Key Foods on 7th

gigi

Key Foods has made some major improvements. They even have self check out registers now. I was shocked when I went in there which hasn't been in a while!

dw438

But what's with the yellow on the storefront?
Is it primer, or the final coat?
Note that the REAL Key Food in the area [5th + Sterling] changed its storefront color from blue to green recently ...

belzjm

the yellow is pretty bad.

but i've also noticed a drastic improvement inside...new lighting, new floors, better layout it seems. i'm sure there's some new stock as well.

i hope that the yellow is just primer.

green would be good.

8thandprez

Now if they could just work on their staff. Surly doesn't disappear behind a new coat of primer.

belzjm

self checkout should help with that.

i'm shocked they have it. will have to scope that out this week.

just me

i LOVE the new key food (not the yellow). i have used the self check out a few times already...easy, fast, efficient. I packed my own groceries anyway! only thing i didn't like is that there's no place to put your groceries i(f you are holding them) until you actually start to scan.

eggcream

I was in that Key Food today and noticed more changes from the last time I was there a few weeks ago. The floor looks great, lots of cleaner cases, produce etc. More organic sections for those interested. Nice selection of beers. They have 4 self help check outs. I didn't use any. The only thing that stinks is the people who work there. No hello, no thank you. Just barely drops your change in your hand. Do not use their delivery either if you have stairs. Guy bitched about bringing the groceries up a few flight of stairs.

C-Town has the best workers and managers. Very friendly and helpful. The delivery guys aren't bad either.

belzjm

what about that yellow?

is it really staying like that?

it's baaad.

duffyssis

Subject: Yes but what about the awful smell?

I tried to shop there a few nights ago and there was a horrible smell.

benyankee

Subject: Re: Yes but what about the awful smell?

Duffy'sSis wrote: I tried to shop there a few nights ago and there was a horrible smell.

I've never had a problem with a smell in Key Food but possibly it was wafting over from the church across the street. The homeless people who move in over the summer have been pissing on the sidewalk and in the little fenced-in park behind the church lately. It's gotten to the point that I have to walk down the other side of Carroll St. to get to my apt. between 6th and 7th Aves.

belzjm

I happen to email Key Foods today about the current renovations and outside paint color and got back this very nice response...


****
Thank you for your interest in the work we've done at our 7th Avenue store. Rest assured that the color of the storefront is only a primer. We expect our contractor to have the work completed over the weekend, and the color of the storefront will be Benjamin Moore Amazon Moss, which will complement the new forest green material we are using to replace the red fabric of the existing awning.

Watch for our Grand Reopening coming soon!

Sincerely,

Thomas Anderson
Executive Vice President of Operations

kosherdave

That is good to know. That yellow... wowzers.

And yeah, those people peeing smell. nasty.

trixsie

Subject: Keyfood

I love shopping at Keyfood! It is my personal opinion that the past few months have shown major improvement. Although I am shopping for just myself (and the pooch), I buy mostly organic and I have found that the selection of organic is much greater and better than most places. I used to go to more than one market to get all that I need.

If you have any questions the staff is helpful. The manager there is nice and helped me make some selection choices; a cutie too ;-P. But where do you get service like that.

Unfortunately the poochie selection is not all that great, but maybe because I don't feed my dog all of that processed stuff.

snazzybangs

If you have any questions the staff is helpful.

I WISH this were true. the cashiers and work staff at the key food on 5th ave are the most miserable group of people i've ever had to deal with.

8thandprez

Subject: Re: Keyfood

Trixsie wrote: I love shopping at Keyfood! It is my personal opinion that the past few months have shown major improvement. Although I am shopping for just myself (and the pooch), I buy mostly organic and I have found that the selection of organic is much greater and better than most places. I used to go to more than one market to get all that I need.

If you have any questions the staff is helpful. The manager there is nice and helped me make some selection choices; a cutie too ;-P. But where do you get service like that.

Unfortunately the poochie selection is not all that great, but maybe because I don't feed my dog all of that processed stuff.

Hello, Mr. Key Food Manager. I hope you're well today.

belzjm

walked by today and the green looks terrific.

much improved store from 3 months ago.

thanks. we needed it.

brooklyn dodger

I tried the self checkout Saturday for the first time ...cool. And somebody actually asked me if I needed help ! ( I didn`t). Store looked fairly clean and the shelves were pretty full.

8thandprez

Went to Key Food this weekend and was _blown away_. Ripping out that disgusting manager's booth at the front of the store made a huge difference, as did relocating the coolers and putting in the self-check. The first time I used it, I stil had to go to a register to pay and interact with a surly teenager... the second time I didn't have to say a word to anyone. I wanted to kiss the scanner. Hopefully they'll automate the entire store.

eggcream

Yes, it certainly did. I was in again today, did you see the talking head? Very cool. They had a new woman at one register ( I don't have the patience for the self-help machines) although this woman being new was very slow but very nice and apologetic. The selection of food gets better and better. The green outside is so much better than that hooker red.

