Category: Shopping

More retail grazing

You can usually get what you need in Sequim or in Port Angeles. But if you want a lot of choices or need a specialty something it’s time for Internet browsing or an hour’s trip to Silverdale or beyond. But travel time’s been cut down with the arrival of a new Coastal Farm and Ranch store. It’s got a lot of stuff. I’ve never seen an entire wall of mens’ jeans.

There’s plenty of guy stuff. Fishing gear. Barbecues. Guns. Plus animal supplies. Saddles. Fencing. It’s almost overwhelming at first. Really. An entire isle of canning supplies?

It occupies the site of two former stores, Staples and Del’s Feed. It’s nice to see a revival of some local retail. The QFC shopping center was looking sort of quiet.

Merchandising

red-merchandise

There’s a real art to displaying stuff. I know I take it for granted until I come upon an assortment of merchandise that unexpectedly stops me in my tracks. There, like a banquet of eye candy, is an array of things that tell a story or soothe with form and color or texture.

over-the-fence-back

Over the Fence generally does it well. This is the back of their store where they display outdoor items like those above. Inside is more eye candy. I usually lust after something I never though I wanted before. That’s good merchandising.

No, really?!

nutcracker

I took today’s pictures 10 days ago at Costco, October 3rd.

snowman

As I took these shots a couple of people walked by and commented on the decorations I was photographing. But nobody else seemed amazed/annoyed/flummoxed/surprised/peeved or anything else about two aisles of Christmas merchandise — and the accompanying tinny Christmas carols — out and ready to go in early October.

Yesterday I saw the same thing in Walmart.

Therefore, allow me to be among the first to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. ((Sheesh!))

Crabbing around

crabbing-1

If you like crab this is the weekend for you. Port Angeles, Sequim’s next door neighbor, is hosting its 15th annual Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival. There was lots of crabbing activity yesterday at the John Wayne Marina and I suspect much of it was destined for the festival.

Besides many seafood vendors the weekend event has music, a craft fair, cooking demonstrations and a chowder cook-off. This is one of the last big outdoor events before it’s time to go inside and stay warm.

Shoe shopping

PT boot

Beyond my fixations with paper crafting and rubber stamps I’m not usually much of a shopper. But I wandered into About Time in Port Townsend a couple of weeks ago and found myself transfixed with shoes. Actually, it was this amazing boot. If other stores sell something like this I’ve never seen it. (If you’re wondering, that tag reads $170.)

PT shoes

Some of the other shoes were amazing too.

Shoe chair

And they’ve got just the thing to sit on while you’re trying on shoes.