Shop Rite of West Caldwell

These reviews are nuts. The prepared food at this Shop Rite was on point– great tuna and egg salad, awesome meatballs and eggplant. We’ve got catered food (sandwiches and hot food) from here and it rocks, and the bagels and pastries are also great. I agree that the layout is strange, but once you’ve been here once you figure it out… like any other store you first walk into. The cheese selection here can’t be beat, and I love how it’s arranged by regions. Also love the marinated mushrooms at the olive bar.
I guess if you are brain dead and come here you may have difficulties figuring out the layout– which may explain why the parking lot is a disaster of people that drive like they are blind, and people always seem to park their carts in the middle of the rows. There is definitely a lack of courtesy among the shoppers here, but that comes from shopping near rich neighborhoods where people look down at those not holding the latest louis vuitton purse.

I may be spoiled because I frequent the Shop-​Rite of Parsippany, but I do come here once in a while if I’m in the area. It’s not the cleanest-​looking or most organized Shop-​Rite. Everything seems to be in a weird location – you definitely have to get used to the organization of the store. Like other reviewers said, it is a bit cramped so on busy days it can be a pain. A little dingy as well. The store is small so some of these issues may be unavoidable but they could definitely use some updating and reorganizing.

Let’s face it, there’s something comforting about the hell you know. I have lived in this town for a very, very long time, and Shop-​Rite has gotten the majority of my grocery dollars, probably due more to the extensive selection and the fact that I know where everything is than anything else. Going on the weekend is usually a regrettable move. Going before a snowstorm is always a regrettable move. But I know where everything is in the store (I remember the uproar when they put in extra freezers and created an organic section!) and as long as I time it right, I can be in and out pretty quickly, provided there are enough cashiers. I have my favorite cashiers, who I always look for because they are friendly and know what they’re doing, and I do appreciate the fact that there are often coupons and deals available. In terms of a pleasant shopping experience, Stop and Shop is superior, but they don’t carry two crucial varieties of merchandise that my children desire, and one-​stop shopping drives my shopping dollars. Also, before the last snowstorm, I had to park behind the store about a half mile away from the entrance, so buy your milk and bread well in advance! Grocery shopping is usually never fun unless you’re at Fairway (the Disney World of grocery stores), but as long as the stars align in my favor, I can usually handle going to Shop Rite.
Edited to add: the last time I checked, Shop Rite was on Passaic. I think I heard that it’s been there since 1967. I know that they keep talking about moving it to Bloomfield, but since that’s only hearsay, rumor, and conjecture, maybe the address should be changed on the Unilocal listing.

The quality of the produce, meat, fish, etc. at this Shop-​Rite is very good, and the deli line moves fast. HOWEVER, there are definitely some issues here. To begin with, the store is a bit dirty. Not «spill in aisle 10» not cleaned up dirty, but it’s clearly an old store that has not been updated for a long time, and could use a good mopping. Other issues include the fact that the aisles are super narrow (think any Manhattan supermarket narrow) and the parking lot is a bit chaotic. The prices may be a bit better than the Stop and Shop near by, but Stop and Shop (which itself could stand to be updated) is just a more pleasant shopping experience.

I take my mother in law here a lot. She likes to go food shopping on Saturdays which is the worst day to go! Stay away and shop on an off peak day if you can. Parking lot is a nightmare & it’s a small store so there isn’t any room to shop comfortably. Every time we stop, 3 or 4 people were at our heels pushing along. The staff here are sweet though they just have to build more room to it.

Although Shop Rite prices are probably the best this store packs in way too much stuff. Many displays make the place hard to navigate especially on the busy times.(Which seems all the time) I find the produce meat etc FRESH! I go there to take my mom. She loves it!

This Shop Rite is a disaster. No one in that store has a clue about how to handle frozen food. The meat is the lowest quality imaginable. The produce has that funky «warehouse» smell. And just try special-​ordering something. You can ask and ask and ask, and fill out form after form after form.. . they’ll never get it in, then they’ll insult you by telling you that you never asked for it in the first place.
And then there’s the cashiers. More than once, the cashier DELIBERATELY put my package of bread, hot dog rolls, hamburger rolls, etc., in the bottom of the bag, then DROPPED a 2-​liter bottle of Coke right on top of it.
Like I said, the place is a disaster.
The weird part is that the same owner also owns the Shop Rite in Parsippany, which is a great store staffed by very friendly and helpful people. I love going in that one.