Port Richmond Thriftway Market

I honestly don’t know why this grocery store is rated so low. I’ve stopped on a couple of times on my way home from the gym because it’s across the street. Compared to prices in most city grocery stores the Thriftway prices on average are lower. Their produce/​vegetarian section is decent and they have a pretty good selection or organic/​health foods.
The deli workers are incredibly friendly. One woman told me how she cut my turkey so I could tell the person behind the counter next time. She even said she’d try to remember me. Very friendly.
I’ll keep coming here for last minute shopping as long as it is convenient.

This is my local grocery store; it’s 3 blocks away from my house.
I was a regular, visiting at least 2 – 4 times every week. I will never go there again.
The manager seems to think that intimidation and thinly veiled threats of violence are the way to deal with customer issues.
The last time I was there he followed me around the store, staring at me as if I was stealing. He stood about 5′ away from me, staring at me, as I used the Self Checkout. One of his employees walked by and asked him if «[He] needed [him] to clobber somebody for him.» The manager replied, still staring at me, «I don’t know yet» in what was obviously a physical, violent threat.
I’ll never go there again. Now ShopRite on Aramingo gets all of my business and I’d actually like to thank the store manager of Thriftway for his aggressive hostility; if it weren’t for him I wouldn’t have discovered just how terrible the prices are at Thriftway. And ShopRite has better produce and meats.
Also, I called the head office to complain. I left a message that was almost word-​for-​word what I wrote here. They never called back. I wrote an email, they never responded. So, not only is the manager some sort of thug, but the Thriftway name seems to endorse his behavior. Avoid this place as much as you can.

So you tell me your beer store closes at 9:30 and its 9:25 but you’re closed and then you tell me you reopen at 10:30 AM tomorrow. If you had any common sense you would realize that does me no good at all. I guess Capital Beer keeps my business.

It only took me 28 years of port richmond living, but I finally found a grocery store that doesn’t make me want to hang myself. This store is never crowded (I went here on Christmas eve and was in and out), unlike the local shoprite which is a nightmare. Thriftway had everything I needed at a decent price. I’m sure shoprite has more of a selection, but it’s not worth my sanity to venture into that hellhole. The DiBruno Brothers selection here is a nice touch, as is the ample craft beer selection. Thank you hipsters for moving in the neighborhood and ushering in these fabulous changes! And thank you Thriftway for not being shoprite.

Stores always clean, decent prices and a decent selection of basic groceries. You won’t find everything you need but everything you get is priced well. PLUS They now have beer. Craft beer !!

A solid low-​end grocery store. It has all the necessities, plus a small organic/​GF section. It’s an older store, so aesthetically it packs no punches. But it’s generally clean, and I’ve always had good service. The prices are a little higher than you would expect for a place with «Thrift» in the name, but based on most groceries in the city, it’s average. They also have a small beer store-​within-​a-​store that had a decent seasonal selection as well as some individual bottles. Coming from Florida where you can buy beer and wine pretty much anywhere, it’s nice to be able to pick up a six pack while I’m out getting my other groceries and not have to go to a separate store. I’ll continue to shop elsewhere for the most part, but it’s nice to have the option of the Thriftway in walking distance.

Decent store. The deli is the highlight. I love those ladies. As a matter of fact, they put every other deli to shame.
Recently a beer section was added to Thriftway. They dropped the ball a few times here though. At a grocery store, even in the city, beer should be priced competitively. Here this is not the case. PA liquor tax isn’t even included in the shelf price (which is crap to begin with). It’s the same thing as going to the Foodery.
To the manager of the beer section, you’ll probably get an initial business boom from the craftbeer poser crowd looking to take advantage of free samples at tastings, but once they realize they can’t regularly afford $ 20 sixpacks, they’ll move on.

Laziest workers, worst service, and horrible quality food…
By horrible quality food, I mean I just purchased cereal bars yesterday and opened it today to find that it had EXPIRED OVER A YEAR AGO. What in the world? How is that even legal?
And by lazy workers/​horrible service, I mean I asked to sign up for the rewards card and they said I can’t do that here… does that even make sense? are you saying this because you’re lazy or because you don’t know how to read/​write?

Thriftway will always be the grocery store I go to in a pinch because of its convenient location for last minute dinners or a few staple items. It is not Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, and it never will be, but if you go in with a plan you’re okay. What leads me to this 4 star review is the consistently wonderful customer service from a young man named CJ. He makes every visit an enjoyable experience — you’ll notice he is the only one storewide with a smile on his face and something friendly to say. On a recent visit, he saw me looking at a certain item then told me they were going on sale tomorrow and ran to the back to grab a sale circular. Great job CJ, your customers notice your hard work and extra effort!

