Why I Oughta...

Apparently they've reached epidemic proportions at the Hobby Lobby.  Enough so that they had to create window stickers explicitly banning them. Wonder if it is the scuffing of the floors or if kids get out of control and knock stuff off the shelves?  Hobby Lobby is run by deeply religious folks , so maybe this is like the "new" rock-n-roll?  "Those kids and their skate shoes.  They'll get into trouble!"

This week, the Chicago Tribune Business Section featured a consumer using his smartphone and Google's "Goggles" application to comparison shop on Black Friday.  I know that apps like Goggles or Google Shopper have changed the way both Nat and I shop.   We're not alone in doing this, but we without question "shop" while we're waiting to check out.  Or...sometimes even earlier when we're in the aisle looking at the product.  More often than not we're doing this with toys for the Babe as we don't really know the market price for such things and we don't do A LOT of research for them ahead of time. I think that's probably the future of buying things like this:  wander the store, find something interesting and use your phone to see if you can find it cheaper.  For major purchases, you'll probably do your research ahead of time and go to the story ONLY if you know it is the best deal. Google published some research recently (which..

Back in September, I documented the closure of a Papa John's Pizza place in Downtown Elmhurst  and looking back, I had high hopes for a new tenant right in the heart of Downtown.  Fortunately, the landlord found a tenant pretty quickly.  Unfortunately, it is a Fannie May store.  I fully realize that not EVERY store in town needs to tailor their wares to me and my family demographic, but I couldn't be LESS excited this new store. 

Up in Michigan, we have our choice of Big Box stores; we can shop at Wal-Mart or Meijer.  Aside from societal-political issues, both of these places are pretty simliar: wide selection at cheap prices.  However, Meijer sells fountain sodas at checkout for $0.49 and when you're leaving their restrooms, you are greeted with this sign: Another reason to shop at Meijer in Michigan.

You can even use them on sneakers ! I saw....rather HEARD this tv spot a few days ago.  I was minding my own business with my nose in my computer when I heard his voice.  I had to look up!  Too funny not to share. (for those of you reading this via email, you should click through to watch the video below) Anything Gilbert Gottfried is selling gets my attention!  In all seriousness, I think the Shoedini has now been added to my Christmas list.  Kind of an awesome product.

I've read RachelleB's posts  in the past about CVS' odd pairings in the liquor department like Cook's Champaign and KY "Touch Lotion" or Merlot and mouth rinse and laughed along at the merchandising mishaps.  I can imagine the dudes who are tasked with creating these pairs wondering if they'd be good fits. Last week, Nat and I were in a Meijer up in Michigan and it seems that they've gotten this "grocery aisle pairings" a bit more fine tuned.  As we were walking down the liquor aisle, I noticed they have packages of ping pong balls and " Wippety Wipes " (you can barely make them out on the left edge of the photo).   Everything you need for a long night of beer pong, I suppose.   Who ever has the job of finding these companion products at Meijer in Michigan clearly has a stronger finger on the pulse of drinkers than the folks at the CVS in Chicago. It isn't perfect being liquor and not beer, but not bad.