Got to thinking today......

[ferniesnow]

As I came out of a local store, I was wondering what can Joe Public do to get back to normal?

As a preamble, I believe the virus is real and people get sick and some die. I believe that masks are about as beneficial as the lucky quarter in my pocket. Clean living and social distancing, I believe, will help to keep a person safer from the virus. I am not afraid of the virus and I am in the age group where a lot of people have died from the virus. I tend to look after myself.

I also believe that there is definitely another agenda and the government's are raking us over the coals and infringing on our rights.

So what are your thoughts on how Joe Public can get this started because the various governments aren't going to care to get back to normal any time soon?

If in any small town in western Canada, Joe Public went down to a local store (preferably a big box store) with a sign that said something like.............. would it work or should I go pound sand? Someone has to start this somewhere, somehow. What are your thoughts?

I want normal back!
I am tired of the rhetoric, the lies,
the false numbers, the media hype, and
all that goes along with the process.

I will not enter
your store if
you require me
to wear a mask.

Who will join me tomorrow and
the next day?

 

[niner]

There a small things a guy can doo. I supported my small local theatre dude and brought home some popcorn for the kids. He’s open selling popcorn and such 3-6 every day trying to stay alive. Bought some overpriced coffee today too at a local shop. Black Barrel Coffee Company in St.Albert. Support local where you can.

 

[Clode]

I don't support wallmart or costco. I don't buy from amazon. I support the little guy and it costs a little more but it nice to support the guy next door.

 

[ABMax24]

I don't know about others, but I started moving away from the big box stores before the pandemic. I'm often finding the little guys more competitive on pricing, and when I can't I try to at least choose a Canadian retailer.

Costco is a joke, if find their per unit pricing higher than most items at Superstore.
KMS tools beats Home Depot and Canadian Tire on everything I've bought for tools.
I like Home Hardware better than Rona or Home Depot for building supplies, and they are Canadian.
London Drugs will price match BestBuy for electronics. Also Canadian.
Gregg Distributors, if you use them you know.

Plus a long list of local businesses of little relevance to most on this forum.

 

[ferniesnow]

Maybe my "big box store" was a misnomer. I wasn't talking about the big boys (Costco, Home Depot, etc..) but stores like No Frills, Save-on-Foods, Shoppers, etc..). I wouldn't pick on the locally owned stores as they are already hurting way too much. So maybe the medium big box stores would have been better.

 

[Rbrduk]

I personally refuse to walk into a store that think their policies are above the law or mandate.

I respect everyone’s right to decide for themselves. I’m not an anti masker, but I don’t wear one.

All businesses need to reopen and show all branches of government that they can’t infringe on our rights. We don’t work for them.

 

[collin]

Maybe my "big box store" was a misnomer. I wasn't talking about the big boys (Costco, Home Depot, etc..) but stores like No Frills, Save-on-Foods, Shoppers, etc..). I wouldn't pick on the locally owned stores as they are already hurting way too much. So maybe the medium big box stores would have been better.

I agree with most of your previous post (not so much this one). I too am in Salmon Arm, and when I moved here, wanted to support the local businesses. What I have found over three years:
-This place has some of the laziest people I have ever encountered,
-Far too many business people here could give a fawk about the customer, or that their prices are way too high, or that there stock is not replaced asap,
-There is little or no competition here...Askews, Save-on, or No Frills, (a disgusting store IMO),
-One hardware store, Home, and the Rona store was a joke and has finally been put out of it's misery,
-They forget that there is better shopping/prices in Vernon, a short drive from here, or Kamloops, a bit further,
-Too many businesses here do not answer their phone, the call goes to voice mail, and it is Rare to have a return call to you if you leave a message. I can tell you there are at least three businesses here that have lost out on farily major projects due to now answering their ohones or returning calls.

This place is like living in a few episodes of the Twilight Zone.

