AVE Supermarket スーパ

AVE is an excellent place to shop and perfectly supplements the on-base commissary.

About 13 or 14 very efficient checkout lines open

AVE is a large store that does huge business. It's always busy. Located very close to base, it's just past LIVIN on the left hand side as you're traveling South. Parking is free and is accessed from the back of the store. You'll turn left before getting to the store (when traveling south) and then drive to the back of the store where there is a ramp to get to the rooftop parking or another lane to park in the front, street level parking lot. See the location link at the very bottom of the post.

The main reason we shop there on a regular basis is for their produce and seafood. The fruits and vegetables are extremely fresh and the prices quite good. They beat the commissary on a large majority of items.

I did a small sample comparison between AVE and the commissary:
       AVE             Commissary
Pack of 4 tomatoes - 250 Yen                   1.80/lb = $3.60 for 4 tomatoes
Bananas 100 Yen for a large bunch            1.19/lb = $2.60 for a bunch
Watermelon 1000 Yen each                      12lb for about $8.00 (equivalent size melons)
Pineapple 189 Yen each                            3.49 each
Japanese cucumber 5 for 100 Yen             2.59/lb = $4.50 for 5
Broccoli - 1 stalk for 94 Yen                     2.26/lb = 1.40 for one stalk
Lettuce 100 Yen                                      1.34/lb = $1.30
Kiwi pack of 6 for 284 Yen                      2.99/lb = $2.90 (about the same price)
Avocado 95 Yen                                      1.49/lb = 70 cents for one
Oranges - bag of 6 for 380 Yen 2.00/lb = 2 oranges for one pound, 6 oranges would be $6.00
Corn 100 yen per ear    $5 for 4 corn = $1.25/ear
Garlic 3 for 95 Yen                                   3 for about $1.30
Bag of 5 onions for 189 Yen                      .92/lb = 5 onions for about $2.00
Large ripe peaches 90 Yen each                 $2.50 each

So you can see that AVE beats the commissary in most items sampled. Bananas, pineapples, cucumbers, and peaches really beat the competition (commissary).

Just how do you say their name? I say ah-vay as in Ave Maria. But lets remember that in Japanese there is no "v"
The company's website even has a Q&A section where they discuss how to pronounce their name and admit that it's confusing. According to their website either ay-boo-ee　エイーブイ or ay-bee　エイービ is acceptable and correct. They further say it’s like Abe of Ave Maria. Abe of Ave Maria is Abe Maria of the famous Japanese pop group AKB48.

A supermarket in Japan is called a "su-pa" or "スーパ"

Above photo shows the view of the fruit and vegetable section. This is one of the main reasons you will want to come to AVE. The fruits and vegetables are very fresh and the prices much better than the commissary. Absolutely worth the trip. On your way in and out, you'll pass the bakery. Brilliant move placing it right there. It takes true willpower to walk on by without getting a cream puff. I can still smell them now...

The number of people you see in the photo above is about average. Definitely seen more though. At the end of this section it curves around to the left for the seafood and meat section. If you try going the opposite direction once in this area you'll feel like a salmon swimming up river, wishing you could jump like a salmon too. The people actually flow like a river here and they just keep on coming. Now, there is no rule against going backwards, although it will feel like you're are doing something illegal. I suggest you try going backwards once or twice just for the experience once you're down at the meat end. It'll be fun.

I do want to point out that we also like shopping at Daiei. But there is ONE aspect of Daiei that really bothers me (that you won't find at AVE) and that is that silly little tune that they play over the mini boom boxes at very high volume near the fish section and meat section. It plays for an entire 5 seconds before it repeats itself. Over and over and over and...now it's stuck in my head again. Aaaaghhh! (Dec 2013 update: Someone appears to be listening. The noise making device has been removed! We can now shop in peace and spend as much time as we'd like looking at all the fish in Daiei!)

Another reason to visit may be to get some fresh chicken which the commissary does not sell. The prices are better at AVE for the chicken. The Japanese have a very good chicken.

Chicken - $8.00/kg at commissary - $2.75/kg at AVE

AVE is a Miura Penninsula store that is trying to branch out all over Kanagawa. There are at least 7 of them and they're open between 10:00 and 7:00 PM. Their website is here and their picture of the produce section is much better than mine, but you'll never see it that empty.

They really strive to be a low price leader. In fact, they do no consumer marketing at all. No radio, flyers, TV, or anything! Their low price strategy may be the reason they do not take credit cards, which has been an issue on occasion where I've found myself without enough cash and no nearby ATM that would work.

Cukes

Lettuce

Ninniku or Garlic

The seafood is another reason to visit AVE. They have a huge selection of fresh fish. Some of them I've identified in the post on seafood labels but that is just a small sampling of what's there.