Does all the stress of the holiday shopping have you feeling grumpy?

I talked with a friend who is at her wit's end!
Shopping is not fun.

It only reminds her of commercialism and materialism
and the selfishness those isms inspire.
Feeling dismal and dreary,
 she is ready to forget the whole holiday.

I understood what she was saying.
It seems the shopping endeavor
has become a ruthless competition
of how much stuff can I buy for how little money.
 We feel inadequate if we pay a dollar more for the silly widget
 than if we'd gone across the street.
Maybe the gloom is
because we are completely disconnected
from the real people of commerce.
A grumpy sort of feeling is the result.

How do we leave "grumpy" and become "happy"?
For me leaving the giant parking lots
and huge expanses of stuff in overgrown buildings
has fixed the dread.
Each day labeled "shopping" on my calendar is greeted with excitement.
Because people owning and working
in the little shops of St. Louis are just folks.
 They are working hard to be of service
and provide a livelihood for their families...
They are not opponents in that game
of how much stuff can I get for how little money.

They are neighbors and friends.
 Their hard work and business expertise
add to the richness of our community.
 I'm finding shopping small is not  more expensive
than big,
 however, even if it were,
 it would be so worth having a few less things under the tree
to experience the happiness of small shop shopping.

A Tale of Two Stores

Yesterday we celebrated Micha's Birthday. It is our custom to have a family dinner and an activity inspired by a theme of interest to the celebrant.  This year's theme was Tootsie Pops....hard crunchy outside, soft chewy inside...or you can't judge a book by its cover....or things are not always as they appear. 

The table was decorated with Tootsie Pop topiaries.

Our menu consisted of foods that have one thing on the outside and something else hidden inside:

Beef Wellington, Potato Surprises, spring rolls, and cream filled donuts,

It is admittedly a rather esoteric theme of little interest to you, but helpful in understanding the rest of the tale.

Lindi was in charge of gathering the Tootsie Pops.
She was going to a big store to get them,
 so decided to call ahead to be certain they had Tootsie Pops in stock.

 While still at home she placed the call.
A pleasant enough voice on the other end said,
 "Let me put you on hold."
Not to be deterred
 Lindi did a few things around the house
 still on hold,
walked to the car, drove to the big store,
 still on hold,
waited in the parking lot for several minutes,
still on hold,
walked into the store through the acres of stuff to the candy department,
still on hold,
found the desired Tootsie Pops, waited in line, checked out, returned to the car,
still on hold.

My task, on the other hand was to acquire the cream and jelly filled donuts.
 I would not be going to the big store,


I would be going to John Donut Company or


Johnny's as I like to call it.

Since it was near the end of their day, I called to see if they had filled donuts.

When they answered the phone, I learned it was *beyond* the end of their day....they had closed an hour ago and were just cleaning up. Not only is it impressive that a real human being answered the phone after hours, they actually offered to extend there work day even more while I drove to the shop.  I jumped immediately into the car, drove as quickly as the law allows, ran into Johnny's, enjoyed a pleasant chat with Johnny's son, bought a dozen donuts, and drove home thinking how the cheerful work of these people had brightened my day.

Later

we

enjoyed

every

last

bite

while celebrating

one very dear young man!

As you think about it, don't you want more "Johnny" tales in your life
 and fewer big store tales?

Booksmarts Bookstore

booksmarts.com

Christmas day is coming. 

Since I know there will be books under the tree

 and since I know our cases are full unto overflowing, 

I've undertaken the dreaded task of choosing some 

books to give away.

After a few days of gleaning 

I have filled a nice size box.

A few weeks ago I met Mike, 

owner of Booksmarts Bookstore on Manchester Road. 

 If you go to Booksmarts you can meet him too,

because he is always there, pretty much.

We talked about his large array of books,

how he gets them, and what he does with them all. 

 I learned he donates extra books to charities, 

like Salvation Army and the YMCA booksale.

This was an aw-ha moment for me. 

The perfect solution:

By giving my used books to a small bookstore, I can help a local business

*and* agencies in town that provide valuable community services.

The nice part of this plan is that I can browse the shelves while dropping off the books.

What can be more fun 

than searching out

good reads

in a nicely organized

locally

owned 

bookstore.

Last year I shopped online, 

spending hours going through screen after screen 

trying to figure out editions, copyright dates, illustrators, covers, quality and price

 all with only a small picture...never actually touching the prospective book. 

Oh, the headache at the end of those days.  

 And as a confession of my computer inadequacy,

since I unwittingly clicked twice

many books arrived at our house two by two, 

Ugh!

But not this year.

While leaving the books at Booksmarts, 

I learned Mike has a finder's service.  

There are a few titles, I just can't seem to find. 

So I'll be letting his research team 

work their way through the endless lists of 

similar but different books....

...while I survey the many fine new and used bookstores in St. Louis. 

I'll be shopping the multi-sensory way, 

seeing, touching, feeling,

 listening to the soft whoosh of pages as I flip through them.

Hi-Pointe Theatre

www.hi-pointetheatre.com |

You know I love the Hi-Pointe Theatre.

If you haven't had a chance to visit it yet, now is the time.

This quiet little gem of a theatre is once again offering the community a rare opportunity:

seeing Christmas classics in an historic classic place.

This Saturday, December 10th, 10:30am the beautiful and colorful

WHITE CHRISTMAS 

will be showing.

And the next Saturday, December 17th that ever endearing 

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

will be the feature.

Even though the large movie studios make it very difficult for owner, Brian Ross, to operate as a small single screen theatre, he continues to serve the neighborhood with the best movie experience in town.

So let's help keep the tradition alive, bring some friends to the Hi-Pointe Saturday morning for good times, Christmas cookies and Popcorn.

