LTH Home

Garden Fresh Markets

Garden Fresh Markets
  • Forum HomePost Reply BackTop
     Page 1 of 3
  • Garden Fresh Markets

    Post #1 - October 21st, 2006, 4:43 pm
    Post #1 - October 21st, 2006, 4:43 pm Post #1 - October 21st, 2006, 4:43 pm
    I just got back from a shopping trip at the recently-opened Garden Fresh, in the space formerly occupied by Dominick's at Rand and Central in Mount Prospect. Their bags indicate that they also have stores in Wheeling and Northbrook, but I'm not sure where.

    Overall, it's a nice store, better for produce and meat than Jewel or Dominick's, but nothing to offer over, say Shop and Save or Valli except its proximity to me (which is a nice thing in itself). They've got a much greater variety than the Dominick's before them had, partly due to the fact that there's no pharmacy, hardware, magazines (except one small rack of eastern European stuff), etc. etc. that make up the major part of the profit margin at a lot of supermarkets.

    Some interesting items spotted:
    * Wide variety of Swad products, both dry goods and frozen (we're fans of their frozen stuffed paranthas)
    * Bobak's sausages
    * a huge deli counter that runs almost the whole back of the store, with small sections for beef (all the other meat is packaged), bakery and fish
    * two counters with packaged cheese and sausage products -- the go-to spot for inviting friends over for an afternoon. Spotlight: Merkt's 2/$4.00
    * Nice produce selection but nothing surprising. It all looked outstanding, though. Red, yellow and orange peppers $1.49/lb

    I will definitely be back.
    What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
    -- Lin Yutang
  • Post #2 - October 21st, 2006, 5:17 pm
    Post #2 - October 21st, 2006, 5:17 pm Post #2 - October 21st, 2006, 5:17 pm
    Garden Fesh also has a market in Mundelein in the area bounder by US45, IL 83, and IL 60.

    Their produce is better than the chains but not as good as most of the independents.

    In my opinion, their strength are the following:

    - they carry a LOT of specialty items - chicken feet, backs, and variety meats.
    - pretty good bakery items in the vacinity of the deli.
    - good hot entrees also in the deli area.
    - good variety of smoked fish.
    - a lot of Russioan, Polish, and E. European specialties.

    Now that we have good supermarket options out here in McHenry Co., I do not make special trips to supermarket. However, I nearly always stop at Garden Fresh when I am in Mundelein or Libertyville.
  • Post #3 - October 22nd, 2006, 12:44 pm
    Post #3 - October 22nd, 2006, 12:44 pm Post #3 - October 22nd, 2006, 12:44 pm
    The one in Northbrook is on Skokie Blvd, between lake-cook and dundee. They have interesting ethnic stuff which is a nice offering for the burbs. The Northbrook store has a fairly large Kosher section. Their produce prices are great, but the quality is spotty. Some of it can be good, but quite a bit looks like it had been sitting around the warehouse for a while, hence the low price.

    -Will
  • Post #4 - October 22nd, 2006, 4:48 pm
    Post #4 - October 22nd, 2006, 4:48 pm Post #4 - October 22nd, 2006, 4:48 pm
    The one in Mundelein is about to double in size; they will move into the space
    Cub is currently in in the same shopping center after the first of the year.
  • Post #5 - October 24th, 2006, 4:53 pm
    Post #5 - October 24th, 2006, 4:53 pm Post #5 - October 24th, 2006, 4:53 pm
    Garden Fresh has a number of stores around the Chicago area and is about to expand further by taking over four Cub Foods stores, moving its Mundelein store and opening in Arlington Heights, Round Lake Beach and Crystal Lake.

    I used to shop regularly at the Wheeling market when it was a small, quirky store (about which I wrote briefly here). I haven't gone as often since the opening of Harvest Fresh coincided with that Garden Fresh store's shift away from an Asian focus to an Eastern European one.

    For me, the Arlington Heights Cub shift to Garden Fresh is a loss, since the Wheeling store isn't that far away, they don't offer much I can't get at Harvest Fresh and they close at 10 p.m. I'm already missing having a 24-hour supermarket in the neighborhood.

