20B - The Michigan Daily Weekend Magazine - Thursday, October 3, 1996
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GROCERIES
Continued from Page 3B
Busch's next week and there may be some salsa
left at The Merchant of Vino then, too.
LSA sophomore Kristy Springstubbe and Corby
Laverty, an LSA senior, negotiated the aisles of
wine, produce and fresh baked breads at The
Merchant of Vino on North Campus last weekend
in search of special dinner ingredients for Laverty
to cook.
"I have a lot of fun shopping," Springstubbe
said, adding that she enjoys tasting items in the
store, too.
Even if you're not helping your boyfriend buy
items to cook for you, you
can't help but get lost in
rapture at the store. A rea-
sonably priced gourmet- Of ca p
type food store, Merchant
has rows of delicious are ifi
sounding items, like mus-
tard seed and passion fruit
flavored vinegar, shiitake
mushrooms, assorted bulk c
olives, Jelly-Belly jelly-
beans, fancy teas and more
sauces than you realized existed.
Alhhough painted pumpkins glare at each otf er
on the shelves, you may find yourself wandcrin .g
the store with a big smile, gazing happily at fI"
berries, anticipating a return visit for the well-
advertised Oct. 11 wine tasting event.
You'll find a more personal, social environ-
ment at the Whole Foods Market near Michigan
Stadium. Store manager David Lewis said their
aisles of imported olive oils, cheeses and
Zingerman's chocolate cherry bread are often
blocked by patrons chatting with their friends for
15 to 20 minutes at a time.
Others sit and relax at tables in the front of the
store, eating homemade entrees like chicken pot
pie or the spicy Javanese tofu salad. You can
enjoy smoothies at the juice bar and will defi-
nitely smile at the sight of sandwiches without a
trace of shrink wrap anywhere near them.
"We're not a conventional grocery store,"
m
pi
Lewis said. "It's a hangout spot.
By the way, you needn't be scared about blow-
ing your budget at the off-campus stores. They are
infinitely cheaper than on-campus. If you don't
have enough fun at The Merchant of Vino or
Whole Foods, you can still try Busch's Valuland
for diverse foods and lower prices.
Robert Cantelon, Busch's store director, said
he often sees students shopping in groups, late
at night. "They have a convention in the aisle to
decide what to buy," he said. "It's a team
thing."
Tag-team shopping may speed up your jour-
ney through the store, which can take a while
since there are so many choices, including
organic, Kosher and foreign delicacies. Picking
a box of macaroni and
cheese can be time-con-
suming, due to the multi-
is stores ple incarnations of the
standard Kraft creation.
teoyEven if you'd rather not
ba ospend time at the video
store nearby, choosing
ores.between "The Avenging
Disco Godfather" or "Pulp
Fiction," you still might
like the feel-good variety
that Busch's provides. "(Customers) feel better
about their decisions because they have all the
choices," Cantelon said.
Oh, and even though there are six Krogers
around campus, don't expect to find enlighten-
ment or profound thought amid their pickle
jars. About the best things you'll find there are
copies of tabloids and cases of Big K Cola, the
coolest of the no-frills soda brands.
MEIJER: THE FINAL FRONTIER
Without a doubt, the ultimate shopping experi-
ence of Ann Arbor is Meijer. In fact, Meijer could
just be the most redeeming feature of the entire
state of Michigan.
Gentle readers, Meijer is America.
"You can go there and buy a tie, soft drinks,
detergent and a knife, all in the same place," LSA
sophomore Dan Henig said. And don't forget the
KRISTIN SCHAEFERI/Daily
A wall of peppers can be found at Whole Foods Market on E. Stadium Blvd.
guns - in addition to live ammunition, you'll
find BB guns, air rifles and old fashioned hunting
rifles.
Meijer even has a dental office, so you can get
your teeth cleaned before you roam the wide aisles
of the grocery, pet and toy departments.
Unlike a night in the dorm, you can make
noise and run around at Meijer without getting
written-up. Cheryl Emans, a manager at the
Carpenter Road store, said playing kiddie com-
puter games, riding the one-cent mechanical'
pony ride and starting kickball games in the
aisle are pretty commonplace for college stu-
dents.
Even more important than being fun, well-
priced and the only place in town to sell a fire
engine watch with working wheels, a siren and
a highway colored wrist-band for only $3,
Meijer provides a testing ground for any rela-
tionship. If you can survive a night roaming the
aisles with your significant other without being
ditched for the shopping cart, you'll know
you've made it.
And if you've done it right, you'll leave the store
with some money left, coupons in your pocket and
a smile on your face. How sweet.
Afternoon Delight Invites You To Try
AF EE Sundae
and FREE Muffin!!
THE
PRINCETON
REVIEW
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k.-k