I always thought there should be a required set of colors stores should be allowed to have for awnings. Two I hate are red and yellow. Cheap and tacky.

Anyway, too bad 7ave keyfood doesn't have a parking lot like the one on 5th ave because I'll never have a delivery from there again.

8thandPrez wrote: Went to Key Food this weekend and was _blown away_. Ripping out that disgusting manager's booth at the front of the store made a huge difference

belzjm

well i know i've already commented on the updates at key food, but having gone again after maybe a week or so, i just can't believe how much the SELECTION is improving. i swear...at one point today i looked around and was thinking this can not possibly be the same key food.

i almost thought i was in a ralph's in southern california for a second.

just a second...but still...

this is a place i used to BEG trader joe's to come look at to try to push them out of business.

the changes are impressive...i even overheard some guy who works there talking with another guy about some other new products they were bringing. he said something about some requests and something to the effect of...that it was a really difficult product to find and that they wanted to bring it in cause it would be the only place around that carries it...

today i especially took note of a huge selection of lightbulbs...i think they have more to choose from than most of the hardware stores around here now...and quite a lot of the energy saving ones.

produce is leaps and bounds better than it was...i'd say almost as good now as the one on 5th avenue. good organic selection too, i've noticed.

could use some better cheeses, as i still go to union market for stuff like that.

dw438

It was either change or die, like D'Agostino's unlamented death a few months ago.
The smaller local markets in prime PS are locked in a war now ...
meaning the Associated on 5th Ave, the C-Town on 9th St, and now the smaller Key Food on 7th [different owner and vibe from the larger Quik-Pik Key Food w/parking lot on 5th Avenue].
Hell, now even the People's Republic Co-Op now takes [some] debit cards!
Competition is good.

belzjm

i hope people who have written that store off their list go give it another try...

it's worth another look.

and if you have any suggestions, i'm under the impression that they are more than willing to listen.

i could never believe what a shabby selection of "regular" grocery stores we had in this part of park slope, but this place is restoring my faith slowly but surely...

brooklyn dodger

Went shopping at Key this morning and got a bag ( 5 lb !!) of Key sugar for .99.......... so cheap that i bought it even though I barely use sugar. Store was looking so much better and I LOVE the self checkout. Just wish that they were open later on the weekend. ( like 2 AM ?? )

ego

I installed the self checkouts... so if you have a beef let me know, I don't work for key foods, I work for the company that sold them the goods. They (the store brass) do listen to input. the employees in park slope don't always listen though, I know that is the case.

They (the brass) want to make that store work (hence the self checkouts which are newer than anywhere in the country hardware wise). I bet you all didn't know that those self check out machines AND the registers are ROHS certified... ie, they are set to european law standards in terms of biodegradability/environmental standars. NCR is a global company so the machines pick quick has are absolutely top notch. I know you all might jump on me as some hack or something but I am just a technician.. I love the key food store in park slope.. I make not dime one off this account.. but damn, I love going there compared to the hell holes I have to service.. consider this..

a) gorilla maple lattes are the best thing ever
b) park slope is damn nice compared to most areas I go to
c) you have no idea how horrid SO many gross-a-ree-stores are in the NY area

is park slope perfect ? no. but the self check outs rule, hey, they keep me employed. My name is Dave, blonde geek you may see at the store (but I always go to gorilla for coffee), I work for Acme Cash Register. I was at the store today. if you want improvements.. email me. I talk to the owner a couple of times a week. I want better.. I know it sounds friggin corny but demand equals market response. I love the park slope store, I want it to fuckin rule.

"at least these always say thank you" - actual customer about the self check out lanes

bluecat

ego wrote: I installed the self checkouts... so if you have a beef let me know, I don't work for key foods, I work for the company that sold them the goods. They (the store brass) do listen to input. the employees in park slope don't always listen though, I know that is the case.

THANK YOU for this post and welcome to the message board. These kinds of first-person posts are the jewels in our forum.

-blue

drano

I agree that the store is actually decent now. 10 or 15 years ago it was terrible (opened, half eaten food on the shelves, vermin, filth) and I stopped going for a long time...anyhow, I'm glad they threw a few bucks into it.

longtimesloper

The store might look better but the cashiers still have attitude up the ying-yang and the prices are still way higher than the Key Food on 5th Avenue.

Plus, trying to maneuver those tiny aisles. it's still a no go for me unless I only need like one or two things.

yosimite samantha

Maybe now Key Foods can do something about their godawful store in Windsor Terrace.