Saturday, December 19, 2009

Fresh Fanatic Fail

Is it me, or is Fresh Fanatic starting to not really be worth the trouble? Today I stopped in to pick up ingredients for some baking I'm doing this weekend. I hadn't been in a while, and though it seemed like I was getting less and less satisfied with the place every time I went, I figured it would be nice to stop in for some simple stuff on my way home.

The first thing on my list was chocolate chips. Check, no issues there!

The second item on my list was cocoa powder. Aaaaand we have a problem. All they seemed to carry are big containers of carob powder. When I asked an employee where I could find the cocoa powder, he pointed out the carob. That would work just fine if I wanted my cookies to taste like the ground. When I asked another employee, he reacted as if I was offending him for asking about something as esoteric as cocoa powder. So, no cocoa powder for me. I got fed up and left.

This seems to happen every time I go to Fresh Fanatic. Sure, they've got 93 different kinds of cheese, but they're always missing one or two of the basic things that I stopped in for, which means, no matter what, I end up having to go to another grocery store for at least some of what I want. At that point, why bother even going to Fresh Fanatic at all? I imagine a conversation with the staff there will eventually go something like this:

Me: "Hi, where are your apples? I'm here to buy an apple."

Fresh Fanatic: "An apple? What are you, an asshole? We don't carry apples. Here, try one of our locally-grown tofuples from Amish country! They're only $8 a piece and taste mostly like apples!"

Me: "But all I want is an apple."

Fresh Fanatic: "Sorry, we don't carry them. Try the Associated on Myrtle."

Seriously, "Try the Associated on Myrtle" should really be Fresh Fanatic's tag line. Every time I go I get more and more fed up with the place, which hurts even more because it's such an inviting space and I really want it to succeed and be my go-to grocery store. Now it just causes heartache and despair.

Now that we're a few months in, how is everyone else experiencing Fresh Fanatic? Has it gotten better or worse for people? Am I being unreasonable?


Ok, I'm through with Fresh Fanatic. Since making this post, I've been back twice. The first time, there was nobody at the register when I wanted to pay and leave. After stadning there for 1-2 minutes, I went up to the meat counter to ask if someone could help me. That employee went and got someone else who was aparently supposed to be working the cashiers - instead of coming directly over to help me, she decided to finish her conversation with yet another employee, making me wait another minute. I was the only customer in the store, and yet apparently nobody could be bothered to help me pay.

The second time was today, when I went in looking for some basic ingredients for an alfredo sauce. I coudln't find any fresh basil, so I asked a nearby employee. He pointed at a produce section (which I'd already checked), and told me it was there. I walked over to check again, when I turned around, he was walking away. I asked again and he simply looked at me and walked away. It made me feel as if I was being unreasonable asking for help.

I'm not going to bother with Fresh Fanatic anymore. It's become clear that they don't have much interest in running a grocery store that people actually want to use. It's a shame, because I really wanted it to succeed, but every time I go in, I end up getting fed up with something. I don't plan on going back.


justin said...

I've certainly had similar experiences (oddly, in my case it was chocolate chips, which they didn't have, and I was also infuriated by the damn carob whatever), in terms of never knowing what they're going to have. But, they're the closest grocery store to me, and on balance are still the best option on the north side of Clinton Hill, by a mile. I've just gotten used to needing to buy different things at different places. Also, FF started carrying Stumptown coffee last week, so really all else is forgiven.

Brian said...

I agree that the good does tend to outweigh the bad, but I really hate having to make two shopping trips when I'd only planned on making one.

It just seems like FF could be so great, but they keep screwing up little things.

emily said...

Hrmmm, good to know. I indulged in two of those Groupons for $35 worth of FF stuff for $15 but haven't gone yet. I'll know not to expect to do regular grocery shopping but to go to indulge my random cravings.

Sounds a bit like Brooklyn Fare at the ACG Hoyt Schermerhorn stop. They have great meat and seafood but are often missing random, essential grocery things.

Brian said...

There is still lots of good stuff to be had, specifically with the cheeses and deli meats, and the coffee beans too. Your groupon deals will not go to waste.

I've just grown wary of Fresh Fanatic as a go-to for grocery shopping.

sanaya said...

given that it used to be impossible to find organic blahblahblahs or specialty snacks in the neighborhood, having these places is an improvement.

i think of spots like FF as a special-stuff-only type of place.
but NOT your go-to supermarket in any way. you're not cooking dinner when you leave, but maybe you got that one special ingredient you need...

that being said, cocoa powder? seems too basic for them to miss.