IN ORDER TO MAKE A MORE PERFECT PASTA...
Der B and I went down to the farmer's market, found some nice spring onions, radishes (oooh, purple and pink and white!), fresh new potatoes and snow peas, and then headed over to Nurture. Nope, they didn't have any semolina flour. But before they realized where they recognized me from, they suggested I try the SuperFresh grocery store. Then they realized where I work, blushes abounded, and der B smoothed everything over by purchasing some country pate.
Up to SuperGiant. Nope, we don't carry semolina. Strange. On up to Superfresh (there was a notary public across the highway we needed to see, so it was worth the trip). They indeed had the semolina. They also had Lawry's Lemon Pepper, which der B loves and we don't carry. Coming back home, I decided we could drop by the other two supermarkets. Safeway had the semonlina... at a higher price than SuperFresh. Food Lion did not have any semolina... but carried the Lemon Pepper... for less than we paid at SuperFresh.
Of the four stores, SuperGiant was doing a good business. So was SuperFresh. So was Food Lion. Safeway... boy, were they lacking in customers. They had four registers open, and not enough customers to justify that. Pity, in a way. They've been open less than three years, and will be lucky to last past New Years.
This has nothing to do with the recession. This has to do with customers rejecting the store.