#my mall's website says there is a sale but we will see...

[scarlettcryptid]

going to the mall to buy some pants please god let there be decent high waisted black pants on sale

[strwbrryvagabond]

wanted to get on here and yap about American Girl for some reason today

I'm far from a brand loyalist, and honestly, I was shocked I didn't grow up with the off-brand dolls you could get at Walmart or Target since I grew up poor until recently when my mom informed me that I would save money up for months and months at a time so that I could buy the dolls, and my parents only even actually purchased one for my birthday once we started to do a bit better financially, and after they saw how much I loved and took care of the dolls

I bought accessories for them myself as well, both from the actual company and from other brands like Target and Walmart ones, and even paid my mom to order me a bunk bed for them off of Etsy or something because I was so distraught that they didn't all have their own beds.

Anyways, I know brands are bad and stuff, and American Girl is not without faults and controversies, but tbh those dolls really shaped me as a kid, like I intentionally bought Rebecca Rubin as my first doll when I was a kid after seeing her in a catalog that we got sent by mistake because she was Jewish and looked like me. I had never seen a doll or character, or pretty much anything at that age who was Jewish like me and looked like me, and she wanted to be an actress, and at the time, I also wanted to act

I took that doll very literally everywhere, half the pictures of me from that age, she's tucked under my arm in a different outfit, her hair as well taken care of as I could manage for being so little. I accidentally messed up one of her curls while trying to fix her hair, and I cried for like a solid half an hour until my mom helped me fix it. even after I got other dolls, all of which I still loved and took care of religiously, Rebecca was the one who came everywhere with me

I'd already been a big reader before that, which is a whole other post, but I devoured those books, and I totally blame them for my current love of learning history and historical fiction. and the different dolls were all depicted as activists and feminists, and do not get me wrong here (I say on the 'taking things out of context' website) they were far from perfect with their diversity and activism, like oh jeez they did some very questionable things sometimes, but for the early 2000s and 2010s? revolutionary

the store closest to me closed a little before my birthday last year. I didn't know that it was even happening, and honestly probably still wouldn't have known if I hadn't been shopping with my friends at that mall like two weeks before my birthday since that was the only day we could all make work. Despite not having touched my dolls in a while, everything was super on sale, and I had been planning on taking Rebecca to college with me, so I figured I might buy her an outfit or something.

while the store was pretty ransacked, I was shocked and, no joke, teary-eyed over how many things they had for different cultures, different religions, and how many little girls I saw in there with big starry eyes looking at a doll that looked like them

I ended up buying a Channukkah outfit, and one of the friends I was with convinced me to, against my nature, let them buy a Lunar New Year outfit for me as well, which almost made me cry again. What really did it was seeing one of the previous Girls of the Year, Corrine Tan. Oh my gosh if they had had her when I was a little girl, she would've gone right beside Rebecca with how obsessed I was with her. I don't think I've mentioned it here before, but as a kid, I LOVED Mulan, and when I went to Disney World and the dress up boutique they had, I was DEVASTATED that they didn't have a Mulan costume. I latched onto her so hard for a very similar reason that I latched onto Rebecca so hard; because even though she wasn't the same ethnicity as me, Mulan was Asian, and so am I. I wore out I think three burned copies of that movie I watched it so often

I'm just weirdly sadder than I expected that American Girl is closing so many stores and not making as many sales I guess. I'm really fighting being a brand loyalist right now, because there are about a million other brands that make super similar dolls that I'm sure little kids all over loved, it's just always stuck with me that they at least seem to care about representation in the stories they make for these dolls

I mean, it clearly impacted me growing up, and I think it was for the better. I remember reading Addy's book being one of the first times I was exposed to the idea of children being slaves because they obviously didn't talk about that in an elementary school in the 2010s. I really just wanted to get all of my thoughts out, I've been thinking about it a lot recently since I took Rebecca to college, and I've now been hearing stories from girls who see her in my room about what doll or what toy shaped them as a child. Very excited to dress her up for Channukkah when it comes around, and tbh I've been looking for more outfits for her online. I just want her to be something I take with me throughout my life I guess. I mean, I took her everywhere when I was little, so it kinda feels wrong not to take her with me on this super big part of my life.

