The Starving Packrats' Attic

The Cinnaminson ShopRite Slippery Slope

2011-03-29T13:18:00.003-04:00

The Cinnaminson ShopRite supermarket opened around the beginning of January, 2009. It is conveniently located on Route 130, has a sizable parking lot and an equally large amount of retail space inside which also holds a liquor section. The sale prices are good, and the everyday prices are about average. Or at least they used to be.

From the day they opened, I dreaded the inevitable: how this chain's Cinnaminson location would crush the Acme Market up the road. Acme's prices have always been much higher, but they have been known to run very good sales. Since their prices were high, their parking lot and store were never really crowded. After all, who would continue to pay higher prices?

Acme didn't "get it." They didn't see the writing on the wall. ShopRite's model was going to steamroll them right out of existence if they didn't wise up. And they didn't. Acme Markets has shuttered up several area locations, including the one in Cinnaminson just last month.

Why I dreaded the prophetic closing of Acme many months before it really happened wasn't because I was a loyalist to the store. I'd occasionally shop the sales there, and their meat department had offerings that ShopRite just doesn't stock. The healthy competition ShopRite had employed to gain and keep customers was the very thing that worried me. With Acme out of the way, they would have no reason to try hard any longer. That was what I dreaded.

So soon? No, I didn't expect it to begin so soon after Acme closed up.

About 3 weeks ago, I noticed the ShopRite price of Pop Chips went up ... 30 cents per bag. On a $2.00 bag, that's a 15% increase. Uh, I'll take a pass on that. Next time we're in the mood for them, we'll buy the extra large bag at the warehouse club for a much better price.

And then there's a variety of Ocean Spray 100% Juice in the juice aisle that went from $3.29 for $4.29 at the ShopRite. And we thought Acme was high before they closed! I just picked this same item up from Walmart for $2.99.

Today, I went into the ShopRite with a short list of items. I came out with just 2 of them. Here's the highlights of the list:

bananas - every bunch in the store was dark green, no ripe ones. I checked for organic bananas but they didn't have any.

naan bread - they had several in stock: those that expired 3 days ago, and those that expired 10 days ago. Talk about having a "good" selection!

Land O Lakes Spreadable Butter with Canola Oil, small container - they had just one in the entire dairy case. I took a pass on that as well; I never buy "the last one" of anything out of the dairy, freezer, or meat case.

I did buy the 2 items I went for because they were for a special cleaning project I wanted to start on right away. I knew the cleaning agent was overpriced but I was in a hurry and didn't have time to drive to Wegmans where it can be had any day of the week for 50% less (yes, that's right!) than I paid.

And speaking of Wegmans, have you checked out the beauty and freshness of the goods in their produce section? The prices are comparable to those at ShopRite, but you'll never find packages of half-rotted onions, bags of bruised lemons, or boxes of moldy clementines at the Wegmans, all of which I have seen regularly at the ShopRite.

The remainder of my grocery list will travel with me and my money to Wegmans later this week. While I dreaded this decline of goods and services at ShopRite, I can now honestly say that the drive to Wegmans is always worth the time, gas, and money spent.

I suppose I will venture into the ShopRite occasionally from here on in, but only for the sale items, I expect. It has become my new "Acme Market," the store I shopped for sales but not where I can shop for groceries.

Your Stangl Pottery Stories

2010-04-19T15:57:00.003-04:00

Selling Stangl Pottery isn't just a business endeavor; it's a socially engaging and enriching activity for us. We've sent hundreds of pieces of Stangl Pottery dinnerware pieces to customers all over the United States. And to the rest of the world. In fact, we distinctly remember uniting a buyer in Japan with a Golden Harvest cup and saucer set.

Many of our Stangl customers have been kind enough to share their stories with us. These stories always fascinate us. Sometimes, they are about happy childhood memories of dining on Stangl dinnerware. Others tell are about sets they have inherited that have seen many wonderful family gatherings. And still others have newly discovered the beauty and craftsmanship of Stangl Pottery and are excitedly on the hunt for pieces in their chosen pattern, pieces that will round out their perfect service.

Do you have a story about your own Stangl dinnerware? Would you like to share it here? Please do!

Philadelphia / South Jersey Places We Miss!

