I've essentially given up writing reviews about supermarkets, which, if memory serves me correctly,…read moreI was kind of obsessive about during the Covid era (which is a bit of a misnomer, as Covid is still around-- I had it a few weeks ago). I reviewed which supermarkets had more of the items I wanted, which ones practiced Covid "safety" initiatives (like making aisles go in 1 direction), etc. I also remember being obsessed with the customer service skills of clerks-- which ones acknowledged me with at least a smile, had a few pleasant words, or said nothing at all, or looked at me like they were trying, with every fiber of their being, to keep from jumping over the cash register to assault me.
Times have changed. I bring my own bags now, bag my own groceries. I don't lose sleep these days over whether the clerk is friendly or borderline hostile or completely indifferent. I tend to go to the same few supermarkets and marvel only at how the prices of everything continue to climb (so much for the promises of an orange vampire but let me stop before I meander my way over into a political harangue combining elements of rage, astonishment, fear and despair).
I've been coming to Princeton periodically for decades (primarily for the Princeton Record Exchange these days) and I have been in this shopping center a few times. Once, decades ago, to visit a book store (the name escapes me now, but it wasn't Borders, which I don't think existed yet, or Barnes & Noble; whatever the name of it was, it's long gone). Once to see a movie with a friend ("Little Odessa" with Tim Roth). The movie theater is still here, which is gratifying. And 1 time to shop at the Shop Rite after visiting Princeton. That was years ago, and I don't remember what prompted the visit. I don't remember it made all that much of an impression on me. A bag or 2 of groceries and then home.
This time, I was coming back from Princeton, and I still had food shopping to do. Maybe it's just advancing old age, and a growing sense of exhaustion when faced with the simplest tasks, but the thought of driving all the way back to Basking Ridge and then heading out to the local Shop Rite, or the Stop & Shop, filled me with an enervating dread (I was a few days away from being diagnosed with Covid, which perhaps explains it). I pulled into the parking lot here, figuring it would probably be best to just get it out of the way. Parking spaces were fairly plentiful. I grabbed a cart, my 2 empty bags (I carry a few in my car) and headed inside.
This Shop Rite is pretty big. Thankfully, it wasn't too crowded. I found pretty much everything I needed, and then some. I usually buy 2 pre-packaged salads for lunch (I find salads very, very boring, but I am making some efforts to eat healthier). The pre-packaged salads here seem to be a different brand than I normally buy, have a better grade of lettuce, and contain additional items like pomegranate seeds, berries, etc. I also buy pre-packaged slices of lean chicken. The pre-packaging for the chicken here seemed to be of a better quality than I normally get, as did the chicken itself.
I bought a jar of Russian borscht soup, which I've always really liked (I acquired a taste for it when dining in NYC Slavic restaurants years and years ago), and haven't had in a while. And, to top it off, they carried a 6-pack of Stewart's grape soda in bottles. I'm not a big soda drinker (I try to keep it down to 1 small bottle a week) but I really, really like grape soda. The Shop Rite near me had it once or twice several years ago, and never since. Do the people in Basking Ridge not like Stewart's grape soda? I guess not.
Checking everything out was relatively simple. The clerk wasn't overly friendly but didn't radiate bored malevolence either. Also, I found the prices of my groceries to be surprisingly reasonable.
Willi I be rushing back here to do my grocery shopping in future? No. But I've come to look on grocery shopping overall as an ordeal just short of getting a tooth extracted, a necessary but depressing and increasingly expensive activity. Shopping at this location in Skillman was pretty quick and painless.
Shop Rite of Montgomery? Truth is-- You had me at "grape soda!"