Pelham Fairway is Amazing
I have only been to the 74th street Fairway and while they have decent products the crowds are horrible. But the Pelham store is absolute great. The prices are so drastically low compared to other stores in lower Westchester and far lower than whole foods everywhere.
I was quite impressed with the store, as the shelves where stocked fully and the store was almost empty, my perfect store. It was pretty odd that the store was so empty considering the prices are so low, this was around 8.
Anyway, I am afraid this great store will close down if people don't shop there. So if you haven't tried it yet, please do. It is great.
Some price comparisons
I needed a bag of rye flour, same bah was $6 at WholeFoods(WF) in Columbus Circle and $3.19 at Fairway.
Box of wheat Gluten $7 at WF, $3.69 at Fairway.
My Toms deodorant $6 at WF, $3.99 at Fairway.
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jcmods
Mar 19, 2011 01:55 PM
For the past year and a half we have been making our own soups. However, today I felt that cold coming on and thought "a bowl of steaming hot Pho would be nice right now" but as we know, there is nothing of the kind in Westchster. So, we got the premade "fresh" chicken soup in the deli area of the store and kicked it up a little (extra garlic, cilantro and Sirracha). Very good I must say. Tastes just like homemade....seriously! Not loaded with salt. Obviously REALLY made fresh. I would not stop making my own, but in a pinch, this is a good option if a bit pricey at $5.99 for a Qt. (which was two generous bowls).
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jcmods
Jan 29, 2011 09:23 AM
Went today (Saturday) at 11:00 a.m. Not crowded, but certainly not empty either. Took the back roads from Fleetwood and that wasn't bad at all (except for potholes). Actually tried to see if I could spot some of the trouble areas being reported here, but other than pricing I couldn't have disagreed more. The staff I talked with were friendly and knowledgable. The produce I came for was fresh, as were the meats. I didn't see anything pre-packaged that was past the expiration date (I always check that no matter where I shop). The store has a more lived-in look than opening day, but it wasn't dirty or disorganized. In short, I'll be back more often.
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I do fear that Fairway management decided on a poor location for the store. Yes, it is in Westchester, and Pelham Manor is nice, but the store is spitting distance from the Bronx, in the shadow of Co-Op City. To get there, the Hutch is nearly always crowded, and most folks would not venture through Mt. Vernon to attempt a local street route. It is just not in the regular pathways of most Westchester and Fairfield County residents. I love the store, and try and shop there as often as I can, but it seems too quiet, and the quality/freshness is suffering. I get the feeling that Fairway management is disappointed too, and their attention is waning due to the lack of action. Honestly, if it wasn't for the crowds and a bridge crossing, the Fairway on 125th St. would be easier to get to, and it seems "more special".
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re: moreeatsathome
chowdom
Jan 20, 2011 01:36 PM
Ditto, I had to go back twice due to expired dates and a partially opened large container of organic yogurt add to that clueless not so nice employees ( for the most part ) ... Yesterday I actually wrote a little note and deposited it in the suggestion box regarding a new employee who was really nice and helpful. I was really ready to write this location off but this guy (Kenny) was so nice and eager to help me that I decided to adjust my attitude and give them another chance.
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re: chowdom
MisterBill2
Jan 20, 2011 10:22 PM
I wonder what the best way to actually get a response from them is. They seem to selectively reply to Facebook postings. They have not responded to my last two complaints about Pelham. Anyone know Howie's email?
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re: chowdom
Sloth
Jan 21, 2011 06:56 AM
Your voice as a customer has more power than you may think. Leaving your contact info is an indication that you are serious about your comments and are willing to discuss them further with management. I don't use that voice too often, for fear of diluting its power, but when I do it can work miracles.
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re: Sloth
chowdom
Jan 21, 2011 07:16 AM
I couldn't agree with you more and have often followed through with positive results . I actually spoke to a manager while at the store a couple of weeks ago unfortunately he was not very receptive or nice. I have a gut feeling that everyone is under alot of pressure and that the store is having serious problems. As far as leaving my contact info I guess I pick my battles. I know this is a Fairway thread but I have to give a shout out to Stew Leonards their managers are always professional, courteous, bend over backwards to make sure you happy and the customer is always right.
