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The point is that grocery shopping is much less boring in many parts of the world. But if you like the one we got here, there is nothing wrong with that. Just keep in mind what I'm saying is this is boring, that's all. I am not saying it has to change. Many people like boring.
In the UK, many people would go to a big chain supermarket similar in size to most American ones.
True, and you can see hordes of people on weekends heading off to go hiking in the Appalachians and the Rockies and the Ouachitas and Ozarks and any other number of mountainous areas in the US too. The only difference is they're usually driving to a state park to park, not gathering at the railway station.
To nitpick, for mountainous areas it's often national forest land though it depends on the region.
Plenty of people driving to trailheads in Europe. Trailhead parking in Italy:
this thread is absurd. America has almost everything that any other country has to offer and more. not quite sure what country could be considered more "exciting"
Why, yes, in 65 years on this planet, I have heard of Farmer's Markets. In fact, if you looked at my link to my city, you'd see that we have one in the summer. I go there on occasion; it's always the same stuff, and sometimes you can get better prices for the exact same thing, e.g. locally grown sweet corn, at the local chain grocery store. Nor do I need a jar of honey every week, etc. I really don't need to go to the grocery store for entertainment. I feel sorry for anyone that does. We also garden in the summer.
In that case, you would also know that many people treat going to the Farmer's Market as a social occasion. Your previous statement implied that people don't use grocery shopping as social gathering, when in fact, people do. That is all I am saying - shopping for food is an activity for social gathering. I never said it's something that needs to be done every day or every week or every month; nor did I say that I like Farmer's Market. It is just an example to counter your point, that is all.
I think we've established that shopping for food can be a social activity and many people crave that (to various degree of course), now take that point a little further, imagine a place with options - Farmers Market, big box grocery, smaller organic retail shops, fish market, meat market, etc, etc; all closely bungled together and they open every day. Buying food in a place like that is more fun than what we have here now, wouldn't it?
There are actually places in this world where what I described above is standard. Now, maybe you look at those cities and say, "I don't need all that." Fine. But compare to that place, what we have here in this country is boring.
Again, nothing wrong with what we have now and some people like boring.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FallsAngel
A year-round farmer's market was discussed around here, too, indoor at the county fairgrounds. DH said, "isn't that called a grocery store?"
Your DH is right. This highlights the point that one difference (indoor vs outdoor) can drastically change a person's perception and experience. Farmer's Market is hip, fun, and social; grocery store is boring and static, etc. This is why having many different types of places to shop can stimulate a person's senses while having just one or two types (big box retail) is boring.
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I think we've established that shopping for food can be a social activity and many people crave that (to various degree of course), now take that point a little further, imagine a place with options - Farmers Market, big box grocery, smaller organic retail shops, fish market, meat market, etc, etc; all closely bungled together and they open every day. Buying food in a place like that is more fun than what we have here now, wouldn't it?
There's plenty of cities in the US and Canada that basically have what you described they're often just called "public markets". Philadelphia has Reading Terminal Market, Seattle has Pike Place Market, Montreal has Jean-Talon and so on. Often they're tourist spots with locals shopping as well--though the relative novelty of them means that prices are often high or that they're best used for shopping for special occasions--though when I lived in Montreal I didn't find prices at Jean-Talon that bad, but I don't if locals in Seattle would go to Pike Place daily to shop as it seems like more of a tourist destination.
Now it doesn't compare to the big markets in Europe or Latin America or Asia, though it's just a different lifestyle--but at the same time there's plenty of people in parts of those regions that shop at big supermarkets these days as well. The difference is where old markets are still just used for day to day shopping and cheap versus just being something for tourists or those with money.
The most fun I have at grocery stores in the States and Canada are probably the big Asian markets--they'll often have a section with food stands, a huge meat and seafood market area, good choice of produce and other side shops as well.
In that case, you would also know that many people treat going to the Farmer's Market as a social occasion. Your previous statement implied that people don't use grocery shopping as social gathering, when in fact, people do. That is all I am saying - shopping for food is an activity for social gathering. I never said it's something that needs to be done every day or every week or every month; nor did I say that I like Farmer's Market. It is just an example to counter your point, that is all.
I think we've established that shopping for food can be a social activity and many people crave that (to various degree of course), now take that point a little further, imagine a place with options - Farmers Market, big box grocery, smaller organic retail shops, fish market, meat market, etc, etc; all closely bungled together and they open every day. Buying food in a place like that is more fun than what we have here now, wouldn't it?
There are actually places in this world where what I described above is standard. Now, maybe you look at those cities and say, "I don't need all that." Fine. But compare to that place, what we have here in this country is boring.
Again, nothing wrong with what we have now and some people like boring.
Your DH is right. This highlights the point that one difference (indoor vs outdoor) can drastically change a person's perception and experience. Farmer's Market is hip, fun, and social; grocery store is boring and static, etc. This is why having many different types of places to shop can stimulate a person's senses while having just one or two types (big box retail) is boring.
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I don't think "we" have established any such thing, kemosabe.
I do not know ANYONE who thinks, even subconsciously, "I need some social activity, I think I'll go grocery shopping." Grocery shopping, for those of us who work and have families and are running a home of more than one person, is a CHORE! I can think of way better ways to socialize than going grocery shopping. Nor do I want to make fifteen trips to fifteen different stores to get what I need/want. By the second store, I'm usually DONE. You cannot buy alcohol in a grocery store in CO (with a few exceptions, but I don't want to get into that right now), and you can't buy food in the liquor stores, so if you're having a party, you have to go to both. Now almost every grocery store, at least in the Denver metro, has a liquor store in the same shopping center, or in the same block for stand-alone stores. That's usually enough for me. Also there is a (gasp!) Hobby Lobby in the shopping center where I usually get groceries; if I go to both, I'm doing real well. Now I do recall someone on Urban Planning posting that he(?) worked at home, and sometimes went down to the grocery store to pick up a snack to get out of the house. But that's not grocery shopping.
Actually, I don't even go clothes shopping as a social activity, though I sometimes do it for entertainment.
It seems like in most other countries, there's always something going on, while in the US people are either at work, in their car, or in their homes. American cultural life is far more centered around job and immediate kin than most countries, which I think is the reason why, along with the car culture. Most cities have very lackluster nightlife too, it's rare for a city to have a closing time any later than 3 AM.
American cities feel like a cultural desert with the exception of New York and maybe 3 or 4 other cities to a lesser degree. Even downtowns in the US can feel downright country, everyone leaves after 5 PM and goes home to their picket fence exurb.
So, what's your ultimate question? Or is it just a rant about how you feel concerning the USA?
My town actually began an indoor "artisan market" in our community center this January to April to give us sonething to do/a place to come together during the winter. It was highly successful. They had farmers from PA selling fresh eggs and beef jerky, a local homemade pasta store had a table selling pasta and sauce, local women who have a business making little (delicious!) pies, someone selling various dried fruits and nuts, jewelry store tables, etc. Not a "farmers market" obviously because little fresh produce is grown locally around here in the cold but it was a really successful thing. Always crowded. Most vendors sold out of their stuff within a few hours. It was cool, I enjoyed it.
Yeah, those work well. The problem here in MD is getting the Department of Ag to certify it (here's grant money involved then),
Down here an "artisan's market" would become a craft fair. The County tried to have a farmer's market several years ago which devolved to craft fair, the farmers refused to continue. It turned into a major disaster.
In Germany there is a market called Altonaer Fischmarkt in Hamburg. They sell fresh fish and other things every Sunday morning starting at 5 am.
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Always crowded. Most vendors sold out of their stuff within a few hours. It was cool, I enjoyed it.
