Shop ‘n Save

This shop n save is awful.
The customers aren’t nice (which is a broad accusation, i realize there are probably some nice people that shop here), the cashiers are rude, god forbid you say hello to someone or tell them to have a nice day.
Only 3 lanes open (okay, which is typical for many other grocery stores), and you’re fighting others into a long line where apparently NOBODY understands how to move faster than snail-​speed. You’re slammed, show me a sense of urgency!
If Shop N Save is a must, drive the extra mile (not even) to the Chippewa location. I’ve had better experience there.

Among Shop n’ Save stores in or close to the City (Chippewa and Shrewsbury), I’d rank this one is squarely in the middle.
It’s probably worth mentioning that I typically shop later in the evening (the store is open until midnight), so crowds aren’t much of an issue. Even the fact that only one regular line was open at 10p during my last trip wasn’t a big deal. The wait was 5 minutes, at the most, and the cashier was down-​to-​earth and friendly.
Things you’ll love?
* The stocking was mostly good with prices that matched the item on shelf and products neatly displayed. The format is conventional, so even if you’ve never shopped her before, it’s pretty easy to find everything.
* The aisles were clear, wide and clean. This store isn’t fancy, but it looks to be newer or recently refreshed.
* The Coupon Thursday deal has been moved to Fridays, but is still $ 10 off of $ 50 (no coupon required, but note that some products like gift cards, liquor and milk are excluded and only one discount per trip is allowed). Fellow Unilocaler T.W.‘s October 2012 view of pricing here still holds: Shop n’ Saves are really not THAT much cheaper than similar stores (Save a Lot or Schnuck’s) but there are certainly deals to be found.
* There are some regional foods/​ethnic foods available including a special Bosnian section.
Things that might make you say «hm»???
* A little trash on the parking lot of any shopping center is to be expected. When that trash seems to consist exclusively of broken bottles and Colt 45 cans though???
* There’s an automated device (a sort of one-​way gate for carts) between the area in front of Customer Service and the produce section/​rest of the store. I understand needing to limit the amount of theft in any store, but a measure like this caught me off guard. Now that you’ve heard about it, don’t bother giving it a second thought though.

Hmmm. Where to begin? My neighborhood Shop ‘n Save. Just know going in you will see individuals cut past you and the cashier in line without paying. The line you have been waiting in for 20 minutes.

Shop n Save tends to have AMAZING meat specials, and this is primarily what I go to this store for. The store is relatively clean, and has a huge selection – MUCH bigger than Save a LOT or Aldi’s, though those stores have their place in my shopping régime, too.
Watch their ads. Every few months you’ll see chicken breasts for $ 1.50 a pound and drumsticks or thighs for $.90 a pound. They have tons of other specials, too.
You sack your own groceries, but hey, bags are free!
Only drawback on this place, for me, is the slow checkout service. No matter when I go here, or who’s checking my lane, it seems they can only go at a pace of like one item every 4 seconds. They need a lesson from Aldi’s on this one, lol.
Edit: after reading another review wherein a woman with more than 10 items was in the 10 item lane and was told to put her stuff back and MOVE, per the cashier, I have more respect for their cashiers now, lol, even if they’re still slow as hell.

This is the most entertaining grocery store I have ever been in. The cast of characters are endless, ranging from the sales associate who also works at the circus as «the tattoo man» and the customer with multiple children who will never win «mother of the year». Sit me at a high top table in the center of the store with a bottle of wine and some cheese and crackers and I can people watch all day.
I was impressed that they had an aisle tagged «Bosnian». That is going the extra step in customer service and I applaud them. It shows that they know who their customer is and they satisfy their needs. The sales associate «tattoo man» who assisted us, knew his store well. I thought Lard would be in the baking aisle, but no it was in the «Bosnian» aisle. If it weren’t for him, I’d still be walking up and down aisles searching.
I agree with Tracey, I did not have a fondness for their meat department. The selection was fine, but it was cluttered and disorganized making it hard to find the cut of pork we needed for Tamales.
One of their massive merchandising displays caught our eye. The SO commented, «what the hell is that?» The New Amsterdam Vodka bottles were all capped with special little security tops to prevent shoplifting. At Walgreen’s they have my cold tablets and condoms behind locked Plexiglas and know my Vodka at the grocery store is being secured. Didn’t realize my shopping habits needed to be kept under lock — n– key… lol.
The biggest thrill was when we were leaving and spotted Little Edie from Grey Gardens exiting the store at the same time. Yes, she was buying cat food. The Paparazzi missed an opportunity.

