New grocery stores promise best buys

Pinellas Park, Florida - The rising cost of fuel and food has families looking at ways to save a buck. Two new grocery stores have opened in Pinellas Park that promise high quality, convenience and low prices.

The new Wal-Mart Neighborhood Store in Pinellas Park trims down the chain's super size grocery store concept. The new store is much smaller and instead of items stocked high, they're within reach.

The store manager says the atmosphere is small town, "It's a feel at home, in your home town feel like a farmer's market."

Corporate officials say the smaller Wal-Mart Neighborhood Store has been around for about five years and there are 214 stores nationwide, with more coming to Florida.

Wal-Mart shopper Kim Beauregard says she's been waiting three months for the store to open.

"It's calmer," says Beauregard. She adds it's more convenient for shopping, "It's easier to find things and more organized didn't have to ask anybody for anything."

On price, the on-a-budget mother of three says she saves about 50 bucks a week compared to other stores. But does the store that promises "Unbeatable Prices" always have the lowest prices?

Not if you're an Aldi customer like Frank Williams, "We were familiar with Aldi and the great prices. This is what we're doing, we're stocking up." Williams says he and his wife frequently shopped Aldis when living in Pennsylvania. While the German-based supermarket chain is new to Florida, it's known in 29 states where there are more than 950 stores.

Aldi offers 30 to 50 percent off retail grocery stores. The store in Pinellas Park is one of 10 to open in Central Florida.

"We're looking for that savvy consumer interested in finding high quality produce at a great price without doing the frill other chains make you do," says Matt Cradick, Director of Operations.

There are no membership fees or store cards to get deals. Customers rent a shopping cart for a quarter and get the quarter back when they return the cart. The store is smaller and has fewer amenities compared to retail grocery store such as a bakery, meat cutting department and bank.

Aldi offers few national brands, which saves on advertising costs, but the selection is less too.

Wal-Mart's neighborhood store is open 24 hours whereas Aldi has limited hours, closing at 8 p.m. most days. Both stores offer savings, and that's what customers say they want.

Wal-Mart Neighborhood Store is at 6900 US Highway 19. Aldi is at 6700 66^th Street.

We did some comparison shopping of Wal-Mart, Aldi and Publix. We shopped store brands and compared a gallon of milk, a dozen large eggs, a loaf of 100% whole wheat bread, boneless chicken breast (brand name), grapes and apples. The price comparison was done on Wednesday, September 24^th.

Wal-Mart

• Gallon of Milk $3.69
• Doz. Large Eggs $1.43
• Bread 100% Whole Wheat $1.52
• Boneless Chicken Breast (Purdue) $3.69 per pound
• Grapes $1.98 per pound
• Apples $1.72 per pound

Aldi

• Milk $2.79
• Eggs $1.19
• Bread $1.09
• Chicken Tyson $2.99
• Grapes $2.38
• Apples $2.99 3-pound bag

Publix

• Milk $3.79
• Eggs $1.79
• Bread $1.69
• Chicken $2.49 Purdue
• Grapes $1.49
• Apples $3.99 for 3-pound bag