Express_2012_08_31

Shopping experience That four-letter word that begins with F is hanging over us but there are more weighty matters to consider right now.

earned disposable income south of the border this summer. The siren call of the bargains awaiting in the United States grew even louder after June 1. That was when new and higher duty-free exemptions went into effect. The duty-free limit has increased to $200 from $50 on stays longer than 24 hours and to $800 from $400 for stays long-

For example, we must be concerned with the weather, shopping and the sudden rise in Montréal Expos merchandise. If you are like many consumers, you have probably spent a chunk of your hard-

You might order a tuna sandwich that was advertised on the menu, only to be in- formed, 30 minutes later, that there was no tuna available, in a store, which had its own grocery section. You would occasionally encounter employees who had apparently not been informed that their job included assisting customers, and facilitating the sale of items. And there were the times you waited in line at the cash, only to be told, in an accu- satory tone, that the product you wished to purchase “did not scan!” You felt shame as the world glared at you. You kicked yourself for having selected the only item out of a gazillion that did not scan. And, of course, after you had finally paid for your pur- chases, as you tried to leave the store, the very sensitive, anti-shoplifting alarm sys- tem went berserk. Many cite Zellers as one of the prime reasons they have converted to online shopping. Alas, let us not be too harsh on the people who worked at the place where allegedly the lowest price was the law. They were doing their best. Speak- ing of disappearing icons, have you seen how Montréal Expos paraphernalia has be- come hot? Although it has been years since the baseball team folded, the original logo, which some thought was goofy, is now a must-have. The stylized M is now consid- ered to be fashionable. You may be fortunate enough to find some Expos stuff at garage sales. And there are still many garage sales left to check out, because there is still a lot of summer to be enjoyed. There is plenty of time to indulge in summertime pursuits. Just try to ignore the fact that the leaves are changing.

er than 48 hours. Despite the price of gas and the delays at the border, the USA, and its low prices and vast variety, remain very attractive. Yes, we have health care and a great flag, but almost every product is cheaper there than here – prices in Canada are about 14 per cent higher than they are in the States. Plus, the loonie is almost at par with the U.S. dollar. If you are a retailer here you may be wondering what our strong, stable, national, majority federal government was hoping to achieve by driving billions of consumer dol- lars to the other side of the 49 th parallel. Economics is a complex field but no doubt there is some “International Retail Strate- gies For Dummies” book available that can explain the logic behind this policy of the fiscally-savvy Conservatives. You can prob- ably pick up a copy real cheap, in Massena. While we are talking cheap, or good value, Walmart is finally coming to Hawkesbury. Remember that way back in 1995, Zellers successfully warded off a bid by Walmart to set up shop in town. The argument back then was thatWalmart was a “predatory” corporate beast that con- sumed competition and annihilated down- town cores. Fast forward to 2012, when Hawkesbury’s commercial expansion is tak- ing place on County Road 17 and Walmart arrives without a whimper of protest from those who at one time warned us of the evils of the American retail behemoth. For shoppers, the development has elic- ited a shrug. There was a brief moment of excitement when we learned that Target, or “Tarjay” as disciples call it, had bought the Zellers location. But Target quickly disposed of the Zellers store, passing it off to Walmart which is taking over 39 former Zellers loca- tions across Canada. The departure of Zellers has stirred mixed emotions, and people can have emotions about department stores. Ah, yes, there are so many memories. There was the restaurant, which proved to be a multifunctional space, occasionally be- ing used for line dancing lessons. The service was always hit and miss.

Avis de convocation Valoris pour enfants et adultes de Prescott-Russell, la Fondation des Services aux enfants et adultes de Prescott-Russell, l’Institut Valor et Solution-s vous invitent à leur assemblée générale annuelle le lundi 17 septembre 2012 à compter de 19 h au Centre communautaire de Chute-à-Blondeau, situé au 2005, rue Principale à Chute-à-Blondeau (Ontario). À l’ordre du jour : -Rapports financiers au 31 mars 2012; -Nomination des vérificateurs pour l’exercice financier 2012-2013; -Élection des administrateurs au conseil d’administration. À cette soirée, des membres du personnel de Valoris auront le plaisir de présenter le volet C’est ta communauté (CTC), initiative communautaire globale qui vise le mieux-être des jeunes de la collectivité. Bienvenue à tous ! ____________________________________________________________________________ Notice of Meeting Valoris for Children and Adults of Prescott-Russell, the Valoris Foundation of Prescott- Russell, Valor Institute and Solutions-s invite you to their Annual General Meeting on Monday, September 17, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at the Chute-à-Blondeau Community Centre, located at 2005 Principale Street, Chute-à-Blondeau, Ontario. On the agenda: -Financial reports as of March 31, 2012; -Appointment of auditors for the 2012-2013 fiscal year; -Election of directors to the Board of Directors. In addition, members of Valoris staff will present Communities That Care (CTC), a global community initiative focused on the well-being of youth in the community. Everyone is welcome!

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