“I hate to cook!”

There I said it.

I am a mom and wife and I stay as far from a stove as absolutely possible!

I used to have this same aversion to grocery shopping until Steve convinced me it could be fun to find new and exciting things to try. I went along grudgingly and ended up starting to like it. Of course I could never say that because it would be the typical husband response of “I told you so!”

Steve was the first to start shopping at Grocery Outlet. He waited a couple of days for the opening mad house to settle down before he went for the first time. I still remember him coming home with bags and bags and the biggest smile on his face. He started pulling things out going look at this, and I found this, can’t wait to try this and so on.

I think he was more excited about the fact that we didn’t have to coupon anymore. Yes, we were that family; we went to the store with a large binder of coupons and spent hours each week managing it. Now we just keep the Grocery Outlet coupons attached to the fridge and take them with us when we go a couple of times a week.

Steve’s excitement was contagious. I love going up and down the aisles. Everything changes and it’s a chance to even get some items usually only sold in other areas of the country.

Yes, I have heard the negative comments regarding Grocery Outlet. Or the perceptions that some in our community have. Since our family has only had great experiences there this has been hard for me to understand. Granted, I have never shopped at other Grocery Outlets and from what I hear that may be a good thing in some cases.

We are spoiled by this store. They built this store from the ground up just for our community. They gave us owners that understand what it is like to live in a small community. They even went as far as painting the ice cooler so it looked more upscale.

Bottom line, everything about this store is just for us!

Of all the things I mentioned above the most important is the owners. Norm and Tammy are wonderful! They asked to have this store because they come from a small community a couple of hours north of us and understand the importance of local businesses to a thriving community. Giving back is a driving principle for them. Their business plan has donations built in specifically designated for our schools and the food bank. These are both areas they are personally passionate about and will do all they can to make a difference.

As I talked to them it became obvious they were not meeting the goals they had set for their store and ultimately their donations. The only way they are able to make these large donations and differences right here in our community is for us to support them. Please think about this as your go about your daily shopping.

I encourage you to put aside any negative thoughts, preconceived notions or prior experiences that may have prevented you from walking in to our Grocery Outlet in the 6 months they have been open.

You will be amazed  by the selection, enjoy the variety as you walk up and down the aisles, and appreciate extending your grocery budget all at the same time. For those of you who have already supported our Grocery Outlet, thank you! Not only are you helping extend your families budget you are also supporting vital programs in our community at the same time.

Couple of facts about Grocery Outlet that I would like to share.

1) Inventory always changes because items come from all different areas in our country.

2) Norm and Tammy can do their best to accommodate special requests when they order, so just ask!

3) They do monthly wine tastings, for FREE!

4) Best by dates and expiration dates are not the same thing. You will typically see best by dates at Grocery Outlet. On dairy, excluding milk, product is good for about 7 days after best by. Dry goods are usually good for 30 days after the best by date.

Huge thank you to Norm and Tammy not only for spending time with me but also for supporting our community. Since all the other small grocery stores, like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, do not think we are the type of community for their businesses we appreciate that you are here and so supportive.  I look forward to shopping soon and finding all the new things you have brought in.

Find information about our Grocery Outlet at www.groceryoutlet.com/MapleValley-WA or www.facebook.com/MapleValleyGroceryOutlet26525.