When I first heard that Save-A-Lot was coming to Grant Street (corner of Auburn), I wasn't quite sure what to think. After all, I wasn't very familiar with the food store, but I was excited to hear that the long-vacant Rite-Aid building would once again be occupied. Not that I'm a fan of the building... but there's only one thing that could be worse than a cookie-cutter, one-storey, big-box-store building, and that's an empty cookie-cutter, one-storey, big-box-store building.
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For years this empty building added significant blight to Grant Street, and the hope was that this structure would either come down, or get occupied. Finally, it was announced that Save-A-Lot was coming, and today there is activity once more at this location, but more importantly there are neighbors who now have the ability to source discount groceries within walking distance of their homes. Save-A-Lot states on its website that it sells national brands, plus USDA-inspected beef, pork and poultry, farm-fresh fruits and vegetables and non-food items, along with dairy and eggs, frozen food, rice, pasta, beans, cereals, breads and baby needs.
There's nothing worse than having a boarded up big-box store in a rebounding commercial district. Thankfully this old Rite Aid is no longer a vacant eyesore, and signs of life can be found both inside and out.
My family has been buying kitty litter from Save-A-Lot for a long time, so the news of a Grant Street store was welcomed. The $5 coupons we received were even more welcome.
I went alone, this past week - I wanted to make sure that Mom would be okay with shopping on Grant. What I experienced will ensure that nobody from my family will ever try this place again. Most were filthy, smelly, staggering, stinking of booze and/or drugs - I couldn't stand to be near any of them, for fear of disease or being robbed.
If you want to shop with addicts, this might be the place.
Not to totally minimize your point, but addicts and other troubled people obviously need to shop & eat too.
Visible security personnel like at Price Rite and Wegmans would be a smart idea for Save-a-Lot to hire.
So, you commuted in from West Seneca to shop for kitty litter?
Ms. ForestBird, those people are just as God made them.