Safeway

I only go to this Safeway out of convenience. It is close to my house and often on my way to and from work and or an outing. My other close choice for a Safeway is the one at Southgate mall. I go to the Southgate Mall location most times if I want to shop at Safeway as it is bigger, brighter and cleaner. I avoid the Southgate location at busy times though as lines can be long.
This Safeway has a poor selection for about every department. This one is just so small compared to the current standard of Safeway’s that they just don’t have the room for large selections of items.
I have heard that prices are higher compared to other Safeway’s because it is close to the University and they take advantage of the university students that may not have a lot of shopping choices. I have found some good deals there though so I am not sure how true this is.
If you need to visit a Safeway on the southside close to Whyte Ave I would go to these locations (in this order):
1. Bonnie Doon Safeway
2. Southgate Safeway
3. Any other close Safeway
4. This Safeway

Although I live close to this location I usually try to avoid it at all costs. This Safeway is smaller than your average (yes I know it’s old) but my main issue is the isle space. It’s super crowded and you can’t even turn your buggy around if you wanted to. That is if you had a buggy. Once I went and they had no carts because the claimed that all the students had been stealing their carts…
Generally I find Safeway a bit overpriced, so when you combine that with over crowded and less selection, you might as well just go elsewhere.

This Safeway is near enough to my apartment/​work that I occasionally stop here. It’s definitely my least favorite grocery store in the city. Something about the place seems «off,» … maybe it’s the dirty looking floors/​walls, the weird lighting, or the nasty sorta-​beige-​sorta-​peach-​colored exterior. Is it just me, or is everything here more expensive than at other grocery stores?! OK, I know, it’s near campus, so it’s pricey. But there are other grocery stores within walking distance of this place that are reasonably priced.
The produce here doesn’t really look that good to me, but maybe it’s the halo effect or something due to the dirty looking surroundings and messy bakery section. At 6 pm I stopped at the bakery once for a quick snack (a bun or something) but all they had was overpriced, gross-​looking donuts and a few dried-​out bagels. I came here once for cheese and couldn’t find any of the specialty brands I like. In general it seems like only really popular/​mainstream items are sold here, I couldn’t find many local/​unique/​small batch/​etc items, which is kinda weird for the Strathcona area.
On one occasion I was shopping here and had a mad bathroom attack, … I could not find ANYONE with a key to the washroom, customer service was desolate, and I ended up running in a panic to McDonalds.
Yep…

This Safeway does not seem to be as clean as others I have been in, and the selection is somewhat wanting. I am not sure if it is because it is so busy that shelves get picked out faster, or what, but it is also the most convenient chain grocery store if you live in the area. I don’t, so I tend to avoid it.

A one-​star review. I’m normally generous with Unilocal reviews but you could not shop at a worse place. High prices, surly staff, less-​than-​fresh produce. I would much rather schlep over to the Save-​On on Gateway Blvd, although I will drop by here if I am in desperate need of an item.

This Safeway is in need of many things. An upgrade, better selection, restocked shelves, better meat selection, just to name few. Oh, and a deep clean would help.

I’m not a big fan of Safeway in general, but this has to be the worst one in Edmonton. Small and a poor selection /​perpetually out of stock on things. Also seems unclean (always smells in the produce area) and the whole place is in desperate need of a reno. Always seems to be really long lines at the checkouts. Last two times I have gone, the carts were all jammed up and impossible to get. The parking lot will also give your suspension and tires a good workout.
And call me paranoid, but I am convinced everything in this Safeway is just a bit more expensive than any other Safeway (which is already more expensive than most grocery stores). Feel like they’re ripping off the university students in the area who don’t have cars, just because they can.

This is my neighbourhood grocery store. Yes, it is outdated and a throwback to the 80s (possibly 70s too) but in the end it does serves it’s purpose and that is to provide groceries to the average, broke student.
They have a decent selection of produce and baked goods although sometimes it isn’t stocked or that the bread looks way too old and hard. Everything feels cluttered and disorganized so it feels nauseous when you try to find that one item in the shelves.
Prices are fairly average though more expensive than Superstore and Sobeys. The staff are friendly every time I shopped here and reading the other reviews, I want to keep it that way.
If you live close-​by and want the basic goods, go here. Other than that, there are better places to go to if you drive or take the transit.

