This is my first column in a brand new decade so I thought I’d ease into it gently, yet effectively. I’m actually going to more or less tie it in with the ad campaign of the week, which is “Shop Locally.”
In doing so I might ramble on a bit at first but I promise, it will all come together eventually.
It was a cold and dreary Christmas day many moons ago—I’m kidding. I’m not going to type this out in the manner of some sort of bedtime story. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.
It was actually December 25 and we had finished eating dinner next door at Mother’s house. It has become a tradition to let Perpetual’s (life partner) grand-kids, Chelsey and Chance, rip into a plethora of presents after the meal has been had, so to speak, and this year was no exception.
As the kids were “ooing and awing” (no clue how to spell those) whilst gift wrap became airborne, their father was talking to the “grown-ups” about providing healthy food for his clan. He mentioned how inconvenient it is for him when he needs to go grocery shopping. The reason for this is because the market in Conneautville (Samuels) closed down some time ago and the closest actual market (not a fake one that carries everything from tires to tuna) is about a 12 mile trip one way.
“Son O’ Perpetch” does his best to provide the kids with healthy choices, which are difficult to find at Dollar General. He expressed this throughout the discussion and said how he missed the days of having a market right in Conneautville.
Of course I remember the days of Samuel’s Market since they used to advertise with us. I do believe that the chief (David Schaef) carried out his grocery shopping there as well but I could be wrong.
Everyone was rather shocked when it closed down as it was the only place at which one could purchase fresh produce and other grocery items in the region. It also had a gas pump which is handy since I don’t even know where the next closest one is. It would be a real PITA (Pain in the ***) to schlep over to Linesville for gas, for instance, and I feel for the citizens of the Valley who have no other choice.
A lot of people walk to the store as they have no transportation but I can’t imagine walking over to a neighboring town in order to seize some staples to place in the pantry.
As Son of Perpetual continued talking about this, it put me in the mind of how lucky Conneaut Lake and Linesville residents are to have Ray’s Marketplace and Zatsick’s at their fingertips, for lack of a better description.
I know I’ve broached this topic before in this space but felt I should revisit it again. As was mentioned earlier, it goes along with the ad campaign too, which more or less kills two birds with one stone, as they say. (I just checked and I have not written a shop locally column since 2016 although I believe I used that one as a rerun in the last few years.)
As was mentioned in my end-of-year column, the Community News runs on the ad revenues generated by the small businesses in the region. We don’t have many “highfalutin” advertisers like the daily paper does. Clearly, we want our area shops and whatnot to do well and it’s not just because of the advertising aspect. There is a certain charm or quaintness about being able to gather goods in your own neighborhood. There is also the question of convenience. I remember when we didn’t even have to travel to the “big city” of Meadville to carry out any holiday shopping. It was kind of a treat to do so on occasion, but mainly people perused their own towns for those holiday gift selections.
Sadly I do not see that returning any time soon. The days of the Mom and Pop shops are gone. (I shall fend off the urge to blame a certain “voodoo economic” policy on this as I’m avoiding politics this week. However, I am tempted. How anyone can glorify that particular president is beyond me. Many think he’s a total saint! Remember, the man was an ACTOR out of Hollywood, ladies and gents. UNBELIEVABLE is the only word-fit-to print that comes to mind. I mean he deregulated “stuff” galore and managed to convince people that trickle down works! I’m still waiting for my trickle. Small businesses galore went OUT but still, he’s the greatest, according to some. WOW!)
Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. That above-mentioned scenario is why people must gallop away from “sides” politically speaking. I mean we have to be honest with ourselves and that is nearly impossible when on a side and when glorifying a president of ANY stripe. That was a digression both in and out of brackets to boot. I shall now inch forward and return you to your regularly scheduled program, which is in progress.
I think we all have a certain nostalgic feeling when we think of the olden days in terms of the local markets, etc., and I’m clearly no exception. My hope is that we are not reflecting back on Zatsick’s and Ray’s in ten years and longing for those “good old days.”
We should be grateful to have these and other stores still in operation is my point here, believe it or not. The bottom line is to please try and follow the “advice” or words in the “shop local” region of this paper and make it your resolution to support the small business owner.
I think I’m done. I know some of you are clutching pearls over my reference to THAT person who was definitely (at least in part) responsible for the deterioration of the Mom and Pop stores. RELEASE those pearls and simply admit that he did play a role!! Free your mind. Stop defending the indefensible and drop that political identity in the new year. WOW! Here I go again...
THE END (Interstate Crosscheck, “War is a Racket,” by General Smedley Butler, “Where Did The Towers Go?” by Dr. Judy Wood)