    Garden Fresh Market
    www.gardenfreshmarket.com
    1786 W. Hintz Road, Wheeling
    275 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook
    5701 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago
    340 Town Line Road, Mundelein (moving to the Cub Foods location)
    1145 Mount Prospect Plaza, Mount Prospect

    Harvest Fresh International Farmers Market
    847/368-0138
    100 E. Rand Road, Arlington Heights
  • Post #6 - October 24th, 2006, 8:46 pm
    Post #6 - October 24th, 2006, 8:46 pm Post #6 - October 24th, 2006, 8:46 pm
    is Garden Fresh the produce place that's opening in Edens Plaza?
  • Post #7 - October 24th, 2006, 10:25 pm
    Post #7 - October 24th, 2006, 10:25 pm Post #7 - October 24th, 2006, 10:25 pm
    gls wrote:is Garden Fresh the produce place that's opening in Edens Plaza?


    It has been there for a few years already. We are talking about the south end near the big pet store and Kinkos.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #8 - October 24th, 2006, 10:33 pm
    Post #8 - October 24th, 2006, 10:33 pm Post #8 - October 24th, 2006, 10:33 pm
    I was referring to the mall with the Carsons in Wilmette at the Lake St exit on the Edens. There is a store going in where the petco / smart was. Construction has just started and had heard it was going to be a produce shop.
  • Post #9 - October 24th, 2006, 10:38 pm
    Post #9 - October 24th, 2006, 10:38 pm Post #9 - October 24th, 2006, 10:38 pm
    dah! I read Edens Plaza, then instead of thinking Carsons I was thinking about those theaters. Sorry! I knew better, though you couldn't tell otherwise!

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #10 - October 25th, 2006, 9:51 am
    Post #10 - October 25th, 2006, 9:51 am Post #10 - October 25th, 2006, 9:51 am
    We shop at Garden Fresh in Northbrook when we are up that way because they have an extensive array of Israeli products. I believe the owner is Israeli. I specifically went to shop there last year before Passover and found a lot of items I had never seen before, as well as a lot of items produced in the kibbutz where I lived in the early '70's. You also need to know that shopping for Passover in the southern suburbs means you find matzah and a couple of instant mixes for Passover food -- that's about it. I absolutely intend to go back for my Passover shopping in the spring. It was the most fun I've had in a grocery store in a long time.

    Suzy
    " There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life."
    - Frank Zappa
  • Post #11 - October 25th, 2006, 9:58 am
    Post #11 - October 25th, 2006, 9:58 am Post #11 - October 25th, 2006, 9:58 am
    sdritz wrote:We shop at Garden Fresh in Northbrook when we are up that way because they have an extensive array of Israeli products. I believe the owner is Israeli. I specifically went to shop there last year before Passover and found a lot of items I had never seen before, as well as a lot of items produced in the kibbutz where I lived in the early '70's. You also need to know that shopping for Passover in the southern suburbs means you find matzah and a couple of instant mixes for Passover food -- that's about it. I absolutely intend to go back for my Passover shopping in the spring. It was the most fun I've had in a grocery store in a long time.

    Suzy


    Garden Fresh in Northbrook is my parent's go to place for all things Israeli as well. I tried some excellent Garden Fresh procured hummos at their house last time I visited. It was quite good, with a nice hit of garlic.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #12 - October 25th, 2006, 1:00 pm
    Post #12 - October 25th, 2006, 1:00 pm Post #12 - October 25th, 2006, 1:00 pm
    sdritz wrote:You also need to know that shopping for Passover in the southern suburbs means you find matzah and a couple of instant mixes for Passover food -- that's about it. I absolutely intend to go back for my Passover shopping in the spring. It was the most fun I've had in a grocery store in a long time.

    Well, if you're coming north anyway, you absolutely need to stop in at Hungarian Kosher Foods. They have stuff there I didn't know you could make kosher for Passover.

