Top's to merge with Price Chopper

[Clipper]

www.wktv.com/content/news/Tops-Markets-merging-with-Price-Chopper-Market-32-573750481.html

I haven't lived in the Utica area for about 20 yrs but I always thought Tops was a step up from Price Chopper. Price Chopper's stores were bigger but Tops seemed to have more hometown feel that harkened back to stores like Great American and Chicago Market.

I wonder if it will spell doom for some of the Tops markets in the area. I know that Price Chopper in Oneida occupies what was a Tops store. I was disappointed to see that the last time we were in the area. When we would camp at Villages at Turning Stone RV park I often would go early in the morning and get donuts fresh from the fryer.

[artsyone]

I am not surprised that Price Chopper has assumed Tops. Price Chopper is a non union monopoly in the North East that needs to be unionized or have their monopoly broken up. As you can tell I am no fan of Price Chopper. I rarely shop there unless I am in a bind. The service is abyssmyl, never ever have enough lanes open, the stores are unclean, cashiers receive minimal training. At the Genesee St. Price Chopper the women's restrooms are always filthy, panhandlers work both doors, the parking lot is a dangerous place; I have seen drug deals go down there, people park their cars there overnight, they have a problem which is also unadressed: Young teens zipping up to you on bikes trying to snatch your purse as you bend over to put your groceries in the car. Last summer the parking lot was used as a staging ground for massive illegal fireworks displays, UPD did nothing about it. All this and it is one of the most expensive stores in town, raking in the EBT bucks of those just trying to survive during the first ten days of the month. Nothing in the area survives the jaws of this salivating behemoth. They have a total monopoly on the South Utica area and Genesee Street in general. There is not one grocery store on the Genesee Busline, and for Chanatry's you have to have a car or walk in and it's a hike.

[Clipper]

I wonder if they will close the Tops on Mohawk St. and/or tear it down?

[Deleted]

Feb 8, 2021 14:55:20 GMT -5 artsyone said:

I am not surprised that Price Chopper has assumed Tops. Price Chopper is a non union monopoly in the North East that needs to be unionized or have their monopoly broken up. As you can tell I am no fan of Price Chopper. I rarely shop there unless I am in a bind. The service is abyssmyl, never ever have enough lanes open, the stores are unclean, cashiers receive minimal training. At the Genesee St. Price Chopper the women's restrooms are always filthy, panhandlers work both doors, the parking lot is a dangerous place; I have seen drug deals go down there, people park their cars there overnight, they have a problem which is also unadressed: Young teens zipping up to you on bikes trying to snatch your purse as you bend over to put your groceries in the car. Last summer the parking lot was used as a staging ground for massive illegal fireworks displays, UPD did nothing about it. All this and it is one of the most expensive stores in town, raking in the EBT bucks of those just trying to survive during the first ten days of the month. Nothing in the area survives the jaws of this salivating behemoth. They have a total monopoly on the South Utica area and Genesee Street in general. There is not one grocery store on the Genesee Busline, and for Chanatry's you have to have a car or walk in and it's a hike.

On the Genesee St Busline going North their is Price Chopper, Aldi, Walmart. On the Busline going south on Genney is also Price Chopper also Hannaford at Kellogg Mall. The Price Chopper in North Utica is always clean. I never go south to the one on Genny cause I do not like many of the individuals that take those Busses. The New York Mills Busline brings you to three very nice grocery stores. I wish a Bus went to Chanantry Store since with out that I cannot go.

[Deleted]

Feb 8, 2021 16:09:11 GMT -5 Clipper said:

I wonder if they will close the Tops on Mohawk St. and/or tear it down?

No Tops in Utica. The one that was on Mohawk is Hannaford. 