yeah anyways uh, if you had one of these dolls go... idk kiss em on the forehead or something. remind the toys that shaped you that you love them for what they did for you and all that. yap session over

[daimonclub]

Shopping coolest stores

Harrod's London Shopping coolest stores, best shopping stores in the world with also online websites, plus some useful quotes to better understand the human shopping philosophy. It is truly an amazing and special feeling when you see something beautiful in a shopping mall or online shopping site and you get it for yourself. I feel really proud and happy when I can buy some stuff for me. Shopping is no less than therapy. You might have heard people saying I have just had retail therapy. The kind of happiness, excitement, and satisfaction that comes with shopping is real and undeniable. Shopping enables you to try new brands and products and have many new experiences. Also, consumer demand increases the competition in the market, which contributes to the growth of economic activities. Governments are deemed to succeed or fail by how well they make money go round, regardless of whether it serves any useful purpose. They regard it as a sacred duty to encourage the country’s most revolting spectacle: the annual feeding frenzy in which shoppers queue all night, then stampede into the shops, elbow, trample and sometimes fight to be the first to carry off some designer junk which will go into landfill before the sales next year. The madder the orgy, the greater the triumph of economic management. George Monbiot Happiness is not in money but in shopping. Marilyn Monroe

Galeries Lafayette Paris For me, shopping is a way to unwind. Stacey Dooley Shopping is my cardio. Carrie Bradshaw I always say shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist. Tammy Faye Bakker I need these cashmere gloves because it’s winter… and I have hands. Rebecca Bloomwood I love shopping. There is a little bit of magic found in buying something new. It is instant gratification, a quick fix. Rebecca Bloom Christmas shopping! I can do all my Christmas shopping here! I know March is a bit early, but why not be organized? And then when Christmas arrives I won’t have to go near the horrible Christmas crowds. Sophie Kinsella

Destiny Usa New York Shopping is better than sex. If you’re not satisfied after shopping, you can make an exchange for something you really like. Adrienne Gusoff Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice. Dave Barry I shop, therefore I am. Heather Chandler Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase. Erma Bombeck Show your confidence. Show you’re not afraid. Go to restaurants. Go shopping. Rudy Giuliani Men are like shoes. Some fit better than others. And sometimes you go out shopping and there’s nothing you like. Janet Evanovich

Amazon store Buy what you don’t have yet or what you really want, which can be mixed with what you already own. Buy only because something excites you, not just for the simple act of shopping. Karl Lagerfeld I love shopping. There is a little bit of magic found in buying something new. It is instant gratification, a quick fix. Rebecca Bloom I think, they should list shopping as a cardiovascular activity. My heart never beats as fast as it does when I see a reduced by 50 percent’ sign. Sophie Kinsella The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one. Erma Bombeck Recreational shopping is the shortest distance between two points: you and broke. Victoria Moran Shopping is actually very similar to farming a field. You can’t keep buying the same thing, you have to have a bit of variety. Sophie Kinsella

Aliexpress store For some, shopping is an art; for others, it’s a sport. Pamela Klaffke The quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her. Marcelene Cox. Shopping is a bit of a relaxing hobby for me, which is sometimes troubling for the bank balance. Rebecca Hall I went window shopping today! I bought four windows. Tommy Cooper I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet. Carrie Bradshaw I did a lot of shopping for her in Tokyo because the colors here are very conservative. A shopaholic would have a coat in every color and lots of accessories. Sophie Kinsella