    Hungarian Kosher Foods
    847/674-8008
    4020 Oakton St.
    Skokie
  • Post #13 - August 8th, 2007, 9:47 am
    Post #13 - August 8th, 2007, 9:47 am Post #13 - August 8th, 2007, 9:47 am
    I've been reliably informed by a real estate broker friend of mine that Garden Fresh Markets will construct a new store on Touhy Ave., across from the Lowe's Home Improvement store, in Skokie (or, maybe that stretch of the street is Lincolnwood, not certain) as part of a new retail center which will also include an XSport Fitness Club. My source told me there would be a large Kosher foods section in the store.
  • Post #14 - August 8th, 2007, 7:18 pm
    Post #14 - August 8th, 2007, 7:18 pm Post #14 - August 8th, 2007, 7:18 pm
    There's also one going into Edens Plaza in Wilmette at Lake and Skokie Blvd.
  • Post #15 - August 8th, 2007, 7:26 pm
    Post #15 - August 8th, 2007, 7:26 pm Post #15 - August 8th, 2007, 7:26 pm
    They're on quite the expansion kick because another one has been announced for Elston near the Secretary of State Driver's Facility, though that one is still down the road pending the acquisition of some of the land.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #16 - August 15th, 2007, 9:58 am
    Post #16 - August 15th, 2007, 9:58 am Post #16 - August 15th, 2007, 9:58 am
    The store going into the Edens Plaza is a Fresh Market, not Garden Fresh. Different chain.
  • Post #17 - August 15th, 2007, 10:11 am
    Post #17 - August 15th, 2007, 10:11 am Post #17 - August 15th, 2007, 10:11 am
    One just opened in Crystal Lake. Bad news. Looks like the Cub Store that it replaced. None of the ethnic products that made the Vernon Hills store a great shop.
  • Post #18 - August 15th, 2007, 2:03 pm
    Post #18 - August 15th, 2007, 2:03 pm Post #18 - August 15th, 2007, 2:03 pm
    Right you are Rickster!!!!
    These damn bi-focals combined with a mouth full of Cinnabon made me hallucinate!!!!
  • Post #19 - August 15th, 2007, 5:08 pm
    Post #19 - August 15th, 2007, 5:08 pm Post #19 - August 15th, 2007, 5:08 pm
    Fresh Market is the store they keep visiting on Top Chef in Miami. The one on Edens seems to have been in development for about 9 months.
  • Post #20 - August 20th, 2007, 5:02 pm
    Post #20 - August 20th, 2007, 5:02 pm Post #20 - August 20th, 2007, 5:02 pm
    rickster wrote:Fresh Market is the store they keep visiting on Top Chef in Miami. The one on Edens seems to have been in development for about 9 months.

    I don't think the store that was in the works at Eden's Plaza was a Garden Fresh. Anyway that store has been in progress for maybe a couple of years now. I think the sign is down. Doesn't look like there will be a store there.

    As for Skokie, Crain's did have a article where the owner of Garden Fresh said he was looking at a store in Skokie. I've heard Touhy and McCormick is the location as well. But that must be at least a year away, since there is no building going on yet.
  • Post #21 - April 26th, 2008, 6:39 am
    Post #21 - April 26th, 2008, 6:39 am Post #21 - April 26th, 2008, 6:39 am
    I thought the Garden Fresh Markets, which have expanded rapidly in recent years, deserved a thread of their own.

    There are currently eight stores in this family-owned chain. Another is slated to open at McCormick and Touhy in Skokie in fall 2008. I've also heard -- I don't know how reliably -- that the Whole Foods in Palatine may move to Kildeer and that Garden Fresh is eyeing the current location. (A Crystal Lake location opened in 2007 closed after six months.)

    I'm interested in hearing about differences between the various stores. While even Jewel and Dominick's vary from location to location in terms of physical space and merchandise, the differences here seem wider.

    I've shopped at the Wheeling location off and on for years and I recall it as an offbeat, eclectic store where you never knew what they'd have. In recent years, they've regularized with a strong Eastern European slant. This location has expanded, but it's small compared to some of the other stores, such as the Arlington Heights location, a former Cub Foods.

