Bloom

Store is clean and quiet. They have a good selection of natural/​organic/​gluten free at good prices so I can avoid the madness/​stress of Wegman’s/Whole Foods by coming here and not worry about someone’s stray cart crashing into my car.
Staff is friendly and helpful.
Their inventory is more than satisfactory, especially if you don’t need to be overwhelmed by a massive array of options. Prices are good and they always have what I need from the produce section.
Hope they stay in business!

I really like this Bloom. We started going to this one (versus the one a few miles up the road on Centreville) since they had the scan as you go feature. A few months back the machines were always out of service and one day they were just gone. Bummer since it was easy to pack our reusable bags as we shopped.
We still come here for a few reasons:
1. The produce. Not always the cheapest but great quality and good selection of organic.
2. Great deals on meats and seafood. I haven’t experienced the super fishy smell as a previous reviewer but it may just be I have a less sensitive nose?
3. The workers. I get asked no less than 5 times a visit if I need help finding something. Now mind you, I am not walking around aimlessly looking completely aloof… I have my list and I generally go-​go-​go.
4. Cleanliness. The aisles are always clear unless they are loading up the shelves, I don’t have to wage war against other customers who won’t move their cart, and I get a definite sense of neat and orderly as I walk through the store.
The only downside I’ve seen is that it’s not the cheapest joint in town. We are notorious for spending a lot on groceries but we try and go natural/​organic when we can, so that adds to it a lot. There has been one time that I couldn’t find what I wanted, but I am a pretty basic cook and baker, so I may not be the best judge of their selection.

MJ and I would duck down here on lunch breaks for fried chicken and egg salad from the deli, plus some light grocery shopping. She enjoyed the fact that they stocked the Hawaiian rolls in small packs, but that fad never really caught on with me. Produce section was pest-​free and well-​stocked, but the actual quality was particularly lacking in terms of ripeness and size. Best shopped at with coupons and club card. At some point we speculated that the store wasn’t run by people, but my leprechauns, because we never saw anyone on staff behind the counter, stocking shelves, or at the registers… unless you were running produce through self-​checkout. Cue rant about other people ringing everything as bananas. B-​A-​N-​A-​N-​A-​S.

Wow… the day has come where I am *actually* reviewing a grocery store? How suburban am I? Sadly, the only thing less endearing than a Monster Blonde reviewing a market… is the market being reviewed :-| Yeah, so not good.
I’ve never thought of Bloom as high end, but even still… could they at least ensure that it is clean? I’ve been to this location twice now for items other than booze and Red Box, and both times the floors are filthy and the produce section is a mess. I’m a vegetarian, so I’m pretty much a produce junkie. But to you carnivores out there… do you *really* want to buy butcher/​seafood/​deli items from a merchant who can’t even keep their carrots off the floor?
The first time I was there, there was a big mess of glass and… cranberry juice maybe? And not once were the words «Clean-​up on isle three» heard over the loud-​speaker. In the 30 minutes I was there, it was NOT cleaned up. Can you say lawsuit, Bloom?
I don’t bother with the self checkout now. Yeah, if you read the other review about people hovering… it’s true. And not in a good way, but like a creepy grocery-​stalker kind of way. And how ironic is it that when I *need* assistance, there is none to be found. Hmmmm…
OK. My biggest pet peeve at Bloom? Seriously? It’s going to make me look like a whiny yuppie, but… they never have ripe avocados. I’ve gone in a few times for beer and/​or wine, and popped over to the avocados. Either not ripe… or mush.
So cleanliness and safety… bleh. Stalkers… check. Ripe avocados… nay. Beer and Red Box… Ding Ding Ding.

Hmmm where to start.
Pluses — they have a very decent organic/​natural foods section.
Minuses — strong fish smell from seafood department. Sub par selection of produce as well as quality. They usually only have one register open along with the self checkouts. Though, at the self checkouts, the attendant comes and stands right next to you and looks over your shoulder as you checkout. Awkward.

NOTE: This isn’t a Food Lion anymore — It’s now «Bloom».
One thing that keeps us going back to Bloom — their rotisserie chicken! So far we’ve tried the rotisserie chicken at Giant, Safeway, Harris Teeter, Sam’s Club, Bloom and Whole Foods. Without a doubt — hands down — Bloom’s rotisserie chicken comes out on top! It has excellent flavor that’s not overpowering and is moist. Plus, their chickens are bigger and plumper than other stores.
All that said, I do have a complaint. On days when they seem to have a big demand for the chickens, this Bloom anyway, just can’t keep up. One day I went to buy a chicken and there were none. The manager just happened to walk by and I asked why there weren’t any chickens available. He asked at the deli and they said there was a 40 minute wait! Their excuse was that they had a huge demand for them that day. Sorry, but I always thought that when those chickens are made, it is done so that the cooking times are staggered to prevent running out all at once. I told the manager that it was dinner time and rush hour and I couldn’t wait around. He didn’t offer any compensation for this. I called headquarters to complain and all I got was «sorry».
The 4 stars I gave this place was for the chicken being so good. Otherwise, the produce selection is good. However, I wouldn’t do all my shopping here because many items I use, they just don’t have. So, for me anyway, I only go for the chicken (and hope they didn’t screw up again with that) and for a few other items that I may have run out of.