Mollie Stone’s

They had a large red velvet cake for $ 19, but I didn’t need large so I got the small 5″ cake. Guess what I discovered that they wanted for it as I’m checking out? $ 35!!! Yes, $ 35 for a 5 inch cake! This store is shameless with their pricing.

I’ve lived in the neighborhood 11yrs and have shopped at Mollies since it was a Tower Market way back in the day. It is certainly not the type of place you do your weekly shopping at, the prices for the basics are quite a bit higher than your average grocery store however they have beautiful produce, an exceptionally pleasant and welcoming staff and is as convenient (for me) as it gets. I can’t count the number of times I run in for something I’m missing… Truthfully, I much prefer having a Mollie’s around the corner then a Trader Joes, it keeps the traffic and parking in my neighborhood much more manageable :)

Most of the store is great. I shop most regularly at Whole Foods because it’s on my daily commute but this is my go-​to spot for specific items. The meat and seafood departments are great, there are great options in frozen food (especially local ice creams), lots of useful home home maintenance stuff, good produce department, and a fantastic home accessories/​special occasion section. (I have gotten many awful over the hill seafood items from Whole Foods by the way but never from this Mollie Stone’s location.) What has made me sick at several Mollie Stone’s locations is the deli — the prepared food is awful, the cold cuts have made me sick, and they’ve sold me caviar that had gone bad — so obviously I stay away from the deli. I’ve also seen overripe fruit/​veg left out for sale in the product dept, so watch out for that.
There is free parking behind the shop and metered parking lot in front of the store. Before 9 you can park free in the metered lot. You can sign up for an escrips card that will throw a percentage of your purchase to your desired charity. And you can find coupons with Chinook Book for anything in the store (the free app has one coupon and you can get bigger coupons if you buy the app subscription or the Chinook Book itself). Stay away during lunch time because kids from the local high school swarm the place to buy lunch and it gets very crowded.

This is probably my go-​to market if I’m going to make a special meal and need quality ingredients. I was here the other day buying seafood for my Christmas Eve feast and the man behind the counter was very efficient and helpful. I also found fresh passion fruit here! Hubby appreciates their ice cream and gelato offerings which are locally sourced. Wine selection is good too! I’m like a kid in a candy store when I’m here. Glad to have this market in the neighborhood.

I was a faithful shopper at Tower Market since 1997. It was my only grocery store. However, in the last couple years since Mollie Stone bought it the quality of the deli has rapidly gone down hill. I stopped buying stuff there because they make it for 3 – 4 days and never throw anything out. Then I stopped and got chicken noodle soup today and it was disgusting. I threw it out because it tasted weird. Whatever changes they made in the deli it is NOT working and to top it off it’s about 200% price increase so it’s a double whammy. Now I have to drive to Ocean to shop at Whole Foods. Why can’t you guys get it together? ARGH

Had the worst experience today. Went to MS for Acme bread. Was told that bread was running late due to the storm. I get it. I see the Acme truck arrive and wait 15 minutes for unloading. Still no bread in aisle. I speak with the manager, Sam (I believe), asking if someone could check the status on when the bread will be on the floor. Very curtly, he says you’ll just have to wait. I wait another 5 minutes and ask on the status. He tells me to continue waiting. I became very frustraded by the lack of customer service so I told the manager that I was leaving and would no longer shop at his store. His response — «that’s great.» I’m always willing to pay high prices at MS because of their good products and great customer service. Not any more!

Mostly I like Mollies, although it’s best to look for sale items because their pricing is way high.
The meat counter is great and they have upscale items and the people working there are on top of their game — very quick about it which can come of as being a bit standoffish, but they are hustling.
The hot-​food counter — take a pass on that. I’ve tried several items and have been very unimpressed. Chicken there is dried out and as chewy as old jerky. Meatloaf has so much bread in it that it’s more like eating savory bread pudding. Just nasty. Given up on that avenue.
Then there’s the customers… oh my.
Most are great, they live nearby and are polite.
But brother are there some rude ones who go there! Woooweeee!
Pushing, shoving, evil-​eye, hit you with a cart, cut in line, mean-​spirited.
I get that you’ve had a long day at work or whatever, so have I, but get over your own bad self.
As a neighbor… well… those darn trucks they park outside for the duration of the holidays are annoying. Running the engines 24×7 to keep the refrigeration going is noisy. Not sure how they get past the ordinances regarding that, but I also understand they are trying to provide a service too by insuring they have sufficient stock available. But, maybe put in a couple of 220V lines and run a wire out there?

