Comments on: Slow, Veeeery Slow…

By: Mr. C

Mr. C — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:27:51 +0000

Yesterday I was at my local car repair facility. When I asked the manager how business was, he said it had changed. I asked what that meant and he said for the past several years, he would have repairs lined up for 3 or 4 days when he came in each morning. Now he usually has nothing when he comes in, but during the day tow trucks drop off cars that need a thousand or two thousand in repairs. Folks now delay preventive maintenance and run ‘em until the wheels fall off.

By: David Merkel

David Merkel — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:56:47 +0000

KK, Slurpees or candy for the kids when they are good. Wine occasionally.

By: KK

KK — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:34:34 +0000

I live in Phoenix. During my last visit to Home Depot this past weekend the parking lot was packed and the store was very busy. I spoke to the store manager, and he told me that during March, his store was well above “plan” for the first time in six months. The garden section was very busy. At my local nursery, the owners told me that vegetable gardening is booming, and flower gardening is flat.

Our housing market is showing signs of turning around, as homes sales are starting to become quite brisk at the 100-250K price point. What a great time to be a first time home buyer in AZ.

David, I can’t picture you in a 7-11. Beer, smokes & lottery tickets????

By: A.S.

A.S. — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:41:12 +0000

Like you, I’ve been “feeling the pulse” of the economy via store visits as well. Over the past week, I have visited a Home Depot and a Sears, both weekdays and late morning. I never shop weekends because of the crowds. Of course the crowds may no longer be there, but obviously weekends would be busier than weekdays. Home Depot was very slow and help outnumbered customers by far. The few customers I did see looked like well-off retirees looking for something for the house, and a few who looked like contractors. Sears had huddled groups of employees in two departments – barely customers, and good sales on what I needed. That in the largest mall in the area.

Indian grocers and a farmers market have gotten all my veggie/pulses/nuts/rice/dairy business in recent years as you cannot beat the prices. Especially in milk. Veggie quality varies as you said but you can be selective. This buying pattern has taken about 50% of my shopping dollar from the one supermarket in this town (we are a one-horse town still), since we never buy ready made and all foods are cooked from scratch.Another 20% or so of the shoppping dollar was diverted to WMT, where coffee and cleaning items, detergent etc are cheap. If I need gift wrap or a card, I get it cheap at a Dollar Store. (How can Hallmark sell these items for oodles anyway?)

I wait for promos on paper items which are abundant these days. I have had bad experience with Sears, Kmart and Walgreens and their weekly promotions: they do not stock enough of these items. Walgreens is epsecially annoying in that – I vote with my feet and though receiving rain checks, they would never stock the advertised item! Which made me suspicious (is it a bait and switch – bad store policy?) It has happened twice and I no longer shop there (fool me once, shame on me….)
Long story short: conventional supermarkets must be hurting as customers divide their shopping dollars, if my patterns are a guide at all.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:37:38 +0000

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