Comments on: Balducci’s: Where the Products Speak to Me, the Customers Don’t http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/ 68.3 Square Miles of D.C. News and Opinion Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:05:00 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Westerfeld Rockefeller III http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/comment-page-1/#comment-12003 Westerfeld Rockefeller III Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:00:04 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/#comment-12003 I daresay, props to you, Rich Person. This bias against those who have excelled and profited from their hard work and talent is simply despicable. Not all of us are Rockefellers. Well, *I* am, but heavens, some of my best friends are poor people. My driver, my doorman, all excellent people. The only reason I don't invite them up to the penthouse is who would run the elevator then? Who would be there to drive my truffles to the party or scream at the clerks who try to give me substandard Grey Poupon? I daresay, props to you, Rich Person. This bias against those who have excelled and profited from their hard work and talent is simply despicable. Not all of us are Rockefellers. Well, *I* am, but heavens, some of my best friends are poor people. My driver, my doorman, all excellent people. The only reason I don't invite them up to the penthouse is who would run the elevator then? Who would be there to drive my truffles to the party or scream at the clerks who try to give me substandard Grey Poupon?

]]> By: RichPerson http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/comment-page-1/#comment-11935 RichPerson Mon, 11 Jun 2007 01:05:24 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/#comment-11935 I hate poor people. Now, I hate to generalize. I know a couple of poor people... I hate poor people. Now, I hate to generalize. I know a couple of poor people...

]]> By: Tim Carman http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/comment-page-1/#comment-11458 Tim Carman Wed, 06 Jun 2007 19:58:28 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/#comment-11458 Godfrey, An excellent tip--and yet more evidence that rich people are both rude and stupid. I mean, why would anyone choose WF over Balducci's? Godfrey,

An excellent tip--and yet more evidence that rich people are both rude and stupid. I mean, why would anyone choose WF over Balducci's?

]]> By: SarahG http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/comment-page-1/#comment-11453 SarahG Wed, 06 Jun 2007 19:09:32 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/#comment-11453 Carman, It's a long drive for Marylanders, but you gotta hit the Alexandria Balducci's. It used to be filled with disgustingly snobby people, too, but the place became a ghost town when the Alexandria Whole Foods, which is about a minute away from Balducci's, opened. It's always empty--even on a Sat. morning these days. Same great staff, great stuff, but no pesky customers. The only time I see a rich type is when they're going into Farrah Olivia, which is in the same building. Where I once had to steel myself for a trip there, I can now just pop in anytime I want and buy a little cheese or oil and, on special occassions, a $10 pint of Capogiro gelato, which sounds like an a**hole thing to buy, but damn taht stuff is good. Carman,

It's a long drive for Marylanders, but you gotta hit the Alexandria Balducci's. It used to be filled with disgustingly snobby people, too, but the place became a ghost town when the Alexandria Whole Foods, which is about a minute away from Balducci's, opened.

It's always empty--even on a Sat. morning these days. Same great staff, great stuff, but no pesky customers.

The only time I see a rich type is when they're going into Farrah Olivia, which is in the same building.

Where I once had to steel myself for a trip there, I can now just pop in anytime I want and buy a little cheese or oil and, on special occassions, a $10 pint of Capogiro gelato, which sounds like an a**hole thing to buy, but damn taht stuff is good.

]]> By: TW http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/comment-page-1/#comment-11429 TW Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:47:02 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/#comment-11429 half the stuff i want at balducci's I can't afford anyway so the whole trip is an exercise in annoyance. not just the customers but prices are ridiculous. i only stop there when desparate or in a hurry. there are some nice rich people but they must shop somewhere else. maybe hammaker shlemmer has a groceyr outlet. half the stuff i want at balducci's I can't afford anyway so the whole trip is an exercise in annoyance. not just the customers but prices are ridiculous. i only stop there when desparate or in a hurry.

there are some nice rich people but they must shop somewhere else. maybe hammaker shlemmer has a groceyr outlet.

