i can't quite give Fairplay four stars but it has inched it's way up from one to three in the matter of month of frequenting there.
i migrated from a uber dutch town that was DRY as well as closed on Sundays. there was a Fairplay the next town over that we would go to for booze and for the sin of grocery shopping on Sundays. i strongly remember it smelling like rotting fish back then.
i was warned by my neighbors, by my landlord "DONT GO TO FAIRPLAY....unless you absolutely are in dire need of something fast". coming here my first time i parked in between two cars: one blaring gospel music, the other gangsta rap... i'm not kidding - i couldn't even hear my phone ring it was so loud! there is a personal COP at the entry/exit: badge, gun, serious face, that scans every one that comes in the store - you must check your bags in as well upon entry. lastly cop cars (not just security, but CHICAGO COPS) circle the parking lot almost every time i go. just parking here i feel like i've entered a place of sin.... but now i just remind myself when i arrive the lyric from the lesbian duo "indigo girls" that "every devil i meet is an angel in disguise".
and i dunno if its a corporate strategy to lure us with the smell of baiting rotted fish, but this Back of the Yards location smells EXACTLY the same as i remember from a different location in my childhood. enough to deter me from shopping here for 6 months despite being less than a mile away from my home. i would drive ALLLLL the way to south loop Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or Dominicks for groceries - which at times felt like a chore, especially if i only needed a few basic items. then i was in dire need of something.... i went from shopping here for emergency items, then just for the basics, now for almost anything packaged or most produce that can be found at any other grocery store. see my list of do's and don'ts for deets...
I DO BUY HERE:
1) fresh produce: you may need to inspect some bunches but most has been good in my experiences. you can't beat the produce pricing here. they have cactus (not even some of the big three grocery stores have cactus), fresh ginger root, big bags of spinach, cilantro bundles for 50 cents (we eat cilantro every other day), good avocados... among many choices especially for vegetables
2) packaged meat: the same packaged ground turkey, but for less money. more pounds of chicken packaged for significantly less money - just have to cut a lil more fat off in preparation. i don't eat pork and rarely eat beef so i can't vouch for those as i haven't purchased them from here yet.
3) anything canned, jarred, or bottled: this place is canned goods king - almost every aisle has something canned in it (i know where to go when i want to stock my fall-out shelter). brand fruit juices for sometimes half the price of other stores or off-brand for even better pricing.
4) milk, eggs, packaged cheese: cheese is good and priced well but no variety besides standard packages of shredded cheeses. eggs and milk abundant, though not much variety and you MUST check the expiration date to get the most out a purchase!
5) baked goods, bread and tortillas: fresh and inexpensive. i buy a large coffee cake to bring for breakfast and coffee at the rents for as low as $2.50! eat bakery breads soon or freeze as i don't think they have preservatives.
6) guilty snacks: they have this off brand flavored microwave popcorn for a dollar or two. i cannot refrain from putting it in my basket. i even bring it to my friends house and it's devoured in seconds. they have many brand name snacks for less or way cheaper alternatives. candy is way inexpensive - i just walk straight passed the aisle to resist! every once in awhile you can get a gallon of ice cream for under $3 if you spend over 20 dollars - i haven't said no to this deal and i still have ice cream sitting in my fridge.
I DON"T BUY HERE:
1) SEAFOOD & FISH: it's smells like rotting fish here... i can't help but steer clear of it
2) over-the-counter meats: absolutely no deli. i'm sure some of the meat is OK over-the-counter but i don't trust the handling and the packaged meats suffice.
3) cigarettes: well they don't sell them... and i just recently quit so i guess it doesn't matter now!
4) yogurt: the selection is almost non-existent. i must drive all the way to south loop grocery stores, or even settle for the almost non-existent selection of Halsted Foods selection of yogurt down the street. read more