How do people in urban areas get groceries home?

I have a gorgeous little organic store just at the end of my block. I timed how long it took to pick up a produce box once - 8 minutes. I shop there once or twice a week, and get all my dairy and eggs and bread from there. For heavier stuff like cat litter, canned cat food, and cupboard staples and condiments, there’s a bigger store 4 blocks away. I use a roll-cart that’s different from what most people use, I don’t think they make any like mine any more and I will cry when the day comes that it conks out on me. Once every two weeks I use the cart to pick up two bags of litter and whatever else fits in there, then drag it up 4 flights of stairs.

Because it’s a little bit of a pain to drag the cart up the stairs, I only use it when picking up litter. Other than that, I really never need more than what fits into a Whole Foods shoulder bag that I keep folded up in my regular, every day bag so I’m always prepared to stop off at the store on the way home. I probably shop 3 times a week at the most unless I’m having people over or something.

Thankfully I haven’t ridden the city bus in a long time. I do remember seeing people on the bus with bags of groceries. There was a bus stop directly in front of the shopping center with a Kroger. You’d be surprised at how much they could lug onto the bus.

There are two different small grocers on the 5 minute walk home from our subway station. Thus I pick up groceries for dinner on the way home from work.