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re: Sloth
MisterBill2
Jan 23, 2011 07:38 PM
And yet, my last two posts on Facebook complaining about the store have been ignored (and they do respond to others that do not complain).
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re: moreeatsathome
I too am becoming quite disappointed. The location is not so much of a problem for me as I'm on the Sound Shore but the quality seems to be going down and the prices are going up.
A few weeks back I bought a turkey breast that seemed off. We didn't chance it and I intended to return but although not completely inconvenient, it's not around the corner either so we discarded the turkey breast and ate the $15.
You are right about some of the help there too. While I've had mostly very congenial and helpful service, the guys at the seafood counter had no idea what I was talking about when I asked if the scallops were dry - thought I was asking if they were "dried". Finally the third person I spoke with insisted they bought them fresh - nothing added - so, I said "no phosphates" to which he replied "No, nothing". I bought them and when searing, or attempting to sear, they released an awful lot of liquid. No sear and not what I would expect from Fairway.
That same day they had no fresh thyme. Produce clerk didn't know when it was coming and didn't care. Maybe you don't care but at least pretend to be sorry a little bit - say you're sorry instead of just shrugging your shoulders and walking away.
When I was living on Long Island a while back for a few years I'd frequent the store in Plainview and that one was always busy, produce, meats, etc. always fresh, everything always in stock and the service was excellent and had the benefit of being much larger than the stores in the city although not as big as the new ones.
I've only gone to Stamford once but although more of a drive, perhaps they'll give that store and its customers the attention it and we deserve.
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re: Shawn
MisterBill2
Jan 23, 2011 07:40 PM
Expansion is supposed to increase their buying power and bring prices DOWN, not raise them.
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re: MisterBill2
Expansion may bring down the prices the company pays for what it sells, but this doesn't mean it can cover all the additional overhead. And then, if there isn't sufficient demand to buy the goods in enough quantity, costs go up even more.
The grocery business has very small margins, so the room for errors in purchasing (and in spoilage) is minimal.
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Sloth
Dec 24, 2010 08:59 AM
Just went back the other day at around 10:30 on Wednesday and there were no crowds like opening weekend (the last time I was there). At that time I had reported the lack of Spanish Chorizo (Palacio). This time they had that and a lot of other Tienda type products. The prices were really cheap for that stuff. Palacio at Kings in NJ and the Murray's in Grand Central run about $8.99. At Fairway it was only $6.99.
In fact it is the only place in Westchester that I know of that even carries the stuff. So now I will be going back a lot more often. Nice Wine Store too.
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Cheese Boy
Dec 6, 2010 01:25 PM
There's seventy-five thousand square feet of floor space at the Pelham Fairway. If you saw what Opening Day was like, maybe one tenth of that was actually passable. It's an absolute thrill to go there now and find the aisles wide open. The UWS Fairway is still fun for me either way.
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JMF
Dec 5, 2010 10:20 AM
What time and day did you go that it was empty? It is always busy when I go, which is usually around 1-2 pm on a weekday.
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re: JMF
menton1
Dec 5, 2010 06:49 PM
YOu rarely notice how many people are shopping there because of the large space and the efficient way they handle the checkouts. It's a pleasure to shop there. And don't think that the supermarkets in surrounding areas haven't had a dramatic drop in business because of Fairway. Even their grocery prices are in most cases lower than the supermarkets!
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re: Maryld
I haven't seen game meats there (haven't really looked) but they do carry game birds from D'Artagnan, so presumably they could get their game meats as well. I've looked for quail eggs on more than one occasion but no luck.
NB: they're the only source I've found for genuine Scottish kippers.
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Wow, I figured they would always be packed. It is a trek for me from Goldens Bridge and I havent' gone because of the fear of the crowds. Maybe I'll give it a try.