Jessica C. and I were bitching like two old ladies last night about how the young bag boys don’t know how to bag your damn groceries the correct way these days. Back in our day, you had a little self respect and understood the laws of physics, and if you effed up, old man Gower would knock you up the side of your brain.
Those days are gone, but it gives a silver lining of shopping at a store called Shop ‘n Save… You want it done right, so do it yourself.
I really feel that shopping at Shop ‘n Save is more about the illusion of saving money than actually saving money. Shop… yeah, I shop there. Save? Meh. That’s a very relative term. Do you save compared to Dierberg’s? Yeah. It would probably be cheaper to fly Channing Tatum in from LA and have him deliver groceries he bought for you at Shop ‘n Save to your doorstep than to shop at Dierberg’s. Doesn’t mean I’m saving money. I go here for mid-​week emergencies when it’s not cost effective to trek out to Wal-​mart. It’s only sometimes cheaper than Schnucks, and their prices vary WILDLY. I was trying to keep track of my top 50 most purchased items by store in a spreadsheet so I could have hard data on which store was actually the cheapest, but then I realized that that was the most pathetic thing ever and stopped. Aldi is definitely cheaper than this place, and Wal-​mart is cheaper.
This store has an interesting selection of products. Lots of junk food, like any chain grocery, but surprisingly some weird natural crap thrown in the mix (just bought a six pack of «natural» soda with cane sugar and no HFCS for 2 bucks). They have an amazing selection of alcohol.
They advertise on Facebook and through direct mail when their Thursday sales are, but it’s usually every other Thursday, or one or two Thursdays a month. On that day, even without a coupon, you can walk in and if your subtotal is 50 dollars or more, you get 10 dollars off your purchase (excludes alcohol and milk and stuff though). I’ve seen people in there who have that shit down to a science. They tag team the groceries and have multiple carts perfectly distributed into multiple transactions so they can save the ultimate amount of money. Shit like that makes me feel like less of a loser for tracking the prices of items I buy in an Excel spreadsheet. Slightly. I really feel like this 10 dollar coupon is TRICKY business. More times than not, I’ve bought things I didn’t need to hit the 50 dollar limit. It’s a lot of work to save that ten bucks, especially as a single person, and especially because I do shop on price, so I’m not going to buy everything I need here. There have been weeks where it was worth it, but definitely weeks where it wasn’t. People who say this place is crazy busy? I’ve NEVER seen it busy. Ever. I tend to go later at night or early afternoon, though, so who knows. Way less of a cluster eff than Schnucks, that’s for sure.
Their produce blows. I also don’t love buying raw meat here. Their bakery items actually suck too.
The service is alright.
All-​in-​all, A-​OK. I come here a few times a month. It’s part of my rotation.
Comments about security guards, arrests, and the «clientele» of this store are so ignorant and annoying I am going to refrain from even commenting on that.

Prices on some items were steeper than I anticipated… yogurt especially. The store itself was clean, well organized. Less crowded and generally a better shopping experience when compared to South City Schnucks.

had a horrible experience with a cashier in the express lane…
with out a sign that says 10 items or less i feel that a cashier should have no right to ask you to put your stuff back in your cart and move to another lane, because i had closer to 20 items. THERE WAS NO ONE IN LINE BEHIND ME!!! avoid miss Shantae. sp when you are choosing lanes

I have been a customer here for years and really haven’t had a problem. The store is clean and organized.

I felt like I should update my review because this is now my go-​to grocery in the City, unless I’m down along River Des Peres and use that Shop & Save instead. I’ve never had any trouble here except on Thursdays during the evening rush — that’s the $ 10 off $ 50 orders day, and it gets a little crazy. I plug my iPod into my ears and zone out for my shopping experience. Continue to love the bag-​it-​yourself option which lets me indulge my OCD nature about how the groceries should be bagged.
I’ve also had experience with their pharmacy since Walgreens doesn’t take Express Scripts anymore, and the pharmacists were fast, nice, helpful, and knowledgeable. Excellent, excellent service there.

So yeah, I lived on the east side for a bit too
(also near collinsville chica;)) and the thing you gotta know from any city anywhere (Seattle-​holla! to St. Louis) is the more people, the more potential for crime, its just to be expected ya know?
I haven’t been there for an arrest (I mean people get arrested at walmarts all over the nation{{Fairview* cough cough*I Worked at a salon in one for short period}})but they do have those security guards. Don’t let that through you off, go in the morning (less people out*) if it bothers you, this place is worth the bargain.
As for the store itself, stock up on staples, brand variety, and yes «ethnic“food, AKA the spice of life, they dont have that as much in farm towns… and the prices are off the chain compared to straubs or something equally pretensious (?) (deirbergs is fancy, trader joe’s is nice fancy, and so on) .Bag it yourself and do bring your own bags if possible– save the planet and get your style on.
I love the Guava flavored Juarita Sodas I and picked out 2 last time I visited and put them in a place of honor (right up top with my purse) and one fell out of the cart ooops* and they were on it and very nice about getting it cleaned up. Also for you seafood cravers it looks dodgy but since I started going, its all been delicious and not one person sick; never any leftovers.(farmed tilapia, Dos Equis, butter, lemon, and spices, quck in a skillet forgettabout it!) :)
Chloe D.