    I haven't been there too often, although it's nearest to me and I shopped regularly at Cub. But Cub Foods was 24/7 and Garden Fresh closes at 10 p.m. The merchandise at this store seems fairly mainstream. I usually find myself heading toward Harvest Fresh (100 E. Rand Road, 847/368-0138) instead, where I enjoy the international mix.

    Yesterday, I happened to be in Northbrook and needed a few items, so I dropped into that store. I was surprised to discover that has an extensive kosher section, including a full-service kosher deli (not open on a Friday night during Passover). I was there late in the evening and they began making annoying "this store will be closing announcements" -- which always make me want to drop all of my selections and run out the door -- so I didn't get to explore it well, but they also seemed to have a lot of Indian items.

    What's more, the manager unloaded my groceries from the cart onto the checkout. I asked if this was special service because they were trying to hurry to close and he said he always did it. (Judging from the photo on the website, this was Avi Mor, who from his name and appearance must be a close relative of Adi Mor, the owner, who lives in nearby Highland Park.)

    Meanwhile, I noticed this item on the Garden Fresh web site:
    Take a ride with Adi to the South Water Produce Market. For more details, call Julie at (847) 520-1200 or set a date at any one of the Garden Fresh Market stores.

    Anyone done that?

    Garden Fresh Markets
    www.gardenfreshmarket.com
    Chicago: 5701 West Belmont Ave., (773) 622-2211
    Wheeling: 1786 Hintz Road, (847) 394-1100
    Mundelein:400 Townline Road, (847) 949-9210
    Northbrook: 275 Skokie Blvd., (847) 272-0300
    Mount Prospect: 1145 Mount Prospect Plaza, (847) 463-2360
    Arlington Heights: 600 East Rand Road, (847) 577-1770
    Round Lake Beach: 965 East Rollins Road, (847) 231-6650
    Naperville: 955 W 75th Street, (630) 961-9204
  • Post #22 - April 26th, 2008, 7:00 am
    Post #22 - April 26th, 2008, 7:00 am Post #22 - April 26th, 2008, 7:00 am
    Hi,

    Since Adi Mor lives down the street from me, I have not met him, I think I will take up his offer to go to Water Street Market.

    The two stores I visit are their Mundelein and Northbrook stores that close at 10 PM and 9 PM respectively. I find I visit my local Jewel in the period between 9 PM and midnight, otherwise I prefer going to Garden Fresh. Their variety makes it far more interesting to visit, whereas Jewel (and Dominick's) keep shrinking their inventory of goods. A few weeks ago, I noticed my local Jewel went from having several brands of horseradish to just one. Unfortunately the one they kept sells in smaller containers and is more expensive.

    Mundelein and Northbrook seem to cater to a middle European and Russian crowd. While Mundelein will have two grades of salmon caviar to choose from, Northbrook often has three. There are several vendors of Borodinsky bread with at least one coming from Europe.

    I will often treat myself to a Dadu 'sweet cheese treats,' which seems to come from the Lithuania. I dig around the case near the check-out counter until I find the poppy seed variant. Recently poppy seed has not been present, I have tried the other flavors but none replace poppy seed.

    Last fall I had a friend from Wisconsin who needed a few last minute purchases. The two-minute stop to Garden Fresh turned into the one hour tour with a lot more than a few things in the cart. She absolutely marveled over the variety as well as finding hard to locate items at very reasonable prices. While I had long gotten over its specialness, it was fun to see Garden Fresh through someone else's eyes.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #23 - April 26th, 2008, 7:21 am
    Post #23 - April 26th, 2008, 7:21 am Post #23 - April 26th, 2008, 7:21 am
    There is also a new Garden Fresh scheduled to open this fall on Elston north of Foster next to the Drivers License facility. Judging by the fact that demolition of the previous buildings on the site is still ongoing, I think that opening date might be a bit ambitious, but it will be nice to have another alternative to Jewel, Dominick's and Whole Foods in the immediate area. I'm hoping they will give Lincolnwood Produce a run for the money. Competition can be a good thing.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #24 - April 28th, 2008, 10:59 am
    Post #24 - April 28th, 2008, 10:59 am Post #24 - April 28th, 2008, 10:59 am
    I have only been to the Garden Fresh in Northbrook, but I go up there a few times a year. They have a selection of foods that I am unable to find near my house in the southern 'burbs. I'm guessing they have a high concentration of Israelis shopping there, because I can always find a great selection of these items, including the "mini mikapelet" chocolate bars that my kids fight over. They carry a nice selection of farmer's cheeses that I use for pot cheese pancakes (an old family recipe) and I think their produce section is excellent. We have never purchased meat there, but I did find a good selection on Indian beans and lentils there, unlike I have ever found on my home turf.