Milan fashion chamber Italy If a man doesn’t fit, you can’t exchange him seven days later for a gorgeous cashmere sweater. Rebecca Bloomwood The only consolation I had was buying things. If I bought some pretty thing it cheered me up for a while. Iris Murdoch Never give up on something you really want. However impossible things seem, there’s always a way. Sophie Kinsella One good thing about Christmas shopping is it toughens you for the January sales. Grace Kriley There are 17 more shopping days until Christmas. So, guys, that means 16 more days till we start shopping, right? Conan O’Brien Christmas is the time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Richard Lamm

Christmas markets in the world Style Strategy is about shopping smart, staying chic, and making it all last. It’s about showing women how to shop for value without compromising style. Nina Garcia From a commercial point of view, if Christmas did not exist it would be necessary to invent it. Katharine Whitehorn Xmas Trivia: Before it became a major shopping holiday, Christmas is believed to have had a ‘religious’ meaning. Andy Borowitz I’m a last-minute shopper. I end up at the mall or somewhere on Christmas Eve. It’s a shame. Brad Paisley If I have free time, I want to go to the beach, walk around a shopping mall, go grocery shopping. Live a little bit of life. James Wan I still believe in the Holy Trinity, except now it's Target, Trader Joe's, and IKEA.” Jen Lancaster

Best Chinese Watches They said I was a valued customer, now they send me hate mail.” Sophie Kinsella Shopping is really complicated if you are a girl. Helen Salter I've no idea when I'm going to wear it, the girl replied calmly. I only knew that I had to have it. Once I tried it on, well... She shrugged. The dress claimed me. Isabel Wolff Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping. Bo Derek Women usually love what they buy, yet hate two-thirds of what is in their closets. Mignon McLaughlin If men liked shopping, they'd call it research. Cynthia Nelms

Original T-shirts When I shop, the world gets better, and the world is better, but then it's not, and I need to do it again. Sophie Kinsella For in some ways the world was like a shopping centre, and he himself was a doubtful customer, often ineffectual, being talked into buying things he didn't want, things indeed which nobody in their right mind would want to buy. Margaret Mahy The saving of money is usually the delaying of the wasting of money. Mokokoma Mokhonoana Once a culture becomes entirely advertising friendly, it seizes to be a culture at all. Mark Crispin Miller Always be polite to possible murderers: that was the twenty-four-hour-shopping philosophy. Kate Griffin Hanging onto a bad buy will not redeem the purchase.” Terence Conran

Diagonal Mar Barcelona The wise find pleasure in using a product until it is no longer usable; the foolish, in replacing an old but still usable product with a brand new one.” Mokokoma Mokhonoana COVID-19 may be the final nail in the coffin of the traditional store model as the isolated people of the world switch to internet shopping. Steven Magee Shopping: one of my favorite pastimes. Adrienne Posey Therapy is a good grocery store. Adrienne Posey When deciding what to buy, remember that some things are easy to buy - but then we have to use them. If they're not used, they don't enhance our lives; they just contribute to guilt and clutter. Gretchen Rubin In this era of oversupply and super-abundance in fashion, one doesn’t need more. Well, definitely not more of things...whereas we all could use MORE of wisdom, education and ethics of consumption. Anastacia Plastinina

The Rockefeller Center New York The need for social interaction ... is very much a part of why women shop. All our interviewees commented at some point that social interaction was part of the shopping experience. Stella Minahan ...I get home and there's a box on my front porch. My serotonin surges and Jeff Bezos is a rich man because he knows how much we all just love to get a present, even if it's a present we bought for ourselves. Caroline Kepnes If shopping helps them to forgive you, I think you won't find an easier and cheaper way to be forgiven. Sarvesh Jain Happiness is not having what you love, it is loving what you have. Amit Kalantri Paying or having paid for something often makes it seem necessary; or better, more important, or more useful than it is. Mokokoma Mokhonoana I hate department stores. They're too bright, too loud, and too crammed full of junk that nobody needs. Whenever I'm forced to spend time in one I start thinking about how consumer culture is just one long, expensive, planet-killing distraction from the fact that we're all going to die eventually. Karen M. McManus

