News
Commentary:
Gray Food Market
I have been wanting to write this letter for two years.
I discovered this week that it is too late - The Gray
Food Market closed for business.
The Gray Food Market has been my grocery store of
choice since my husband and I moved to Gray two years
ago. I was impressed with their competitive prices
for produce, meats and dry goods. I loved their friendly
and helpful staff. They never knew my name, but they
all knew my face. I was the harried young mother with
the 20 month old son always stopping in for cereal,
bananas, milk, etc.
I could never understand why I did not see any other
folks in the line with carts full like mine. I do
not know that in two years I ever saw any other customer
with any thing more than a can of beer, a loaf of
bread, a Subway sandwich - just one or two items in
hand. Knowing the exorbitant prices Walmart, Shaw's
and Hannaford charge for meat, cheese and dry items,
I do not know why any one in Gray would drive out
of their way, by-passing our local store, for groceries.
I will let you know, I am a very big penny pincher,
and I am hardly a purist. You will see me at Walmart,
on occasion, buying baby food or items for which my
cost would be double or more at a local store. I may
stop at Shaw's if it is convenient or they have an
item I cannot buy locally.
I rather enjoy the circus atmosphere of these stores
every once in a while (much to my husband's chagrin),
but I am not willing to pay for it on a weekly basis.
I still wonder where all the folks who complain about
the fast pace of change and traffic problems in small
Maine towns have been for the past 2 years. They have
not been putting their money where their mouths are.
If you want your local stores and small town atmosphere
to survive, support local business. Do not blame Walmart
for the homogenization of small town America - we
need to consider what we, as individuals, can do to
make our community better.
I am saddened I did not write this letter extolling
the virtues of my favorite little grocery store two
years ago, but I am writing it now. You will now find
me filling my cart at the Gray Marketplace, getting
my photos developed at the Gray Community Pharmacy,
buying nails at our local hardware stores and eating
at our local restaurants. Won't you join me in keeping
this community great?
Heather
Maines lives in Gray, ME
