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| - I've been shopping at this Albertsons since the day they opened, and they are as solid and earnest business now as that very first day. I'd shrug and say, "It's an Albertsons," but having visited a few other stores around town where the security-guard presence is a bit more obvious, the aisles less varied, and the store less clean, I have new appreciation for the ship-shape Albertsons being run here.
In the 89139-zone we have three players: Albertsons, Smith's, and Glazier's. (Oh, fine, and Vons, too, but I don't count them. Don't get me started) I have to admit that Glazier's is my top choice for groceries. Nothing against Albertsons, but it's hard to beat Glazier's (for reasons which eventually shall be detailed in a separate review).
Still, often I drop by Albertsons. Partially because it's convenient, and partially because their Sav-On pharmacy staff is so quick, friendly, and helpful. Until I met them, I thought pharmacists with personality who really look at you as a person they can help, not just another pill bottle to fill, no longer existed. (And I've lived in folksy small towns with soda counter drugstores and everything.)
To be fair, the people across the corner at CVS are also very competent and nice and deserve the silver medal behind Sav-On's gold. (Sav-On regrettably had to send me to CVS one time when they ran out of a pill I needed that night. But Sav-On made the calls and got my prescription all set up with CVS before I even left their counter. I visited CVS again later when I had a late-night pneumonia issue. Long story. Still, great as that CVS is, I'll bother to make the left turn to Sav-On, given the choice.)
There's just a little extra something about the kind people at Sav-On. They remember me, which is nice, if happily startling. They remember little details about my drug history, which is reassuring. And they always know the answers to my questions straight away, which I like best of all.
Plus, at Sav-On I can shop while I wait for my prescription to be filled (not that there's ever much wait). (At CVS, you're stuck sitting in the massage chair and leaning away from the coughers, or else you have to pace the short aisles over and over, feigning in interest in elbow braces or something.)
This Albertsons has a decent international aisle with Asian (Thai, Japanese, some Chinese) and Western European (German, UK) items. Indian food (limited) is (inexplicably) kept on the rice aisle. The Hispanic foods section is the usual fare - although no watermelon-flavoured Jarritos like you can get at some Albertsons. (But heck, even Mariana's and Cardenas don't sell those.)
The bread is hot (as advertised) and the bakery sees enough traffic that extremely fresh bread is easier to come by than at other local supermarkets. Don't look for many markdowns in this department. Most of the good clearance items can be found in one of the end freezer cases (just as you reach the shampoo aisle), and there's another clearance section back by the bathrooms. (The bathrooms have always been clean, if cramped.)
My husband shops at the butcher counter now and again and always gets friendly service. If you're looking for the friendliest guy in the store, though (aside from the pharmacy - no one can beat them), it's the man who looks after the self-checkouts. (The store has four open except for the wee hours.)
I think the only poor experience we've had with food from Albertsons has been their roasted chickens. They're consistently half-cooked in appearance: crispy on one side, slimy and white on the other. As a vegetarian, I'm just a bystander, but my husband went to the bother to return one before he discovered that they're *all* like that, and subsequent trips have only offered the same. Counter staff couldn't see the problem, so maybe that's just how they're supposed to be.
Lines are never an issue. (Vons, take note!) The store has a few Redbox kiosks (one in, one out), and a photo kiosk as well. The pharmacy has a drive-thru. Wipes for sanitizing the cart are available about 75% of the time. Handbaskets are available at each entrance. (Not every Albertsons offers them at all now.) The Starbucks is right by the door. Mexican Coke and Pepsi (real sugar, glass bottle) are featured items. You can refill water bottles out front. There used to be a terrific bagel place across the parking lot (salt bagels - too rare!), but the economy happened. Sorry. Otherwise, an Italian yogurt/crepe/waffles place (Cefiore) is the "fun spot" to lure you into the strip mall.
Overall, I give 4.5 stars to the pharmacy (with a little dock because I wish they were open 24/7 or at least late) and 3 stars to the store, which is dependable without offering anything extraordinary. Alas, I can't give the whole shebang four stars, not with Glazier's down the road and Sunflower not far away, but this is the kind of three-star supermarket that you can count on for an everyday, pleasant shopping experienc
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