Black Friday Shopping Our caring about what others think about us is one of the pillars of the economy. Mokokoma Mokhonoana When unmoderated materialism is the world's norm, consumer is the product, product does the consuming.” Abhijit Naskar During the shopping process, Amazon’s AI offers suggestions of items that it predicts you will want to buy. The AI does a reasonable job. However, it is far from perfect. In our case, the AI accurately predicts what we want to buy about 5 percent of the time. We actually purchase about one of every twenty items it recommends. Considering the millions of items on offer, that’s not bad! Ajay Agrawal Happiness is all too often pursued through the use of a credit card. Mokokoma Mokhonoana For most people who board, the experience of shopping or acquiring is so overwhelmingly rewarding that it erases all thoughts of consequences. Randy O. Frost Consumerism is based on the illusion that you can fill spiritual or emotional emptiness with physical products. Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Cyber Monday Shopping Just because you purchased something costly doesn’t mean you have to use it every day to feel its worth. Sarvesh Jain There are two ways to shop, one is to try until you find exactly what you’re looking for. Or second, find something that feels good and hope that you’ll like it along the way. Sarvesh Jain You can also read: Facebook market Fashion quotes Black Friday Day Cyber Monday Thanksgiving Day Story Chinese watches Tennis bracelet history Parnis watches Tevise brand watch Lige brand watch Hot flash sales https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONe6AU_uaUc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcyP-zA3HjU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Q-l9WIGjU Read the full article

[raleighliving]

Raleigh Apartment Culture

So I'm of the mind that Raleigh is a great place to live. It has my favorite things, my favorite people, and I'm too broke to move anywhere else.

Raleigh works for me, but I recognize it doesn't work for everyone. Some people had less than ideal childhoods and wanna escape the state ASAP, some just want to live closer to their dream jobs or have new opportunities. That's all fine, but what if this describes where you are now?

What if, for the sake of argument, you're outside of NC and wanna move in? Moving is expensive, time-consuming, and risky at the best of times; so you wanna make sure that wherever you're landing is at least as good as where you started 90% of the time

"But RL," I hear you say, "you make Raleigh sound like an idyllic dreamscape populated with parks and a diverse kumbayah of peoples living in harmony"

I do talk about Raleigh in a positive light but, like a life saving medicine flavored like ass, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.

So before you spend thousands of dollars on moving vans, boxes, and grits; here's a crash course on what it's like living in a Raleigh apartment, coming from someone whose majority of Raleigh Living (heh) has been in apartments.

First off, location. Any realtor will tell you that location is 80% of the sale to sound profound, and as anyone who has lived in the middle of ass-backward nowhere can tell you: It sucks having to drive 30 minutes to go anywhere.

Good news: With the Raleigh Beltline and connecting roads, there are very few places in Raleigh where your trip will last longer than thirty minutes one-way. Bad News: where you set down still matters because cutting down on travel is important for car and mental health.

North Raleigh is different from south Raleigh is different from northwest Raleigh, and the locals aren't the only difference you'll find between locations. Each segment of Raleigh has something to offer, with easier access to some attractions than others and neighboring cities for when you need something outside the RDU area.

Using downtown as the center of our wheel, people generally divide Raleigh into North and South Raleigh (with distinction given for NW, SE, NE, etc when needed). N.Raleigh is considered generally more upscale, a slice of suburban living interspersed with plenty of shopping centers for families and the moderately wealthy; but it's boring as all hell.

Want some fun? Excitement in the evenings and a more traditional urban experience with bars, night clubs, strip clubs, and more? South Raleigh is your best bet, at the cost of being the "sketchy" side of Raleigh. That kind of place where you'll see a bunch of auto shops that look abandoned but haven't been closed in the past 5 years and there's at least one customer from time to time.

Of course, this is a lot of generalizing but you'll find that it's still mostly accurate. The main exception in this is Capital Blvd, a highway cutting across north and south Raleigh on the eastern half of the city; a high crime corridor that's undergoing some changes in the northern half that have (somewhat) reduced crime but most people will still associate that area with the majority of Raleigh's crime and debauchery.