 

[ferniesnow]

I agree with most of your previous post (not so much this one). I too am in Salmon Arm, and when I moved here, wanted to support the local businesses. What I have found over three years:
-This place has some of the laziest people I have ever encountered,
-Far too many business people here could give a fawk about the customer, or that their prices are way too high, or that there stock is not replaced asap,
-There is little or no competition here...Askews, Save-on, or No Frills, (a disgusting store IMO),
-One hardware store, Home, and the Rona store was a joke and has finally been put out of it's misery,
-They forget that there is better shopping/prices in Vernon, a short drive from here, or Kamloops, a bit further,
-Too many businesses here do not answer their phone, the call goes to voice mail, and it is Rare to have a return call to you if you leave a message. I can tell you there are at least three businesses here that have lost out on farily major projects due to now answering their ohones or returning calls.

This place is like living in a few episodes of the Twilight Zone.

In all due respect Colin, this isn't about Salmon Arm. This is about getting our lives back to normal. It has to come from the people and not from government. Any smaller town/city in redneck western Canada would work and it could start a much needed movement.

 

[ABMax24]

To try something different we went to a different grocery store yesterday, Alberta chain and locally owned. Cost us $92 for 3 bags of groceries, something that would have been around $60 at Superstore, and everywhere in the store were price drop labels showing the old and current price, almost trying to get customers to think they're getting a deal. I felt bad for all the elderly folks shopping in there, most probably on fixed incomes and paying 50% more for groceries.

We support local whenever we can, but there's a limit, and paying 50% more for food crosses that line. I'd rather buy at Superstore and use the savings to grab take-out at one of the mom and pop restaurants on the way home.

 

[SUMMIT TREE]

That makes me wonder, do they have higher prices because they just want to make higher profit or is it because they don’t get they same purchase prices as Giants like Walmart? If its the latter then that sucks, the little guy has no hope of competing in that scenario.

 

[ABMax24]

I'm sure part of it's the latter. I'd by surprised if this store sells 10% of what Superstore does. The overhead costs have to be covered in the prices of goods sold, so it makes sense that pricing would be higher because of that too. Another would be in the brands they carry, Superstore has their own No-Name brand that are dirt cheap that competitors don't have access to.

 

[snopro]

We have a small Korean run grocery store in our small town. Great people and we support them some but have to shop at larger stores to get everything we need. Recently when I was shopping in the larger center saw a great deal of 4 larger bags of chips for $12. Didn't need 4 bags but hey I thought the price was great. When in our local store I thought I would do a price check. One bag of same brand and size was $4.39. Basically got a bag and a third for free at Co-Op on that purchase.

 

[Cyle]

I'm surprised anyone is hating on Costco, they carry many Canadian brands, and the biggest reason I like them is because of the quality. Also from what you hear, Costco is a great place to work, far superior to competitors. It's not that everything is the cheapest but doesn't matter if it's the food, or clothes or whatever their brand of stuff is good. I won't step foot in superstore, no frills any of those or even wal mart unless it's for oil on sale or whatever. Never bought anything food related there. Big difference between a low price, and a cheap product. For groceries if it's not costco it's save on or sobeys. Not a local store but it is Canadian, not that it's that much different though. The whole Canadian owned isn't really that big for a business. If you compare two chains one Canadian one not the only difference is the profit that in many cases is going out of the country anyway. Both have a local store, employ locals, buy mostly the same products, pay taxes, etc all in the exact same way.

 

[niner]

You save a lot on your grocery bill every month if you eat out more often... Trudeau math for you.

 

[LUCKY 7]

and for bonus you might get a extra doggie bag to take home. called the virus. Maybe that's what is going on in Fernie with 6 restaurants shut down due to outbreaks

You save a lot on your grocery bill every month if you eat out more often... Trudeau math for you.

 

[Ballzdeep]

IMO. Getting back to normal starts with Joe Public to stop feeding into the media Bullchit. Starting any conversation today is worse then talking about religion!. People put ya into a divided box. You're a Trump lover that's anti mask and believe COVID is a hoax or.... Biden supporting, Online shopper that loves buying 12 dozen packs of chit tickets and 10 liters of hand sanitizer and stays 12 feet apart from everyone and think COVID is started by the Asians ect ect. Negative news spreads like wild fire.

Need to support each other and fight for the small guy that's on the verge of a metal breakdown or losing his business...that's my go to guy/store. I'm all for supporting local, i know a few people that had their business shut down, they had no choice. Nobody cares what side you are on, or what our personal thoughts are on anything. It's all gone judgy judgy now.

Just Be kind to everyone, someone needs you're smile more then you know. It's a start.