I’d rate it one-​star, but then it’d be difficult to justify the fact that I keep going back. All of the negatives mentioned here are true (though keep in mind there is a lime shortage in 2014, google it). The prices are a little bit too high and the overall quality of everything a little bit too low. That should be lethal combo to any supermarket. And it’s not like they don’t have competition.
So I had to stop and think about what it was that I actually liked about the store, and it boils down to 2 things: Location and size. Further down Aramingo Ave there’s Pathmark and Shop-​Rite, but Aramingo Ave is such a bitch. Thriftway isn’t too much of a downgrade for me to have to spend extra time on that awful road just to save 50 cents on a box of cereal.
Secondly, Thriftway is small and it’s easy to find things. There’s usually no line for self– checkout, and I’m out in less than 15 minutes. It’s like a big corner grocery store.
Thus, even though Thriftway is a little dirty, a little expensive, and has a boring produce section, it’s just good enough. I can do some, but not all, of my shopping here. And I keep going back. I think some of the other negative reviewers should face the fact that they will be back too.

Philadelphia is full of over-​priced grocery stores, which is why I prefer to go to the good old Port Richmond Thriftway. Plus, their bakery has black and white cookies.

I hate this place. I only go here if I absolutely have to. The prices are terrible. Any store in a 2 miles radius has significantly cheaper prices and a bigger selection. If I wind up here it’s because it’s the closest store to my house and I was too lazy to go elsewhere. Every time I do this I want to kick myself.

Thriftway is clean and has a good selection. It’s easy to navigate because it’s not as big size wise as Shoprite or Pathmark. It’s great for older people. Prices can be a little bit higher but sales are good. Produce is fresh. Employees are pleasant and helpful! There’s always plenty of cashiers. You do have to pull your car up to load bags. If you can, go between 10 am and 4 pm or after 8. It’s not as crowded.

Eh. Not my preference in any way. Went in a jam, waited in line for too long because of a talk-​y cashier. I don’t mind friendliness, but let’s keep it moving, people.

This place is terrible. The staff is generally unfriendly and the items are sometimes dirty, broken, or spoiled.
Some delightful surprises after getting my groceries home this week: broken light bulbs, grapes covered in some thick brown dust on a withered vine (the bag was concealing), ice cream so freezer burned it looked like a crystal factory.
A few months back I mentioned to one of the checkout girls that the milk was all past expiration by a week, to which she shrugged apathetically.
I try to be friendly and greet whoever is at check-​out (god forbid they ever say hello) only to be met with dead eyes and a disdainful glance before they typically go back to chatting with their coworkers, texting, or idly watch me bag the rest of my items.
Living so close, I don’t need this place to be a gourmet specialty store but at least reliable and a little friendlier would be refreshing.

I gave this supermarket another chance from a horrific first time experience… Although they do have good deals, the meat seems to be always spoiled. There’s no worse feeling than coming home to make a meal and find out the chicken you bought has a bad odor to it, even though the expiration date is in the future.
The very first time i came here this same thing happened with ground beef. Not sure what they’re deal is.
Either way, the only get two stars because they have red quinoa.

When Greensgrow is not open, I be lovin the port Richmond thriftway. There. I said it. You can make fun of me all you want. I think it is simply the best option for the port fishington dweller besides da farm. Their claw game is loose. They have «2 for 5» sales on stuff like nabisco crackers and general mills cereal quite often and their produce is more than halfway decent. Live basil I got from them has lasted me over 2 weeks when kept in a coffee mug on my windowsill by kitchen sink.
I am pretty sure they get their seafood from Ippolito’s in south philly (legendary) and their bagels totally rock da house (go there sunday morning and look for a row of brown bags out in front of the bakery department on a table).
I like that they have added the robo-​checkout option now too since there are two types of people who shop at the thriftway — ones who are stocking up for a nuclear holocaust style philly snowstorm and those who just need a box of triscuts, a block of penn maid (you goddamn right) aged white cheddar and a handful of grape (not cherry) tomatoes. They stock a cento and goya section for internationalites and a «health food» section that would rival even the likes of a super fresh store!
Since I made the move out of the neighborhood, I be missin the port richmond thriftway. I am still through there once or twice a month at least so I make sure I stop in and pick up something before hopping on the 95 to come home.
Likes to play the numbers or smoke? They have that there too.

I don’t understand what so many people have against Thriftway. Yes, it’s filled wtih some ridiculous people. However, so is every other store that’s nearby. Ever been to Shoprite on a Sunday? It gives me panic attacks. At least in Thriftway there’s room to MOVE.
No, their meat isn’t the BEST. No, their selection of tioletries isn’t expansive. However, I can usually go three out of four weeks in a month to Thriftway and get everything I need. Also, the woman who works at the seafood counter is super duper nice.
Anyone who says bad things about Thriftway is just a hater. Get over it, the place is fine.

People love to hate on Thriftway. Yes, we all know it’s not or not trying to be Whole Foods, so stop w/​the comparisons. If you can’t pop in Thriftway @ 5pm on your way home from work and find a protein, starch and veggie for dinner, well then… you’re an asshole.
I’d give it 4 stars if you could take your cart out to your car, but ya can’t.

Good to go in a pinch, but not my first or second choice. But I love that they just put in self checkout.