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Not Restaurant Depot

post #1 of 16
8/20/08 at 4:30pm
Thread Starter 
I asked this question before and I think everyone thought it answered when it wasn't, so I'm asking again.

I like Smart and Final, but they're only on the west coast and I am now on the east coast. I'm looking for a place like Smart and Final that caters to the foodservice industry (wholesale prices, professional equipment and food ingredients rather than prepackaged tv dinners). To make it clear... I do not have a foodservice business and so I cannot go to Restaurant Depot as much as I may like to.

Any suggestions? I'm in the Northern Virginia area.

Thanks.
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post #2 of 16
8/20/08 at 5:55pm
im not sure how youre going to get wholesale pricing with out a tax id...
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post #3 of 16
8/20/08 at 6:44pm
I spent 40 minutes searching the web for the type of place you are talking about and found nothing that fit the description in Virginia. None of the foodservice companies I am familiar with had an operation like Smirt and Final in the Virginia area. The closest thing I could find was GFSMarketplace which we have in Kentucky but they are not in Virginia.

If you have not already done so, you may need to ask local food businesses where they go when they need something last minute.
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post #4 of 16
8/20/08 at 7:17pm
jbd nailed it...talk to all the local resturants in the nova area...go through the yellow pages if u have to
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post #5 of 16
8/22/08 at 2:12pm
do you have a costco out there? its about 40$ a year but huge whear house store that has lots of good stuff
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post #6 of 16
8/22/08 at 4:42pm
Thread Starter 
The reason I prefer a wholesaler to food service is that places like Costco have too much pre-made stuff. I'm looking for the odd things that chefs use. Costco doesn't have great deals on a pound of yeast, for example. They do have great deals on bread.

I order some things online from King Arthur Flour, Penzey's Spices and Chocosphere, but sometimes I'd like to just see what's available and go with that.

I have found, all within three miles of my new home, an Asian (Chinese/Korean) grocery, a Latin grocery and and Indian (Asian) grocery. Tomorrow I'm going to check them out and see what they're like in person, but they've got good reputations. They're named H-Mart, Americana and Daily Spices respectively.
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post #7 of 16
8/22/08 at 4:46pm
Sam's Club may have some of what you need, and they list a couple of stores in the Richmond area, one each in Charlottesville Woodbridge & Sterling...
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post #8 of 16
8/23/08 at 9:46am
Thread Starter 
Same problem with Sam's Club as with Costco. Also, Richmond is a good three hours away.

Anyway, I went by the Super H Mart and the Americana Latin Grocery today.

Super H was quite big and had lots of interesting things. Lacked a bit on the fresh fruit and vegetable side, but that just may be something that is regional for all fruits and vegetables. They did not have live fish. I couldn't find the ume, but it looks like they probably do have it.

The Americana Latin Grocery was a disapointment. They had fruits and vegetables, but only the American taste. They had packaged dry and canned foods that were imported from Latin America. It looks like a great place for remittance processing. They told me they never have the tuna (prickly pear) or nopales (cactus) that I was looking for.
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post #9 of 16
9/10/08 at 8:29pm

NO VA Food

I live in Waldorf, MD about 30-40 minutes south of Alexandria. If you're looking for really good, really fresh, really local foods... there is a St. Charles county fair this Friday and Saturday and there are going to be a lot of vendors and farmers there. I just moved here from Delaware, so I don't know a whole lot of other spots, but the best food always comes from the best farms, and these guys know their land. Can't wait to see you at the fair! I'll save you a seat at the pig races! :beer: Yeeehaw!

Rambo
You have much to learn, grasshoppa
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post #10 of 16
9/10/08 at 9:31pm
If you are a skilled cook, capable of large scale cooking, volunteer to assist at a church dinner, if they'll get you an I.D. certificate for Restaurant Depot.
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post #11 of 16
9/11/08 at 11:24pm

Just like food

the type of place you are talking about and found nothing that fit the description in Virginia. None of the foodservice companies I am familiar with had an operation like Smirt and Final in the Virginia area. The closest thing I could find was GFSMarketplace
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post #12 of 16
9/11/08 at 11:26pm

like food

The type of place you are talking about and found nothing that fit the description in Virginia. None of the foodservice companies I am familiar with had an operation like Smirt and Final in the Virginia area. The closest thing I could find was GFSMarketplace
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post #13 of 16
9/17/08 at 6:04pm
:cool:Check out BJ's wholesale
44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 44:lol:
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post #14 of 16
9/22/08 at 1:39pm
true that, 110%
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post #15 of 16
9/25/08 at 2:07pm
The only option I know of for you is probably Sam's, Costco, or BJ's. It's unfortunate, but that is really your own option at this point. You have to be creative.
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post #16 of 16
9/25/08 at 5:28pm
Thread Starter 
I do have a "mass meal" certification from the Red Cross. If I enter a church, however, I'm likely to be struck down by lightening. :D Even if the Red Cross card got me a thingy for Restaurant Depot, I'd feel bad about it 'cause I'm not cooking for them here.

BJ's looks scarey. More scarey than Costco even.
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