Grocery Store for the New Era?
Sat., April 11, 06:37 PM
It’s an interesting concept, and maybe its time has come. A new store has opened in our community, and it seems to be aimed at those families whose finances have been… compromised.
Among the information we gathered on line is that the store carries fewer than fifteen hundred items. Customers may bring their own bags; otherwise the charge is five cents a bag. They gladly accept cash or debit cards (as well as state food assistance cards), but no checks or credit cards because those add to the cost of doing business. They are right, of course; oh, the joys of bookkeeping!
U.D. and I decided to go in and take a look. The first thing we noticed is that the grocery carts are locked into one area. You need a quarter to unlock a cart and bring it inside; you get your quarter back when you return the cart to its proper place. So there are no errant carts lying around the parking lot, waiting for a gust of wind to knock them into a car, and there is no need to hire people to keep rounding them up. Obviously, considerable thought has gone into this venture.
As we went inside, the first thing I saw was an aisle of junk food — cookies, candies, and chips — followed by an assortment of sugared cereals. There was nothing in that aisle that I would buy. We came to the dairy cases, where butter and eggs were competitively priced; milk tends to be within five or ten cents wherever we go. I just glanced at the meat — you don’t do much more than that when accompanied by a vegetarian — and wasn’t much impressed. They did advertise a good buy on ham, but, uh, I don’t buy ham. U.D. was disappointed that there were no vegetarian protein products, not even veggie burgers of some sort. On the other hand, the manager said he thought that it was a good idea and that he would suggest it.
There was a selection of frozen goods, not that I recognized any brands. Most of the groceries did not have well-known labels, which means I would have to start investigating all over again; it isn’t a big problem, but it would be an inconvenience.
The biggest disappointment was the fresh fruits and vegetables, which are all packaged. (For all I know, there could be one bad apple in every bag.) I am spoiled, I know, but I have become accustomed to choosing one onion, one pepper, two apples, one tomato… I am also used to finding fruit out of season once in a while. That can make a celebration out of almost anything.
U.D. found some useful products, but I didn’t buy anything. Even if I could use some items from this store, I would have to go elsewhere for products they don’t carry, like Husband’s oatmeal. Oh, yes, my other store also has the pharmacy which has all of our records. Once upon a time, when I was a lot younger and more flexible, I didn’t mind chasing down specials. Not any more.
Will this store be successful? I think it will, even though it’s not for me. It is aimed at people who don’t have a lot to spend, who perhaps are living on unemployment or subsidies. It will also be good for the college students, and there are several local colleges whose students would find it convenient.
There is one more thing, of course. I budgeted and saved and cooked from scratch for years, so that maybe, just maybe, I wouldn’t have to do it in my old age. Well, old age is here, and I will be damned if I will use up my reduced resources just to save a dime here or there. I just don’t have the spoons.
