Fresh Market coming to Pier Park (unofficially)

[elgordoboy]

No olive bar at the Grand Sandestin Publix, just prepacked. I am an olive fiend and the "bar" at Destin Fresh Market is very good with maybe 12-15 selections.

I am apparently in the minority, but I think there are some things The Fresh Market does better the Whole Foods. Meats and produce, for one. (The produce at the Baton Rouge Whole Foods has really gone downhill. I went in to buy some escarole and founds snails contentedly munching on all the product.) And FM's bakery is much better. Whole Foods seems to have a much wider variety and selection in cheeses and diary and also seafood. It would be nice to have both.

I agree with you Doc. Though when I get back to Atlanta I do go into Whole Foods just to feel swoonish over variety, and the asian farmer's market on Buford Hwy in Doraville to be truly awed at pricing and exotic selection. I got Old Fashioned White Bread today at The Fresh Market on your rec. I was showing off the loaf to a friend and bragging on it. Issues Got some trufle butter also to put on it or over scrambled eggs on top of the toast.

 

[elgordoboy]

What's the allure at Trader Joes? I went to the one in Duluth, GA- grabbed a basket and was prepared to be wowed. I wound up putting the basket back surreptitiously and out the door I fled. I wanted to like it and hope I am missing something...it seemed sort of dirty like a Big Lots.

 

[JUL]

Love Whole Foods and like Wild Oats, which is changing to Whole Foods....never been in a Fresh Market although we do have one in Cincinnati.

 

[seaside2]

There is a Fresh Market around the corner from us, and maybe the competition is poor here, but it is, by comparison, pretty darn good, especially the fresh meat section. Cheese too and they have a really good pizza to take home to cook. I like the place, small, good selection. Yes, the produce is not dazzling, but the best we got in this area.

 

[Jdarg]

Fresh Markets are not for "every day" shopping. I can do most of a "big grocery" run at Whole Foods, but I always used Fresh Market for a special item- certain cheese, cut of meat, etc. Their prepared foods to-go are not anywhere close to Whole Foods in tastiness or selection- very bland and nothing unique or different. The roasted chickens are pretty good if you like salt.

 

[Indigo Jill]

I wish Pier Park had worked a lot harder to get something like a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Fresh Market is just OK, but I had grown tired of it and had "converted" to the others before moving here. I have been to the Fresh Market in Destin exactly once since it opened.

Right there with you on this, Jdarg. We gave Fresh Market the 3 times test - on Sundays to buy Sunday dinner supplies - and didn't go back for a 4th time. I even noticed some of their produce was the same exact stuff you could get at Publix (same brands). The last time we shopped there we spent big $ on a veal roast and were totally disappointed (Mr. IJ is a chef so it wasn't due to bad preparation). The few times I have driven by since the parking lot is sparse. I wonder how they make it?

Whole Foods is the best! It's very pricey (a few have told me they are also known as "Whole Paycheck") but all the times I shopped there, I felt like the quality was top notch which justified the cost.

When my Mom moved here, she contacted them several times about opening a store here. Something about they need a certain amount of traffic and prefer college towns for the pool of potential employees. Maybe one day ...