Dismay at the Grocery Store

Although shopping for food may often seem like one more chore, it’s also part of coming together to greet random friends, nod to strangers, share a few pleasant words with a checker, and appreciate the abundance of the marketplace. Although COVID restrictions shut down a lot of the pleasure, it also made clear the important role the marketplace plays in our community life.

Imagine my dismay when everything opened back up again and one of my regular shopping locales had gone “corporate” — no longer feeling like a friendly place to shop. I’m speaking of Whole Foods with the glass display cases, diminished choices, and self-serve check out.

My son-in-law says I’ll get used to it but, for me, the move toward efficiency has removed the social and aesthetic experience of coming to the marketplace. Luckily, I still have the Farmers Market, Lazy Acres, Tri-County Produce, Bristol Farms, Gelson’s, and Trader Joe’s.