Classification Essay

  It is a well known fact that every person in this great big world has to eat, has to feed their pets, needs to have soap and shampoo, paper towels and toilet paper. Jesus, don't forget the toilet paper! We all need the basic necessities that will fill our bellies and overall make the household run smoothly. Due to this fact, every one has to  eventually do the dreaded grocery shopping. Where we choose to do our shopping is the question? In my small circle which I travel often, I have a choice of three stores. The small "Mom & Pop" store a half mile down the road from home. The grocery store which is further away but has the freshest vegetables, or the almighty Walmart, that carries just about anything a person could need.
   I call them "Mom & Pop", others call them "Convenience Stores", and in some parts of the the country they're called a "Bodega". The small corner stores that offer the basics at a somewhat higher price than the larger stores. These stores are usually family owned and run, with a friendly person behind the counter who knows your name and usually your family, and is genuinely interested in how your day is going. I visit my convenience store often, maybe because I am low on milk, or I need the paper. My husband goes usually twice a day, it is part of his morning routine to stop and get his coffee. Chat with Trish about whatever topic may arise, or maybe get some gossip about the neighborhood. Every community needs this type of store, it is a gathering place for the locals to say hello and feel that they have a connection with their neighbors.
  Then there's the grocery store, the larger, lower priced stores that offer the freshest vegetables,( unless it happens to be summer and the veggie stand is open.) This store offers a better selection of products  and lets me feel that I have a choice in my purchase. I use this store for my coupons that I cut out of the Sunday paper to give me the false notion that my husband hasn't worked all week just to feed us. My grocery store is part of a small chain, they are in three of the surrounding towns and have been established for years.  The service isn't as personal and smiley as the "Mom & Pops" but the good selection and lower prices make up for it when I need to fill the cupboards.
  This leaves us with the big box stores, the almighty Walmart. The store that has everything, and has made its mark in my community because of the convenience of one stop shopping. Here I find, unless I know the person, the only reason the cashier is smiling at me (which doesn't happen often) is because they know that their supervisor is watching them. I use Walmart for shopping for such things as shampoo, soap, dog food, and paper products. I will never buy vegetables or meat there, but I have on occasion purchased a few non perishable items because of the convenience. I tend to avoid shopping here during peak hours due to the long lines and pissy attitudes of their patrons.
  Every person has their own preference on where they do their grocery shopping. Each type of store serves it own purpose in any community, catering to the specific needs of the people. I frequent all three types of these stores as often as needed, taking into consideration the urgency of my list and how much toilet paper we have left on the shelf.