Becoming a Psuedo-Localvour

Will and I have been avoiding Wal-Mart successfully for almost a month. It has been an interesting experience. One day during the first week, I had the impulse to go to Wal-Mart three times!! Our Super Wal-Mart is a magnet for anyone within 25 mile radius. It's one-stop-shop concept has made it most successful. Typically they say that shopping at Wal-Mart not only saves them money but time.

Today, I had at least 15 things on my list for which to shop. Here is what I did, where I went, whom I encountered, etc...Downtown Vandalia: Sunshine House Natural Foods (went there to buy the ever impossible to find "coconut oil") while there I had a great conversation with David, my new friend. He was having trouble getting my debit card to work cause they had just gotten a new credit card system. I told him that it was not a problem that I would simply go next door and use the ATM. So, I went next door and greeted Gayna who is a member at Parkview, used the ATM, and returned to get my oil. I then went to Given's meat market and bought 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts to cook for dinner. While at Given's, I spoke the owner about possibly putting together a meat and cheese tray for our Christmas Open House in a couple of weeks. It was funny cause I almost walked out without paying for the chicken. Also, I saw and briefly spoke to my friend Vera. I headed to the S.A.F.E. (Sexual Assault Family Emergency) office in order to buy pecans. The only person in that office (boooger I cannot remember her name) said that they didn't have any more but that she could call someone and ask if they had any. She called and told me to go visit Paulette at Barenfinger's (I thought that that was a joke also, you have to be from Vandalia to know about this). So I headed back downtown. It was necessary anyway since I had forgotten to by dog food. So, I went to Michel's feed store, talked with Michel, the owner, about dog food and gave him my ATM (debit) card. He informed me that he didn't accept cards. I had just enough cash to buy the dog food. Now that I spent all my cash, I had to go back to the ATM and get more cash. I stopped by Gloria's Christian Store. While there, I spent some time visiting with Gloria (obviously the owner of the store). It was very sad to me that she has recently had to install surveillance cameras because of theft. I told her that I hoped that they had been stealing Bibles and actually reading them. She said that a lot of accompaniment tapes were disappearing. So, I'm thinking "pastors, beware that person doing your special music has been stealing those tapes." Then I made my way to see Paulette and buy the pecans. She was very nice. I've been suffering from sinus congestion, so I stopped in at the Medicine Shoppe. Asked the cashier if she knew the difference between Zicam gel swabs and Zicam nasel spray. She asked Keri (the pharmasist, owner)about it and she said that they were basically the same thing. So, I purchased the Zicam, wished them a great Thanksgiving and left. Then one last stop: Rural King!!! The pinnacle of all shopping experiences. I went there looking for storage bags and lawn/leaf bags. I bought several other things such as turkey summer sausage stick, dog treats, a special something for Will's Christmas stocking, etc... While there I had a nice visit with Randy and Jesse. I had to go to IGA after I picked up Will from work, 'cause I accidentally forgot "oatmeal" for my oatmeal cookies.

Notice a few things about my shopping experiences: I talked to the owner of most of the places where I shopped. I spent about the same amount of money I would have at Wal-Mart (perhaps a bit more on a few items). I spent 2 1/2 hours doing all of this. Yet, I interacted with so many people. I connected with some that I already know and I met some new friends. It was a slower and much more meaningful process. Will and I want to know folks in our community. We want local people to get our business. It is not "efficient!" In fact, as you might have assumed, I had a number of moments (especially the whole going to the ATM twice)when it was way inconvenient. I could have gotten impatient and given up. Perhaps on previous days when I set "saving time and money" as top priority in shopping, I would have rolled my eyes and whispered "it is no mystery that consumers have taken their business away from downtown and have decided to buy everything at Wal-Mart." It does require sacrifice to intentionally live in order to make a difference in your community. But, could it be that taking time and building relationships with people takes time and is often a long and painful process? In the end, though, it is so worth it!

Are we are taking one small step toward being localvours!? (not sure how you spell that...it is not in spellcheck either, I checked)

(updated 11/27/08, Thanksgiving Day due to mispelling "Michel" and forgetting my friends at the Medicine Shoppe altogether)