While there are many places to shop for groceries, such as Walmart, Target, and Publix, I soon found myself bored with the same old weekly shopping scene and routine. I knew I would soon have to find a new place to shop. My mother had always talked about how much she loved to shop at Fresh Market, and she had even taken me a few times.

Even though the closest one is a little bit of a drive from my school, Florida Gulf Coast University, I thought it might be a good idea for me to try it out.

The first time I went to the one located in Bell Tower Shops, I admit it was a bit further of a drive than the Super Target in Gulf Coast Town Center, but I would say that it was definitely worth it. As soon as I walked in, not only did it smell like fresh produce, but above each department of the store there was a green and white striped awning. This made it look like it was an actual market, and I thought it was so cute. I then began to look around and saw they had a lot of fresh produce and healthier options than Target or Walmart usually does.

I did notice their prices were a little on the expensive side but not more expensive than Whole Foods. Their name did not lie, either, as all their produce was fresher than I had ever seen at any other competitor.

I purchased freshly made potatoes and cornbread along with some pasta and a variety of produce. The total came out to be $81.21. While that may seem a bit pricey for a college student, the food lasted me about two weeks. My overall review of the place would be to say that it is cute, the produce is fresh, and the quality of the produce is overall a lot better than competitors. I would say that I would recommend Fresh Market to a friend or colleague and that my overall experience was positive.