This is a poorly run Safeway. Products are missing/​insufficiently stocked all over the place and chaos often seems to be the norm. Don’t let these reviews put you off this location, however. Go if you must, but be forewarned that it might not live up to expectations.

This Safeway is frustrating. It’s the only one I think I’ve ever been to that doesn’t have any kind of on-​site bakery. I like being able to get reasonably fresh bread no matter what time I day I do my shopping and that can’t happen here. They also don’t have some of the basic Safeway baked goods that other locations have like those bulk bagel and bun bins.
As others have already mentioned, it doesn’t look like this store has had a renovation in decades. It gives the whole place a dingy look which is not something you want when you’re buying food.
That being said, they do have a decent produce section for a smaller store, though they never seem to have mandarin oranges when I’m craving them! They also have a good selection of faux-​meats for us vegetarians.
As for the staff, the service is pretty inconsistent. Sometimes people are super friendly and other times they’re ultra-​crabby. You never know what you’re going to get!
Overall, I’ll go to this location if I need one or two generic things, but if I need to do a full grocery shopping trip, there are better stores within a short driving distance.

I hate, hate, hate this place.
As my local Safeway, it’s incredibly convenient — if I’m willing to eat just anything, and not looking for specific items, and don’t care that it costs a arm & a leg.
I can almost always guarantee it will be out of what I need, even if it’s as simple as a loaf of bread. The bakery is picked bare by about 5pm, the produce is lackluster (even in the summer), the deli department pathetic and closes really early considering it’s a University area grocery store. They also frequently discontinue products they were previously carrying. Want to try making something as ‘exotic’ as Pizza? Last time I tried that, they were out of ²⁄₃ of the ingredients I wanted/​needed (Squash, pizza shells, shallots and fresh sage).
Worse of all, however, are the staff. They’re impossible to find when you need help; the tills are never fully staffed during rush hour (leading to ridiculous line ups); they don’t know where to find products, and they are extremely rude when things are out of stock or have been discontinued or they don’t know something (and want to make themselves feel better at your expense).
Seriously, this is a place that, when I asked where the hearing aid batteries where, I got told by a staff member «All the batteries are right in front of you, can’t you see?» and when I complained that yes, but there wasn’t any hearing aid ones, I was told by another staff member that they «Didn’t carry them, we’re not a LIFESTYLE store». My insistence that a) deaf isn’t a ‘lifestyle choice’ and b) every other Safeway in the province carries them lead, after 10 minutes of arguing, to them visiting the pharmacy counter (which wouldn’t pick up its phone) to discover, yes, they carried the batteries — they were just behind the counter there.
Seriously trying to avoid this place at all cost from now on.

This Safeway is dated and run down. It has a smallish selection of fruits and vegetables but does have a bakery and deli counter.
The prices are on the high side, but I would attribute that to the location and lack of competition so close to the university.
If you have a car go somewhere else.

If you’re looking for a typical selection of food for higher-​than-​average prices, this Safeway is the place to go. I can usually find most of the items on my grocery list when I visit here. Even the organic and vegetarian section here isn’t shabby (a range of tofu types and a few different kinds of vegan burgers, etc).
When I can’t find an item, though (and I’m not talking obscure, only-​found-​in-​a-​health-​food-​store kinda things), I have trouble finding a staff member to join my quest, and even when I can track someone down, I’ve found they often don’t know, either.
It’s in a great location for anyone in the Garneau or Whyte Ave areas, and is conveniently located next to a drugstore, for those making a big shopping run. But shop around, if you can, for the same items at better prices!

This is one of the crappier Safeways I’ve been to. I hate to say it, but it is.
I find Safeways to be over prices in general, so that’s not my biggest concern with this one. This particular Safeway doesn’t have as much stuff as other Safeways. They don’t have half of the bulk section that most Safeways have and they don’t have sour soothers! That should be against the law!
Also, this Safeway is dirtier than most. I don’t know why, but it is. The staff are also not very friendly. The store is open until midnight every night so that may have something to do with it. They are also located on Whyte Ave so I’m guessing they probably get some interesting characters coming in.
I only go to this Safeway if I’m right there. If I have a choice, I’ll go elsewhere.