|
I love Central Market! We've tried doing our weekly shopping at the bland Top Foods nearer our house, but we always end up with a higher total. And the selection at Central is outstanding; there's...
I love Central Market! We've tried doing our weekly shopping at the bland Top Foods nearer our house, but we always end up with a higher total. And the selection at Central is outstanding; there's no reason to shop anywhere else. And of course, no stupid card is needed. See ya later, Safeway and Albertsons!
Among its charms, Central includes: a deli where the friendly guy behind the counter will let you sample meats and cheeses (oh so many kinds!); a meat counter with a huge variety of yummies, a great wine selection, with selections from the modest to the extravagant; Asian foods of all sorts, fantastic fresh fruits and veggies; and a cheese selection second to few others. I look forward to every shopping trip.
Hide
|
|
GI Joes was one of the place I stopped in when looking for a bicycle recently. Since it's been a long time since I rode a bike, I had a lot of questions about the new models and gear. Unfortunately,...
GI Joes was one of the place I stopped in when looking for a bicycle recently. Since it's been a long time since I rode a bike, I had a lot of questions about the new models and gear. Unfortunately, the staff at GI Joes was completely unhelpful. The guy who helped me had only one thing to say about which bike was right: that the standover height should be an inch under my crotch. After imparting this infomation, he left the area and that was the end of the question-asking. This was the Lynnwood store - the experience at the Northgate store was just the same.
Fortunately, there are a lot of good bike shops in the Seattle area, where the staff were much more helpful, and I ended up with the right bike for me.
Hide
|
|
This weekend I bought my first bike since...well, since my favorite accessory was pom-poms for the handles. I shopped at several shops, including REI and Gregg's, but ended up buying from Bothell...
This weekend I bought my first bike since...well, since my favorite accessory was pom-poms for the handles. I shopped at several shops, including REI and Gregg's, but ended up buying from Bothell Ski & Bike.
A lot of the decision had to do with the bike itself; it was more comfortable and rode better than the others, but I was much more able to determine that at the Bothell shop than anywhere else I'd looked, because the shop is just off the Burke-Gilman trail. They just traded the bike for my car keys, and said, "Go ride!" The trail provided hills and straight areas, and I didn't feel any pressure to return quickly.
In contrast, testing at Greggs involved filling out a form, handing over a credit card and my driver's license, and navigating the car-heavy streets around Greenlake. For a new cyclist, that's intimidating. And testing at the other shops was just a matter of two or three turns around the parking lot. I suppose REI might have been better, if there had been even a single staff member around to help and answer questions about the bikes.
But at the Bothell shop, the staff were friendly and helped with every question, and I felt like I was buying from knowledgeable folks who cared about more than selling the most expensive item.
Hide
|