Supermarkets (school, cost of, shop)

[GingerSue]

EarthFare has a lot of options. There's a small gourmet store on Main street in Jonesborough that has more upscale foods - I Fancy Food.

[Ripshin]

There are certainly enough potential patrons, for a more upscale grocery. However, East TN is the only place where I hear "meemaw" and "peepaw", and quite a few other terms which must be unique to that region of the country. "What's wrong with Walmart?" requires an entire thread of its own. Look at Elizabethton for a few answers. I LIVED in Johnson City for a while, so I am not making assumptions, or stereotyping. I also continue to spend some time there every year. Another phrase I hear a lot is "you-uns" (or "we-uns") - never can get used to that.

[jabogitlu]

I love our semantics in this region; I think that our accent collective in east TN, SWVA and western NC really contributes to a unique identity and heritage.

However, I have no idea how that relates to shopping demographics... ??? Yes, Elizabethton is a Walmart town. However, there are "Walmart towns" in Kansas, Montana, and yes, even California. GASP! Not everyone in east TN is a redneck or an ignorant good ole boy!

Imagine that!

Don't let the media subconsciously influence your views of this region. Even if you do live here, sometimes assumptions and preconceived notions can be difficult to overcome.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Ripshin

There are certainly enough potential patrons, for a more upscale grocery. However, East TN is the only place where I hear "meemaw" and "peepaw", and quite a few other terms which must be unique to that region of the country. "What's wrong with Walmart?" requires an entire thread of its own. Look at Elizabethton for a few answers. I LIVED in Johnson City for a while, so I am not making assumptions, or stereotyping. I also continue to spend some time there every year. Another phrase I hear a lot is "you-uns" (or "we-uns") - never can get used to that.

Yes, you are making assumptions and stereotyping.

I say "meemaw" and "peepaw" and shop at Wal-Mart. You've insinuated that potential patrons for a more upscale grocery wouldn't talk like that or shop at Wal-Mart. Your assumption and stereotyping are not only insulting but they're absurd.

[jabogitlu]

I must be a mutant. I say mammaw, pappaw and yuns. Slight variation.

But, then again, I haven't been to a Walmart in a very long while.

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by jabogitlu

I love our semantics in this region; I think that our accent collective in east TN, SWVA and western NC really contributes to a unique identity and heritage.

However, I have no idea how that relates to shopping demographics... ??? Yes, Elizabethton is a Walmart town. However, there are "Walmart towns" in Kansas, Montana, and yes, even California. GASP! Not everyone in east TN is a redneck or an ignorant good ole boy!

Imagine that!

Don't let the media subconsciously influence your views of this region. Even if you do live here, sometimes assumptions and preconceived notions can be difficult to overcome.

Boy isn't that the truth! I have relatives all over the country and they want to know "So does everyone have plumbing yet in your neck of the woods?" and other such comments. If I mention that I happened to have gone into Petsmart they act surprised..."Oh, you have a big specialty store like that by you? Do you have to drive far to get there?" I mean really! It is 2009 after all. Funny though, after phone comments like that, then they come to visit, there is suddenly talk about how much they love the area and maybe they will think about moving here now. However, I moved away from strip mall heaven (S.E.FL.) where there is empty store front after empty store front. Who needs 10 choices of arugala anyway? We have plenty of shopping options. Enough to keep those store thriving.....wonder how those BigY's and such are faring in the current economy? I know our Food Cities and Krogers are fairing very well.

[jabogitlu]

I agree with you. And as much as I'd like to see parts of the city (well, here I'm talking about Johnson City) grow, fast, especially around the south SoF corridor, I'll take our 1% per decade growth any day. Slow and steady is generally pretty much rock-solid in times of economic distress.

I just hope JC developers aren't getting too build-happy. For the life of me I can't figure out what's going to fill up the new north JC developments and there are some completely empty strips up near the older Walmart and near Northside.


In a generally related sort of way, I was reading some documents from the JCDA's website (from one of their various commissioned reports) and evidently the tower-project that was going to be built beside the Millennium Centre was going to be affiliated with a Hilton Suite chain. A little strange, there beside the Carnegie, but, that would've been cool. Of course, I'd be willing to bet that that project's dead, now.

At least the Marriott's still being built in the Hamilton Place dev!

[blindsolitude]

Originally Posted by Ripshin

However, East TN is the only place where I hear "meemaw" and "peepaw", and quite a few other terms which must be unique to that region of the country. Another phrase I hear a lot is "you-uns" (or "we-uns") - never can get used to that.

Really? Because I live in Nashville (I'm from Chattanooga) and have traveled to Memphis, St. Louis, Virginia, Florida (which gets massive amounts of retirees from all over), NC, SC, and Georgia and have heard these phrases or variations of them. So- yes, you are stereotyping or you are just needing something to complain about.

[rccrain]

Originally Posted by Ripshin

There are certainly enough potential patrons, for a more upscale grocery. However, East TN is the only place where I hear "meemaw" and "peepaw", and quite a few other terms which must be unique to that region of the country. "What's wrong with Walmart?" requires an entire thread of its own. Look at Elizabethton for a few answers. I LIVED in Johnson City for a while, so I am not making assumptions, or stereotyping. I also continue to spend some time there every year. Another phrase I hear a lot is "you-uns" (or "we-uns") - never can get used to that.

