Gus' Pretzels

http://www.guspretzels.com/

I was driving through south St. Louis today and what should I see but a Gus' Pretzel man!  I've been thinking about this:  if I would be sorry to see a business close I should be a part of helping it thrive.  I would be really sad to drive through St. Louis and never see a Gus' Pretzel man again. 

So I bought a bag of pretzels.  I didn't really need to eat  *all* those yummy rods of goodness by my self, so I was on my way to see the Trulls and that family of many boys was happy to help me.

Economy....bad news

This morning Bill was reading one of those bad news articles:

 the world economy is bad,

 the American economy is worse,

and the St. Louis economy is the worst.

Such information is belittling, because what can I do to effect a change? I mean really.  It sounds like the sky is falling and all I can do is read about it.

Then I remember what I've learned this year.  I can't make much of an impact on a big scale, but everyday with every dollar I spend I can make a small difference here at home. Don't forget: at a local store at least 70% of those dollars stay right here, instead of 40% of a chain store sales and nothing from internet commerce. I'm no economist, but wouldn't all that extra money in the local St. Louis bucket be a good thing?

This is something Lindi sent me a few months ago, I guess it says the same thing with a slight twist.

Generally, I'm coming to believe a bad economy might be a good thing if in the process we are able to return to a simpler life filled with less stuff and rush and more friendship and community.  And so let's keep doing what we can to keep those friends and that community here at home in St. Louis.

Foundation Grounds Coffee House

www.foundationgrounds.com

Denise is a brilliant director who inspires students to become brilliant actors.  She has already started thinking about a summer production. It is cool to be with Denise when she is making plans; her ideas seem to come forth like jonquils in spring. We wanted to meet to put some solid foundational ground under these theoretical ideas. Where to go? I know! Maplewood's Foundation Grounds Coffee Shop seemed in keeping with our goal.

Denise ordered a cup of hot cocoa and I had a cup of hot chai.

 

We sat in chairs of varying pattern and color

which seem to whisper,"It is OK to be different. Be pleased with who you are."

 ...As Mr. Rogers taught us: everyone is special in their own way.

Foundation Grounds offers a variety of breakfast and lunch choices but we chose a light snack from their bakery items.

It isn't as if Denise's theatrical creativity needs help, but the artistry surrounding us couldn't hurt.

The next time you need a place to dream and scheme about exciting plans

 

or if you just yearn for a good cup of coffee, for goodness' sake don't go to those overused national chains.  Discover uniqueness by going to the local coffee shop close to home,

or make the short drive to Maplewood and enjoy one of our favorite places.

Eli Yawitz Company

elyyawitz.com

It is time to begin planning costumes for Lindi's dance recital which reminds me of an adventurous day we had last year.

We needed thread, lots of thread. Lin, a friend from Texas, told me about a locally owned wholesale place in St. Louis that sells every kind of sewing notion. Ely E. Yawitz Company. We decided to go in search of this place with the memorable name.

.

It was a wintery, cold and snowy day.  We bundled up, got in the car and drove to one of those intriguing old warehouse districts in the city.

After parking in a bank of unshovelled snow, we made our way inside.  It all looked pretty abandoned.  I could almost think we were in one of those surreal scenes from INCEPTION:

 forsaken halls and 

forgotten telephone booths,

 mysterious doors with only a vague suggestion of what might be behind them.

At last, a sign of recognition.  We did ring the bell, Ely's clerks welcomed us, and assured us we were in the right place.

We found:

 

shelf

after shelf,

drawer upon drawer.

                                                                            

In them and on them were thousands of sewing supplies which are normally sold to clothing manufacturers, but they were very happy to sell to us in small quantities.  

Ely E. was a young man in 1924 when he opened his business, so he is no longer with us. However, I understand, a relative of some descent is still operating this very active warehouse, hiring local folks, paying local taxes and maintaining a local historic building.
As personal sewing has become rarer, so have the places selling needed notions, especially rare are local establishments, so I was really happy to find Ely E. Yawitz Company. If you decide to visit the Yawitz Company, try calling first to get directions and best time of the day to come.  Since they are accustomed to filling very large orders, a phone call will help you avoid their "rush times".

We had our rainbow of thread and it was time to return home.  One thing you can be sure of, local shopping is never dull.

Webster Record Shop

January 31st, 2012

 the last day of Webster Record Shop.

We don't have a cultural routine for the end of a favorite business.

When a person dies we know what to do....

go to the visitation, attend the funeral,

 go to the graveside.

What about saying good bye to a small store

 filled with memories and likable people?

I didn't really want to go back, 

but how could I let this day pass without a moment of recognition?

When I last visited Webster Records Bill and I spoke of many things:

the state of the economy, bluegrass music,

 chocolate syrup,

 and my certainty that there is a movement afoot

 causing people to return to a more personable, 

companionable way of shopping which is, of course,

 small and local.

I believe that is true,

 but the movement didn't start soon enough to stop the closure of this 60 year old shop.

So what to do?

Well, chocolate is appropriate for all sorts of occasions.

Bill, the faithful proprietor of Webster Records,

 had mentioned his favorite treat,

 Hershey's Chocolate Syrup. 

So I ran into Sappington Farmer's Market,

 bought a can of the yummy stuff, 

enclosed it in some colorful tissue

 with a bright ribbon,

 and drove to Webster Groves.

The place was busy with folks browsing for a favorite record,

 as I imagine it would have been on a Saturday morning in1956.

I gave Bill his cylinder of sweetness

 and he was as appreciative as a child.

I told him thanks for his years of service,

 that I would miss him and

 hoped St. Louis was a small enough town that I would see him again sometime.

This was when I learned Bill 

is not only a political scientist

 and a proficient musical reference,

 he is also a student of eschatology.

He said: "Oh we'll meet again.

 You see, I believe in heaven and

 I'm planning to be there.... 

not that I'm getting there on my own....

but I'll be there."

 I listened as he spoke joyfully of things eternal,

 ethereal and musical.

I said good bye 'till we meet again and

 left smiling

 as I considered the life he described.

Hello again

I'm really sorry to resume the new year with the disappointing news of another store closing.

Click here Webster Records pulls the plug for a few more details and comments about the closing of Webster Records. Or on this blog click July to read of my experiences with Webster Records.

 I've been in a sort of tunnel filled with happy holiday happenings and no time to tell about all the small stores I've found for shopping.  This year has been the best
and I've actually accomplished my ALL SMALL goal for the season.
I'm eager to tell of the discoveries.

This news of the end of Webster Records leaves me determined to continue earnest efforts to
"shop local".