I drive through Hilltop Tacoma quite frequently in order to visit some of my favorite haunts like The Tempest and 1022 South, not to mention it's the only good direct route to downtown from my house, and often while heading down South 11th and crossing MLK, my eye would catch the Save-A-Lot grocery sign. I believe it was once a Rite Aid that couldn't cut it, which seems odd to me since there's no drug store like that even slightly near by to my knowledge. Go figure.

Save-A-Lot is an arm of SUPERVALU that operates more than 1,200 stores nationwide. I did not know that since the nearest other Save-A-Lot is out on 98th and Pacific. While checking out their Web site, I noticed they even have a Facebook page with more than 3,600 fans. Not as impressive as the more than 62,000 fans Safeway has, but you have to start somewhere.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed a lack of cars. This store is dead. As I locked my car and walked toward the store I wondered, "Should I have left my computer in the car?" Not the best neighborhood to challenge that theory, but I did it anyway. I get a little adrenaline rush when I act carelessly.

On walking in, it still has that Rite Aid feel but with produce and meat. The store was strangely quiet with only the Cars to entertain me over the sound system. Oh, and I can't forget the woman that was yelling at her kid at the check-stand. That was a treat.

The produce was fairly spartan but mostly fresh and well displayed. The meat department boasts a deal of  "Five items of your choice for $19.99," which included a 14-ounce turkey Salisbury, a 36-ounce bag of chicken strips, Dixie style macaroni and cheese, a BBQ pre-seasoned split chicken breast, four small pepperoni pizzas and 18-ounces of ground beef. I couldn't decide if that was a good deal or not, but thought it was interesting.

The dry goods are filled with some national brands, but mostly filled with these whacky off brands like Kurtz, Portman's, Garden Rite, Diane's Garden, etc. After looking at their Web site I discovered that these were Save-A-Lot's brands and they utilize them at all their stores. I couldn't help but feel like I was shopping in Canada.

I felt some eyeballs on me so I grabbed a cart and started filling it. The Mexican section pleased me so I picked up a 16-ounce bag of brown rice for 79 cents, Goya Recaito a cilantro cooking base ($2.59 - 12-ounces), Goya Sofrito ($2.79 - 12-ounces), a tomato cooking base, a sweet yellow onion (49 cents a pound) which seems to absent from most large grocery stores at the moment, and some tomatillos for 99 cents a pound. Guess who's cooking Mexican for dinner?

There were good deals on cleaning products, most were 32-ounces for $1, which includes pine cleaner, soap scum cleaner, window cleaner, orange cleaner, etc. You get the idea.

Sad, sad, sad, wine and beer department and no bakery, but they bring baked goods in. The deli aisle had your basic needs, block cheese, bacon, lunchmeats and hot dogs. Clearly no one who has a pet, shops here because I really had to look hard in order to find the teeny, tiny pet section.

At checkout time, get this - I was finally called out. The checker asked me why I was standing around and taking notes. These people are on the ball! But they don't bag your groceries. Huh? And last, but not least, tucked in the corner is the neighborhood post office. I had no idea.

Frankly, this is an odd little store and I think it's because of where it's located and the type of building it occupies. So, now I want to go check out the other location down Pacific Avenue. Can't hurt? Could be interesting. Most likely not, but what the hell?

[Save-A-Lot, 1105 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.572.5320]