The Michigan Daily-Thursday, September 4, 1980-Page 5-C Looking for cheap food? Get away from campus A price comparison of localfood Campus Ralph's . .ood Mart Village White Corners Market S. Univ. (orners Market By WILLIAM THOMPSON For dorm dwellers weary of institu- tionalized food day after day, there is always the option of traveling off- campus to collect the necessary items to prepare a home-cooked meal. In doing this, klowever, it becomes neces- sary to patronize one of Ann Arbor's food markets, a prospect which is ex- ensive and inconvenient enough to make dorm food attractive-almost. Most students living in houses and apartments pool financial resources to buy their food and allocate cooking duties among the residents. The average weekly contribution is around $20, though some get by with less: "I try to keep it at $15 a week, but I don't want to be too cheap," said Paul Jarley, who lives in a five-person off- campus house. "I get things that fill me p and if I have any money left over I might even get some meat." THE KEY TO keeping food costs down, according to Jarley, is shopping at the right store. "Everything in this damn house is from Kroger," he said. "They should install a pipeline from their warehouse in Cincinnati to our house." This adherence to patronizing Kroger's represents more than an en- trancement by "cost cutter" ads. Food prices at the Kroger on Broadway are consistently cheaper than the stores near campus. Another supermarket, the A & P on Stadium and Industrial, is only slightly more expensive than Kroger. Along with the sometimes higher prices, stores near campus tend to be more cramped and often narrower selections. To their advantage, the smaller stores often give better service and are located closer to where most students live. THE MAJOR problem with the large supermarkets in town involve their location. For most students, a car is necessary to shop there, which many students don'thave. "Shopping off campus makes having a car valuable," said Jarley. "I feel sorry for those poor people who have to shop at those campus stores." The menus found in most student dwellings have one factor in com- mon-economy. Cooking policies range from highly organized procedures to free lance munching. "We buy breakfast food and lunch meat so you're on your own for those meals," said house dweller Fred Top- pel. "Three nights a week we fend for ourselves and somebody cooks on the other four. On the free nights we're usually standing around hungry, so we make something." ALTHOUGH AN occupation as strenuous as academics makes a nourishing diet important, many student meal plans don't suffice. "To stick to our inexpensive budget, we rely on starchy and junk food," explained Jarley. "We hardly ever eat vegetables." Sticking to that budget also limits the range of foods on the student shopping list, so the element of variety is often missing. "Macaroni and cheese is the most abused form of nourishment around here," noted Toppel. "Two or three meals a week we have some form of hamgurger, like meat loaf, spaghet- ti, hamburgers, and sometimes Ham- burger Helper, although we aren't all that impressed with it." Although some students have rewar- ding culinary experiences, some sacrifice is usually required. For those who aren't prepared to accept this, one final solution remains-meal contracts are available at residence halls. Whole milk, one gallon Large eggs, one dozen Butter. 1 lb., cheapest brand Plain yogurt, (Dannon). Boz. Bread, 1 lb.. cheapest brand Head lettuce Potato chips (Lays), 12 ox. Cookies (Oreos), 19 oz. oranges, small Laundry detergent, 3 lbs Ivory soap, 3.5oz. bar Bathroom tissue. 4-pack Cat food. cheapest brand Dog food, 5 lb.. cheapest brand $2.15 .99 1.80 .55 .69 .65 .99 $2.05 .99 2.19 .55 .83 .79 .99 $1.99 .75 1.79 .47 .79 .53 .99 1.57 .35 1.68 .20 1.75 " $1.69 .89 1.83- .49 .69 - .79 .99 1.41 .18 1.69 .24 .89 $2.09 1.19 2.09 stores Kroger $1.78 .59 1.48 .51 .79 .49 .99 .29 .69 1.25 .25 1.73 .30 118. .38 2.16 .13 2.09 .25 1.19 .39 2.19 1.69 .29 1.79 .27 1.49 .43 2.59 1.25 .25 146 .19 .69 .21 1.38 .35 2.15 2.09 .t This comparative survey was con- ducted last spring by PIRGIM. Given the continuing high inflation rate, the prices quoted may be higher today. 'Off-campus shops offer variety By SARA ANSPACH and GREG WOLPER For long-time residents of Ann Arbor, the full range of local shopping alter- natives is understood and appreciated. But for University students, especially those just arriving in Ann Arbor, it may Deem that the only places to shop are within two blocks of campus. 