Extreme Deals, Crowds at Dominick's: A True Story

When I heard that Dominick’s stores had marked most items 50 percent off last week, I headed to the nearest one to see what was left. Before the day was over, I’d visited two stores, stocking up on a completely random assortment of food and household products.

I’m not sure how long it will take me to go through six kitchen sponges, but hey, they don’t have a shelf life. I have a much better idea of how long the six-pack of dark chocolate Klondike bars will last.

After last week’s adventures, which involved stalking people who were leaving the stores to snag their newly emptied carts, at least two hours of maneuvering through the crowds in the aisles and nearly as long waiting to check out, I vowed that I would not return.

When a friend told me during the week that bare shelves were being restocked with warehouses items, I felt no temptation. Then another friend told me that produce, which was not included in last week’s sale, was getting marked half off Friday. And when I heard that the items that were previously 50 percent off had been further reduced to 75 percent off, I could no longer resist.

Back to Dominick’s I headed Friday afternoon. I was in the neighborhood, I justified to myself, and I needed some fresh fruit and veggies anyway.

I was not alone. I ran into several people I knew as I perused the two Buffalo Grove stores. As promised, I snagged deals on bagged lettuce, carrots, strawberries and milk. You know, healthy stuff to counter the ice cream bars, candy bars and other treats I loaded up on the first time around. Then, I told myself, I’d make one last trip through the rest of the store — OK, both stores — to see what else was left. 

In addition to the produce and dairy items, I picked up salsa, three cans of olives, two bags of marshmallows, a box of taco shells, a box of frozen pretzels, four candy bars (I promise they aren’t all for me), and a flower vase that I plan to use for a craft project. And I do mean I picked them up, as there wasn’t an empty cart or a basket to be found inside or out of either store.

I expressed gratitude to a fellow shopper who kindly invited me to place the items piled in my arms onto the conveyor belt ahead of him. I hadn’t planned to buy enough to warrant a basket, I told him. “I didn’t, either,” he replied. His shopping cart was nearly overflowing.

Between the two stores, I spent just over $13. Surely that's some sort of record, but then again, maybe not. Throughout the day, I’ve heard from Dominick’s shoppers who have run out of pantry and freezer space and one person who proudly said he scored hundreds of dollars in meat for around $100.

It may be awhile before any of us has to return to any grocery store. That might be why Jewel is already working to draw us into its stores. Jewel is offering 10 percent off an entire purchase to shoppers who turn in their Dominick’s Fresh Values cards by the end of the year. After four visits to Dominick’s over the course of seven days, I can’t imagine what else I’ll need in 2013.

Luckily, I have just over a week to figure it out.

Have you stocked up during the Dominick's liquidation sale? Share your experience in a blog post or in the comment section below.