Saturday, February 7, 2009

Big Pockets




We live 3 big blocks from a pretty nice, reasonably priced grocery store. It’s name is translated “Big Pockets”. It is a round 2-storied building surrounded by a small, year-around, outdoor market. There are a few things that make this grocery store attractive to me….
Grocery Carts – These are not always standard in grocery stores. Times are changing and one is finding more and more stores with them. When we first came to this part of the world, the grocery stores were very different than the ones back home. All the products were located behind counters in several departments (dairy, meat, canned goods, grains, pasta). In order to purchase any goods there were several steps taken. First one would need to ask the clerk for each item and she would add them up. Next, one would go to the cashier and pay the said amount. After that one would go back to the counter and give the receipt to the clerk and she would give the groceries. It was a lengthy process, one that needed to be followed in each department separately.
3 Blocks – It is wonderful to have a store that has all the basics that we need only 3 blocks away. Everything that we eat is carried home in grocery bags. So, closeness is everything!
Reasonable Prices/Good Selection - Big Pockets grocery store has all of the basics that I am looking for at a pretty good price. There are huge selections of other things that are not as basic to me….canned fish products, canned meat, frozen pelmeni (similar to tortellini), frozen fish, smoked kielbasa, sparkling mineral water.

**I always feel a closeness with my fellow shoppers there, as you can save places in line for others…I am still shy about asking this favor of someone. But, I have saved many places for people behind me.
I just wanted to share a little glimpse of our grocery shopping adventures with you.

4 comments:

Sarah Joy Guyatt said...

Thanks for sharing! I find grocery shopping fascinating - the differences between stores even in North America, let alone around the world! Yahoo for grocery carts! :)

Chelesu said...

Glad you have shopping close by. All of our close by shopping is expensive, so I have to do the Ashan run, which takes 1/2 a day or more and more driving than I like:) I do the save my place thing, and folks are usually very nice about it:)

Jerry and Kim said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
~dy said...

Living in Nashwauk I did not realize you would want to pick your store according to whether they had shopping carts! Now, here our item of luxury would be whether they will carry out your bags. I think we are quite spoiled.