Prompted by this recent thread about washaterias, I started thinking about the odd terms I’ve heard since moving to New England. Mind you, I’m not talking about things like soda vs pop, or y’all vs yinz…this is about other things. Can I define that category more clearly? No, I can’t, I’m doing it by exclusion (see above).
When we moved to Massachusetts, we lived in the Boston suburb of Watertown, a block from a spa. Did we go there to get reiki? No, we went there to buy soda or snacks, because in New England a spa can mean a local, family-owned convenience store. This spa, by the way, is where I also learned in New England that some local shops shut down for all of August while the owners go on vacation.
Another localism that threw me was the first time someone said they were stopping off at the packie, which is short for package store, which is a term for liquor store. Package store seems to be more broadly-used per the linked article, but in Texas I really only remember liquor store.
So, whatcha got? Is there a local institution-type-thing around you with a regional name?