'This assumption is wrong-indeed, the commercial areas surrounding cam- pus, primarily downtown and at Briar- wood Mall to the south, offer an array of shopping alternatives that can keep students busy throughout their- days here. What follows is a review of such shopping resources-first in downtown Ann Arbor, and then down State Street at Briarwood Mall. - Downtown GIFT SHOPS ARE Ann Arbor's forte and the downtown district has some of the best anywhere. Unlike the gift stores close to campusfmost downtown shops specialize in a particular type of import or handicraft. Andohs African Imports on S. Fourth sells clothing, hats, jewely and other gifts. Furatenas Imports on Washington sells hand- rafted items from Columbia, and Sangam India Crafts and Food on S. Fourth sells gifts and food from India. Tfie Persian House of Imports on Liber- ty specializes in Oriental rugs. For folk art and handicrafts try Baobob on Liberty. If you like the preppy look stick to campus and Briarwood shops for clothing. Downtown has clothing stores geared to the college student. Two Ssecond hand shops (Second Hand Rose on Huron and Fantasy Fashions on Liberty) offer unusual used clothing or the creative dresser. Footprints on Liberty sells earthy-type shoes and specializes in Shakti, Trolls and Birkenstock brands. Downtwon is the place to shop for the sports enthusiast. There are several sporting goods shops that sell a wider variety of merchandise than campus shops. While the campus area has a' monopoly on bookstores, there is one downtown bookstore that true book-, worms should visit. Afterwords on Main sells new books, mostly har- dcover, for 40-90 per cent off the retail price. DOWNTOWN ALSO offers a variety of music shops and many carry large selections of sheet music for the piano and other instruments. Art lovers will njoy browsing in 16 Hands, a. cooperative art gallery that features reasonably priced works of art in all mediums by local artists. Graphic Arts Wholesale on Main is a great place to pick up inexpensive decorations to cover the paint chips on your dorm walls. The shop sells modern prints in well constructed frames at greatly reduced prices. While downtown features many fine restaurants there are also several ,places to pick up a quick snack during a shopping break. The Soybean Cellar on Liberty has a healthy restaurant in ad- dition to its natural foods grocery. Af- ternoon Delight, also on Liberty, is the best place around to pick up a quck falafil and Sun Bakery, across the street features wholesome baked goods. IF YOU LIKE mall shopping and don't want to ride the bus to Briarwood, Many stores downtown offer something you can't find anywhere else nearby. Harry's Army Surplus on Washington sells outdoor equipment, Kiddie Land on Main has a wide variety of toys, and several stores lining Fourth offer all forms of "adult" entertain- ment. Briarwood Briarwood Mall, located about two miles from campus down State Street, contains over 100 stores which offer students everything from books and records to falafils and down jackets. One of the newest additions to the seven-'year-old mall is Lord and Taylor's, a department store which will compete with Hudson's for the high- paying clothing customers. MANY STUDENTS, especially those without credit cards, may find these stores out of their price range. But Briarwood also houses both a Sears and a J.C. Penney's. In addition, Briarwood stores such as Just Jeans, County Seat, and The Gap gear their offerings specifically to the college-aged crowd. See BRIARWOOD, Page 6 WELCOME U.M. STUDENT TO Ann Arbor and the Campus from Ann Arbor's NEWEST Department Store. HEADQUARTERS FOR: * LEVI PLAYTEX * HANG TEN * MAIDENFORM " CATALINIA " FORM FIT " DEE CEE * SHIP-N-SHORE * SWEATERS * LINGERIE 20%/ SAVING DURING SEPT. WITH AD LAnA /6 4 j 218 S. Main St./Ann Arbor/665-3641 C. b ' g; k ; 2. 4r rr*lt ANNOUNCING OUR NEWLY REMODELED rzecorzos oept. ALSO DIGITAL ANN ARBOR'S RECORDINGS ONLY EXCLUSIVELY AND SOME Cl ASSICAL RECORD IMPORTS DEPARTMENT..... WITH THE LOWEST PRICES ANYWHERE IN TOWN. WE HAVE DISCONTINUED ALL OUR MMM3 IE OT HE R RECORDS TO BR ING ANN ARBORS L ASS ICA L MUSIC BUYER TTHE FINE } L SELECTION AND LOW II Daily Photo by JIM~KRUZ MAIN STREET IS the most active area for shopping in downtown Ann Arbor. For many students and faculty from the University who are accustomed to shopping near campus (e.g. State St., South University areas), a walk downtown provides many welcome surprises. FOR OJL'? $1.50 YOU C~tW SEE T"HE BEST 1N AL.TENATWE CtNEN0%. i MOVI:ES To THE PeSENT DAY. WE SHOW INJ AVD. "A" &%&ELL p%'.AND AT rtiI(rtOVERN LANG~LAr6-S VI LQ1,(P- PRICES LACKING IN ANY OTHER LOCAL STORE. WE CARRY ALL MAJOR LABELS AS WELL AS L BUDGET LABELS. FOR P~P~ t"I M IFOMNYTON 7A . I U1 V7 n~ th 11 n0 =Pm C'E CALL - coQ? II ALA Afinmrk F% - 1 sIs