I really like the crew here, and Molly’s has a good selection of pretty much everything. They also have great hours.

As much as I try to give Molly’s the benefit of a bad day things continue to decline. It’s alarming just how many times we have been forced to return with bad produce. Recently a bag of kale was rancid. Yesterday I decided to purchase a fresh rotisserie chicken thinking nothing could go wrong with a freshly cooked chicken. When I got home and opened the package the meat was completely dry and over cooked. I could go on and on but suffice to say I am entirely disappointed with this store.
Three strikes in less than a month.

Great staff but 30−40% more expensive than whole food on the same products and brands, and that’s why I don’t shop there anymore. Whole Food is much better!

If you like ridiculously overpriced groceries that are only marginally better than Safeway, this is your place. I personally find it obnoxious. The produce is mediocre, but it’s displayed in such a way to suggest it’s Whole Foods quality. It’s not. Every time I go there, I find something outrageously expensive. For example, I stopped in today and saw that they were selling parmesan rinds for $ 20 a pound. Just the rinds. Cheese stores give these away for free! Another thing I saw today was half a 9″ supermarket-​made blueberry pie for $ 12. Just half. Neighborhood supermarket my ass.

Well its a bit more than Safeway, but has a bit better stuff and its a bit less than Andronicos which has a bit better stuff. I go there for some things, and somethings are just a bit to pricey to buy there. I have bought some great sausages there and some wonderful produce. The store is a bit small, but all the stores in the immediate area are a bit snug compared to Whole foods on Ocean. They crammed a ton of stuff in there. I do like shopping here, when I go to Andronicos I am always surprised at how much I spent. Its not the cheapest, but generally the products are pretty consistent.

I like Mollie Stone’s! I don’t frequent unless I need to. They have certain cheeses that Whole Foods USED to carry. I also like that they have regular brands that a local Safeway would carry. There is a cashier, I suppose an «older gentlemen with glasses» if you will… who always seems to ring me up. He is awesome. Quick, professional, and nice. There was a toddler who happened to be playing with something that could possibly hurt her. Her mom didn’t say anything or do anything, I couldn’t help but stand in line nervously as her daughter was about to hurt her finger. He used very kind words to let the toddler know that she could get hurt. The mom seemed more embarrassed and sent this unpleasant facial expression, but my bf and I agreed that he went about it so nicely and that she should’ve been more happy that he prevented her child from easily getting nicked.
Will be back.

I don’t get the people who go to Safeway. This place is much nicer, offers local and organic products and everybody are so friendly! I don’t know where we will shop for food if this store wasn’t in the neighborhood.

Very bad meat! Plus overpriced!
I bought ground beef several
Days ago, it was smelly and had a weird color. Of course we threw it away. I prefer wholefoods, almost same price and I know that it’s organic and there’re very high quality products. Why should I pay for the meat and throw it away???

First impression: Wow, that place is stuffed!
On second thought, the stuff is actually pretty good here.
Lots of fresh produce, large selection of wine/​beer/​non-​alcoholics, and tons of cheese. Like, tons.
I like the deli counter — if you miss your New York sandwich, they’ll make you something that will comes close.
Mollie Stone’s — good stuff. Not as pricey as Wholefoods, different selection than Trader Joe’s, and better quality than Safeways.
Deal.

