Where shopping is a pleasurable memory

Queen Goob said the magic word in her blog today and made me feel warm all over.


I loved Publix, I still love Publix, I yearn for Publix. For those of you that don't know, Publix is a supermarket chain located mainly in Florida but also throughout many Southeastern U.S. states. Just reading the word this morning brought forth a flood of thoughts and memories of my youth.

I remember going to Publix with my mom and brother, going up and down each aisle in the weekly ritual called family grocery shopping. It was always a battle between me and my brother who got to drive the cart. We started by getting the cart and going to the front customer service desk to buy mom's cigarettes (thank goodness she quit many years ago) and get her check pre-approved for her purchase. Later in life and before debit cards, buying lottery tickets replaced the cigarettes but you still needed the check pre-approved. It was such a big deal getting to push the cart to us. Mom softened the blow by letting the losing boy sit in the front seat of the station wagon on the way home.

I remember the front of every store had a big professional scale next to the 25-cent bubblegum machines for people to weigh themselves. You could see through the dial and watch the levers and springs move as you stood on it. It was cool when both my brother and I got on at the same time to see how high we could get the scale to go. They used to break down some of their shipping boxes too and leave them up front for people to take for free. Looking back, this now strikes me as one of the first efforts of recycling.

I remember getting to the checkout line and the miles and miles of S&H Green Stamps we would get for a cart full of groceries. Maybe the highlight of the trip, we would get home and help mom put the groceries away just so we could start working on the Green Stamps. They came in different denominations and you pasted them into books until each page of the book had the sufficient number of points. Get enough completed books together and you could redeem them at the Green Stamp store for merchandise. Where I grew up the Green Stamp store was right next door to Publix so you could always look in and see the coolest new stuff they had or pick up a catalog so you knew how many books to collect to get what you wanted. I don't think mom ever used them on toys for us boys, but it was fun going with her to help select the new digital alarm clock, lamp for the nightstand, or other household need. For a middle class family, those Green Stamps really helped out.

I remember Publix had THE BEST southern fried chicken at the deli. It kicked the crap out of the Colonel and his special mix of herbs and spices. This chicken was made by genuine genteel southern women in white smocks and hairnets cooking the way their mothers taught them. I can't tell you how much Publix fried chicken I've consumed in my lifetime, but it may be enough to fill a good sized chicken coop.

Publix has had the slogan, "Publix, where shopping is a pleasure" forever. What they don't know is that the pleasure lasts long after you leave the store. Queen Goob thank you so much for stirring up so many good memories with just one word.