Friday, November 22, 2013

Local everyday

STAND UP FOR COMMUNITY
It starts at home!

I've mentioned shopping local before but I found myself taking it to the next level in recent months where I go to a small and/or locally based business at least once a day; sometimes three.  Even when I buy a lot of things that the boring big box could have for a bit less, I know more than half of what I've spent is recycled into the community.  Whether you're in a small town or big city much of the industrialised world will make this possible somehow.  When certain holidays come around one may tend to run to the big boys but the indie can offer goods the other place might not.  This may be the best grassroots campaign I've come up with in a long time.  I didn't exactly plan to do this.  I noticed a pattern so I went along with it and more.
One reason this is important to me is because many small businesses in the past whether near me or on the road that I've been to have closed their doors either because no one seemed to care or the economy did them in.  It's a right shame to let that happen but we can be part of the solution if we change out choices at times.  Doesn't mean only shop local as that's not always an option.  Economic reform like charity begins at home. Also the little guy can be more convenient than some faceless corporation much of the time.
Next time you have to shop, eat out or order takeaway be sure to see if there is an alternative to the chains in your area.  Every penny spent makes a difference in the community.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The New Melody Maker: Contact information

The New Melody Maker: Contact information

Ross Stores suggestions

Ross Dress For Less in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Allegany County store in PA (Pittsburgh area).
Ross Dress for Less from the Bay Area are yet another chain that New York is deprived of, but hope springs eternal (taxes or the economy, I bet.  You know how it is.)  We get things late all the time, with one area having something before another, but if we wait long enough, it'll finally turn up.  My dad used to be an estate agent (how I picked up on these kinds of properties), and he told me that's it's just not as easy as it seems, and I used to write to companies in the post before the internet existed.  While a recent update a decade on in Ontario County after I first wrote this was unavailable to me online because of a paywall (the only way the press can make money anymore), I managed to get the gist on Google.  The list is exclusively Upstate for now.

Liverpool - The Shops at Seneca Mall, former Price Chopper/Big Lots, CR 57
deWitt - former Shoppingtown, District East, NY 5
Rome - Freedom Plaza, former JCPenney, NY 46 & 49
Kingston - former JCPenney, US 9W
North Syracuse - former Media Play, Christmas Tree Shops or TJ Maxx; Northern Lights Plaza; US 11
Latham - Latham Circle Mall, US 9, NY 2 & 7
New Hartford - former Herb Phillipsons
Williamsville - former Best Buy, NY 78
Fulton - former kmart, NY 481
Colonie - former Barnes & Noble
Clifton Park - former OfficeMax
Palatine Bridge - Former Ames (Mohawk Valley), NY 5A
Syracuse - Destiny USA in former Circuit City or Bon-Ton
Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall, NY 5 & US 20
Irondequoit - NY 104,  Medley Centre (Rochester)
Batavia - former Lowes
Cortland - former Flea Market in Riverside Plaza, NY 13
Cicero - former Burlington Coat Factory at Roger Burdicks Drivers Village (instead of Mattydale or North Syracuse; former Penn Can Mall)
Syracuse (Nedrow) - former kmart/flea market/Grants, US 11 & Southland Dr
Mattydale - former kmart, US 11 (instead of Northern Lights across the street)
Ithaca - former Tops, NY 13, 34 & 96
Victor - former Dicks, NY 96 (UPDATE: confirmed for 2023)

Heard of Ross through amazon.  May have gone in Alexandria, VA.

Costco suggestions

Costco in Mayfield Heights, Ohio
Mayfield Heights, OH store near Cleveland.
Camillus - Township 5 (now open!)
DeWitt - Shoppingtown
Chittenango - former Ames/Brand Name Deals
Clay/Liverpool - Build from scratch on NY 31 or the Shops at Seneca Mall (former Price Chopper) on County Rt 57.
New Hartford - Former Price Chopper
Colonie - Former kmart (Albany County)
Fulton - Former kmart
Auburn - Former P&C
Cortland - Riverside Plaza
Palatine Bridge - Former Ames
Latham - Latham Circle Mall
Oswego - Former Tops
Rochester (Irondequoit) - Medley Centre
Batavia - Former Lowes
Other locations TBD.

I've only been to the Costco in Arlington, VA (DC area).  Almost went in Dedham, MA (Boston suburb).

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Topco

Topco-Logo
No relation to yet available at Tops Markets
> Topco items are sold at the following:

Price Chopper*+
Tops*+
Wegmans*
Green Hills*
Big M*
Top Foods (Washington State)

*Top Care
+Full Circle

As for retailers that sell Food Club, those are harder to find now than in the past when P&C and the like carried them (Brady Market in Syracuse now has it).  King Kullen on Long Island downstate had them until they closed.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

NOJAIM BROS. OF MARCELLUS

NOJAIM BROS. OF MARCELLUS

2017 - Hope something goes in the Syracuse one.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Record Shops: Volume Records Ithaca New York

Record Shops: Volume Records Ithaca New York: Volume Records - Ithaca New York on the Commons   Now just part of the second floor of a clothing store.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013