MARTIN'S — Local services in Eldersburg

I used to really love shopping at Martins but things really started going downhill with them PRIOR to Covid. It only got worse during and they have yet to recover.

First it was constantly out of stock items and empty shelves. Then it was that security robot that rolls around getting in everyone’s way and blocking the perimeter aisles. Next it was the shopping service where the employees do your shopping for you. This has lead to aisles constantly blocked up by the employees with their carts sideways in the aisles. The stockers seem to do this as well. They’ll just put a stocking cart in the aisle and leave it.

Several times over the past few months I was in and the hand scanners for self checkout were down. I went through the regular checkout line and the employees were very unfriendly and didn’t seem to care about what they were doing. One of those times the cashier spent most of her time distracted by talking to another employee who stood at the end her station. He could’ve been bagging my groceries but instead was just tossing them down the line and talking to the cashier, distracting her.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought something here only to get it home to find that it was already spoiled. It’s happened with meat, seafood, and produce on numerous occasions. I’ve gotten ice cream home only to find that it’s obviously completely thawed and then been put in their freezers anyway to refreeze and is chalky and freezer burnt. A few weeks ago I got some Boars Head turkey from the deli and it was already slimy and smelling unfresh. Spoiled seafood “fresh” from the case? Several times. It’s unacceptable and using the Covid situation as an excuse doesn’t work anymore. Other stores have completely bounced back.

While every other store in the area has bounced back stockwise following Covid, Martins has yet to do so. It’s like they aren’t even trying to properly stock. They use Covid as an excuse for their poor stock, but ALL of the other area stores are fully stocked now. I know because I have to go to them to get what Martins doesn’t have. And now they’re doing a major renovation, jumbling up what poor stock they do have, and completely changed the formerly easy flow of the store.

What happened Martins? You had a great store that I’d been shopping at weekly since you opened. Now shopping there has become a complete aggravation. You have a LOT of competition in the area. Wise up and get your act together again!

**Just as a follow up: Martin's posted here in response to "Please contact us directly." I did just that, twice. I got...

Martin's is a bit pricier than the Walmart supercenter but they have a different selection of foods. If you are looking for something gourmet, cultural, exotic or freshly prepared then Martin's is the place to go. There is an in store Starbucks and a designated"Market Cafe" area to enjoy any drinks or sandwiches/soup/salad you purchased in the deli. There is also free WiFi throughout the store. I have always found it to be a strong signal. The pharmacy staff are usually friendly and unlike Walmart, they know you by name. They don't always have your prescription on the shelf, but it only takes a day to get it in. The hand held scanners make shopping on a budget easier as you see exactly how much you have spent after each item you put in the cart. To some that may not be a big issue, but when you come to the store with XX dollars you know when to stop shopping. The produce is generally top quality. You have to remember that you get what you pay for. They do, however carry exotic fruits in addition to the standard fruit & veg. The produce men are very knowledgeable about their department and the items in their sections. Have a question about something? Ask them. They will know the answer. The store is open 24/7 but not all departments are open around the clock. If you are a second shifter and do your shopping on the way home, Martin's will be open. Just don't expect the deli, seafood, Starbucks, bakery and pharmacy to be...

This grocery store was great before, possibly the best in the local area, but this location has been slowly going downhill. Increased pricing aside, making them increasingly less attractive, this past week I noticed a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese that was 12 days past its expiration date, placed on top of the newer mozzarella cheese to be sold (no yellow discount sticker, either.) We bought a protein bar from a box on the clearance table that we learned after getting home is over 6 months past expiration. Close to expiration is one thing (yellow stickers are a great way to find discounts at Martin's if you plan to make the meal immediately), but we wouldn't have bought the bars if we noticed the reason they were on clearance was because they are SO expired. At least a protein bar is a safer bet than bagged cheese. I guess I'm going to have to double check the dates on every single thing? If food isn't turning over as quickly as it used to, there needs to be a system to find and remove that stuff from shelves.

I will say, though, their cashiers are awesome, across the board. Super friendly and on top of things. Their flower department has been an occasion-saver a few times. I appreciate the fruits and veggies are generally decent looking. They have a nice variety of things. A few fixes, and Martin's could be back to 5. For...