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« Last edited by bb1836 on May 12, 2019, 08:15:10 PM »

Author Topic: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread  (Read 680714 times)

Offline Cheesecake

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1120 on: December 10, 2016, 06:21:18 PM »
maybe but i dont feel bad. If they were such good ppl and loved doing chesed they would help their OWN customers who cant afford to buy food instead of sponsoring little league etc.
I don't think that excuses bad mouthing them, especially on a public forum.

Offline Cheesecake

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1121 on: December 10, 2016, 06:26:06 PM »
Also nothing technically wrong with charging inflated prices but if they are this massive chesed organizations as Ppl are claiming why not start at home?
Because there's no efficient way (the 10% discount is not efficient) to lower the prices for only the people who need it.

So instead, they work through organizations and give people who need it most free gift cards.

Offline Cheesecake

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1122 on: December 10, 2016, 06:28:45 PM »
Not any affordable options to buy kosher food.  Also it does seem odd that such a large Jewish community doesn't have an affordable option.
Why is it GG's responsibility to be that? The 5T couldn't support Brach's, but it's not GG's or Seasons' responsibility to replace it.

Offline ya

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1123 on: December 11, 2016, 01:23:28 PM »
Why is it GG's responsibility to be that? The 5T couldn't support Brach's, but it's not GG's or Seasons' responsibility to replace it.
But they can't force one from not coming in.

Offline emjee

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1124 on: December 11, 2016, 01:54:14 PM »
But they can't force one from not coming in.
If that even happened .....this whole convo going back and forth is made up of a bunch of assumptions. Nothing that was said from anyone has any real source backing to whether any details mentioned here on the forum are true or not .

Offline Cheesecake

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1125 on: December 12, 2016, 12:55:23 AM »
But they can't force one from not coming in.
Even the made up accusations don't say that.

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1126 on: December 12, 2016, 03:22:02 AM »
I can't imagine any of you who are so against GG are actual 5 towners. They are perfect for the 5 towns. Great service, fresh, quality foods, convenience, a nice, clean shopping experience, are all things that 5 towners are more than willing to pay a premium for, just like anything else. They put a lot of money into their business, and it shows. There is good reason they are so successful. Their responsibility to the community is not to make shopping affordable for those who cannot afford it, their responsibility is to meet the needs of the community, keep up their high standards and continue to be the well oiled machine they are. The fact that they are good people who give back to the community who supports them is an added bonus. It's mind boggling to me that this is where people are directing their hate.

Offline Freddie

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1127 on: December 12, 2016, 04:15:14 AM »
Who buys grapes at a kosher store?

Offline emjee

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1128 on: December 12, 2016, 06:25:44 AM »
Who buys grapes at a kosher store?
Either out of habit or the good feeling the store gives you when you walk in. It's another service ; you make me feel upper class I'll pay you more

Offline ya

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1129 on: December 12, 2016, 09:37:48 AM »
I can't imagine any of you who are so against GG are actual 5 towners. They are perfect for the 5 towns. Great service, fresh, quality foods, convenience, a nice, clean shopping experience, are all things that 5 towners are more than willing to pay a premium for, just like anything else. They put a lot of money into their business, and it shows. There is good reason they are so successful. Their responsibility to the community is not to make shopping affordable for those who cannot afford it, their responsibility is to meet the needs of the community, keep up their high standards and continue to be the well oiled machine they are. The fact that they are good people who give back to the community who supports them is an added bonus. It's mind boggling to me that this is where people are directing their hate.
alot of the community is not wealthy. When we say 5towns  we mean far rockaway as well

Offline Yankee123

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1130 on: December 12, 2016, 10:46:29 AM »
I can't imagine any of you who are so against GG are actual 5 towners. They are perfect for the 5 towns. Great service, fresh, quality foods, convenience, a nice, clean shopping experience, are all things that 5 towners are more than willing to pay a premium for, just like anything else. They put a lot of money into their business, and it shows. There is good reason they are so successful. Their responsibility to the community is not to make shopping affordable for those who cannot afford it, their responsibility is to meet the needs of the community, keep up their high standards and continue to be the well oiled machine they are. The fact that they are good people who give back to the community who supports them is an added bonus. It's mind boggling to me that this is where people are directing their hate.

