I visited a Grocery Outlet store in Maryland to see what shopping at the chain is like. Many of Grocery Outlet's stores are in the Western US — not shocking, given that the company was founded in San Francisco. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementHaving reported on grocery stores for eight years, I wanted to experience what it's like to shop at Grocery Outlet for myself. Some parts of Grocery Outlet looked like any other grocery store. Shopping at Grocery Outlet was one of the most novel experiences I've had at a store.