[artsyone]

Close Tops on Mohawk Street? I think that is owned now by Hannaford and it is a going business. They cater to almost all of lower East Utica and have foods of all cultures, as well as cashiers of all cultures. The store is clean and while not inexpensive, is priced a bit more moderately than the Chopper. I go there whenever I am in that neighborhood. They sell a lot of Middle European and Bosnian food, a very good selection. I mainly shop at Your Bargain Grocers on Lincoln Ave. I know that every penny I spend there goes right back in to enrich the community. Everyone knows you by name and they have had the same cashiers for years, since they were Compassion Co-alition on Colombia Street. I pay double at PC for what I can buy at YBG. I just recently bought some belly lox from the Fulton Fish Market for $1.99. Then I bought a box of Peter Luger's NYC Steakhouse bacon. I picked up butter from Ireland for $2.00. Last year I bought 25 lbs of New Jersey peaches for $12.00, oranges are typically .10 each. If you take your time and go through there slowly you can find great stuff.

[BHU]

Feb 8, 2021 14:55:20 GMT -5 artsyone said:

I am not surprised that Price Chopper has assumed Tops. Price Chopper is a non union monopoly in the North East that needs to be unionized or have their monopoly broken up. As you can tell I am no fan of Price Chopper. I rarely shop there unless I am in a bind. The service is abyssmyl, never ever have enough lanes open, the stores are unclean, cashiers receive minimal training. At the Genesee St. Price Chopper the women's restrooms are always filthy, panhandlers work both doors, the parking lot is a dangerous place; I have seen drug deals go down there, people park their cars there overnight, they have a problem which is also unadressed: Young teens zipping up to you on bikes trying to snatch your purse as you bend over to put your groceries in the car. Last summer the parking lot was used as a staging ground for massive illegal fireworks displays, UPD did nothing about it. All this and it is one of the most expensive stores in town, raking in the EBT bucks of those just trying to survive during the first ten days of the month. Nothing in the area survives the jaws of this salivating behemoth. They have a total monopoly on the South Utica area and Genesee Street in general. There is not one grocery store on the Genesee Busline, and for Chanatry's you have to have a car or walk in and it's a hike.

You're right about the PC on Genny. I was actually in there this morning & the only reason I stopped in there was because I forgot a couple items when I was in Chanatry's & didn't want to go back. The place was a dump & only one lane open except for self service, although the guy at the deli was courteous & friendly. PC is letting that store go to seed because of it's location & I wouldn't go near the place after dark. The PC on Commercial has recently been remodeled, it's spotless &  cashier lanes are always open at least on the few locations that I go there. I patronize Chanatry's a lot because it's locally owned & rarely go to PC. The Genny srore should never have been allowed to be built there in the first place. It's an eyesore & the people from that area who were against it were correct, but money talks & b.s. walks around here.

[Clipper]

Feb 8, 2021 16:40:10 GMT -5 artsyone said:

Close Tops on Mohawk Street? I think that is owned now by Hannaford and it is a going business. They cater to almost all of lower East Utica and have foods of all cultures, as well as cashiers of all cultures. The store is clean and while not inexpensive, is priced a bit more moderately than the Chopper. I go there whenever I am in that neighborhood. They sell a lot of Middle European and Bosnian food, a very good selection. I mainly shop at Your Bargain Grocers on Lincoln Ave. I know that every penny I spend there goes right back in to enrich the community. Everyone knows you by name and they have had the same cashiers for years, since they were Compassion Co-alition on Colombia Street. I pay double at PC for what I can buy at YBG. I just recently bought some belly lox from the Fulton Fish Market for $1.99. Then I bought a box of Peter Luger's NYC Steakhouse bacon. I picked up butter from Ireland for $2.00. Last year I bought 25 lbs of New Jersey peaches for $12.00, oranges are typically .10 each. If you take your time and go through there slowly you can find great stuff.

I Always liked the Hannaford on Commercial Drive when we lived there. they had some excellent prices when they first opened. I liked the quarter in the slot to get a cart. I always take excellent care of my trucks, and nothing pissed me off more than finding a shopping cart left anywhere but the cart corral. One of the pluses of shopping at Aldi's.