This is a very narrow minded view. GG is great for five towns because there is definitely a client base for them. Does that mean everyone can now afford their prices? You really think they are catering to 100% of Far Rockaway/ Five towns?   Odd, cause here I am delivering tomchei shabbos every Thursday night so i guess its not 100%

They portray themselves as the all caring company, that takes care of its community. Clearly they are not. Theres a large part of the community that needs more affordable shopping then seeing another GG tshirt on another sports team.

For the record, I always bought my grapes in Brachs. Yes their produce wasn't as great but the price was right for what i was getting.

Offline ushdadude

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1131 on: December 12, 2016, 11:14:48 AM »
Who buys grapes at a kosher store?

I buy my produce at Trader Joes

Offline ya

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1132 on: December 12, 2016, 11:19:14 AM »
This is a very narrow minded view. GG is great for five towns because there is definitely a client base for them. Does that mean everyone can now afford their prices? You really think they are catering to 100% of Far Rockaway/ Five towns?   Odd, cause here I am delivering tomchei shabbos every Thursday night so i guess its not 100%

They portray themselves as the all caring company, that takes care of its community. Clearly they are not. Theres a large part of the community that needs more affordable shopping then seeing another GG tshirt on another sports team.

For the record, I always bought my grapes in Brachs. Yes their produce wasn't as great but the price was right for what i was getting.

said perfectly.  "They portray themselves as the all caring company, that takes care of its community. Clearly they are not."

Offline springles

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1133 on: December 12, 2016, 11:41:07 AM »
I agree that the idea that GG is "perfect for the 5 towns" is ridiculous and ignorant. There was a time when the majority of 5T families were comfortable to wealthy but that is not the case anymore. And i am not even bringing Far rockaway into this discussion. There are many families in woodmere, cedarhurst, and lawrence that are struggling financially.

I am not blaming GG for any of this. They charge high prices because they can. I truly dont understand why Brach's couldnt make it. Maybe it had to do with the fact that the building was falling apart, that when you walked in you were just as likely to get drops of water on you from a leak as you were to find really cheap soda that expired 3 weeks ago. Maybe it had something to do with the odor in the meat department. I dont know. But what I do know is that the community could really benefit from a cheaper alternative to GG and seasons. KRM probably would have been a great fit. But from what I understand and believe to be true the costs were too high at the end for them to get involved. GG stepped in and made a smart move for their business which was in no way underhanded. But now we are stuck without a cheap grocery store. Sure, we can drive to brooklyn and shop (which costs time and money, nearly negating the entire benefit). But this isnt an out of town community that needs to drive somewhere to find good kosher food. It is a pretty large community that should be able to support another kosher supermarket. I too have delivered Tomchei Shabbos meals in the 5T and the number of people that program services would surprise you. There  must be something done to help! The costs of living in this community continue to rise at an alarming rate. I dont have a solution but I do worry that people here are not recognizing the issue.

Offline springles

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1134 on: December 12, 2016, 11:49:06 AM »
I do not agree with the bashing of GG here. They do a lot of chessed, I dont really care if their intentions are purely for PR or l'shma and I dont think the families benefiting from it care either. I dont care if the sponsorships and such are just a use of maaser or a way to deduct taxes that ends up benefiting the company. Bottom line is that they are helping people out and it is not for us to say they should be doing more. When faced with a crisis or a problem it is part of human nature to point at others and say that they should help, but it is a part of the Jewish tradition that we look inwards and say how can I help.
Again, I dont have the solutions, I just want the community as a whole to start working together to come up with solutions.

Offline Yankee123

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1135 on: December 12, 2016, 12:06:16 PM »
I do not agree with the bashing of GG here. They do a lot of chessed, I dont really care if their intentions are purely for PR or l'shma and I dont think the families benefiting from it care either. I dont care if the sponsorships and such are just a use of maaser or a way to deduct taxes that ends up benefiting the company. Bottom line is that they are helping people out and it is not for us to say they should be doing more. When faced with a crisis or a problem it is part of human nature to point at others and say that they should help, but it is a part of the Jewish tradition that we look inwards and say how can I help.
Again, I dont have the solutions, I just want the community as a whole to start working together to come up with solutions.