More importantly, is the distinction Raleigh citizens put on inside the beltline versus outside the beltline. The I-440 and 540 highways that wrap around Downtown form the mythical beltline, and to a degree what you have access to. Inside the beltline is the majority of workplaces, stores, and shopping centers; while outside you'll still have these things just to a more... dispersed extent.

North Raleigh actually kinda exemplifies this perfectly. Living inside the beltline, you have access to places like North Hills, Crabtree Valley mall, and Triangle Town Center. Live outside the beltline, like I currently am, and you're looking at 10 to 15 minutes to the nearest sheetz for that late night double hot dog fix.

So for point one: How important is it that you're near things? The majority of apartments and rental properties are in or around the belt-line, but if you want to save some cash on rent checks the cheaper properties are gonna extend your trips a bit.

Next, what can you expect in terms of neighbors? Does Raleigh have a hip party scene full of teens renting cheap apartments and blasting trap music at 3AM?

Depends on where you live

I swear not every point is going to be this, but there's an important distinction this time that affects the type of people your complex will likely have surrounding you; are you in North or South Raleigh?

North Raleigh has a ton of pre-schools, k-12 public schools (Leesville, Hillburn, Lead Mine, just to name a few), and office complexes that make up the job market. As a result the majority of apartment renters in north Raleigh tend to be families with a few small kids or so.

As a result, living off of Glenwood North and Edwards Mill I never had any noise problems from neighbors, the worst being kids playing outside at 3PM sounding like they were being murdered (which apparently is a common thing and I apologize to any neighbors I frightened with ghastly shrieks).

What I did have a problem with, however, was the typical Karen's you hear people complain about online. Renting a property now, we have access to our neighborhood's NextDoor page and it's hilarious sometimes to go on and read the comments, but living at a certain property we had a sort of mini-Facebook for residents

That thing was always full of either people who were moving out looking to sell their furniture or people passive-aggressively challenging each other/the apartment managers with comments about things happening around the complex.

Once I logged in to see one man accuse another, without ever actually accusing someone specific ("I know who did it and they should be ashamed" type post) of putting glass beer bottles under the tires of his truck to try and puncture them. Everyone acts civil in public, but then online they'll stir the pot harder than a chef with a hand mixer.

South Raleigh, you have the schools like Shaw University, Meredith, and NCSU; so the people renting down there are typically college kids. You'll see more apartments that cater towards them like University Village or University Woods, but sometimes these places will cater to both college kids and working adults

Avoid these places like the plague, because despite sometimes having a lower cost to live there the neighbors and their shenanigans will drive you up the wall (unless you're the type to join in, then go wild).

I've had friends stay at places like University Village and The Proper (formerly The Vie, formerly Wolf Creek) who've shared horror stories. 3AM parties ending in property damage or vomit in inconvenient places, drug deals not even trying to be subtle, and maintenance workers doing nothing because regardless of the apartment conditions; no school's gonna pull their contract with them unless news articles start getting written.

http://www.technicianonline.com/news/article_898ddf34-82f5-11e7-b3d8-07059d248619.html

https://www.wral.com/vie-at-raleigh-residents-finally-able-to-move-into-clean-units/16887833/

http://www.technicianonline.com/news/article_ea8ed7aa-a092-11e8-a2af-e70af36566d0.html

Otherwise, south Raleigh apartments are largely like north Raleigh apartments; except the crime rate tends to be a little higher and you'll run into more singles and people working full time.

Otherwise, Raleigh apartment culture is like apartment culture anywhere else in the country. You have a mix of apartments catering to those just looking to live versus more ostentatious luxury apartments with fancy pools, exercise facilities, and tech packages to draw people in.

If you're renting in Raleigh, however, do try to get a roommate or two if you can manage. Even with a decent job paying 800+ on a one bedroom one bath apartment can be exhausting at best, but with even one other person that can functionally halve your expenses

So if you're a young professional, or a student, or even if you have a small family, I can safely recommend renting in Raleigh. There's plenty of places that'll accommodate you, and cater towards your needs.