Are you aware that a few elements of Elizabethan English remain ingrained in Appalachian English? One such word is "afeared". So the next time you read Hamlet, read it with an Appalachian accent.

The folk speech of Appalachia instead of being called corrupt ought to be classified as archaic. Many of the expressions heard throughout the region today can be found in the centuries-old works of some of the greatest English authors: Alfred, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and the men who contributed to the King James version of the Bible, to cite but a few.

Southern mountain dialect (as the folk speech of Appalachia is called by linguists) is certainly archaic, but the general historical period it represents can be narrowed down to the days of the first Queen Elizabeth, and can be further particularized by saying that what is heard today is actually a sort of Scottish-flavored Elizabethan English. This is not to say that Chaucerian forms will not be heard in everyday use, and even an occasional Anglo-Saxon one as well.
An excerpt from: The Dialect of the Appalachian People

[DebFlack]

now that's rich- comparing bad rural. 'hick' English to Elizabethan

because they're Anglo and/or white ??

I suppose inner-city Blacks and Puerto Ricans could use a similar specious, and well-worn
historical contextual support for the use of "Ebonics", and "Spanglish" respectively

but on topic Kroger is awful awful awful

the only complete, well-run and competent "supermarket" I have grown to prefer is Publix.

Fresh Market is decent, but I would not call it a "supermarket"

I don't know many people who dislike the job that a Publix does.


WALMART ?? if you do comparative shopping you will find out that Walmart is NOT always that cheap.

Walmart is a master of merchandising and knowing how to boon doggle the customer, and even their own suplliers------for example, Walmart goes out of their way to present key items that are merchandised in MULTIPLE(s) packaging ! many times offering "THREE FOR x-dollars and x-cents"
or "FIVE for x-dollars and x-cents" ----why ???? they have discovered that people will 'think' they need to buy in 'bulk', or they actually NEED three of that itme or five of the other item !

Why do they take this approach ?? because their own, internal research has found that many, or a large segment of their buyers (demographic) DON't or CAN't calculate the 'price for ONE' of the items !! others don't want to take the time to 'divide the price for three (total) by THREE' to actually find the single unit price !!other shoppers in their stores are simply too fat and lazy or indifferent to make the necessary calulation ! if they DID, they would find that approximately 80%
of the time the unit COST SAVINGS is negligible, or essentially no different than the same grocery item in Schnucks, Kroger, or even sometimes WALGREEEN's !

People are lazy. Walmart made its living off of rural economies and demographics for YEARS. Some shoppers in rural areas also have been known to have less or different levels of education and educational skills- that is factual, and Walmart knew this from the outset.......many poor people and even large immigrant populations are sometimes less formally educated ! but they still have to buy FOOD, and clothing and ancillary items essential for daily life-----again WALMART knew this early on in their period of growth.

In an advertising campaign several years earlier Walmart got sued, and a federal complaint (trade) was made-----Walmart blasted advertising on TV, Radio, Print, and even on SIGNS throughout their stores ----the slogan was "WALMART, ALWAYS THE LOWEST PRICE....ALWAYS" !! Well Walmart was forced to stop using that lying bs slogan because it was misleading, wrong, and full of crap. Now the slogan is (something like "Walmart, always the low price" (or a low price, always), which is impossible to dispute most times----WALMART NEVER has the LOWEST PRICE..not ALWAYS, and these people knew that to be true---they simply lied-------just like when they LIED about advertising that their clothes , etc, were MADE IN AMERICA, yep they used this lying slogan too when most ALL of theri apparel etc was already being made in Mexico, Phillipines, Honduras, Bangladesh.....and now CHINA (yep help exporting those US jobs overseas !!!!!....in fact they are the driving force right now !)

WALMART also sells the absolute terrible grade of meat. Anyone who buys meat there seems to be uniformed (stupid, or ignorant) about the quality----it short the beef quality is crap. They sell only "SELECT GRADE",
not USDA CHOICE GRADE ! Select grade is one step BELOW CHOICE, but again most people don't bother to ask and know the difference (I guess the term 'select' sounds special....lol....but it's NOT- it's crap). Also all beef/meat now comes in PREPACKED from a central meat processing facillity !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no meat is cut locally at the stores anymore-----WHY ? it's crap meat FULL of red dye, SODIUM, and a HOST of preservatives !!!!!!! their meat is also GASSED !!! (read about it)......Walmart also buys crap meat from south and central America------and you don't want to know about the GROUND MEAT/HAMBURGER--------no human being should eat this crap---does it pass 'inspection' ??? well yes---sort of. Walmart had also been known to buy what was called in the industry, "no roll", meaning it was NOT GRADED !

I don't shop at Walmart

Walmart does not cater to truly savvy shoppers, and particularly so in the so-called "SuperMarket"

You can buy a six pack of Bud most times as cheap as in Kroger, or heck, sometimes at the corner 7 Eleven......particularly factoring in the 'hassle factor' of the bozos meandering around a Walmart ---



Ever notice all of the FAT people walking in the front door ??? Take a close look at these people who make up the vast majority of their client/customer base-----------then take a look at the 'typical' Walmart employee while you're at it-----it can be very revealing in a practical, demographic, academic and economic sense------then compare that info with what you witness in a Target parking lot, or a suburban Kroger-----if it's not a eye opener, then get new lenses, or take off those blinders