# How far do you have to go to buy a gallon of milk? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 26, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347 "2008-08-26T20:09:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/1 "2008-08-26T20:09:34Z")
This question occurred to me this weekend as we were leaving a family party up in northern WI. My aunt and uncle live in a fairly remote area; the closest “town” has little more than a post office and no visible commerce. It’s about 16 miles to the nearest town that has stores. If I’d thought of this when we were still there, I’d have asked if there are any gas stations or such closer. I dunno, it just seems to me that this is a decent measure of how far out in the boonies you are. So what’s your minimum milk-acquisition distance? For me it’s about 5 miles in any of three directions: a tiny Mennonite-owned country store, a gas station, or the grocery store in town. (Edited title: not everyone has to drive!) ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/2 "2008-08-26T20:33:28Z")
According to the GPS on my phone, 452 feet. There’s a Hispanic grocery store across the street from our house. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/3 "2008-08-26T20:33:50Z")
4 miles to the hippy dippy health food store in a small mountain town. Or about 12 miles to town in one direction 15 in the other. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/4 "2008-08-26T20:34:15Z")
331 feet along the street, probably a total of 370 or so if you count from my door to their door. ETA - I would never actually shop there, they’ve had a B grade since we moved there. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/5 "2008-08-26T20:34:31Z")
For me, it’s a 5 minute walk to the 7-Eleven. But I question the freshness. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/6 "2008-08-26T20:38:31Z")
To the small supermarket on the ground floor of my building. One of my neighbours doesn’t even have to walk down there. She has a basket on a rope, and makes the store clerks put her cigarettes &c in it, then pulls it up to her balcony. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/7 "2008-08-26T20:38:47Z")
From here at work, the Walgreens is a 30 floor elevator ride down and right next door. From home, several options just under 1 mile in different directions. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/8 "2008-08-26T20:40:39Z")
Well, there’s a drive-thru dairy outlet a block away, and a liquor store that’s several hundred feet closer. So…not very far. ---
**Author:** ![Jammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@Jammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jammer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/9 "2008-08-26T20:41:11Z")
4224 feet to the nearest convenience store with milk. Supermarket opening at the same intersection this autumn will solidify our local milk acquisition capability. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/10 "2008-08-26T20:44:44Z")
About 6 miles to the closest gas station/general store. 10 miles to the closest grocery store. From home, that is. From work it’s a mile tot he gas station. StG ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/11 "2008-08-26T20:45:13Z")
A block either north (to the teeny convenience store) or south (either to Walgreens, or to the health-food store for organic milk). ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/12 "2008-08-26T20:46:03Z")
Half a block to the corner grocery, but it’s usually closed when it’s convenient for me to get there. If all I need is milk, I drive the half-mile to 7-Eleven, and if I need more, I drive the mile to Acme. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/13 "2008-08-26T21:02:58Z")
Probably a less than two minute walk to the corner shop at the end of our street. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/14 "2008-08-26T21:03:36Z")
Across the street to the local grocery chain (Not Safeway or QFC, thanks 😃 ). I should drag out the GPS and try figuring how far I’m walking next time I go. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/15 "2008-08-26T21:09:36Z")
Man, I am jealous of you people who can just walk to the store. Where I grew up, the grocery store was 5 blocks away. I like where we live now, but I hate it when I have to drive 10 miles round trip to pick up some stupid ingredient that I forgot. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/16 "2008-08-26T21:12:06Z")
8 miles. It seems like a long trip, but when we lived in Seattle I thought nothing of driving 20+ miles to the Art’s up in Greenwood. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/17 "2008-08-26T21:18:32Z")
5 miles to convenience store. 7 to a regular grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/18 "2008-08-26T21:22:30Z")
According to Mapquest, it’s .55 miles to the co-op. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/19 "2008-08-26T21:24:51Z")
A block and a half to a mom-and-pop grocery store, which is pricier than the chain drugstore about two blocks away. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347/20 "2008-08-26T21:48:28Z")
Two and a half blocks to the Walgreens near my office. (I’m assuming they sell gallons there. I do know that they have quarts.) From home, it’s either two miles to a 7-11 for overpriced milk, or three miles to the Safeway. A mega-Chevron just opened half a mile down the freeway, so they probably have milk, and would be “only” a mile and a half away from home. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-have-to-go-to-buy-a-gallon-of-milk/461347.md?page=2)