Upscale, upset. Heinen’s new look has me aggravated every time i go there now. I can’t find anything. And what i can find, I’m not interesed in. Stuff like organic window cleaner, coffee i have to roast myself, what’s next pick your own beans from bushes in the parking lot? Sushi bar! Cheeze island. Bright halogen lights shining in your face while you attemp to find a cheap bottle of wine.
I just don’t get it. This is an improvement? What’s next? valet parking?
I LOVE the changes — they are ones that I (and plenty of people I know) have been clamoring for. In fact, I’ve been shopping in the Twinsburg heinens *because* of their larger organic/natural selection, sushi bar, etc.
I’m sure they did plenty of consumer research and wouldn’t have made the changes if the residents at large weren’t asking for them. If you want garish aisles filled with nothing but mass produced food, you’ll have the Super Wal*Mart choice soon.
I shop Marcs first to buy what fell of the truck, cheaply. What they don’t have i get at Heinens. Heinens prices are 30% higher than Marcs.
Now that Heinies has gentrified, i don’t feel worthy. But i guess “new Aurorans” can’t get enough of the prepared meals and sushi and that raw coffee, how stupid. What’s next butcher your own meat? I think Barrington ought to put up gates at the door to keep me out.
I have a lot more faith in perishable food being safer to eat from Heinen’s than I do from Marc’s.
Heinen’s gives back to our community. The employees are usually very friendly, helpful, seem to enjoy working there.
It has been a struggle finding things lately but I think once I get used to the layout I will know where everything is that I am shopping for. I’m not a big fan of all the new stuff they have added but they still carry the old stuff that I liked.
I was looking forward to the changes at the Heinens. My family would frequently go to the Heinens in Hudson for sushi and other items. I must say, I’m very disappointed in what has happened here. The layout makes no sense – I want to see food items right after the produce. A lot of the products I would regularly purchase are no longer carried and the selection on others isn’t great. I used to be in Heinens 4-5 times a week. I’m now doing most of my shopping at Trader Joe’s and Sirna’s.
For the record, I’ve lived in aurora since I was born and for most of my 38 years, I’m not “new aurora” and neither are any of my friends — all of whom are big fans of heinens.
shopper is correct — heinens is a local company (as is marcs) that gives back to the region constantly. Not only that, but I’ll bet I see members of the Heinen family nearly 75% of my visits to the stores — often bagging groceries or loading cars.
The fact of the matter is that I would probably drive distances to support the local grocery chain before I’d visit a giant eagle or other similar national giant. I’ve been trying to live a healthier lifestyle and heinens organic and natural food selections make it much easier.
If you want the best kept secret for great produce and meats in Aurora (although technically it is just over the border in Bainbridge), check out Sirna’s. The people are always friendly and helpful, and prices are great. Whenever they sell skinless, boneless chicken breasts at $1.99 per lb, I load up. The selection is not as vast at Heinen’s, but it is still good. It also has a great wine selection.
Heinies will have a little bit of competition from the new Giovanni deli opening where Arabica was. But it will probably go the way of Alessi’s that closed.
I love the new look. Wish they had squeezed in a play room like in Twinsburg tho’. I usually buy most my fresh food (meats/cheese/produce/milk) from Heinen’s, and then once a month make a trip to Twinsburg Giant Eagle for other things. Heinen’s has always had a smaller selection, I’ve been here 30 years and I remember growing up people went into Solon for purchases to supplement even then. And they’ve always been a bit more upscale, that’s their niche. Where is this cheaper/downscale Heinen’s that people speak of? Was never in NE Ohio, that’s for sure. So other than new wood floors & more organics, which is a nat’l trend all the big boxes are following, I don’t really see much that’s different. (PS-Aurora was about the ONLY grocery store w/out sushi, even the Twinsburg Giant Eagle has it! LOL)
Not impressed at all the Heinens. In fact, recently they
switched to “organic” fruit and vegtables. They taste
AWFUL!! They buy their “organic” stuff locally in Ohio
(not a bad idea, mind you) and they save lots of money
than buying their fruit/veggies out of state. Problem
being it doesnt taste good. In fact, I have returned a
bunch of their ugh fruit/veggies back to them. Oh, their
store looks awful and impossible to find things there.
I personally disagree with you about the taste of the organic fruits/veggies, however all of the chemically raised produce is still available… (in fact, there is more of it than organic)
You really do not know how good you have it do you GH?
Try shopping at Giant Eagle, Dave’s, Sav-A-Lot, or Aldis like us poor folk.
You think it’s so tough to find your organic BS next to the Sushi bar, try this.
Let’s see Giant Eagle, long lines, prices that jumped over 25% in the past 3 months, and no manager’s specials.
Dave’s… you won’t shop there or Sav-A-Lot, to ghetto for your liking.
Hum, Aldis less ghetto, but watch out for sticky floors, and other dirty conditions.
Oh, wait their is another choice. But, My God you may have to rub elbows with the common folk in Parma.
If you can manage that I highly recommend, Acme Fresh Market? The Akron grocer is moving into the Cleveland Market. This store has choice, freshness, bargains, and yes manager’s specials. Two weeks ago (10/17/2008), I found Reiter Milk on sale for $1.99 per Gal, the expiration was 10/25/2008 and it was on manager special save an extra 50 cents or $1.49 per gal.
Or, you can be lazy like me and just order food from the Schwan’s guy. Wow, order on-line and the Yellow truck comes to your door to deliver your food. No need to drive in icky snow, and fight rude people at the market.
GH, Heinen’s probably did a bare minimum of research. At the mayfield SOM store, 80 percent of the customers are on their deathbed, and rearranging the store is just confusing the hell out of them.
They probably did little extrapolating in how well the new layout would work for the employees/efficiency. The oven bakery is in the back of the store, out of customers view., the service bakery in the front. Taking racks full of food through the store, between customers seems a bit filthy and time consuming.
I don’t know how this store is still alive with the dimwits that run it. Smile and shake hands all they want, their philosophy and “Heinen’s mystique” are a joke.
They started out with a big bang in Hudson and then a new manager came in a little over a year ago and now the produce sits on the shelves too long. Much is past sale date. The decline in freshness in produce and fish is marked. Too bad, especially at the inflated prices. Fire the new manager and save the store.