Good Deals @ Johnnies Foodmaster

[macca]

SOme good deals this week at Johnnies- rib eye steaks for $3.99 pound, boneless , skinless Chicken breasts for $1.67 poind, bacon for $1.59 pound and lettuce for 79 cents per head! I stocked up on all of these- can't wait to fire up some of the steaks this weekend.

[Dea]

OK, is it just me? Whenever I go to the markets in Somerville (Beacon St and Alewife Brook Parkway) I find the smell in the meat department to be such a turnoff that I can't bring myself to buy meat there. I shop both markets for other stuff, including deli meats, but I can't get past the smell in the meat department. I'm just being too much of a fragile flower aren't I? It sounds like other hounds like the meat selections there just fine and haven't had problems. I need to get over this!

(BTW I have the same issue with MacKinnons in Davis Square.)

[Bob Dobalina]

What are you smelling?
I think the Johnny's on Beacon Street, with the carpeting, just has a funny smell, period.
And the couple of times I've been in MacKinnon's, I didn't notice anything.

[nightsky]

Is that Beacon St in Somerville? The Beacon St Brookline one doesn't have carpeting, and doesn't have a meat odor. Maybe that's why it's named Johnnie's Fresh ...

[Bob Dobalina]

Yup, Somerville.
I think the carpet just needs to be changed, you know? Too many years of carpet cleaning chemical build-up.

Speaking of bad smells, went to the deli/fish counter at the Shaw's in Porter yesterday and there was the most wretched smell...Not fish, not meat, but whatever it was, not good. I would have left immediately but there were several other people in line, so I thought...maybe it's just me....but it really was awful.

[Dea]

It's a pungent organic kind of smell. I don't want to denigrate Johnny's as I really like their stores otherwise, but I get the sense the bins aren't well cleaned and I'm picking up the smell of old meat.

Like I said, I need to be less of a fragile flower about this, I think. It's reassuring to hear that you all have had good experiences with buying meat products there. Currently I buy most of my meat at Trader Joe's, which is OK, but I miss having a butcher to work with. I used to buy meat at Market Basket on Somerville Ave quite a bit for that reason, but get there much less now that I've moved out of that neighborhood. Thanks to all for the input here - it does help!

[tallullah]

The smell in McKinnon's in Davis makes me wretch. It's a challenge for me to shop there.

I can't say I've experienced the same at Market Basket.

[BobB]

Sad. My grandfather was a meatcutter at that Beacon St. location from the 1940s to the '60s (it was a Stop & Shop back then), he'd be turning over in his grave to hear this.

[Bob Dobalina]

I was at the one in Somerville by Teele a month ago - they had a deal - buy any five packages of meat for $20. I am thinking, ok, what's wrong with it? Got two big pork tenderloins, a pack of boneless pork chops, and two giant packs of boneless chicken breasts. Unbelievable deal.

[macca]

I always stock up on the pork tenderoin when they have those sales. They usually have them four or five times a year. I also like that the Johnnies I go to has actual butchers working there- if I want a particular cut or thickness, they are more than happy to accomodate.

[mcel215]

Bob,

I love this deal the best. I got two pork tenderloins as well, each with a 10+ price tag. I bought chicken breasts, chicken tenders and boneless turkey breasts. My total bill would have been about $40 dollars and it was $20, gotta love that.

[02139]

Another good deal (to me) are the $3 Cabot butter (sadly, only salted version, but still a good deal) and the $2 Newman's lemonade. Everyday price!

[ginnyhw]

I bought the rib eyes - my mistake. However the whole chicken breasts and bacon were great for for the price.

[nightsky]

Were the ribeyes bad? I've noticed they're on sale at the Brookline store.

I also love the eastern european fruit juices they sell, esp pomegranate and sour cherry. The labels aren't very appealing (and they could use a dusting), but the product is quite good.

They don't seem to be baking bread in-store like they did when they first opened, or am i just going by at the wrong time? It used to often smell like fresh baked bread, and the baguettes would still be warm.

[BackBayGirl]

I go to the one in Brookline & I love it. It's great for deals on meats. I do most of my regular shopping at Whole Foods & Trader Joe's, but for sales Johnnie's has, I go and stock up. I got skinless/boneless chicken there for $1.88/lb. Split whole chix breasts for 88 cents a pound was another deal I went for.

[buffet king]

BackBayGirl, there isn't a Johnnie's Foodmaster in Brookline. Johnnie's Foodmaster has stores located in: Arlington, Charlestown, Lynn, Medford, Melrose, Revere, 2 in Somerville, S. Weymouth and in Whitman. Unless they have opened a new store and it's not listed in this weeks sales flyer?

[LauraB]

I think technically the one in Brookline is called Johnnie's Fresh Market, but it is part of the same company.

[BackBayGirl]

Yes, it is called Johnnie's Fresh Market, but it is a Foodmaster Co. If you go to their website, you will see a flyer for their Brookline outlet.

[buffet king]

Thanks, I learned something new today.

[Johnresa]

I learned something new today too. I had been to Johnnies Fresh Market before and had no idea it was related to Foodmaster.

[nightsky]

Was this at the Brookline store? The prices are a little higher at that one I think.

[macca]

Sorry- should have been more specific- I only checked the on line flyer for Melrose.

[Luther]

Dang, you really can't beat their meat. I got some london broil there a couple weeks ago for $2 a pound, which was nice, but the rib eye (any good?) for $4 is just great.

[macca]

Have not tried them yet- but they look pretty good. They are, of course, a bit fatty, about 1 inch thick. They also had some really thick ones for 4.99 pound. The ones on sale are sold in family packs ( 4 to a pack), and the thick ones are sold individually.

[mcel215]

Last week I stock-piled up on whole chicken breast for .60 cents a pound. The sale prices on Johnnie's meats are unbeatable.

Thanks