2009-10-07T11:13:00.004-04:00

You know the drill. You find hit or miss picks for shopping and dining where you live. You don't know which are which until you've tried. So many more misses than hits. Then, suddenly, you find a great place, a place that hits every time? You like, then you love it. It's reliable and enjoyable every time. Until the last time, when you go there, only to find the place closed forever. Yet the mediocre misses continue to thrive, and you're back to the quest to find something better than just "so-so."

I'm a native to the Philadelphia area and have seen so many places, good places, GREAT places come and go. Here's a few I'm missing:

Olga's Kitchen. Locations formerly at Court of King of Prussia Mall and Oxford Valley Mall in Langhorne, PA. Olga's was a small restaurant, featuring unique pita dishes called "Olgas." The concept was original and the flavors were amazing. There was always a wait to get in, and people would queue up and do just that. Olga's pulled up their PA roots years ago, and shrunk their chain back to the Great Lakes region. Sure, I can visit them virtually on their website, www.olgas.com, but it just isn't the same.

Robbins, near Castor and Kensington Avenues in Philadelphia. I'm not certain, but I believe this was once part of the Robbins' Jewelers business. Robbins used to publish a catalog that featured not only jewelry, but other items, from lawn furniture to toys. You'd go to the store, fill out an order slip and your items would come out of the warehouse. The prices were fair and the service was good. The warehouse & catalog business ceased to exist about 30 years ago or so.

Peaches Records & Tapes, Welsh Road at the Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia. Still to this day, when I drive past the intersection, I long to see Peaches. It was a huge record store where you could easily shop or just browse for hours. The outside of the store had oversized album cover displays that could be changed out with other designs. You could find anything at Peaches!

What are some of the places you miss?

So Long & Thanks For All The Fish

2009-02-22T13:39:00.004-05:00

We live in New Jersey. Last month, we sold and shipped a book to a customer in Oregon. We sent it via US Postal Service - Media Mail with Delivery Confirmation. As we routinely do, we followed the status of this shipment via the USPS website. It had made it through the processing facilities locally here in NJ and within a few days to a handling center in Washington State. Then the tracking just died. The book never made it to the customer.

We didn't know this until 3 weeks after the package shipped. Only then was it returned to our Post Office box as undeliverable. HUH?!

It seems the good folks in either Washington State or Oregon managed to rip up the shipping label in such a way as vital information (the customer's city and state and the delivery confirmation bar code & number) were no longer attached to the label. The only information that remained complete was our return address at the P.O. Box.

Some questions come to mind:
How did the book make it all the way to Washington State in 4 days, but it took 2 1/2 weeks to get returned to a US Postal Service P.O. Box?

Is this a new ploy to milk duplicate postage out of customers, by destroying their shipping labels?

We understand how accidents can happen; we make them all the time ourselves...we're only human after all. So we figured we'd give the post office the benefit of the doubt and presume this was accidental, perhaps even caused by machinery.

We inquired at the local post office where our P.O. Box is housed about the possibility of postage reimbursement since the tracking data had shown the parcel's label was intact all the way across the United States before it was mutilated. We were directed to "the supervisor" who told us it was our fault.

"Our fault? OUR fault?! You're telling me this parcel that was in your system's tracking records
and showing as having passed through the facility at Federal Way, Washington 2 1/2 weeks ago AND that was mutilated somewhere out there and returned to us here -- is our fault?!" I made these comments in an exaggerated fashion, as to alarm & forewarn the onslaught of waiting customers in the queue for the next available window clerk. The fellow calmly said "Yes." He claimed the label wasn't in the correct spot and that must be our fault. The post office would not possibly reimburse us for this damage to the label.

?????

Folks, it's a flat box with a heavy book inside it. We've mailed dozens just like it without incident, but apparently, according to this high flyer, this situation was our fault.

It turns out he was correct, but not as you might think. It was our fault because we used the Postal Service out of being a slave to what we knew then.

We have since learned we've got a super-sweet deal with UPS Ground that runs rings around the rates the USPS can offer for their often-competitive Priority AND Parcel Post services. And the shipping times are comparable in most cases. And Insurance is included up to the first $100 on EVERY shipment. And complete tracking is available online, not just Delivery Confirmation data. And UPS provides a professional email to your customer so that they can easily track their package as well with one click of the mouse.

In the age of electronic communications (texting, emails, ecards, etc.) and online billing and payment, the Post Office is an establishment that has been surpassed by technology. They are financially suffering because of it, and their remedy thus far has been to increase postage & shipping rates annually. Now there is talk of cutting back on delivery of mail one day per week to make ends meet.

