This is a post about upscale grocers. Ann Arbor is lousy with fancy, gourmet, deluxe grocery stores and I can't get enough of it. Yesterday evening I made a soup/goulash thing and had some italian bread from Hiller's Market, which has carpet in the produce section. I also frequent Busch's for their fine fruit, vegetables, and meats. Nearby is the ubiquitous Whole Foods and their broad array of organic this and imported that. At current levels of consumption (low) and gourmet interest (high) I think that stepping up from Kroger or Meijer is actually a sustainable behavior; better bread and tastier corn come at such a small incremental price when shopping for one or two that I think these stores are onto something. I'm sure that Ann Arbor's premium grocery market is enormous, with a vast majority of less than single-family households and a very high SES, these stores are here to stay. It's fascinating to the business analyst in me and satisfying to the gourmet in me. Stop by next time you're in town!

posted at 4:55 PM - comments