SOLSC: Local Retail

            I went shopping in the neighborhood today. First the housewares store to buy muffin tins. The owner of the B&B I stayed at in New Orleans made killer oat bran muffins, which she kindly sent me the recipe for. I once had a muffin tin, but it must have gotten so grungy that I tossed it years ago and just not been inclined to make muffins since.

           Next the local independent bookstore. I needed to get a copy of The Boys in the Boat, an account of the American rowing team from working-class families that won gold in the 1936 Olympics against, among others, Hitler’s crew team. It’s for my book group, and there’d been too many holds on copies at the library. So I had to get my own, and the bookstore had used copies (mine will rejoin them when I’m done with it). While at the bookstore, I couldn’t resist get a print edition of Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury—I’ve already read the free PDF that circulated on the Internet soon after it was published, but since I can afford it, I want to support the publisher, and author, by buying a copy. And there was Thomas Piketty’s Capital, big, fat, tempting. I know I should read it, I want to read it, I took it from the table—and with my bookstore membership, I got $10 off my total purchase. I will read it.

            Back to shopping. Refilling my refrigerator, which I’d mostly emptied before my trip, at the grocery store. Then to Rite-Aid for paper towels. But wait. The Rite-Aid had gates down, and the sign on the door said “This location is closing, Liquidation sale starts Monday.” This is a big surprise. Two chain drugstores have been a couple of blocks apart for years, and the Rite-Aid has always looked busier, with longer lines, so I wouldn’t have expected it to be the one that lost out.

            Before I headed on to the Duane Reade/Walgreen’s, I checked out the new H Mart. This is a Korean supermarket chain that opened the weekend I left for points south. Not only are there all kinds of Asian foods both fresh and packaged, and a big seafood section, but also cooking pots and housewares. I will have to spend more time there to see what might be entering my kitchen. Maybe the store is what inspired me to make fried rice for dinner.

-------------------------------------

I’m participating in the 11th annual Slice of Life Challenge over at Two Writing Teachers. This is day 10 of the 31-day challenge.  It’s not too late to make space for daily writing in a community that is encouraging, enthusiastic, and eager to read what you have to slice about.  Join in!

SOL Tuesday: Shop Local

I lost my Fitbit a week ago. Yesterday, as I walked uptown, I stopped at a Modell’s, hoping to get a replacement. The very young woman at the entrance asked how she could help, and when I said I was looking for a Fitbit, she said the store carries them, but were out of stock at the moment. But she was helpful, suggesting I try another sporting goods store a few blocks away, and also, “You could try online.”

            That started me off. I am on a one-woman campaign against e-commerce, unless it’s absolutely necessary. I told the young woman that I avoided shopping online as much as possible because I didn’t want stores like hers to go out of business.

            “That doesn’t happen,” she said.

            “Oh, yes, it does,” I replied. “That’s why there are so few bookstores now. Everyone buys their books from Amazon.”

            The expression on her face showed this had obviously never occurred to her. “But we say you can order from Modells.com and pick it up in the store.”

            “That’s true,” I conceded, but lots of smaller stores can’t do that. “Just think about it,” I said as I left, “and mention it to your friends."

            Another casualty of e-commerce are stationery stores. First, the small ones are driven out of business by the big-box stores like Staples and Office Max, but those stores are under siege by Amazon as well. I’d looked for a local stationers earlier in the day for the refill for my paper datebook: it’s gone. There are two others still in my neighborhood, probably because there are five universities in the vicinity. 

-->

-------------------------------------

It’s Slice of Life Tuesday over at Two Writing Teachers. Check out this encouraging and enthusiastic writing community and their slices of life every Tuesday. And add one of your own.