With customer service like we experienced, it's not a wonder they are failing. They managed to drive us off to UPS with as many parcels as we can send at lower or even comparable rates.

While we'll still have to use them for our small First Class shipments, I suspect that will be short-term: only for as long as their rates for 13 ounces or less stay cheaper than UPS.

El Charro Mexican Restaurant Review

2008-11-18T13:25:00.002-05:00

10/2009 - Drove by on Monday night and it looks like they're closed for good. This was a great place. We'll miss it!

11/2008
We recently discovered a wonderful family-owned Mexican restaurant in our area. "El Charro" is located on Route 130 in Edgewater Park, NJ. Here's a quick review.

El Charro is located on the southbound side of Route 130 in a small commercial strip called Park Plaza. You cannot see the restaurant easily from the highway, so look for the Park Plaza sign on the roadway. The strip is in the driveway just after the Contractor's Rebar Store and just across the highway from the Goodwill Store.

The interior is modest, with some Mexican-themed decor to add visual interest. The menu is vast, with many Tex-Mex dishes you've already heard of, as well as a number of house specials. There are menu selections for children and a nice authentic beverage selection too. This is a BYOB, so if you'd like libations with your meal, bring it!

We were acknowledged as soon as we walked in, and before we knew it we were at a table pouring over the many choices. Even though the place was busy, our orders were taken promptly and our meals were served quickly. Everything was correct and served at the right temperature. The platting was nice too.

The flavors of the foods were fresh and interesting. The amount of the sauces was just right: not too much and not too little.

From the tortilla chips & homemade salsa until the last bite of flan, we had a wonderful meal. This restaurant is now in our rotation of favorites!

Our overall experience rating:
4 1/2 out of 5 serapes

El Charro Mexican Restaurant
4313 Route 130 South
Park Plaza Center, Unit A7B
Edgewater Park, New Jersey
609-880-1800

Hours:
Closed Tuesdays
Monday, Wednesday-Saturday: 11a - 10p
Sunday: 11:30a - 9p

BYOB
Kid-Friendly
Non-Smoking
Credit Cards Accepted
Casual Dining

Virginia Diner - Online Order Review

2008-11-18T12:55:00.005-05:00

Several years ago, we experienced the joy that is peanut brittle from the Virginia Diner. So, when we recently received a mail-order catalog from the Virginia Diner, it was a no-brainer: we were placing an order. This post is about that experience.

A few weeks back, I placed an order via the VaDiner.com website. I had my item numbers ready and had no difficulty using or navigating the website. When the order was complete, I printed the order page for my records. I had not, however, received a confirmation email.

Two days passed and I did not receive any e-mails about the status of my order, not even a generic acknowledgment. So, to make sure the folks at the VaDiner were in receipt of the online order, I telephoned to check the status. The phone was answered promptly but there was much ado that followed. I was placed on hold about 4 times while they attempted to locate my order. Eventually, my order was located, and I was informed that they would begin processing it. It should be noted that the customer service rep on the phone was helpful, but not terribly friendly.

To their credit, VaDiner processed the order immediately, and it arrived the next day even though I didn't request expedited shipping. The order was complete and accurate.

One of the things I ordered was a pound of milk chocolate covered peanuts. As per my order, this item was not in a gift tin, but rather, in an airtight cellophane bag that was clear. This item is referred to by VaDiner as a Refill, presumably so that you could refill a previously-purchased tin with their food items.

Although the expiration date on the package was 2 months away, but the contents were unappetizing upon casual visual inspection. Instead of luscious brown chocolate, the contents were at that stage when chocolate which has been sitting too long develops that white, dusty appearance. The chocolate was, of course, dry on the palate. It was a joyless experience.

The other items I ordered were in gift tins which appear to be air-tight. I have opened one of those, and the appearance and freshness were immediately apparent.

I have not contacted VaDiner about the chocolate covered peanuts because the bag was clear, and since the order was delivered the day after it was actually processed, it can only mean they knew how sorry the peanuts looked and sent them anyway. If the chocolates were inside a tin where inspecting eyes couldn't have seen their condition, I would have brought the matter to their attention. This was not the case.

