SHOPPING THROUGH THE AGES

We all know that retail is changing as “brick and mortar” businesses struggle against online entities, and it seems like our community is suddenly seeing the effects. ShopKo, a presence here for 30 years, is now in bankruptcy and closing all its stores. Tri-State Outfitters, a regional sporting goods store, has lost out against the competition and is closing its Lewiston store. And the Owl Pharmacy, an old valley business (120 years), is closing its gift department, leaving our community without a Hallmark outlet.

Frankly, I won’t miss ShopKo or Tri-State, but I will miss the Christmas open houses and customer appreciation events at the Owl -- you know, the personal touch. I feel guilty for not having done more to keep them in business, but at some point, one person is not enough. Society is changing.

I’m not a retail expert, but being a shopper of some experience, I have opinions. For years, America shopped catalogs. My grandparents, living in rural areas from 1900 until mid-century, could pick up a few necessities at the local “general store” but also depended on Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward for a broader range of goods. As time went on, perhaps especially after WWII, more goods were available locally and regionally – and we still had the catalogs. There were no “marts” carrying a broad range of affordable goods, but we had dime stores, department stores, and specialty shops. Shopping was sometimes a kind of elegant experience, where a salesperson actually helped you find what suited your needs. Such service changed noticeably in the ‘70s. We noticed and talked about it. The marts appeared so that shopping became impersonal and the elegance disappeared together with quality.

And now it seems to me we’re back around to that catalog concept, but it’s online and ever so much easier. From the comfort of my armchair, all I have to do is search what I want – even by general categories – and options come up. Plus, we have the advantage of making comparisons – even buying used – and we never leave the house! I agree that flaws in this system exist, but for the most part, I find it pretty wonderful. KW