But what about everyone else? Are there people who shouldn't rent in Raleigh?

No

But there are groups who I'd seriously ask to consider their other choices before picking Raleigh as a destination for their new home.

For instance, are you a member of the LGBT community? A trans or non-binary individual? Well then, first off, I want you to know that you're loved and valid. I'm accepting of who you are and appreciate everyone's right to identify how they choose, but I'm not everyone.

Raleigh's bluer than other parts of North Carolina, as I've stated in other blog write-ups, but it's still part of North Carolina unfortunately and as a result, you'll face some challenges.

I doubt anyone's gonna burn a cross in your yard or knock over your mailbox, but Raleigh doesn't offer LGBT protections for housing, jobs, or credit/lending discriminations according to the Movement Advancement Project's website.

We have support organizations for LGBT and NB individuals, plenty of high schools and colleges have Gay-Straight Alliance clubs, and there are numerous businesses downtown that cater specifically to those individuals... but we're also the state that got into a lot of hot water because of a stupid bathroom bill, and our politicians are trying to pass anti-trans sports legislation (because they now magically care about the integrity of womens sports).

By that measure, but to a lesser extent, if you fall outside the Liberal/Conservative political spectrum then be prepared to have no one to discuss your politics with outside of a few sparse networks like the DSA.

Additionally, if you don't have someone to room with or a significant other to split costs with; you may want to try searching somewhere a little cheaper.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Raleigh housing prices aren't terrible for a major metropolitan city, but we're not the best prices in the world.

You can get prices on apartments and rentals lower than say, California or New York. However, compared to other parts of NC like Greensboro or Garner; rentals are still a bit much.

On average, a Raleigh apartment can run you about $900 for a single bedroom and a single bathroom. You can find cheaper, but often times there's some risk associated (Crime levels, quality of the room, quality of the property manager, etc.) Looking for a two bedroom? Then your average price is gonna jump up to around $1,200, and this is all before utilities and cable come into play.

It's true a lot of companies around here will pay more than the $7.25 minimum wage, but most low-skilled jobs will pay around 10-11 an hour.

I guess though, that's kind of an obvious statement. "Don't live in Raleigh if you can't afford to live in Raleigh."

I might expand on these thoughts at a later time, but hopefully for now I've given you some food for thought; or at the very least an entertaining read for a few minutes.

I love my city, and I love the friends I've made in it, but the sad truth is that nowhere is perfect for everyone; leastways Raleigh. If Raleigh sounds like the kind of place you'd like to live in, at least take a day trip to come visit and see how things go that way. Visit some stores, meet some locals, and form an opinion off of more than travel blogs and youtube videos.

[tattletale2020]

My Pet Theory of Perceived Value Chapter 2 the Sequel:

As a corollary to the previous article Crowded House here’s ….Empty House:

So What creates Value:

Perception, Presentation, Maintenance

And What is Value to you:

Quality Product for a Good Price

But more often:

The Best Quality you can Afford

Because:

Best Quality or High End doesn’t come cheap.

Not only that but:

You usually get what you pay for.

Aaaand then:

There’s that whole refinement vs durability misconception.

I learned a cool thing from my most recent boss in the high-end furniture business:

Just ‘cause you paid a lot of money for something, doesn’t make it last longer.

And not only do you have to baby it, but it actually takes more work to take care of it.

Think Maserati vs GMC.

You wouldn’t take your Maserati off-roading and expect it to survive. The same goes for a Boss Suit, Prada Shoes, and Natuzzi Sofa. Ok, Maybe the new Hummer checks all the boxes.

Sooo, why do people buy these things?

Branding!!!!! Ok, not just Branding.

These are things that most of us cannot afford and therefore we aspire to own.

We tend to want what we can’t have.

The Unattainable becomes Sparkly, Seductive, and Redolent with God Light. AAAaaaaahhhhhh!

