Andre's Musings

Every once in a while instead of bringing my evening meal in or heading home to enjoy it with Sally and Noah, I take a run out to a local grocery store to see what my stomach will point to.  It can be a fun adventure.

Up until today, one of my favorite places was the Giant Eagle at W116th and Clifton.  The first time I walked in, a woft of White's Market, a local grocery store in the college town of Lyndonville, Vermont, immediately came to mind.  By association, the Giant Eagle in Lakewood was a pleasant place to shop for dinner.

Last week, I took my grocery store run and found many of the shelves completely empty.  While in line, the clerk told me that the store was closing.  Today was their final day open.  The chain moved their inventory to a new store a mile or two away on W117th.

I felt sad.  I wondered whether this community would ever see another grocery store?

I saw this happen to a few other grocery stores in Cleveland and one very popular bakery near the studios of FOX 8.  They were never replaced.

It's my prayer that those who live nearby will find a way to coax a new group to bring the grocery store back... or better yet, a group of individuals who call that area, "home," to pool their resources and serve their community by re-opening something special in the same spot.

Progress.  I think it is important.

While progress is good, isn't it funny how it can carve out a new hole in your heart?