fresh thyme market on elston, near the home depot

i dont see any posts on this newish store, and it's worth knowing about. i've only shopped here once, but a friend of mine has compared lots of prices with those at whole foods, and FT has quite a few lower prices. it has bulk food, a pizza bar, jeni's ice cream for $9 (jeni charges $13), and it is yet to gather any crowds. i want it to succeed and be an alternative to whole foods. it has a good sized organic fruit/vegetable section, which is important to me. check it out, please.

FRESH THYME MARKET
2500 n. elston

I have been to the Fresh Thyme location in Deerfield a couple of times after it opened a couple years ago and that was it. I don't recall being impressed with anything. I might go back to see if anything has changed or been updated, but I don't even think of it when I am going shopping (nor does anyone I know). Maybe they are doing ok and have a loyal customer base now.

I have been to the Fresh Thymes market in Cincinnati and Crystal Lake. They have some interesting food but nothing that would significantly change where I purchase groceries. Their fresh food is a bit pricey. There bulk foods section is pretty decent but it is also on the high side.

The Fresh Thyme closest to me (on Rand Rd. in Mount Prospect) is in a location where it has no real competition, so it always seems busy. I think the thing that most recommends it is that special deals last 8 days, overlapping on Wednesdays, so you can do quite well if you show up then.

I do like the bulk section, and it's a useful place to stop if it's on your way somewhere. However, I don't consider it a destination store. That said, if you explore a bit, you can sometimes find things that aren't carried anywhere else -- gourmet snacks, for example, or homeopathic medicines. Large range of ready-made stuff, so popular for lunch and dinner. I think of it as kind of a cross between Whole Foods and 7/11. So definitely an "it's right on my way" store rather than a "let's drive over there" store.

Ram4 wrote:I have been to the Fresh Thyme location in Deerfield a couple of times after it opened a couple years ago and that was it. I don't recall being impressed with anything. I might go back to see if anything has changed or been updated, but I don't even think of it when I am going shopping (nor does anyone I know). Maybe they are doing ok and have a loyal customer base now.

I completely agree. I doubt I will return.

Whoaaaaaa......7/11. Downright nasty thought. Fresh Thyme on Elston is a pleasant store. Give it a chance, those
of little faith. The staff is delightful. Helpful. Sincere. And they care about assisting their customers. The produce is excellent.
There are weekly flyers. The Wednesday co-mingling of the previous week's sale with the current sale is a fine feature. Not
offered at any other chains. Prep foods are decent. A comprehensive whole body and supplements department. And, they offer rainchecks. It is clean. I do not know about the other stores referred to......it sounds like the visits were not recent. The biggest downside is the location. And that is the only negative....If there is some item that one may want, not currently carried in the store, management will try to order the product. And their pricing is in line with WFs, Marianos, and TJs.

Yep, Fresh Thyme Deerfield sucked. Maybe I'd try it again . . . during a Zombie Apocalypse when all other stores within 30 miles had already been George Romero'd.

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izzy2 wrote:Whoaaaaaa......7/11. Downright nasty thought. Fresh Thyme on Elston is a pleasant store. Give it a chance, those
of little faith. The staff is delightful. Helpful. Sincere.

Not meant to be nasty -- just meant to suggest that it is useful because it is convenient. Compared to Super H Mart, for example, I don't consider it a destination. But I thought the rest of the post made it clear that I think Fresh Thyme is pleasant. Not at all down on the place -- it is nice, and the people are friendly and eager to help. But it remains a place I stop because I pass it, not because I've driven half an hour to reach it.

Hi,

Since my favored pet store moved next to Fresh Thyme, I visit it a bit more often.

The vibe at the Deerfield store is nothing like Izzy2 claims at her store. I can imagine Cynthia's opinion is worthwhile relative to her experience at her local store. Different stores with different managers can certainly elevate or diminish an experience.

They do have rain checks that never expire. Something I will test the next time I want to make raspberry jam.

Regards,

ronnie_suburban wrote:Yep, Fresh Thyme Deerfield sucked. Maybe I'd try it again . . . during a Zombie Apocalypse when all other stores within 30 miles had already been George Romero'd.

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since i clearly titled this thread FRESH THYME ON ELSTON (that would be in CHICAGO), i think, as a moderator, you should move these comments to the appropriate thread.

justjoan wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:Yep, Fresh Thyme Deerfield sucked. Maybe I'd try it again . . . during a Zombie Apocalypse when all other stores within 30 miles had already been George Romero'd.

=R=

since i clearly titled this thread FRESH THYME ON ELSTON (that would be in CHICAGO), i think, as a moderator, you should move these comments to the appropriate thread.

justjoan, speaking as a moderator, it is quite unrealistic to expect that comments about an alternate location won't bleed into this thread. That happens with just about every location-specific thread of a chain. As long as everyone remains civil, which can be hard when discussing grocery stores, it is certainly not worth our time to micromanage threads and break up conversations.

Still, the comment justjoan quoted sure is pushing it. It's ... it's the kind of thing you'd expect to see on chowhound, fer gosh sakes.

Roger Ramjet wrote:Still, the comment justjoan quoted sure is pushing it. It's ... it's the kind of thing you'd expect to see on chowhound, fer gosh sakes.

Oh, please. It was meant as a joke. I'll go back and add an emoticon to my post just to clarify things.

=R=

Okay. And I apologize for the chowhound crack.

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Roger Ramjet wrote:Still, the comment justjoan quoted sure is pushing it. It's ... it's the kind of thing you'd expect to see on chowhound, fer gosh sakes.

Oh, please. It was meant as a joke. I'll go back and add an emoticon to my post just to clarify things.

=R=

my reply to ronnie was also meant as a joke... but i dont appreciate the chowhound comment, so let's just let this subject die a certain death, ok?

