ECON Retail observation

Sicario

The Executor
Well, if yer other half and my better half bump into each other we'll BOTH be in DEEP CARP...

RELIC will likely teach her about Ollie's as a source for materials. And THEN there will be MUCH crafting.

Look. I have lost my living room, my dining room, and an upstairs bedroom/studio AND her upstairs bedroom/office.

SERIOUSLY!! I have a 3 1/2 by 4 1/2 foot corner for my desk and half the bedroom. OH and the kitchen (only solonf as I am diligent about CHASING CRAFT CARP OUT!!

BUT, if we went and burnt ALL of her completed craft SCHTUFF, it's STILL CHEAPER than an updated SSRI script.
Thank you for the measure of comfort that comes from knowing that I'm not the only one afflicted with such. :xpnd:
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
it's West Des Moines to me, anything west of Merle Hay Road is W. Des Moines.

For safety's sake, it's anything west of 70th Street. And as far as walking around alone at night, University only, from 86th Street West up to 100th Street, which is the WDM / Clive border and well patrolled.

The south end of Urbandale (and part of Beaverdale) needs the trash taken out.
 

thompson

Certa Bonum Certamen
I wondered, Ross Dress For Less used to be a great place to shop, not so much anymore.
The one here in College Station can be a "dump", depending on day and time of day, but it's not that way all the time. They don't have the nicer quality mix of merchandise that TJMaxx, Marshall's or Home Goods has but it's still worth going in if I'm looking for replacement bedding, etc. We don't have a Burlington's here, but I used to shop the heck out of them when I lived in a different town. Like many things, the demographics of the town, staff at the store, the location of the stores, the shopping season (I never even considered going there at Christmas, what a zoo!) all make a difference.

When I was working and was always dressed to the nines I had my absolute best luck finding genuine bargains at Dillard's Clearance Centers. There aren't a whole lot of them, but I made out like a bandit when I lived near one.
 

anna43

Veteran Member
My dh worked at Merle Hay as assistant manager for many years and its definitely DM. Merle Hay and Douglas. A couple blocks west is Urbandale. South of that is Windsor Heights and south of that is WDM. Hickman Road north is Urbandale. University south is WDM and Windsor Heights is in-between.
 

Tristan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Cabelas/Basspro has a huge Holiday sale this time each year, merch piled up in the aisles on tables and racks at fantastic prices. Usually gone in a couple days.

Hopefully that's all it is.
 

db cooper

Resident Secret Squirrel
but especially hate dealing with the other shoppers.
When the air's oxygen content is replaced with the hot sweaty smells of arm pits and cheap women's perfume it's just time to get the hell out of Dodge. People crowded elbow to elbow scarfing up cheap Chinese shit just isn't my thing. It was like that last Friday at a store.
 

FireDance

TB Fanatic
Thanks for the tip. I'm about 90 miles from the only one anywhere around me. I think I'll just pass.
I would pass it by. I rarely found anything there back when it was a decent store.

One thing dd and I do in Tupelo is hit all the thrift stores until we can’t do it anymore. Have found lots of good designer things. And you can go back and never get bored. Or I can. Problem is I will get stuck in a section of things I don’t need for inordinate amounts of time if I’m not careful. We have a fav store but I will have to ask dd what the name is if you’re interested.
 

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
My dh worked at Merle Hay as assistant manager for many years and its definitely DM. Merle Hay and Douglas. A couple blocks west is Urbandale. South of that is Windsor Heights and south of that is WDM. Hickman Road north is Urbandale. University south is WDM and Windsor Heights is in-between.

Regardless of where it's actually located what I do know is this: In the twenty years I've lived here there have been at least five sexual assaults in the corridor of the Hobby Lobby on the north side of that mall, there have been at least two dozen attempts of sexual assault, and two armed robberies, and two abduction attempts. Still think it's a safe place?

I'm not sure which HL Meemur is talking about, I suspect it's the one out on Army Post Road on the south side of DM since there is no WM next to Merle Hay Mall, only a Target and a Kohls. And if you're out by MHM at Harbor Freight, be careful, I've seen some shady sh*t going down in that parking lot in broad day light, not far from the Popeyes.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I would pass it by. I rarely found anything there back when it was a decent store.

One thing dd and I do in Tupelo is hit all the thrift stores until we can’t do it anymore. Have found lots of good designer things. And you can go back and never get bored. Or I can. Problem is I will get stuck in a section of things I don’t need for inordinate amounts of time if I’m not careful. We have a fav store but I will have to ask dd what the name is if you’re interested.

