Tt post jan 19, 2017

quote=208785

What are you sayin'?

Who said that Kroger and Meijer's were evil except you?

And what in the hell does China have to do with this? Did we swerve to the Marina District?

I simply prefer uniqueness, things that are unique to this area. Don't overthink it.

That's how my wife and I shop for holiday gifts by buying from local or regional artists and craftspeople at events like Handmade Toledo's Makers Mart and from guild members at the Toledo Botanical Garden.

A lot of people buy gifts at the mall, but my preference is different.

When it comes to buying art supplies for my nieces and myself, I prefer to shop downtown at The Art Supply Depo. I could probably save money by shopping online or at Michael's or some other chain, but my preference is different.

Here are a few simple examples of why The Andersons was unique to my needs. I could buy Chuck-A-Nut pumpkin seeds that I feed to the birds because House Sparrows don't eat them, and I could buy Orval beer. I'd like to know of another store that sells those two items.

At The Andersons, I could buy a black-and-white cookie for me and dog food for my mutt. I could buy white whole wheat flour for bread baking and green bean seeds to plant in my garden. I could buy light bulbs for the track lightning in my computer room and Cheerwine soda. I could buy the usual things, such as toothpaste, deodorant, trash bags, paper goods, cleaning supplies, snacks, wine, and if necessary, house paint, work gloves, nails, a new lawn or garden tool, or maybe some tomato plants and Espoma organic fertilizers.

Mike21 said:

Now we have Kroger Superstores, Meijer, Costco, Sam's Club, Wallmart, Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, Best Buy, ABC Warehouse, a bigger Appliance Center and others in their place. Nostalgia aside, rest assured all the consumer needs in the area will still be met - you just won't be able to do it in one stop.

Nothing unique to me about those stores. I could move to another part of the country and find most of those stores.

But those stores are still useful. Last summer, I bought a Google Chromebook, and I didn't buy it at Roth Furs. I bought it at Best Buy on Monroe Street. I wanted to spend a couple minutes playing around with a few Chromebook styles before plopping down two hundred bucks.

As I mentioned in another thread, I have my favorite local businesses that I prefer over chains. It's a choice. Phoenix Earth Food Co-op, Zavotski's, Titgemeier's, Black Diamond, Al Habib, Clip-N-Dales, Macino shoe repair, Auto Connection, Maumee Tackle, Twin Oaks dry cleaners, Art Supply Depo, the locally-owned coffee shops, such as Kathy's Confections, the local coffee roasters, such as Bea's Blend, the local independent yarn stores, such as Yarn Cravin, the vendors at the Toledo farmers market, etc.

You can buy local produce in the winter at the Toledo farmers market. Yes, it's mainly lettuce greens and root veggies, but roasted parsnips are fantastic.

Witt Orchards is still selling apples at the Toledo farmers market. I don't know if the apples are all theirs. The Ambrosia apple is probably my favorite. Depending upon the season, Witt Orchards stops selling apples by late January or late February.