Which brings us to our current situation….

Empty House.

From Vaccines to Chevy Trucks, we know they’re out there, but they’re not available in ready supply. Even online shopping has slowed down to a chug. Especially from outside of Canada. Read the USA. Where most of our Pie in the Sky, Shiny Unicorn Wishlists come from.

We are in a situation where good things come to those who wait. And we are not used to waiting.

So, doesn’t that make us want it even more?

Increasing its Perceived Value. Unh Hunh.

Take the new GMC Hummer. So Cool. Especially the Crabwalk.

You gotta see this… https://www.instagram.com/p/CNkwJ35hfBW/

Order it now and it’ll take 2 years to get one. But it’s made especially for you and no one else will have the same one.

My Partner works at the local Chevy Dealership and right now there are almost no trucks to be had. Anywhere. So. If you get one, wouldn’t it make you feel like Top Dog.

Retailers can take a lesson from this.

And Yes! Waiting and Scarcity create Value. But hopefully not Insanity.

Cabbage Patch, Buzz Lightyear, Jingle All the Way.’ Oh My.

There’s a certain amount of Sales Savvy in making people wait:

Increased Desirability and Prestige. Don’t forget Prestige. Exclusivity is still a powerful thing. Prestige Cosmetics do this every week. Presell is a huge money maker.

The Art of the Launch

The Teaser.

The GWP! Gift with Purchase, if you’re not a Cosmetic Addict.

And Yes, Waiting and Scarcity create value. But not Ideally!

You really do want to have product to show people, even if you have to order their size.

In comes Online Shopping. You can see it here and we can order it for you online. Without those pesky Shipping Charges.

Symbiotic and Fabulous. Add a discount and you’re golden.

Will Brick & Mortar move more towards being a pick-up/showroom than a place to have a browse and take it home today?

I hope not, because I’m not the only one who enjoys a good Offline Shopping Experience.

True Story:

So, I was buying Shoes last Wednesday……

And you may ask: Why was I out doing that during a pandemic.

Well, from years of wearing heels and working on concrete floors, my knees are shot and I can’t wear any of my shoes anymore. Do you know how hard it is to find Size 11 right now in a sexy flat. Anywhere. Did you know that Amazon’s idea of a Size 11 is a 9.5? So many disappointments and gruelling returns. And I don’t leave the house unless I’m dressed. Well-dressed and Super-Cute. You can tell a lot about a person by their footwear.

Anyhoo, I also insist on shopping local so I had the most awesome community experience at Sole to Sole in Airdrie: Myself, the Store Associate, and one other delightful older customer. At a distance, briefly, fully sanitized, and masked we talked shoes and celebrated each other’s purchases. I left smiling and happy. You could even tell through my mask. Not that I didn’t get an equally professional and satisfying interaction at Walkin’ Around, they just didn’t currently have any Size 11’s.

Don’t let anyone tell you that Shopping Therapy is not a Real Thing.

But, for the time being, Empty House is becoming more and more of a reality.

Delayed Product Deliveries

Incomplete Orders

Narrowing Product Ranges

Are forcing retailers to sell in a different way.

And those that weather this change, will be not be the ones who say: No, sorry we don’t have that in stock right now. But the ones who say: Yes! I can get that for you, what colour would you like me to order?

No one has it in Purple yet. It’ll only take 3 weeks.

Or....We can’t get Purple this season, but it looks soooo good in Orange.

It's on its way. Only 10 Business Days.

And really, Doesn't the Antici..........pation make the Experience even more Pleasurable.

It’s all in how you perceeeeeive it. How you present it. And how badly you want to maintain/retain your customer base.

And Yes, Scarcity and Waiting Time create Urgency and Increase the Perceived Value of Everything. Even Toilet Paper!