Yes. Would love the name of the store. Lately, I've been ordering all our clothing online. Household items I either buy from Home Goods, Kirkland's, Sam's, or Walmart. I would love to find a good thrift store.
 

homecanner1

Veteran Member
Burlington in the 90's was oustanding, Burberry trenches, Liz Claiborne work clothes, nice linens, towels. Staffing went first, which led to their buyers having more urban tastes and it fizzled downward from there. Last time I was in was 3 yrs ago in Madison for their velvet and fleece winter blankets and the store was sparse. Tons of throw pillows and cheap puffer jackets.
They used to be reliable for hats, scarves, shawls and accessories. Deals for Women, Men, Kids, Baby, and Home - Burlington
 

tiredude

Veteran Member
Yes. Would love the name of the store. Lately, I've been ordering all our clothing online. Household items I either buy from Home Goods, Kirkland's, Sam's, or Walmart. I would love to find a good thrift store.
ive gotta go through there tomorrow..... you want me to drive by and give you an opinion? i will even go in if it is important
 

FireDance

TB Fanatic
Yes. Would love the name of the store. Lately, I've been ordering all our clothing online. Household items I either buy from Home Goods, Kirkland's, Sam's, or Walmart. I would love to find a good thrift store.
Sanctuary is the store. They have all sizes. All proceeds go to Sanctuary Hospice. Found a beautiful wool coat there. They seem to be much cleaner than most places. Building isn’t much from the outside, but it’s LARGE. Cary might enjoy looking at the electronic stuff. I get caught up there and even in the furniture (which is almost always very nice). There’s a lot of things to look at besides clothes



There are a couple of others we hit. One that comes to mind is near Thomas St.-ish Walmart. It’s ok, but I always feel like the staff picks through it prior to putting it out. Sanctuary is not like that at all.

There are a couple of others we hit, but I can’t think of them now. There is also a bookstore we hit with all the coolest books in it - very old and up. Arg. Missing my “fix”!!
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Sanctuary is the store. They have all sizes. All proceeds go to Sanctuary Hospice. Found a beautiful wool coat there. They seem to be much cleaner than most places. Building isn’t much from the outside, but it’s LARGE. Cary might enjoy looking at the electronic stuff. I get caught up there and even in the furniture (which is almost always very nice). There’s a lot of things to look at besides clothes



There are a couple of others we hit. One that comes to mind is near Thomas St.-ish Walmart. It’s ok, but I always feel like the staff picks through it prior to putting it out. Sanctuary is not like that at all.

There are a couple of others we hit, but I can’t think of them now. There is also a bookstore we hit with all the coolest books in it - very old and up. Arg. Missing my “fix”!!

I've heard of Sanctuary! My sister used to shop there all the time, but I've never been. I don't know exactly where it's located. She also liked Big Lots. She was also a sucker for good deals at all the thrift stores in town. Wish I had paid more attention.

She passed away at Sanctuary Hospice in March.
 

FireDance

TB Fanatic
I've heard of Sanctuary! My sister used to shop there all the time, but I've never been. I don't know exactly where it's located. She also liked Big Lots. She was also a sucker for good deals at all the thrift stores in town. Wish I had paid more attention.

She passed away at Sanctuary Hospice in March.
Wow. I’m sorry to hear that.

They also have men’s clothes so it’s well worth your while. I’ll see if I can get more info and pm you as to location.
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I'm not sure which HL Meemur is talking about, I suspect it's the one out on Army Post Road on the south side of DM since there is no WM next to Merle Hay Mall, only a Target and a Kohls.

No, the HL next to Burlington Coat Factory & Harbor Freight, across from Pita Pit & Chick-fil-A, a little north of Merle Hay Mall, on Merle Hay Road. They lost employees in droves. I won't be surprised if they close.

I thought that the HL down south (Army Post Road) has either closed or is closing because their new store by Jordan Creek (West Des Moines, Across from Lowe's) took all of that business, but I might be wrong. I haven't been down there in at least a year, maybe longer.

Location of new store (and it's lovely!) -- see pink bubble below

1638135928361.png
 

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
No, the HL next to Burlington Coat Factory & Harbor Freight, across from Pita Pit & Chick-fil-A, a little north of Merle Hay Mall, on Merle Hay Road. They lost employees in droves. I won't be surprised if they close.

I thought that the HL down south (Army Post Road) has either closed or is closing because their new store by Jordan Creek took all of that business, but I might be wrong. I haven't been down there in at least a year, maybe longer.

Okay yeah that's the HL I'm talking about, they've had a serious streak of violence at that location.
 
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