One bad checker isn't enough to stop us from frequenting the Safeway on Market and 15th. It just seemed that this checker personified what we dislike most about old-time Ballard residents,... More

One bad checker isn't enough to stop us from frequenting the Safeway on Market and 15th. It just seemed that this checker personified what we dislike most about old-time Ballard residents, you know, Subaru drivers who slow down at green lights, jaywalkers who can't walk 20 feet to the nearest crosswalk and generally fugly people who have their heads buried deep. The problem with Ballard people is that they have not been properly corrected when they misbehave. In other parts of town, say the south end or Lynnwood, ballard-style behaviour would at least result in a few choice 4, 8,or 16 letter words hurled at the offender. Yes, Ballard residents are "nice" but it is the kind of niceness that allows the propagation of true evil. A case in point is an incident last year where my 80 year old mother was nearly killed by a senior driving a Lincoln who ran a stop sign at 40 m.p.h. The elderly driver of the Lincoln deathmobile missed my mother by inches and t-boned a car on 24th resulting in the death of the drivers pet dog. Both my mother and the other driver were understandably very upset and let the elderly driver know it. Onlookers and witnesses who gathered at the scene were horrified that the offending driver was being yelled at. One person stated "she's 90 years old, can't you be nicer to her?" Well, "nice" doesn"t cut it in situations like this. Ballardites, both young and old, commit offenses regularly that are impolite, stupid, dangerous and anti-social, and nobody ever tells them so. Anyway, the Safeway at market and 15th is an O.K. store. The problem is that it is in Ballard, full of Ballard people and staffed by Ballard's finest.
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I've just discovered Ballard Safeway after living in the neighborhood for 8 years. When they built this store, I blew it off as being another fruit fly infested, flourecent lit sanitarium. But... More

I've just discovered Ballard Safeway after living in the neighborhood for 8 years. When they built this store, I blew it off as being another fruit fly infested, flourecent lit sanitarium. But last month my baby sister suggested that we stop in and low and behold...AMAZING!!! Clean. Cozy. Priced right. A good selection of veggie/organic foods. Thier floral department was nice. I was shocked and pleased. Forget Fred Meyer; that place pretends to be low price but it's the same as QFC (same company, Kroger). I'll still pick up my bulk goods at Ballard Market. Specialty foods have to come from Whole Foods, Trader Joe's or my special boutique food shops. But for every day shopping Safeway Ballard is the place.
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When Alex and I first moved to Seattle last year, we immediately hit the local Safeway in Ballard to stock up on some supplies. A beautiful layout, some specialty food selections, we thought we had... More

When Alex and I first moved to Seattle last year, we immediately hit the local Safeway in Ballard to stock up on some supplies. A beautiful layout, some specialty food selections, we thought we had wandered into some upscale shopping. Our first question went along the lines of, "are all Safeways in Washington like this," and if so, we're so getting the shaft in California. We found out that our Safeway is one of a number of tester stores. There are a few more just as nice scattered about the area, so check it out.
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