The store on the corner of Eagle and Mohawk was originally a Tops wasn't it? I was working for Fred Burrows the summer that they built it. We hauled a lot of dirt out of there and a lot of gravel and stone in there for the base of the parking lot, then hauled blacktop out of Oriskany falls when they paved it.

We always ordered subs from Toma's Lebanese Deli, adjacent to the site and picked them up at lunch time. When the wife made them they had about a pound or more of meat in them. Is that place still there?

[artsyone]

Clipper: No, Tomas is long gone. I miss it now that you mentioned it. I don't know if it was a Tops. I only know it as Hannaford.

[Deleted]

I wish Toma's was also open. I always bought my grape leaves there and boy did I love them. When we were having a party I would always order 70 of them. Damn good stuff and not expensive. Street Corner Grocery on lowered Genny and Bleecker St has grape leaves from Karam's BUT are they expensive like 4 or 5 small ones for over $6.00. Sad. Come to think of it I have a craving for Baba Ghannoj cNNOT FIND IT IN ANY GROCERY STORE SO I may have to make it which is more expensive than buying it. Maybe I will go to Karams.http://karamsbakery.com/menu.html

[Deleted]

Feb 8, 2021 16:40:10 GMT -5 artsyone said:

Close Tops on Mohawk Street? I think that is owned now by Hannaford and it is a going business. They cater to almost all of lower East Utica and have foods of all cultures, as well as cashiers of all cultures. The store is clean and while not inexpensive, is priced a bit more moderately than the Chopper. I go there whenever I am in that neighborhood. They sell a lot of Middle European and Bosnian food, a very good selection. I mainly shop at Your Bargain Grocers on Lincoln Ave. I know that every penny I spend there goes right back in to enrich the community. Everyone knows you by name and they have had the same cashiers for years, since they were Compassion Co-alition on Colombia Street. I pay double at PC for what I can buy at YBG. I just recently bought some belly lox from the Fulton Fish Market for $1.99. Then I bought a box of Peter Luger's NYC Steakhouse bacon. I picked up butter from Ireland for $2.00. Last year I bought 25 lbs of New Jersey peaches for $12.00, oranges are typically .10 each. If you take your time and go through there slowly you can find great stuff.

You will save but the food is outdated. They were bringing food cartons to us when the place was closed down because if early COVID scare. I don't know why. Individuals were still shopping for themselves. Someone was here a few days ago giving out free gallons of milk. Imagine three gallons per apartment. I told them I do not drink milk and I think they took offense at it. I don't drink it plain and simple. For coffee I use half and half always have! 

[Clipper]

Feb 8, 2021 20:34:49 GMT -5 @turd said:

I wish Toma's was also open. I always bought my grape leaves there and boy did I love them. When we were having a party I would always order 70 of them. Damn good stuff and not expensive. Street Corner Grocery on lowered Genny and Bleecker St has grape leaves from Karam's BUT are they expensive like 4 or 5 small ones for over $6.00. Sad. Come to think of it I have a craving for Baba Ghannoj cNNOT FIND IT IN ANY GROCERY STORE SO I may have to make it which is more expensive than buying it. Maybe I will go to Karams.http://karamsbakery.com/menu.html

Come on down PB. Our food city stores sell it in a little plastic container like they sell onion dip in. I never noticed the price. It was in specialty case with exotic cheeses, and hummus. We had some hummus on New Years Eve, but it was nothing like what you can get up there. It is mass produced by a company named Sabra. We don't buy it often but occasionally we get the red pepper hummus.

