With this thing we call the World Wide Web so popular these days, it's a wonder companies are still building gigantic big-box retail meccas in which to draw us and empty our wallets, in turn filling our homes with whatever it is they have to offer. I guess there are, call them old-fashioned if you will, people who like to feel, touch and smell things before they buy them. Freaks!
The Dallas-Fort Worth area (called within its boundaries the trademarked Metroplex) is a shopping mecca that offers something for everyone. I mean, why else come here unless there's shopping, am I right? If you want to buy it, chances are you can buy it here. My favorites are REI, Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops (I'm an outdoors kind of guy), but there's also an Ikea for the indoor set. And you almost can't drive two miles without tripping over a megamall or electronics store large enough to swallow a 747.
What I remember as the birth of the phenomenon locally has since become irrelevant and mundane. Probably about 20 years ago, a store opened up in Garland, Texas, called "Hyper-Mart." Hyper it was, lemmetellya. You could buy a gallon of milk and a set of tires for your car and just about everything in between. There was a bank, hair salon, fast-food outlets, etc. etc. that made the place look like a mini-mall. There was nothing quite like it at the time. Of course, Super Wal-Marts are plentiful and offer those amenities and more. That Hyper-Mart has itself been converted to a Super Wal-Mart. Even Super Targets are the norm. Forget the hardware store when there's a giglomic Home Depot or Lowe's brimming with stuff you didn't even know you needed.
We convince ourselves we're just too busy to stop at more than one place to get all our shopping done. My theory is we'd buy a lot less stuff if there was less stuff to look at. And then there wouldn't be the need for so many self-storage businesses, and during a move we wouldn't have to rent the largest U-Haul on the lot just to get started. It's plain to see it's those impulse buys that keep the retailers building ever-larger stores. And it's why, when there's dog food or shampoo on the grocery list, I know I'm gonna be real tired by the time I trek over to the food aisles.
Happy belated Father's Day to fellow dads and future dads out there. All I got this year was a stomach virus, which forced me to do nothing more than sleep, gingerly eat safe foods and go to the bathroom (a lot). Yippee!
Happy Father's Day, T!
Hope you are feeling better...
Hey, I remember the Hyper-Mart, it was also, I think, the first Super Wal-Mart that I can remember. Remember Ultimate Universe? The Radio Shack store that had all this stuff you could touch and play with including Karaoke recording booth? It was in the general area of Hyper-Mart. It's a Fry's now. Man I've been in Garland too long.
I hope you're feeling better. Father's day is supposed to be a nice day. Well, there's next year, I suppose.
I've never even heard of a Hyper-Mart. It sounds very uninviting.
Cas
We have a Cabela's about an hour from here, and it's worth the drive!
Happy belated Fathers Day to you T-Bone!
I love going to little local stores - especially the hardware store! I really miss the old 5 and dimes too.
Happy Fathers Day and hope you are feeling better!
What a pain the butt (literally?) Happy belated father's day.
I shop far less retail than I used to, but I admit, when I want a new lazyboy, just go to the store and get the damn thing.
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