July-August 2009 RETURN TO HOME PAGE FEEDBACK

On June 20, I did a "Girl on the Street" in front of the old Bell Market (soon to be Whole Foods) on 24th Street. I asked the question: Where are you doing your grocery shopping now that Bell Market is no longer an option? Here are some of the answers I got.

John Giordano of Day Street: My wife does most of the shopping. She goes to Church Produce because it has good fresh produce at a good price. We also go to Safeway because of the convenient location. Another destination is Trader Joe's, because of the prices and narrow selection.

Allison Holt of Chattanooga Street: I shop at Valencia Grocery because of the cheap produce. They also have the soy milk and cereal I want, and it is the only place that has it. I eat out a lot otherwise, mostly at the café at my work. Sometimes I shop at Trader Joe's and the Cheese Company.

Chris Peña of 23rd Street: I used to shop
at Bell, but now I go to Shufat and Mama's.
I like to go to Mama's because it is friendly, clean, and good. They have good basics. I also go to the farmers' markets in Noe Valley and at the Civic Center, because they have fresh produce and it's fun. I am anxious for the new Whole Foods, though.

Mark Faust and Rachael Nusbaum of Chattanooga Street:
We shop at Drewes Brothers for meats, the Farmers' Market in Noe Valley, and convenience stores like Mama's and Shufat. We only shop at these places for convenience and because they are at a walking distance. Since we are fulltime workers, we drive sometimes, but not frequently, to Safeway at Guerrero.

Emily Fasten of 21st Street: I shop at Bi-Rite and Rainbow for quality food. I live alone, so I don't have a family to feed. Therefore, I am willing to spend some money to support local businesses and get quality food.

Bob White of Church Street: I go to the Safeway on Market and Church because it is convenient and I know the store. I only went to Bell because of the convenience. Otherwise, there are no positive factors, though I went there for years. Bell was overpriced. Safeway has good deals compared to Bell.

Shayna Rubin, 17, will be a senior at the Urban School of San Francisco this fall. She lives on Sanchez Street "with my mom, dad, and brother, and have lived there all my life."