Best Places to Shop in Vancouver

Grocery Stores

Chuck's Produce - Incredible stores with very good prices on produce, much of their produce and stock is locally sourced and organic. 13215 SE Mill Plain and their new location in Salmon Creek, 2302 NE 117th St.

Fred Meyer - A combination Grocery and semi Department store. I particularly like the ones on Hwy 99 and the one in Salmon Creek off 134th. The one in Salmon Creek is the largest in the area with a good housewares and garden department

Whole Foods (formerly Natures) - Located off 164th and Mill Plain, a great place for organic meats and produce. Not inexpensive but cheaper than Zupan's for Gourmet groceries.

QFC - Located on the eastside of Vancouver on 192nd, QFC is kind of a cross between Zupan's and Safeway. QFC was a local grocery company out of Seattle which has since been bought by Kroger. It has a good selection of Gourmet foods, a pretty good fish market, plus it has everyday items at fairly reasonable prices. Less expensive than Zupan's or Whole Foods but more expensive than Winco or Fred Meyer.

Winco - What can I say, the store I love to hate. By far the best grocery prices, I regularly see items that are $1 to $2 dollars cheaper per item (!) than anywhere else in Vancouver. But I really hate to shop there. It is always crowded, they don't take debit cards, and sometimes the sheer mass of food and humanity there literally takes my appetite away. If you can shop mid-week or late at night it is not as crowded. There are two locations in Vancouver, one in the Vancouver Plaza center by the Mall and the other is on Hwy 99 just north of Wall Mart (the other store I have a love/hate relationship with)

Safeway - Pretty much the same stores as everywhere in the US. Just across the river at Jantzen Beach is the largest Safeway in the area. 

Seafood

Pacific NW Best Fish Co – This fish market is fantastic! They supply fish and shellfish to restaurants in Vancouver and Portland and recently added a fish and chips drive-thru stand. Take the 179th exit of l-5, go north on NE 10th Ave, it is about a mile past the Duluth intersection. Well worth the trip, the only local fishmarket. 360-887-4268, 24415 NE 10th Ave, Ridgefield

Dog Stuff

All Natural Pet Supply - A great source for Quality Dog Natural Dog food and really fun toys for your favorite canine. 10501 NE Highway 99 Suite 49, Vancouver. 360-573-0667

Doggone Clean -  Self Service Dog Wash. Very nice facility with walk-up bathtubs make it easy on your back for bathing your dog. Very helpful friendly staff, ask for Jessica and tell her that Roianne recommended them. 10501 NE Highway 99 Suite 43, Vancouver. 360-576-8114

Landscaping/Plants

Millennium Farms – The best heirloom tomato and vegetable plants in Clark County. The Stucky’s know more about Tomatoes than anyone I know. If you follow their instructions you can have tomatoes by the middle of June like I did this year. They also sell fresh heirloom vegetables and eggs from their own chickens. 360-887-4485 Website: http://www.millenniumfarms.bizland.com/

Yard and Garden – 360-573-7172

Yard and Garden has a great selection of healthy flowering plants and vegetables as well as a store where you can purchase seeds and supplies. They also deliver bark and mulch by the yard. They are a little expensive but always have great quality stock.

1501 NE 102nd ST, corner of Highway 99 and NE 102nd

Tsugawa’s Nursery – Tsugawa’s probably has the best selection of plants for the Northwest in the Vancouver area. They are a little bit further out but easy to get to, north on l-5 at Woodland exit 21.

They have a website at: www.tsugawanursery.com

Shorty’s Nursery – Shorty’s has a good selection of very healthy plants, but they tend to be more expensive. 360-887-3936, 705 NE 199th St

Specialty Nurseries of Clark County– This is a great resource for perennials and other plants in the Vancouver area. Members have small home nurseries, often specializing in specific plant types. The Specialty nurseries tend to have very reasonable prices.  Aikens Salmon Creek Iris gardens, is a great example. They are a nationally renowned Iris specialty nursery.

The Facebook page for the association is: Clark County Specialty Nurseries

Fresh Local Produce

Firestone Farms – Firestone has a great selection of summer fruit, known for their peaches in particular.

360-696-1982, 5600 NW Fruit Valley Rd.

Vancouver Farmers Market – Every Saturday and Sunday April thru September. Local crafts and Produce. Take Mill Plain exit 1-C west To Esther Street. Go south on Esther Street, 7 blocks to the Market