[Clipper]

Feb 8, 2021 20:41:12 GMT -5 @turd said:

Feb 8, 2021 16:40:10 GMT -5 artsyone said:

Close Tops on Mohawk Street? I think that is owned now by Hannaford and it is a going business. They cater to almost all of lower East Utica and have foods of all cultures, as well as cashiers of all cultures. The store is clean and while not inexpensive, is priced a bit more moderately than the Chopper. I go there whenever I am in that neighborhood. They sell a lot of Middle European and Bosnian food, a very good selection. I mainly shop at Your Bargain Grocers on Lincoln Ave. I know that every penny I spend there goes right back in to enrich the community. Everyone knows you by name and they have had the same cashiers for years, since they were Compassion Co-alition on Colombia Street. I pay double at PC for what I can buy at YBG. I just recently bought some belly lox from the Fulton Fish Market for $1.99. Then I bought a box of Peter Luger's NYC Steakhouse bacon. I picked up butter from Ireland for $2.00. Last year I bought 25 lbs of New Jersey peaches for $12.00, oranges are typically .10 each. If you take your time and go through there slowly you can find great stuff.

You will save but the food is outdated. They were bringing food cartons to us when the place was closed down because if early COVID scare. I don't know why. Individuals were still shopping for themselves. Someone was here a few days ago giving out free gallons of milk. Imagine three gallons per apartment. I told them I do not drink milk and I think they took offense at it. I don't drink it plain and simple. For coffee I use half and half always have! 

That free milk is being distributed on a regular basis in different places on different days. A member of the forum that doesn't post anymore is one of the volunteers that helps distribute it. Country Gal. Her husbands family operates a huge dairy in Marcy that milks over 700 cows 3 times a day. It is a godsend to families that are struggling and families with kids.

[BHU]

Feb 8, 2021 18:16:23 GMT -5 Clipper said:

Feb 8, 2021 16:40:10 GMT -5 artsyone said:

Close Tops on Mohawk Street? I think that is owned now by Hannaford and it is a going business. They cater to almost all of lower East Utica and have foods of all cultures, as well as cashiers of all cultures. The store is clean and while not inexpensive, is priced a bit more moderately than the Chopper. I go there whenever I am in that neighborhood. They sell a lot of Middle European and Bosnian food, a very good selection. I mainly shop at Your Bargain Grocers on Lincoln Ave. I know that every penny I spend there goes right back in to enrich the community. Everyone knows you by name and they have had the same cashiers for years, since they were Compassion Co-alition on Colombia Street. I pay double at PC for what I can buy at YBG. I just recently bought some belly lox from the Fulton Fish Market for $1.99. Then I bought a box of Peter Luger's NYC Steakhouse bacon. I picked up butter from Ireland for $2.00. Last year I bought 25 lbs of New Jersey peaches for $12.00, oranges are typically .10 each. If you take your time and go through there slowly you can find great stuff.

I Always liked the Hannaford on Commercial Drive when we lived there. they had some excellent prices when they first opened. I liked the quarter in the slot to get a cart. I always take excellent care of my trucks, and nothing pissed me off more than finding a shopping cart left anywhere but the cart corral. One of the pluses of shopping at Aldi's.

The store on the corner of Eagle and Mohawk was originally a Tops wasn't it? I was working for Fred Burrows the summer that they built it. We hauled a lot of dirt out of there and a lot of gravel and stone in there for the base of the parking lot, then hauled blacktop out of Oriskany falls when they paved it.

We always ordered subs from Toma's Lebanese Deli, adjacent to the site and picked them up at lunch time. When the wife made them they had about a pound or more of meat in them. Is that place still there?

Toma's closed a few years ago. I use to go there all the time to buy Baklava. It was the best around. I love Baklava but now I can't find it anywhere. I tried to make it one time but it was a disaster. Baking ain't my thing. 

Today I'm making pulled pork in a slow cooker usuing the recipe that you posted. 

[Clipper]

I don't know about any bakery that sells it around your area. You can still get a piece of it for $4.50 at Symeon's. The trouble is that the one piece will just make you want another one. haha.

If you want a whole sheet pan of it you will probably have to take a loan and put your house up for collateral.