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re: wincountrygirl
MisterBill2
Dec 22, 2010 03:29 PM
I have been saying since before Pelham opened that it would not be the zoo that everyone who was only familiar with the Manhattan stores was claiming that it would be (you can look it up, as they say). People were saying "oh, I will have to go at 8am on a weekday to get in the store". The Paramus store is not a zoo, either. Even Stamford was not all that busy the first week they were open, the deli counter was empty when we were there, and that really surprised me.
The layout of Stamford is kind of strange, with the bakery in the back corner. Pelham and Paramus are pretty much the same (except Pelham is bigger), but Paramus does not have a food court in the middle like Pelham does.
BTW I am actally disappointed with their prices. A few months ago, they raised prices 10-20% on many of the things we buy (the cashier confirmed that other people had mentioned it).
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re: kdgchow
I lived on West 70th Street for years and I was a loyal Fairway shopper. Then we moved downtown and I took my car to the Red Hook store. And now living in Westchester, I am more than pleased to have Fairway in Pelham. But, I was there last Sunday (around 1:30 and it was not overly crowded) after not having been in a few months and I had mixed feelings.
The selection cannot be beat in every category. It really is one stop shopping. However, a few things bothered me. Iceburg lettuce, for example, was $2.50 for a head. It's $1.99 in Stop & Shop. Yes, I know, it's 51 cents, but that's not the point. And I bought some yellow, orange and red peppers in a pack of 4 (forgot the cost, but not cheap). When I went to slice them for dinner on Monday night, the red pepper was all mushy and it went straight into the garbage. Applegate Farms turkey bologna (in a package) was $3.49 -- it's $2.99 at Trader Joe's.
Those are just a few things that come to mind. But honestly, while the selection is amazing, I really think that other stores have better prices. But sometimes it's just nice to buy everything in one place, regardless of cost.
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re: valerie
Yeah, the prices were really low at first opening but have jumped up (guess it's a Fairway "brand" marketing tool-ie. once you've been there you are spoiled for other stores). I certainly hope they are there for many years, but at higher prices there's no way it can be my store for staples.
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re: valerie
MisterBill2
Dec 23, 2010 06:49 PM
One price that always shocks me at Fairway is $7.78/lb for portobello mushrooms. And it's not a price mistake because I've seen it at all of their stores that I've visited. I complained via their Facebook page and they said they'd look into it but never changed it. For comparison, Whole Foods charges $4.99/lb. When you're 50% higher than WF for a produce item, something is broken.
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re: MisterBill2
menton1
Dec 24, 2010 10:37 AM
If you take this up with the produce manager at Fairway, he will either reduce the price immediately or explain the difference. My betting is that there is a reason and a difference, WF is unlikely to be that much cheaper for the exact same item! On most items, WF is the one that charges double...
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re: Elisa515
I have to second your comments. It's been shocking to me, but WF's prices (yes, especially dairy) often equal or even better Trader Joe's. Of course, they can be much higher for many things, but they are NOT across-the-board so. Fairway's selections can be very broad, and their quality generally excellent, but their prices can be all over the place. All of this means that I am still shopping on a regular basis in way too many stores ( I do try to limit how many in any one week, tho.)
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roxlet
Dec 1, 2010 07:36 AM
We go at least once a week, and sometimes more. The selection is outstanding as well as the prices. I find their baking section a little weak though.
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re: roxlet
I agree Roxlet. I love Pelham Fairway and do my regular grocery shopping there but the baking stuff is very limited. They can certainly do better and should. I have to shop elsewhere to complete holiday baking ingredient purchases.
FYI - went to the Stamford store for first time yesterday - lobster sale! Have to get used to their layout and they didn't have a few items I regularly buy in Pelham but it was fantastic. Will probably alternate stores just to mix it up since I'm somewhat in the middle.
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re: Recursion
JMF
Jan 2, 2011 01:04 PM
The A&P in Bronxville was also affiliated with Food Emporium. The name has changed back and forth. I shop there for 60% of my needs. Only 5-10% at Fairway because they are so far, and the prices seem to be inching up every visit. I love a lot of their products, especially meats, but...
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