    It's not difficult for us to go up there and spend $250 before leaving for home. I'd go more often, but I think I would spend just as much.

    Suzy
    " There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life."
    - Frank Zappa
  • Post #25 - April 28th, 2008, 2:48 pm
    Post #25 - April 28th, 2008, 2:48 pm Post #25 - April 28th, 2008, 2:48 pm
    What's more, the manager unloaded my groceries from the cart onto the checkout. I asked if this was special service because they were trying to hurry to close and he said he always did it. (Judging from the photo on the website, this was Avi Mor, who from his name and appearance must be a close relative of Adi Mor, the owner, who lives in nearby Highland Park.)


    I shop there probably twice a week, and while Avi Mor may unload people's carts when he's there, I've never seen anyone in the store provide this service.
  • Post #26 - April 28th, 2008, 2:48 pm
    Post #26 - April 28th, 2008, 2:48 pm Post #26 - April 28th, 2008, 2:48 pm
    The Garden Fresh Market on Belmont is just a block or so west of the A&G-- any notes on how they compare? I love the prices at the A&G, but sometimes I have gotten fruit that is less than, shall we say, garden fresh.

    Jen
  • Post #27 - April 28th, 2008, 10:19 pm
    Post #27 - April 28th, 2008, 10:19 pm Post #27 - April 28th, 2008, 10:19 pm
    I shop at GF (Northbrook) regularly, consider it my "home" store now for perishables. I do stop at Dominick's or Jewel for cereal and similar, but for produce I almost exclusively run into GF. I lke their deli stuff fairly well (reasonable prices for Boar's Head), have never had a bad piece of meat from them, find their prices reasonable and while there's sometimes a communication gap, they try hard to satisfy.

    Only complaint is that the milk is usually a little closer to expiration than I like to buy. Yesterday at say Costco, the date on the milk may have been May 8, while the GF milk would have May 3. Just an example.

    I did stop in at the GF on Palatine and Rand once, it didn't have the same "charm" as the NB store did.
  • Post #28 - April 28th, 2008, 10:41 pm
    Post #28 - April 28th, 2008, 10:41 pm Post #28 - April 28th, 2008, 10:41 pm
    sujormik wrote:I did stop in at the GF on Palatine and Rand once, it didn't have the same "charm" as the NB store did.

    Yes, that's my take, too.
  • Post #29 - April 29th, 2008, 10:36 am
    Post #29 - April 29th, 2008, 10:36 am Post #29 - April 29th, 2008, 10:36 am
    The store in Naperville doesn't seem to do very well. Whenever I'm in there, it's pretty empty. It used to be a Bobak's and I don't know if that has anything to do with it.
  • Post #30 - April 29th, 2008, 11:33 am
    Post #30 - April 29th, 2008, 11:33 am Post #30 - April 29th, 2008, 11:33 am
    I shop at the Northbrook store fairly often and I do like the variety of (ethnic) products offered there. The deli is above average, the bread offerings are diverse and I think that some of the fresh meat can be excellent, too.

    On the negative side, I'm often astounded at how bad some of their produce is. Carrots are often bendable and greens are wilted. Some of the produce is also excellent but overall, it's very hit or miss. It is ironic given the name of the place.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world

Contact

About

Team

Advertize

Close

Chat

Articles

Guide

Events

more