoods, toothbrushes and picture frames
Local feed store for pet food
Local Amish store for kitchen items & fabric & notions
Consignment store for clothes--my girls wear school uniforms, so between the hand me downs and consignment, not much need for other clothes, as they only wear them for play or Sunday (and I sew also)
I can and have by passed Walmart for months and months at a time. Its not hard, I mean, I was shopping before we got a walmart and we survived...

[Pollyanna]

Groceries: I can do lots better than the Evil Empire's (WM) prices by watching the sales and buying in bulk. I grocery shop at County Market (local area), Aldi's, and a small independent market for general groceries. I shop at an Amish bulk food store for staples, and buy beef, pork and chicken from local farmers.

The toiletries and cleaning supplies usually come from Dollar General; a few toiletries come from Walgreens (crystal deoderant once a year, etc..).

We don't currently take any prescriptions, but when we did, they came from the pharmacy at the hospital where I work.

Socks and undies come from a local outlet store, my clothes come from the Salvation Army or Catholic Charities; Hubs usually gets his outer clothing as gifts. I occasionally shop at Penneys or Sears (when I return a gift and have to take a gift card in exchange.) Dress Barn on occasion if I need something a bit dressier, or a top. I also sew, and have remade several jumpers that were given to me into skirt and vest outfits suitable for work.

We shop at DeBurh's Feed and Seed (local; in business over 100 years) and at Rural King for pet feeds/needs; we also buy other items at Rural King - oil for oil changes (Hubs does), misc hardware, etc...

We get along quite well without Wal-Mart.

[veronak]

Target or Publix...I can not stand Wal-Mart the customer service there is terrible