Of all the things I could blog about… flux, matrix theory, pointers in C… I’m writing today about Hyde Park Produce in Chicago, IL. Why? Because I’m impressed.
As you may know (by reading some other posts on this blog), I’m not impressed by fancy signs or “glad” service… which is good for Hyde Park Produce (HPP) because they don’t really have either. What they do have, and what I was impressed with, is a nice selection and exceptionally affordable products.
I walked into their tiny building, and the place felt packed. I was elbow-to-elbow with the other fifteen customers. Yet, the atmosphere wasn’t hectic. It was pleasant. Smiles, fresh smells, vibrant colors – these lined the narrow walkways. I had to walk through the entire store three times before deciding what I “needed” – for such a quaint space, the selection is respectable.
I decided just to grab a few necessities – 10lbs of potatoes, 2lbs of carrots, 3lbs of onions, 3 bell peppers, 1lb of celery, and some huge tortillas. The registers (two of them) are somewhat antiquated, but the cashiers seemed genuinely enthusiastic. Unfortunately, or not, my total didn’t meet the $8.00 minimum for using a credit card! I quickly grabbed another 10lbs of potatoes and three more bell peppers. My total was still under $9.00. I was impressed… shocked even – compared to the Co-Op prices I was used to, HPP is dirt cheap.
I’ll be going there again. I like the service, am excited to try some of their less mainstream offerings, and can’t get over their prices! (Nothing I purchased was marked as on “sale” or “special”… so I’m assuming these prices are standard.) They’ll be moving to a bigger building shortly, only a block away – so I’m interested to see if this affects atmosphere, price, or service in any way. I’ll update shortly.
If you’re looking for some place to get produce as the Co-Op shuts down and Treasure Island Foods moves in, I highly recommend Hyde Park Produce. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised if you’ve been buying your produce from a larger grocery store.