Big Apple Finer Foods

I worked at this place thirty years ago. Whenever a black customer entered the store, I was told to stay somewhat close in the same aisle to make sure that they were not stealing anything. I was curious if the place still existed and apparently it does. Based upon many of the comments here, I suspect they still have the policy of following closely behind all black customers. I liked the store in general. I just found the treatment of black customers to be extremely odd/backwards.

The produce section has the old fashioned style, weighed in the vegetable section. But there is never anyone around to do so …
They pander to their clients from the nearby highrise but people who only pop in occasionally get the cold shoulder.
Odd place and overpriced.
I gave an extra star because it’s nice that they have boxes available to grab in the front.

They have a large assortment of products you can buy for decent prices. However I’m deducting two stars for customer service. People who work in deli are always nice but the older women who work at the cash registers are slow and unhelpful, not to mention rude. They literally don’t know how to answer any questions or how to be polite and will make you wait to check out or they’ll talk to each other before walking up to the registers to check you out. Older blonde woman with thin framed blue glasses is especially rude every time I see her. Will only come here if I really need something and if I’m not in a hurry.

If you’re young the employees (epecially the women) are extremely rude. Several times I’ve walked in their doors and did not get a hello or if I ask a question I’m answered with attitude. When an older person walks in it’s like Beyonce just walked in the door HELLO HOW ARE YOU WE HAVE THIS ON SALE. Like um what ok? The men here are great and friendly and helpful. I hate to sound sexist but every woman here has given me attitude or ignored me completely. Like I’m sorry you work at a grocery store. I didn’t make you fill out that application. You mad or nah

The fact that this grocery store carries a few of the unique items that I like and its location make it super convenient for me to shop here. That being said, the vast majority of the items are overpriced for no apparent reason. The employees aren’t the friendliest either. When I’m too lazy to head up to Trader Joe’s on Diversey I shop here, but can’t say that I would recommend this store to others.

Wouldn’t go if it wasn’t so convenient. I live right at Clark and Fullerton.
Two things:
1) Prices are way too high for the quality of their products. If you can, try somewhere else first.
2) The staff is not friendly. Very strange for a local/​small business.

Don’t go here if you’re in a wheel chair. Getting in isn’t that much of a problem but good luck getting out. Most of the aisles are so cluttered that you have to back out and go down a different aisle. When you get to the checkout, forget it — your wheel chair won’t fit through the narrow space and the exit door that wasn’t a problem coming in, becomes a significant problem getting out.
Probably didn’t help that the staff didn’t choose to acknowledge you existed.

When I moved to the neighborhood I was excited to have such a charming grocery near me. I have gone there now around five times and bought less than half my grocery list because their markup is so absurd. It is Whole Foods prices but the items are not local or organic. It is the same items you would get at Walmart or Jewel but $ 3 more. I understand a mark-​up for smaller business but $ 2 – 3 seems cruel.
The bags are very beautiful though! The staff seem wholly ambivalent to the customers. The selection of food is hit or miss.

I live around the corner from Big Apple and shop here on a regular basis. Because of its convenience I have tolerated it when pressed for time even though the fresh fruits and vegetables taste mildly like Febreeze (the cleaning aisle is adjacent to fresh produce — so smart). Often when I shop I have felt that store clerks were following me around, and this stalking has become blatant in recent months. If I hesitate for more than a few seconds over the choice of a product or read a label or compare a couple of similar items, inevitably a blue-​clad store clerk will suddenly appear beside me, pretending to check inventory three feet away from me, but not actually doing any work. Sometimes they just stand there and stare at the shelves. It is so obvious, insulting and ridiculous. So from now on I’ll stick with Whole Foods and Carnival and anyplace else where they treat me like a customer and not a criminal.

This has been my go-​to market in Lincoln Park for over a decade. Great produce, great meat, and great staff.
They also donate lots of fresh food to a local homeless services organization. Way to support your community!

4 words. Butcher in the back. This place is great for when you run out of eggs, need a quick ingredient, or especially if you want to buy some amazing meat. Walk to the back, do not pass go. The steaks and bacon are tried and true. Pay separate for this stuff, and they do take credit cards. The rest of the grocery store has pretty much all the necessities– the prices do tend to seem slightly marked up.

So I generally only go to Big Apple for the butcher. They have a good assortment of meats and fish. I find the rest of the store expensive compared to its near by competitors. However, this shop feels like a good old fashioned neighborhood store where everyone knows you, if you visit frequently.

