I'm all for...

supporting local stores that have to compete with national chain stores, but sometimes its just too convenient not to. The other night on my way home from work I stopped by the small market on Fremont Ave. to pick up handfull of items to stock my fridge for few days. I filled up my basket, maybe about halfway up, and walked to the counter to see my total come up to $50. It wasn't like I was buying big name brand products either. It pretty much made my mind up for me that anytime I need more than one or two items, I'm going to go to the Safeway in Ballard. I understand that they can't possibly lower their prices to compete with the large chains cause they will go out of business quick, but for a guy my age who doesn't have a lot of extra money laying around it just makes more sense go as cheap as possible, even if that means going to the Wal-Mart's and Safeway's of the world. The best thing that the little market has going for it is its location. Its hard not to swing by when I'm on my way home sometimes cause it is so conveniently close to my apartment, but for about double what I would pay at a large chain, I will probably keep those trips to a minimum.