I always have an amazing experience with Mollie Stones!
No matter what store location I always love the people and the services. This is definitely not a lower end bargain market. This is a higher end grocery store and it goes without saying you get what you pay for. From gourmet cheeses to beautiful organic produce, this store never seems to fail. I often roam the produce department and see products I have never even seen or heard of before! What a fun learning experience. The deli always has delicious ready to eat food.
All the workers always seem to be happy to work there which goes a long way. It’s never fun to go in a grocery store and see unhappy, unfriendly people working. This just adds to the awesome experience.
Anywho, if you are in need for a worldly and fun grocery experience unlike the norm, this is your go to place!

I am indeed a fan — this was our first experience of a Mollie’s and coming from England, we like our cheeses and cured meats, so this was an excellent find.
We spent ages looking up and down the aisles and we got some lovely deli things to take back to our apartment — they even had some english cheddars [which we passed up].
We returned a couple of times over the week to stock up on yogurts and the usual essentials; the staff were really friendly and although the prices were quite high, the foods were of a high standard.
I got a couple of Mollie Stone’s grocery bags, so I guess that means I’ll have to come back to re-​use them!
Oh, and they have a good selection of local brews.

Most cities needs a place like Mollie Stone’s, somewhat in-​between what a chain grocery store as Albertson’s and Safeway offers, and not quite like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, but has a perfect blend of that neighborhood local flavor with solid selection.
If you like cheese, they have an excellent selection.
They also have a hot food counter with prime rib roast beef, turkey and other carved meats and delights.
This used to be when I knew it, «Tower Market» — — I remember back when they were known for their hidden gem of a wine selection back in the early 1990’s, when I think famed local oenophile Wilfred Wong managed their selection.
They have the one Kettle Chips flavor that no chain store stocks… SPICY THAI too, usually this is only carried by liquor stores and places like Bev Mo. That alone gives them high marks.
I like this place because it doesn’t have the big business feel to it, and has in part the comfort and service of a butcher shop or deli.
We did get a Dungeness Crab, it was in Dec 2013 @ $ 6.95 per LB. Safeway had it for $ 4.95/LB, but the ones at Safeway seemed inferior in size and quality, packed in ice and looking a bit scrawny (you then pay for a lot of water weight and shell weight). The ones at Molly Stone were presented beautifully (see my photos). Initially we were charged the wrong amount accidentally, as if it were the pure lump crab meat, so the single crab came to $ 71, which obviously was wrong and was that heart attack sticker shock… but we had them correct it and the price went down to $ 11, which was perfect… for the same size you’d get at a restaurant and pay $ 20−40+ for probably. They cook, clean and crack the crab for you here too, so it’s really pretty much «ready to eat» too!!!
It’s fairly easy to get in and out of this place and is a nice location. This area of Portola /​Miraloma adjacent to Twin Peaks, Diamond Heights, and the West Portal /​St Francis Woods areas is nice for the community. The 2 blocks has a Starbucks, Round Table, sandwiches, burritos, pizza, burgers, a sports bar, and so many other conveniences.
Parking can be tough, but at the same time easy, depending on the all important 2 factors… TIMING and KARMA… They do have a free lot with a handful of spaces, plus there’s front metered spaces and then the adjacent free neighborhood streets.

Molly Stone is the only grocery store in this micro-​neighborhood. Given the lack of competition and perhaps other factors, Molly is able to charge inflated prices for its goods. On average, I feel that products are marked up by about 30% from prices I typically see at other supermarkets. Nonetheless, there is usually one affordable choice that is on sale in each of the major sections (breads, dairy, etc) so it’s not impossible to shop on a budget if you just pick out certain items.
I am particularly pleased that MS carries frozen russian pelmeni as these are often hard to find if you’re not in the Outer Richmond. There are some treasures you will unexpectedly find throughout the store (such as cappuccino It’s It’s & wide variety of Chocolove) that aren’t the typical selection.
I also like the fact that most staff are regulars and take pride in their jobs. I have never had less than a courteous and friendly experience.
I have not had a positive experience with the deli’s sushi, sides, and soups– all been mediocre and expensive. But I do enjoy the custom built subs. Tri-​tip is my favorite and is reasonably priced at $ 7.
Lastly, this store features a redbox and a coin collector at the front which is an added bonus.