The Buzz

Relaxed as a noodle I was after receiving a soothing Reiki connection with Healing Light Owner Donna Arz and headed over to The Ridge for a chat with pro-shop worker Dave Bedell and Course Super Steve Fackler.   After a swing practice, crossed the road and wheeled into Safeway where I bumped into the Maxmeister, Max B, owner of Max's in the Heritage Center off Bell, and was reminded that Max should have been at the top of my list of successful business owners in Auburn.  Max, he of the big heart, has been in biz for over 15 years and has a loyal following and yummy lunch fare--including great soups/sandwiches/smoothies/decadent chocolate cookies.   Oh, and a big thanks to Craig Graham for mentioning Safeway as I took Chinese home and enjoyed my zesty lunch and look forward to the meatloaf and rice, also waiting for me to savor.   I mean can it become any better in North Auburn.  Be still my heart.

The new Safeway (in the building that used to be Pak N Save) is shaping up into a very nice store. It is still under remodel but the Bakery & Deli departments had their grand opening today. The displays are very well-done as they invite you to select something scrumptious-looking. This makes for a pleasant shopping experience as long as you don't have two wiggley-whiney kids like I do. The presentation of all the cakes, cookies, pastries, salads, entertaining platters, cheeses, etc. is beautiful. There is a specialty olive kiosk including sicilian, kalamata and other varieties of marinated olives and mushrooms. There is also a huge Chinese food buffet (I was there at 8:30 a.m. so I didn't actually get to see how all the food looked). This seems to be a fairly high-end store carrying lots of gourmet cheeses and in-store baked breads.  The major bonus? There is a new Starbucks right inside the store (on the left-hand side as you walk in). There were only two negatives I noticed during my 1 hour shopping adventure. 1) They only had one check out line open that was not an express line. 2) In many cases the prices seemed extremely high unless an item was on sale. I was not a frequent shopper of Pak N Save, but I would be willing to bet Safeway's prices are significantly higher. Although the store is very nice, I'm not sure I will be going there too often for that reason. They are charging $5.68 for a half gallon of OJ. Ouch! At any rate, the store is a nice addition to our grocery shopping options in Auburn.  However, it still needs more time to ramp up the customer service.

Recently, it was reported in the Auburn Journal that Trader Joe's is planning a store in Auburn, California.

If true, this is really great news! If the rumors are true, the new Trader Joe's location will be in the old Ralph's Supermarket at the corner of Highway 49 and Bell Road.

Some of the great products that Trader Joe's carries include their very famous "Charles Shaw" wines for only $2 a bottle. Commonly referred to as "Two Buck Chuck"....Charles Shaw wines have won Gold Medals in wine competitions, most recently at the Orange County Fair.

Another thing Trader Joe's does well is dried fruits and nuts. They have great frozen foods, even a good line of pet foods too. If they choose the old "Ralphs" spot, they'll have plenty of space for a "Flagship" store.

Hopefully this is not a pipe dream, and will actually happen in our lifetimes!

Whats next? Costco or Home Depot? (wishes do come true!!!)