Retail Encounters of One Kind, or Other

Bored out of my skull, armed with a short list of wants/needs, and feeling up to the challenge, I took a short drive to check out retailers I had never visited, or ones not visited in a long time.

There is no Bed, Bath & Beyond here; the Linen Outlet is considered the next best thing.  Well, not so much. The place looks like a warehouse with open boxes strewn everywhere. It was like dumpster diving - and I ain't into that. Most goods are second quality and pricy at that. The premium merchandise prices made B,B, & B look more like an outlet store. The sales staff was non-existent. I left empty-handed.

I need a new pair of comfortable black shoes, in case I can ever go back to work. So the next stop was the BASS outlet.  Another waste of time. The regular BASS quality shoes have been replaced by the kind of footwear loved by hipsters. The store was well staffed but I was ignored the entire time I was there. Won't go there again.

A few doors away is the Timberland store. Very nice professional staff in a relaxing atmosphere. A few great sales, but all on casual, or walking shoes - buy one get one half off - deals were everywhere.  Not on the dressier shoes, however. Few options in my size (the usual outlet problem) and the prices were more in line with those at department stores, not outlets. 

Still empty-handed.  Sigh!

Staple's hadn't been graced by my presence in months, so I decided to change all that. I needed laser printer paper and a thumb Flash Drive, anyway, so an easy stroll around the store was in order.  I was also on the lookout for a small case for the laptop, large enough to hold the cables and mouse, but only just.  I don't like the "Big & Bulky" book bag types - not with my bad back, thank you very much.  Unfortunately, that's all they had to offer. The sales associate got all miffed when I responded negatively to the puny offerings and was even more taken aback when shown a website printout of the kind of bag I was searching for.  He set about degrading the brand name I already knew and happened to like.That is never a smart thing for a salesperson to do, if you ask me.  A real turn-off.

As I wandered around the store I wondered what the hell happened to the great Staple's prices?  Even prices on the basic "office supplies" they're famous for - file folders, envelopes, binders, pens, staples & staplers, scales - well, you get the idea - have gone sky high.  Buying in quantity is no longer the bargain it used to be.

At the check out with the flash drive & paper, I asked the manager about the price changes. She told me to check out the weekly sales flyer for special deals, so I did. Both of my purchases were in the sale flyer.  Who knew? Looks to me as though the prices in the flyer bring the cost down to what used to pass as the regular price. I suppose consumers do have a short memory after all. 

There is a Dollar Tree Store directly across the highway from Staple's.  Feeling brave and curious I stormed the castle went in for a look. As I breezed through the doors my senses  were assaulted by pungent aroma of scented candles as well as an explosion of flashing lights and bright colors - Browns, Golds, Reds & Greens (mostly Reds & + Greens) - streamers, balloons, tinsel (oh G*d, such tinsel!) and tchotchkes of all kinds, everywhere I turned.  Shelf units so close together and nearly touching, I was afraid to walk among them for fear of breaking some Victorian Snow Queen holding a bright red cardinal with wings spread (you had to be there), tiny snow globes, or glitter-caked Santa & snowman statuettes.  Everything is $1.00 - some even less -  and it was clear to see why.  Interesting to note they also sell fresh eggs and milk from a local dairy.  At $1.00 per dozen and quart, now those are a bargain. 

China was responsible for everything on display, except in the food section where most goods were from Turkey, Spain, and The Philippines (it'll probably be a long time before these products replenished) with a few American brands thrown into the mix. I bought a small plastic bucket, a vegetable brush, and a large food funnel from the housewares aisle.  $3.00!  Not bad.

Last night's snow never materialized, but it took most of the morning for the predicted sun to break through the heavy cloud cover. Before coming home I drove down to Rehoboth Bay, south of Dewey Beach, hoping to find intrepid windsurfers, but there was little wind and not another soul in sight, on land or water.  Nice and quiet, though. I sat for a while at one of the weathered picnic tables  enjoying the fresh air and wind on my face. Yes, I took the damned mask off.

Hunger pangs hit and that's a good thing. Haven't had much of an appetite lately - having no sense of taste does that to me - so I got into the car to drive home when it hit me, I still need black dress shoes.  Well, some other time. 

It was a nice diversion to be out of the apartment among (what I assumed were) the living. But, I'm all shopped out for a while.

And so it goes.
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