Spectrum Eyeglass Repair

spectrumeyeglassrepair.co

After receiving the crush of a large foot

 in a size 13 shoe 

after falling quietly onto a carpeted floor somewhere in India, 

Bill's glasses looked something like this.

Now, I am sorry he had to do without glasses until he returned home, but I was secretly pretty happy, because this little accident provided the perfect opportunity to tell you about one of my favorite service stores:

Its name is Spectrum and their skilled technicians have come to our rescue many times

over the years.  

Their primary purpose is to provide fast and economical repair of eyeglasses.

However, they also sell all sorts of helpful visually related items:

sunglasses

in many forms,

cool cases,

all shapes and sizes of magnifying glasses, 

and much, much more.

If you are thinking creatively for Christmas this year, 

Spectrum has some good gift possibilities.

Mike Kusmin started this business with a friend in 1993 after his parents returned from a trip to Texas.  While in Dallas his mother broke her glasses 

and they found a small repair shop.

Mike's folks were so impressed with the service of this shop they told Mike a similar operation could be successful in St. Louis. 

Wise young man that he was, he considered his parents counsel and 19 years later he has a thriving business that provides a much needed service to thousands of people.

Most repairs can be completed in a couple of hours. If the fix requires welding the cost is around $40 and carries a lifetime warranty. (I know from experience, they do honor that guarantee.)  Although Bill's glasses were really mangled, 

there was no welding so the cost was *only* $22. 

Wow, I'm always impressed by these guys.

This is a great shop for many practical items and for quick, lasting fixes!

I've been thinking....

about this article a lot: Walgreens buys, closes 3 independent pharmacies. 

(You may click on it if you want to read it, but I think you would have more fun spending the time with some joyful Christmas activity.)

 My conclusion is this:

 if Walgreens has enough money to buy out 3 local pharmacies only to close them, there are many other places I would rather spend money and many other people who would appreciate it more. 

Thanksgiving Travelling

For my family Thanksgiving is a time of travelling to the most rural of rural areas of Arkansas.

It is a time to celebrate together with my brothers, sister and their children

during this treasured holiday of gratitude.

There isn't a lot of shopping going on because this time is about being together. 

But the shopping-local-adventure is wide and varied.  Even in a little cabin in the woods of Arkansas new insights continue.

Occasionally we are privileged to have a guest....someone who to one of us is so especially likable, we want the rest of the family to meet them.

This was one of those years.

And our guest was Rachel.

Rachel is one of those warm endearing personalities who is liked right away. She is genuine, sincere, and comfortable in her skin as they say.
 Someone you hope to get to know well.

But what has this to do with local shopping?

I soon discovered Rachel's family has owned a local business in Sheffield, Alabama for 60 years.  Her Grandfather started the business, her Father and Uncle now sustain it.

They sell

appliances, furniture

and tires.

My conclusion is this:
 Not only is local shopping better for the economy, it is better for families,
 because small businesses provide an environment which allows families to work and grow together which results in some really nice people,

like Rachel.

So shop local and maybe someone really nice will join your Thanksgiving celebration next year.

John Do-nut Company

314-241-3360

Hours: midnight til 1:00pm

(Isn't that clever? Sell donuts
while making them...fresh and
warm...mm-mmm)
Closed Sundays

I was talking with my new friend Joe who works at the Hi-Pointe.
 I don't know Joe very well, but I'm learning about some of his interests.
He likes donuts and he likes to bike.  

 On the night of the full moon he and many of his friends take a long moonlight ride all over St. Louis.
It is their custom to pause at a favorite bar to refresh before the ride home.  On this particular night their favorite spot was closed.

In need of an alternative, they decided to get donuts.

"Did you go to Johnny's?" I guessed. 

 And I was right.

Bill, Will, Micha and I had investigated "John Donut Company" a few weeks ago with a thorough sampling of their many varieties.    

You are going to love this place!

Almost in the shadow of the Arch is this little shop of donuts.

Those of you who have followed this blog know I can approach sentimental romanticism when it comes to our small business heroes.
 Johnny doesn't have time for sentimentality.
  
He has been making donuts and breads since he was a boy. He knows it is just hard work, with long hot hours, often requiring a second job to simply make ends meet.  When he's not here, he's baking at a local hospital, making it possible for us to enjoy the hidden treasure behind these doors.

When you visit John's you must allow time to savor the atmosphere.

There are 

all sorts 

of sassy signs on the walls,

 some murals,

and Superman is

everywhere, 

he's everywhere.

So how did the superman collection begin?

Aw, there's a story.  John comes from a family of St. Louis bakers.  At one point his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pearey, moved to Metropolis, Illinois to be near some of their family. They opened a little bakery.

Here is a picture of them in front of their pastry shop.

 I'm not sure how these things evolve.  Something about coming from Metropolis,
the home of Superman, 

has inspired John's adoring customers to bring him all things Superman related.
It's a way to say thanks to John for making such delicious treats.

Now that you've taken in the surroundings and enjoyed the local color,

let's get serious.

Whether you have them with milk or juice

or coffee or tea,

the real reason you've come is:

 donuts!!

Oh,

and 

they are

oh,

so

good!

'nuf said!!!

John interrupted his breakfast of oatmeal to tell me a little bit of his story, growing up in north St. Louis as the son of hard working bakers and becoming a baker himself.  He told of truckers who kept knocking on the shop door at 2:00 O'clock in the morning while he was baking, pleading for donuts until he finally changed his hours to accommodate them and about the time in the army when he stayed up all night making pastries for tomorrow's visiting dignitary, Spiro Agnew. 

He is a humble man, not thinking himself great, but as I watched his loyal customers come and go throughout the morning, the camaraderie they all share, their affection and loyalty to this place and its owner....

I think I now know why they bring him Superman keepsakes.