Friday, September 29, 2023

They Said It Was The Same, But It Isn't The Same

Anyone a fan of Roseanne? And remember the show where an adult DJ was talking to a psychiatrist, and kept mumbling, "They say she's the same but she isn't the same." Referring to his TV sister Becky, who was replaced by another actress in the middle of the series, who then left when the first actress returned.

Anyhoo... that's how I'm feeling about Country Mart. When I drove by a couple days ago on the way to Dairy Queen, I saw that the new paint job was finished, and A DIFFERENT NAME WAS ON THE SIDE! It's now a 10 Box Cost +. I'd never heard of such a chain, but apparently it's the cut-rate version of the chain who took over the original Country Mart.

It won't open until October 18, but it appears to be like Save A Lot. You have to bag your own groceries. Supposedly the prices will be cheaper. No deli, no pharmacy. And the catch is, going along with the name, the prices are what it costs the store to buy the merchandise PLUS 10 PERCENT.

I'll have to see for myself once it opens. According to the innernets, the price on the shelves will be the COST price, and when you check out, they add the 10 percent. That seems like deceptive marketing. But I'm pretty good at math, and can add that 10 percent in my head when I'm deciding whether I want to spend that price for an item.

Supposedly the older stores in the chain are renovated and called 10 Box Cost +, so as not to sully the reputation of the other stores, which have the deli and pharmacy, and pride themselves on freshness. So says the innernets. I didn't notice any particular freshness at my branch, what with the expired products sold to the unwary.

Anyhoo... I will surely give it some business in the beginning. It is close. And has ample parking. Besides, I was used to paying the outrageous prices. So this might be an improvement.

4 comments:

River said...

I'd give it a go too, just to see if it measures up to my standards.

Hillbilly Mom said...

River,
I hate new things, but I'll definitely give it a few tries.

Kathy's Klothesline said...

It is like the clearance aisle, you have to see if they have things you can't live without. I have never heard of that particular name. either. We have Ingles supermarkets here with higher prices and a crappy store brand called Laura Lynn. Their only competition is Walmart, a good half hour away. Oh, and Aldi's in the same town as Walmart.

Hillbilly Mom said...

Kathy,
If it's like Save A Lot or Aldi's, I'll probably shop there. Ample parking is a big draw, and Save A Lot's drawback. Aldi's is way over in Bill-Paying Town, and was more convenient when I lived in my $17,000 house in Sis-Town.

I have never heard of Ingles or Laura Lynn. I think those names make more sense than 10 Box Cost +.