I walked in to buy some road trip items for a 6 hour drive, but I needed a restroom first. I asked where it was and was informed that there is no public restroom. So I left.
I called the store to speak with the manager. I informed him that he lost a customer due to no restroom. I told him to pass it onto the owner. He said okay and then hung up on me.
I called back And requested to speak with the owner. Turns out, same guy. His reason for no restroom is, «it’s not required».
Have some pride in your business and go a little bit above and beyond. Sometimes the customer really likes it when the company goes above and beyond.
Sincerely,
Lost $

Horrible place but convenient. I have wasted so much money here. I have never had a loaf of bead last longer than 2 days. Expect to pay at least an extra dollar for everything in the store. Oh and all the cashiers are old racist white ladies. Fun.

I have no real problem with this place other than the prices, but next time I stop by I’m going to have to pay more attention to the staff here like other people are writing. I have literally never been spoken to other than when I’m checking out. That being said, I would definitely not recommend this for all of your grocery shopping, I only head there when I forget something or run out of an ingredient while cooking. It’s ridiculously expensive and if I bought my weekly groceries here I would just as soon eat out and avoid cleaning up because it’d be about the same price.
Bottom line, good for a few items or something in a hurry. The produce is always fresh and they have a decent selection of anything else you might need. Decent sales too but it’s nothing you ever really need… hence the reason I’m sitting here writing this while eating some frosted sugar cookies.

To begin, I work in this neighborhood. So I come in here and there on my lunch breaks to buy fruits etc. I have never had a problem before today. I had an experience that made me very uncomfortable to the point I won’t be returning again. After being in the store for only a few minutes I had two different employees follow me through the store as and handful of other people were not targeted. This is upsetting for many reasons, as a person with high moral standards I find it extremely disconcerting that someone would assume I would take things. I have never in my life shoplifted, not because I haven’t had hard times but because I have integrity and self respect. Gross. Although I’m sure if you’re white and look like you have money you shouldn’t have a problem here.
To the staff that followed me: You can do better. Aw

This place is decent for picking up some smaller items. The deli is expensive, but seems to be good quality. I wish they carried more product and pre-​cooked items. It’s a quick stop in my way home, which is convenient, but when I need more I always have to go somewhere else.

I had a very uncomfortable encounter here today.
I went in at 9pm and just checked to see if they sold beer. They don’t, so I went back to the front entrance, not realizing the only way out is past the register. A man in the back began screaming at me because I was attempting to exit through the incorrect door, and demanded that I empty my pockets because he thought I was stealing.
Newsflash buddy, sometimes people leave without buying things, especially from a tiny grocery store where products you want are likely unavailable.
The only reason I come here is for last minute ingredient shopping. Convenient but overpriced, and a very limited selection.

Best meat store I’ve ever been to. I really like shopping experience at this Big Apple Finer Foods. I had a feeling that the staff here is more responsible and professional. Good job guys! Keep it up.

There are some staff members that are very friendly, this is conveniently located to where I live, and it’s a cute-​ish store.
HOWEVER, there are certain staff members that could use major lessons in customer service. The last time I shopped here I was actually accused of cutting in line. (Seriously?!) I had finished picking up a few items on my way home from work and was approaching the checkout aisle when someone else was also walking towards it. We made eye contact and he did a universal go ahead type of nod/​glance. So the cashier finishes checking out the person ahead of me and then just glares at me and glances back at the guy who is now behind me and says «weren’t YOU next?» (He said no). Let me tell you, at the end of what had been a very stressful and 12 hour workday for me, it took a lot of self-​restraint to not just drop my groceries and walk out.
On another occassion, I was asked «Did you KNOW that those were organic?» in a condescending tone. Yes. I am aware. Hard to miss the neon «organic» sticker…
Also, I feel like they are constantly pushing a cart through the cheese and produce section or that I’m just in the way when I shop here. I also feel like I’ve bought things that weren’t as fresh as they should be. And shopping here is expensive. No, not whole foods expensive, but expensive.
If I didn’t live so close I’d probably not shop here at all. I still can’t believe I was falsely accused of cutting in line. Ridiculous. I didn’t even get an apology.

I love this little place!
The produce guy is always so friendly to me when I arrive, and their Jazz apples (while a little pricey) were worth every penny. They were bigger and more flavorful than any other apples I’ve found in the neighborhood.
And the butcher shop in the back is the BEST! I fell in love with their chicken salad years ago, and even after I moved, I’d stop by to get some whenever I was in the neighborhood.
Now that I live closer, I’ve branched out in my selections, and everything is so delicious… the roast beef is made in house, the potato salad was cheap and amazing, the pork and lamb chops top notch.
I also find some unique choices here (lots of tasty cookie and cracker choices, interesting soups, etc.). It’s a great neighborhood grocer.
I tried walking through the Wal-​Mart grocery once when I first moved back and found it dirty and disorganized, and for every deal they offer they overprice at least ten items. No thank you. Big Apple beats that any day!