It wasn't until I bought a small box of Zachary's chocolate-covered peanuts yesterday at the local discount department store that I realized how miserable those from VaDiner were. For a mere dollar, I got a box of milk-chocolate covered peanuts that were moist and fresh, with the peanuts enrobed is a beautiful chocolately-brown coating. Ah!

For $9.00 a pound PLUS shipping, do yourself a favor and forego the chocolate-covered peanuts from VaDiner. And double-check on your online order to make sure they've got it!

Our overall experience with VaDiner:
2 out of 5 peanuts

Stangl Pottery Dinnerware - A Quick Take

2008-11-03T12:13:00.006-05:00

Hi, there! We have been retailing Stangl Pottery dinnerware for several years and thought it might be helpful to provide some quick facts about it.

1. The Stangl Pottery closed in 1978. Every piece that is available for purchase today (on the web, at a yard sale, in an antiques store, wherever!) came to exist sometime between about 1940 and 1978. The odds are incredibly high that any Stangl dinnerware you buy will be pre-owned (used). If the average person is offering a large amount of Stangl and claims it's all brand new, they are most likely wrong, deceptive, or possibly both.

2. Not all Stangl Pottery dinnerware has a manufacturer's mark, although most pieces do.

3. Marked pieces can often be dated to an era or possibly, to a specific year.

4. Each piece of Stangl Pottery dinnerware was crafted by at least one decorator. When considering building a set within a pattern, do keep this in mind. Since it was real people who made these items (not machines), there will be slight variations in shape, size, and decoration from piece to piece.

5. The designs on the dinnerware that appear to be hand-painted ARE hand-painted. Stangl did not use transfers that wear off with use and washing. The design colors of a pre-owned Stangl plate from 1940 usually look as brilliant as those on a plate made in 1975.

6. Many pieces were marked as Second Quality (also called Seconds) before they left the Stangl plant. This designation was made on items whose details were considered less-than-perfect but still of an acceptable grade of quality. They are just as valuable and usable as the First Quality pieces.

7. All Stangl Pottery items were made in New Jersey in the United States.

8. Some patterns were produced for many years, while others for short periods of time, possibly even as short as just a few months. This is why some patterns are more readily available than others.

9. Most pieces are dishwasher safe.

10. There are no reports of lead-based paints or glazes ever having been used by Stangl.

Our Bonanzle Booth

2008-11-01T14:09:00.007-04:00

Sadly, we fell out of love with our old paramour eBay. At first, we were quite fond of each other, in a relationship that gave each of us a good feeling whenever we spent time together. But alas, we grew apart. Our interests changed. Ours was to grow our online collectibles business, and eBay's was to lead us down a dimly-lit alley, beat us over the head with a blunt object, pick our pockets, and leave us to rot. Luckily, we figured this out before the boom was lowered. And that was when we went trolling for a new venue from which to offer wares.

In late summer, we launched our own internet shop, where you can find a selection of flat-shaped goodies like sheet music, stereoview cards, photographs, railroad patches, print ads, postcards and view-master reels with flat rate shipping of just $2.99 for the whole order.

In September, the big news came when we selected the Bonanzle website to host our collectibles booth. Bonanzle is a quite the up-and-comer, and will certainly give eBay a run for it's money once the word spreads like wildfire over the blogs & websites. All Bonanzle users get a free booth from which to sell their items. Items are incredibly simple to setup for sale, and the process takes about 5 minutes or so per item. Each item gets four free photos included. There are no listing fees, and final value fees are a fraction of what eBay charges.

And...Bonanzle has a superb interactive chat feature so that buyers can ask questions in real time. And sellers have the power to negotiate on-the-spot by chatting with their buyers. It's a win/win situation!

Bonanzle has a tagline: Everything but the ordinary. And it's true--the cool, unusual items you used to find on eBay will surely be the foundation of this upstart. While it's contents are not as freakish or sinister as the attractions described in Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Karn Evil," so many lines from that classic rock hit ring true:

"Step inside! Hello! We've the most amazing show!
You'll enjoy it all--we know!
Step inside! Step Inside"

"Come inside, the show's about to start
Guaranteed to blow your head apart
Rest assured, you'll get your money's worth
Greatest show in heaven, hell or earth.
You've got to see the snow--it's a dynamo."

So when you get a chance, come to Bonanzle. It's "spectacular, spectacular!" And be sure to visit us on our site or our Bonanzle booth.