Do You Ever Get Kind Of Sad & Nostalgic When A Long-Time Small Locally-Owned Business Closes Up?

I do and more so as I age. The last one is a pet store in Oklahoma City where I bought Kiwi as a mate for my male bird. I was buying bulk seeds for my canaries, some accessories, and the large flight cage for the canaries. I would go in the back room and talk to the African Gray parrot that belonged to the pet store owner. I would always go and watch the parakeets, doves, and finches too. The owner would give me advice if I mentioned a problem, very helpful.

And my favorite local health food store closed up last fall. I had been a customer since the 70’s, it was opened up in 1968 by Mrs. Dodson and her husband. She passed away a few years ago and Mr. Dodson and his grandchildren helped run the store. They had the best customer service of any health food store. When I would come into the store and start browsing around one of the staff, especially Mr. Dodson, would walk up and asked if I needed help finding something. Sometimes he would make suggestions on brands or say that a health professional had put patients on certain items like chlorophyll supplements when I told him I needed iron because I was anemic. He got in bad health and sold everything. Saw him in a local grocery store a week ago.

And this one I know sounds strange. There was a tire shop that repaired flats and would put tires on wheels for customers etc. They also sold new tires but would work with ones you bought elsewhere. Didn’t charge an arm & a leg either, reasonable prices and they were quick. When I was working at the used car lot they got a lot of our business and also fixed my tires when I needed them too. The owner died about a year and a half ango and the new owners hiked up the prices a great deal.