UC Berkeley students shop at high-end stores out of convenience

26 November 2008 788 views No Comment

By Amanda Dyer –

Despite students’ notoriously slim budgets, many UC Berkeley students say they continue to shop at high-end grocery stores near their homes rather than travel farther away for good deals.

Blake Warner, 25, and Caitlin Thompson, 22, left Andronico’s grocery store at Telegraph Avenue and Derby Street one recent fall evening with juice, milk, a package of meat and a few other items.

The couple, both UC Berkeley seniors, live close to the market, and it’s proximity makes it an easy stop to pick up a few things.

Both Warner and Thompson say the average student can’t afford to do all their shopping at high-end, grocery stores like Andronico’s and Whole Foods Market, which are known more for their specialty items than their affordable prices. But its closeness keeps them coming back.

UC Berkeley senior Morgan Gibson, 21, said he shops at Andronico’s to find good deals on beer, but not for many other items. He said he’s noticed prices at the store are a bit higher, but not ridiculously so.

The nearest Safeway, Gibson noted, is located at Alcatraz and College avenues, approximately 1.3 miles from the Andronico’s on Telegraph. That’s fine if you have a car, Gibson said, but most people don’t drive.

“You’re not motivated to walk across town for $10,” Gibson said.

Anja Hakoshima, spokesperson for Andronico’s, said what separates it from other grocery stores, like Safeway, is its atmosphere, tastings and specialty and gourmet items.

“It’s a bit more of an experience,” Hakoshima said.

Neither Andronico’s or nearby Whole Foods returned calls requesting comment on store pricing.

According to the California Budget Project’s 2007 report “Making Ends Meet: How Much Does It Cost to Raise a Family in California,” a single adult living in Alameda County needs to make $29,633 — the equivalent of working full-time for $14.25 per hour — and budget at least $211 per month for food.

UC Berkeley estimates that an undergraduate student living off campus needs a budget of at least $22,160, including $200 per month for food, to cover costs. Seventy-five percent of all undergraduates receive financial aid, and, in 2006, 32 percent were eligible for Pell Grants, which are typically given to students of families that make less than $45,000 per year.

While these budgets might limit where some UC Berkeley students can shop, sophomore Michael Master, 19, chooses where to buy his food based on quality of service. He regularly shops at an Italian market, but sometimes shops at the Whole Foods Market at Telegraph and Ashby avenues.

For Master, cost is of less consideration.

“I use mommy’s credit card,” Master said.