]]> By: Carrie the Red http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/comment-page-1/#comment-11413 Carrie the Red Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:00:42 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/#comment-11413 Sarah, you're right, the yelling/snapping at the employees is enraging. It bothers me in ANY retail place, but it's worse at Balducci's. Nothing sets my teeth on edge like watching some perfectly coiffed, Botoxed, so-tan-they're-orange baby boomer letting loose on someone making $7/hour. I've seen it in the flower section ("These roses are a disgrace") and the cheese section, and in the design-your-own-sandwich line, where customers hover at the counter watching the employee assemble the sandwich, correcting every addition ("I said a FEW onions!"), as though one extra red onion is going to be the straw that broke the camel's face-lift. It makes me want to yell, "Do you understand that being able to buy roses and a sandwich made to order means you're part of the luckiest 5 percent of people on earth?!?" (I won't even get into the women who shop in their mink coats.) There's nowhere else I can think of that provides such sensual pleasure -- Ritter bars, ripe pears, black and white truffle butter for godsake! -- that leaves me in such a pissy mood after I go there. Sarah, you're right, the yelling/snapping at the employees is enraging. It bothers me in ANY retail place, but it's worse at Balducci's. Nothing sets my teeth on edge like watching some perfectly coiffed, Botoxed, so-tan-they're-orange baby boomer letting loose on someone making $7/hour. I've seen it in the flower section ("These roses are a disgrace") and the cheese section, and in the design-your-own-sandwich line, where customers hover at the counter watching the employee assemble the sandwich, correcting every addition ("I said a FEW onions!"), as though one extra red onion is going to be the straw that broke the camel's face-lift. It makes me want to yell, "Do you understand that being able to buy roses and a sandwich made to order means you're part of the luckiest 5 percent of people on earth?!?" (I won't even get into the women who shop in their mink coats.) There's nowhere else I can think of that provides such sensual pleasure -- Ritter bars, ripe pears, black and white truffle butter for godsake! -- that leaves me in such a pissy mood after I go there.

]]> By: Sarah http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/comment-page-1/#comment-11344 Sarah Wed, 06 Jun 2007 00:02:33 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/06/05/balduccis-where-the-products-speak-to-me-the-customers-dont/#comment-11344 Tim I am so glad to know I am not alone in my "balducci blues." I had banned the store a while back, as a grad student at AU. At first, my morning coffees and occassional salads seemed like a good alternative to campus grub. However, after noticing my frequent indigestion, I realized I was just plain angry at this "snooty" entitlement thing that is characteristic of the "regulars" of balduccis. The carraige mishaps just got too much, I mean how many times can someone run into without saying excuse me? How manygreedy, miserable old ladies can oneencounter? And worst of all, how many times does one have to witness a disgrunteld guest scream at a employee because they are out of their favorite imported cheese? Gosh, I think the employeses there, (whom by the way commute from northeast southesast and other far places to make a decent wage), deserve a medal. I give major props to the woman who works at the coffee counter in the monring, LINDA, she seesm to not allow any of this crap to get to her, and thus she makes my day wheenver i viist for coffee. Ironically, it was just last week, and noticing my absence, the coffee person asked me, "how come you dont come around here anymore?" I replied, "The customers annoy me too much." Not too mention, the retro--slavery era- vibe that is enough to make anyone sick. Thanks for writing. Sarah Tim

I am so glad to know I am not alone in my "balducci blues." I had banned the store a while back, as a grad student at AU. At first, my morning coffees and occassional salads seemed like a good alternative to campus grub.

However, after noticing my frequent indigestion, I realized I was just plain angry at this "snooty" entitlement thing that is characteristic of the "regulars" of balduccis. The carraige mishaps just got too much, I mean how many times can someone run into without saying excuse me? How manygreedy, miserable old ladies can oneencounter? And worst of all, how many times does one have to witness a disgrunteld guest scream at a employee because they are out of their favorite imported cheese?

Gosh, I think the employeses there, (whom by the way commute from northeast southesast and other far places to make a decent wage), deserve a medal. I give major props to the woman who works at the coffee counter in the monring, LINDA, she seesm to not allow any of this crap to get to her, and thus she makes my day wheenver i viist for coffee.

Ironically, it was just last week, and noticing my absence, the coffee person asked me, "how come you dont come around here anymore?" I replied, "The customers annoy me too much."

Not too mention, the retro--slavery era- vibe that is enough to make anyone sick.

Thanks for writing.

Sarah

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