I was thinking about this when I was at the mall today and went into Spencer’s. For those of you who may not know, Spencer’s is the novelty shop that sells stuff like T-shirts with naughty slogans, beer pong kits, posters of Bob Marley, edible panties, etc. - you get the idea.
Anyway, pretty much anytime I set foot in the mall I go to Spencer’s just to see what they have. That’s been the case for the past 20 years or so - basically ever since I was old enough for my parents to let me wander alone in the mall.
But the number of items I’ve actually bought at Spencer’s, you can count on one hand. In fact other than a hat I got last year, I’m not sure I’ve ever bought anything there.
So, what are some retail establishments you frequent, but rarely if ever buy anything from?
Bed, Bath and Beyond. Most of the time, I can find what I want elsewhere and for a better price.
Home decor type stores that have a sense of humor such as Patina or The Afternoon. I do buy from the occasionally, but they are the kind of place where I can just dream of what I want to do with the house. Home Depot kind of qualifies for this but I do buy lots of stuff from them regularly, just not the tile, carpet, windows and cabinetry that I want but can’t justify spending the dosh on.
Pet stores. The ones I go now in don’t have the puppy-mill dogs like they did back in the good old days available for an impulse purchase but they are still fun. I don’t have any pets now but I feel the urge so browsing quenches my thirst at least temporarily. I spend a large amount of time picking out just the right ferret, parrot, rat, or turtle for me and even look at the accessories only to walk right back out again. I have done this since I was a small child. I have had many pets over the years but hardly even gotten one except for gerbils or fish from an actual pet store.
Sears. I used to buy stuff from Sears all the time. For the past ten years or I’ve bought from them one television. I still browse, and then march right along to somewhere else to actually spend my money.
The only thing of quality that Sears still sells at a reasonable price is tools, and I’ve got all I need.
Same here. My wife and I are big foodies and we often go browsing in Williams-Sonoma. But a lot of the stuff in there is way overpriced, though occasionally we’ll buy something from the discount bins (like quickbread mixes which were originally $10.95, but now $2.50).
Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. They pretty much just aren’t my style anymore. Plus I, well my parents, spent too much sending me to art college for me to buy what I can make.
Bath & Body Works and candle type places, as well. It’s all overwhelmingly sweet and artificial smelling. I buy unscented whenever possible so I don’t have multiple products combining to make me smell like a French whorehouse (as grandpa used to say).
Doesn’t keep me from going in and looking around, though.
Quizno’s. Every so often the idea of a toasted sub sounds so delicious so I pop in thinking I’ll get one, only to (re)-(re)-discover the fact that none of their varieties are particularly appetizing to me.
Game Stop. I play video games semi-regularly and occasionally stop in to see if they have any good deals on used games. They very rarely do and when they do, the deals are on games I don’t care about. Add the dodgy history I have with them (buying “new” games that have been opened, scratched up and resealed unconvincingly and a few occasions of very bad service) and it’s a mystery why I even go in.
The Sony Store. The have one at the snooty mall down the street. Sometimes, while walking back to the parking structure we swing through that store. I always leave empty handed thinking WTF?
Thank goodness for Amazon, and for the previous residents of my house! Now that I live in a town with no dedicated kitchen store*, I get my “ooh, shiny!” fix by perusing the Williams-Sonoma catalogs that come in the mail, and browsing on Amazon. (Actually, I put everything possible on my Amazon wish list: that way, my husband can be “sneaky” and pull it up on my laptop when I’m not looking and “surprise” me with stuff I want instead of random hit-or-miss gifts. He hasn’t caught on to my ruse yet.)
I also adore hardware stores, thrift stores, and antique shops, but seldom buy much. Got too much crap already!
*How does a town support four bridal shops, six tattoo parlors, and three musical instrument stores, but zero kitchen shops? Ah, the joys of a college town!