I don't agree with the idea that they deserved the fire chas vshalom, and I am also grateful as should everyone be who is on the receiving end of their chesed/PR campaigns.

The point/my opinion that I want to make clear is: while all of this is nice and dandy, and for all the credit they get and deserve - They are missing the boat on a huge chessed opportunity, which is making kosher shopping affordable for everyone. They are smart people running that well oiled machine of theirs, they have to realize what they are doing. This leads me to believe why i don't think all the chesed is lishma 100%. There is nothing s**y about making affordable shopping. So they don't do it.
 
 Agav, anyone who argues that they are fair priced is obviously one of the people they are catering to.

#makekoshershoppinggreatagain


Offline springles

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1136 on: December 12, 2016, 12:15:35 PM »
I don't agree with the idea that they deserved the fire chas vshalom, and I am also grateful as should everyone be who is on the receiving end of their chesed/PR campaigns.

The point/my opinion that I want to make clear is: while all of this is nice and dandy, and for all the credit they get and deserve - They are missing the boat on a huge chessed opportunity, which is making kosher shopping affordable for everyone. They are smart people running that well oiled machine of theirs, they have to realize what they are doing. This leads me to believe why i don't think all the chesed is lishma 100%. There is nothing s**y about making affordable shopping. So they don't do it.
 
 Agav, anyone who argues that they are fair priced is obviously one of the people they are catering to.

#makekoshershoppinggreatagain
I dont really want to repeat my same point over and over but their job isnt to find a chessed opportunity that you approve of. They can do chessed however they like or not at all, they are a business, not a charity. And I already said that I and the people they help dont care if their chessed is 100% not l'shma. My point is just that we should look at how we can do more chessed and help people and not look at how others are helping.

Offline Yankee123

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1137 on: December 12, 2016, 12:34:40 PM »
I dont really want to repeat my same point over and over but their job isnt to find a chessed opportunity that you approve of. They can do chessed however they like or not at all, they are a business, not a charity. And I already said that I and the people they help dont care if their chessed is 100% not l'shma. My point is just that we should look at how we can do more chessed and help people and not look at how others are helping.

Hmm...we seem to be on same page for the most part. I am not sitting here dictating anything. Ultimately  like you said its a business not a chessed organization. Im not expecting anything from them.

That being said, it leaves a bad taste in peoples mouths when they portray themselves as the ultimate chessed organization who DO say they are a community store helping the klal, while at the same time are missing one of their bigger opportunities. If there was something I as an individual could do to help I would, but there isn't so the least I could do is help make GG and others aware that there are many people struggling, and there is what for GG to do if they are looking to add to their chessed resume.




Offline ya

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1138 on: December 12, 2016, 01:25:25 PM »
I do not agree with the bashing of GG here. They do a lot of chessed, I dont really care if their intentions are purely for PR or l'shma and I dont think the families benefiting from it care either. I dont care if the sponsorships and such are just a use of maaser or a way to deduct taxes that ends up benefiting the company. Bottom line is that they are helping people out and it is not for us to say they should be doing more. When faced with a crisis or a problem it is part of human nature to point at others and say that they should help, but it is a part of the Jewish tradition that we look inwards and say how can I help.
Again, I dont have the solutions, I just want the community as a whole to start working together to come up with solutions.
GG benefits greatly from this issue. Pablo escobar did alot of good as well. Would you live in one of his Apt he gave out to the poor?  not comparing obviously ...

GG- is doing some good to hide/cover up the bad.

Offline Cheesecake

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #1139 on: December 12, 2016, 01:46:18 PM »
Hmm...we seem to be on same page for the most part. I am not sitting here dictating anything. Ultimately  like you said its a business not a chessed organization. Im not expecting anything from them.

That being said, it leaves a bad taste in peoples mouths when they portray themselves as the ultimate chessed organization who DO say they are a community store helping the klal, while at the same time are missing one of their bigger opportunities. If there was something I as an individual could do to help I would, but there isn't so the least I could do is help make GG and others aware that there are many people struggling, and there is what for GG to do if they are looking to add to their chessed resume.
It's ridiculous to expect them to lower prices as a chessed. Their whole business model is to charge kesef malei for a premium product/service.