Really sorry Joan. I did not intend to belittle your post. I'm not as funny as I sometimes think I am. Your post was helpful. Mine was not. Again, sorry.

=R=

FYI - Many of us began our internet food lives on Chowhound. The founding of LTHforum was entirely by former Chowhound posters. If Jim Leff had kept his cool, we might still be Chowhounds! He didn't and the rest is history!

I went tonight. The store was empty. But no big deal Strack & Van Till up the street was also empty as was Plum Market back in Old Town.

I will be back. I am not eating much and in an attempt to manage with the food to hand instead of constantly buying more I bought very little. Staff were helpful and friendly.

I certainly felt like I can shop here for the things I would have purchased at Whole Foods.

I ran into Izzy and we chatted.

Thanks Joan for the reminder.

Yes, it can be terribly difficult to gauge the bona fides of a given internet post. There's probably an app for that, though.

The Fresh Thyme Market on Elston is open 7am-10pm every day, BTW.

AND it's just across the street from a Ford dealership. Why not stop by and pick up a car today?

When we are commenting on the Deerfield (or other) location(s), we are simply giving our opinions of our experience with another Fresh Thyme location. Many people are glad to hear feedback about other locations, especially when unfamiliar with a new store.

I though Ronnie comment was hilarious.

Since I live just blocks away in Bucktown, I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't know Fresh Thyme (or the Ford dealership) had taken up residence until a post-holiday Costco run. That Fullerton/Elston/Damen intersection deters me from that area even though I'm damn near walking distance. I might check the store out tonight. Thanks, justjoan.

i had a very positive shopping experience here yesterday. i'm really happy to have an alternative to shopping for items that in the past was best done at whole foods: i bought a 3 lb. bag of organic onions for $2; organic red peppers were $2.99/lb.; they carry al gelato brand gelato, which i dont believe i've seen around town for several years (it's local). i went in to explore the store's 8000 item supplement section and the assistant manager spent almost an hour with me answering questions and educating me on some health issues. and he even sent me down the street to the vitamin shoppe for an item that he didnt carry. i also like that they sell small quantities of cooked chicken (that i assume came from day old rotisserie birds) in deli containers. i've bought this 3 times now, and it's tastier than any r. chicken i've tried from either whole foods, costco, or jewel and the perfect quantity to whip up a couple of chicken salad sandwiches. they also carry one of my favorite bacon brands- niman ranch. all in all, a pleasant trip with no crowds.

I've been to the relatively new one in Naperville a couple of times, and I liked it. It has a very Whole-Foods kind of vibe, but at much better prices. It's near the Binny's on Ogden, so it's a nice one-two punch.

I'm so confused my head hurts.
Fresh thyme opening a few blocks away in River Forest in the old Dominick's location.
I guess I will just lower my expectations and be happy with a convenient food source. Hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised.

I live nearby and stopped in for the first time this week.

I do not entirely know if there is a clear analog for this market. The produce department is usually what I judge a supermarket by and this one is pretty small. What I saw, seemed in OK shape. They have basics. Produce alone would not get me to return.

The bulk section does seem more extensive than you would expect for a market of this size. There were items there I regularly buy (grains, legumes, nuts) as well as a things I don't (prepared granola, chocolates, snack-y things).

From the packaged goods section, it seems they are tilting a little natural food-y and upscale (a wide array of canned seafood and many of the same brands I'd see at Whole Foods for example).

Some things were on par with other stores and some were cheaper. Steel cut oatmeal was 2/3 the price I've seen elsewhere (not that it is that expensive to begin with). Some of that sustainable canned seafood was a bit cheaper than Whole Foods (and not carried at Mariano's). I didn't really investigate the meats or seafood.

It seems they took the vitamin/supplement and bulk sections of a place like Whole Foods, shrunk them down a bit, and squeezed it into a typical sized grocery (with most other departments shrinking a bit more to compensate).

I can still see myself stopping here if I know I need bulk items and might need some other staples that I'm pretty sure they'll have - especially if it's a busy time and I don't want to head further out of the neighborhood to the big Whole Foods. I don't know that it will wind up replacing any stop in my regular rotation, but it's now in the arsenal.

gastro gnome wrote:I live nearby and stopped in for the first time this week.

I do not entirely know if there is a clear analog for this market. The produce department is usually what I judge a supermarket by and this one is pretty small. What I saw, seemed in OK shape. They have basics. Produce alone would not get me to return.

hi, i'm glad you're giving the store a chance. i'm guessing you don't buy organic produce, because if you did, i think you'd be pretty happy with the selection, and the items i've looked at or bought are generally cheaper than whole foods.

justjoan wrote:

gastro gnome wrote:I live nearby and stopped in for the first time this week.

I do not entirely know if there is a clear analog for this market. The produce department is usually what I judge a supermarket by and this one is pretty small. What I saw, seemed in OK shape. They have basics. Produce alone would not get me to return.

hi, i'm glad you're giving the store a chance. i'm guessing you don't buy organic produce, because if you did, i think you'd be pretty happy with the selection, and the items i've looked at or bought are generally cheaper than whole foods.

joan, I do in fact buy some things organic. As I mentioned, there were definitely things that were cheaper throughout the store, and that included produce. However I believe the selection to be limited. The produce section overall was smaller than in most grocery stores. There was less to choose from than Strack & Van Til down the street, for example, though Fresh & Thyme had a larger organic selection. Overall, some produce was in good shape and some was not (limp and sad looking chard for example).

It was only one visit so I'm not concluding anything about the quality of the produce. But as I wrote, I don't think I would return here *specifically* for the produce. More likely if I had something else I that I knew they were going to have, then I would browse the produce section and see how things looked.