When we first moved to Round Rock, in 1977, there was one (1) supermarket. It was a small (by today's standards) HEB.
It grew. It was expanded at least twice.
Soon, many other stores sprang up. There was a Safeway, which became an Apple Tree, which closed down fairly soon. HEB was cheaper. Then came a Randalls, or was it a Tom Thumb? No matter, it was big enough to get lost in. Soon, there was a Albertson's in where the Randall's used to be. By 2005, I had lost count of the supermarkets scattered around the strip centers in the Round Rock suburbs.
I still shopped at the HEB.
Earlier this year, a huge HEB-Plus was built a couple of miles out east of town, on the same road that the original HEB was on. Our old favourite supermarket was gone. I went out to the new super-supermarket, and found that, while they sell furniture and clothes, they carried a smaller variety of most of the grocery items I like to buy.
So we started shopping at a different HEB. Or at Albertson's. Addy always shopped at Albertson's, as it was closer to her home, which we now inhabit. Albertson's had cheap cigarettes, which HEB did not, but Albertson's didn't have the cat food our cats like, and a lot of things were more expensive than HEB.
Still.
Cheap cigarettes.
Now, the Albertson's is closing. There is nowhere for the people to shop who used to walk to the old HEB, or walk a bit farther to Albertson's. All the new supermarkets are in the new subdivisions, with the McMansions and the fancy condos.
Where are the poor people going to shop?
You know what it is? Round Rock hired some sort of pricey consultant to find a "hook" that the city can use to bring in tourist dollars. We already have a large baseball diamond, and a Triple A team, connected with the Houston Astros. We have a bunch of pricey golf courses. The consultant came up with "Round Rock, the Sports Capitol of Texas."
Yeah, right.
Anyway, that old HEB was right on the route that the incoming tourists have to take to the baseball stadium. And the Albertson's is just a block south on the Highway.
We are trying to hide our poor from the tourists.
I would bet money on that.
We are losing those little grocery stores with their fruit and veg on the sidewalks. No one wants to support their local grocer, these days.
ReplyDeleteTwenty years ago, we couldn't do without them.
Such a shame!
Unfortunately, everything is about Shareholders and their profits. The world is going to hell in a handbasket!
The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.
All of our little stores have been replaced with "convenience stores"--chain stores that sell minimal amounts of groceries at elevated prices.
ReplyDeleteOMG, Ronni! Now, your "glass is half full" outlook on life, surprises me even more.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've read it!
I know what you mean, Ronni. There are still a couple of small grocery stores around here where I can get much better prices than at the huge chain stores. One of them even has vegetables grown on the premisis. Best cucumbers I've ever had. A huge bag for a buck.
ReplyDeleteThey even have a huge section devoted to exotic sauces, noodles and spices from Thailand. I get sesame oil and hot Thai sauces there all the time.
Beat that, Albertson's!
I'm in the middle of severe "supermarket withdrawal" right now! About 6 months ago our Albertson's closed and was replaced by Super Saver and Savon Drugs, both owned by Albertson's. Last week my druggest (whom we had grown to love) called me and told me to pick up my perscrips because he was just informed he had 2 hours to close shop! The main store will be open until Aug. 1st. I had to have all my percrips transferred to Walmart! yuk..This Walmart is huge. It's exhausting for me to walk from one end to the other. There aren't any more family type supermarkets near us. Walmart is literally eating up all of the grocery stores. I will miss the bakery and the produce most of all. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteGrandmaBoo, I loathe, detest and despise Walmart. They don't have the brands I like, it's too big (as you said), and all their stuff is geared to satisfying the largest number of customers. In other words, the little unique things at other stores that make them special, like cheap cigarettes (even though I don't smoke any more, my husband does) are just not there.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing they have going is that they are open all night!
One of our Super Stores have been taken over by Walmart, too.
ReplyDeleteGone are the days, when Pensioners can buy small jars of beetroot, jam or marmalade. Neither can they buy small tins of fruit or veg.
I get really mad when after walking frigging miles around the Store, they have not restocked the shelves of tomato juice (which I just HAVE to have), nor have they bothered to display my favourite Grapefruit cordial.
Guess what, I go to my local Corner Shop and can get both of those items.
At the risk of exposing my level of intelligence...I'm taking it as a personal affront! LOL
Good morning Ronni! A special shout-out to Gboo and Nadine, too! You all make really good points, up there.
The good-life is being slowly eroded.
Galloping Erosion. Now there's a thought for a title! LOL!
ReplyDeleteStill, it is true. And not so slowly.