What's the deal with the Safeway on Conn. Ave. in Chevy Chase DC?

[Anonymous]

The Safeway on Connecticut Ave. in Chevy Chase DC is abysmal. Their check-out lines (sometimes 'line'!) are (is) brutally slow. The produce aisle offers slim pickings. There is no beer in stock.

I am aware of Magruder's and CVS, but their hours are pretty short, which is problematic given my crazy schedule. I'm relatively new to the neighborhood and would be interested in how other residents of CCDC get around this limitation to an otherwise good neighborhood.

But seriously, how could this neighborhood not offer a full-service, top-notch grocery option?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Safeway on Connecticut Ave. in Chevy Chase DC is abysmal. Their check-out lines (sometimes 'line'!) are (is) brutally slow. The produce aisle offers slim pickings. There is no beer in stock.

I am aware of Magruder's and CVS, but their hours are pretty short, which is problematic given my crazy schedule. I'm relatively new to the neighborhood and would be interested in how other residents of CCDC get around this limitation to an otherwise good neighborhood.

But seriously, how could this neighborhood not offer a full-service, top-notch grocery option?

It's just chain stores.

I was one of those who couldn't wait for the Giant Giant on Wisconsin Avenue to open. And you know what? The store may be only a few years old, but it's already dirty. The produce is not great. The lines (when a cash register is technically open, that is, as they want everyone to do self-check out) are long. They sell more shit, but it's still just that.

It may be a newer, bigger Giant, but it's still a lousy Giant.

[Anonymous]

I have lived all over the country and travel half the year for work.

My first stop on a work trip is at the closest grocery store to stock up on supplies for the crew I'm working with.

The DC area is the only place I regularly shop where the store managers just do not care if the lines back up because only one or two registers are open.

[Anonymous]

The Chevy Chase DC safeway cannot sell beer or wine. It is in their permit from the neighborhood. (Permit probably isn't the technical word, but they aren't allowed to sell it.) Go across the street to Magruders if you need that.

I've lived near that dreadful safeway since 2004 and it just keeps getting worse. The general neighbors complain, but the immediate neighbors don't want a huge store going in on that small footprint. I've gotten to the point that I only buy canned/bottled goods or packaged things like cereal or pasta there and only when I have no other option. Their garlic rots in days. (Ok, it's been a few years since I've bought it, but it doesn't look much better.) Their fruit isn't ripe or sweet tasting. I bought a particular cut of meat there one evening. When I went to put it in the crockpot the following morning, it had turned green. The staff is surly, with a few exceptions. And now they've made the aisles so narrow that they're going to have to make them one way!

[Anonymous]

It might be the worst supermarket in all of Upper NW. I avoid it like the plauge. Others might differ but the Van Ness Giant is not bad and keeps getting better. More organic, helpful staff (not all but the majority), decent selection of food, parking.

[Anonymous]

Back in the 80's this was dubbed the "Soviet Safeway." Long lines and little stock. The Giant at Van Ness didn't exist--McGruders was the only competition, but limited hours.

The one on Wisconsin between Georgetown and Glover Park was called the "Social Safeway." It has since been considerably spiffed up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back in the 80's this was dubbed the "Soviet Safeway." Long lines and little stock. The Giant at Van Ness didn't exist--McGruders was the only competition, but limited hours.

The one on Wisconsin between Georgetown and Glover Park was called the "Social Safeway." It has since been considerably spiffed up.

That was not the Soviet Safeway and back then, even though it sucked, it was still better than the Giant at FH.

[Anonymous]

Its a dump and safeway does not care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Chevy Chase DC safeway cannot sell beer or wine. It is in their permit from the neighborhood. (Permit probably isn't the technical word, but they aren't allowed to sell it.) Go across the street to Magruders if you need that.

I've lived near that dreadful safeway since 2004 and it just keeps getting worse. The general neighbors complain, but the immediate neighbors don't want a huge store going in on that small footprint. I've gotten to the point that I only buy canned/bottled goods or packaged things like cereal or pasta there and only when I have no other option. Their garlic rots in days. (Ok, it's been a few years since I've bought it, but it doesn't look much better.) Their fruit isn't ripe or sweet tasting. I bought a particular cut of meat there one evening. When I went to put it in the crockpot the following morning, it had turned green. The staff is surly, with a few exceptions. And now they've made the aisles so narrow that they're going to have to make them one way!

There is a weird quirk in DC's Alcohol Licensing where only one branch of a chain store can sell alcohol in the city. So it has nothing to do with the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back in the 80's this was dubbed the "Soviet Safeway." Long lines and little stock. The Giant at Van Ness didn't exist--McGruders was the only competition, but limited hours.

The one on Wisconsin between Georgetown and Glover Park was called the "Social Safeway." It has since been considerably spiffed up.

That was not the Soviet Safeway and back then, even though it sucked, it was still better than the Giant at FH.

Soviet Safeway was in Dupont, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back in the 80's this was dubbed the "Soviet Safeway." Long lines and little stock. The Giant at Van Ness didn't exist--McGruders was the only competition, but limited hours.

The one on Wisconsin between Georgetown and Glover Park was called the "Social Safeway." It has since been considerably spiffed up.

Maybe there were two "Soviet" Safeways but I've lived in Chevy Chase for 17 years now and never heard the store referenced this way and before moving to Ward 3 I lived a block from what every one referred to as the Soviet Safeway in Dupont. There was also a Secret Safeway.

[Anonymous]

I lived walking distance to that Safeway from 1998-2005 and once I figured out the neighborhood only shopped at Rodman's and, when I had to, the Secret Safeway on Wisconsin that is long gone now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back in the 80's this was dubbed the "Soviet Safeway." Long lines and little stock. The Giant at Van Ness didn't exist--McGruders was the only competition, but limited hours.

The one on Wisconsin between Georgetown and Glover Park was called the "Social Safeway." It has since been considerably spiffed up.

That was not the Soviet Safeway and back then, even though it sucked, it was still better than the Giant at FH.

I grew up a few blocks away from the Chevy chase circle Safeway (40 years ago) and we always called it the Soviet Safeway. My parents still live there and and still call it the Soviet Safeway.

[Anonymous]

It was called the Senior Safeway. Soviet was in DuPont. Secret at Davenport and Wisc. Sinkhole on MacArthur. Salvadoran in Adams Morgan-ish. The Safeway on Cap Hill was the unSafeway.

Yes, OP, that’s the Safeway you got. It’s not the best ever but Ward 3 is far from a grocery store desert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Chevy Chase DC safeway cannot sell beer or wine. It is in their permit from the neighborhood. (Permit probably isn't the technical word, but they aren't allowed to sell it.) Go across the street to Magruders if you need that.

I've lived near that dreadful safeway since 2004 and it just keeps getting worse. The general neighbors complain, but the immediate neighbors don't want a huge store going in on that small footprint. I've gotten to the point that I only buy canned/bottled goods or packaged things like cereal or pasta there and only when I have no other option. Their garlic rots in days. (Ok, it's been a few years since I've bought it, but it doesn't look much better.) Their fruit isn't ripe or sweet tasting. I bought a particular cut of meat there one evening. When I went to put it in the crockpot the following morning, it had turned green. The staff is surly, with a few exceptions. And now they've made the aisles so narrow that they're going to have to make them one way!

There is a weird quirk in DC's Alcohol Licensing where only one branch of a chain store can sell alcohol in the city. So it has nothing to do with the neighborhood.

I can buy beer at the Piney Branch Safeway and the Safeway in Georgetown (maybe others) so there must be some other reason that a one branch rule in DC's alcohol licensing.