Need to retrain your sales/marketing/merchandising/website staff for the current, we-can-get-that-for-you, attitude. Contact me I have enthusiasm and inspiration to spare. leslie.enns@gmail.com

Images:

https://www.pfhub.com/canadian-retail-sales-nose-dive-2-in-december-1658/

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/03/gmc-hummer-ev-showing-off-crabwalk-mode-video/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-survival-of-the-unicorns-as-the-economy-skidded-so-did-startups-now/ ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIA KHRUSCHEVA

https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-empty-shop

https://www.grandforksherald.com/business/6545811-Clothing-store-Eddie-Bauer-evicted-from-Columbia-Mall

[dippedanddripped]

It has been a prolonged period of retail carnage: storied names declaring bankruptcy, mass market brands closing thousands of stores, tens of thousands of shop employees furloughed or laid off, garment workers in dire straits. More ominous still are the predictions that we will never shop the same way again.

For Jamie Salter and David Simon, however, it has been a time of great opportunity.

Mr. Salter is the founder and chief executive of the Authentic Brands Group, a company known for buying the intellectual property of famous brands at discount prices and then striking licensing deals with other companies that want to stick those well-known names on their products. Mr. Simon is the chief executive of the Simon Property Group, the largest mall operator in the United States with more than 100 properties. Together, they are reshaping the American retail landscape.

Last week, they closed a deal to buy the bankrupt Brooks Brothers, the 202-year-old American fashion brand and retailer, for $325 million. Last month, they acquired Lucky Brand denim, and in February, they bought Forever 21.

Together, the acquisitions will bring the global revenue generated by the company’s brands — a sprawling mix that includes Sports Illustrated and rights tied to Marilyn Monroe’s likeness — to $15 billion annually. And Mr. Salter is hunting for more.

“Look, if the world ends, which I don’t think it’s going to, then there’s no doubt about it, I’m not so smart,” Mr. Salter, a 57-year-old Toronto native, said in a phone interview. “But I don’t believe the world’s going to end.”

“Last year, we said within five years, we want to be at $20 billion,” he added, referring to the overall revenue generated from brands owned or jointly owned by Authentic Brands. “Another two to three deals could get us there.”

Many of the acquisitions are being made through a joint venture with Mr. Simon called SPARC, for Simon Properties Authentic Retail Concepts. Its roots go back to 2016, but it was created in its present form in January as a vehicle that turned out to be almost perfectly positioned to take advantage of the current state of the industry.

By teaming up, Mr. Simon, a press-averse Indianapolis real estate scion who declined to comment for this article, gets assurance that bankrupt chains and other tenants will remain in his shopping centers, while Mr. Salter gets a friendly landlord for his brands at a time when rent costs are crushing retailers, plus the chance to earn money by licensing the well-known names. Together, they own and operate 1,500 stores through their deals, which sometimes include Brookfield Properties, another mall giant.

The purchase of Brooks Brothers, where layoff notices have already started going out, has put a spotlight on this arrangement — and invited new scrutiny. Supporters say SPARC is saving the businesses it’s buying. Critics say it’s simply exploiting their traumas for fast profits in ways that cheapen the brands’ legacies. They say the SPARC strategy treats brands and stores less like hothouses of creativity that need careful tending, and more like chess pieces to be moved around for maximum, if momentary, gain.

That suspicion has been hard to shake for Mr. Salter. Authentic Brands’ purchase of the Sports Illustrated brand last year is viewed as a prime example of the company’s bottom-line approach to licensing. It sold the rights to operate the magazine and website to another company, which gutted the staff, while simultaneously putting the Sports Illustrated name on protein powder, CBD cream and swimsuits. And Authentic Brands’ purchase of Barneys New York’s intellectual property last year was fiercely contested by a group of investors who waged a “Save Barneys” social media campaign to avert liquidations and the licensing of the name, painting Mr. Salter as a villain who sought to dismantle a cultural institution.

“It’s not a long-term quality play,” said one retail executive who asked not to be identified because the executive had been approached about the Brooks Brothers deal. “It’s not about a love of the brand or the goods. It’s predatory and opportunistic.”

Understanding Authentic Brands’ business is crucial to understanding the tides of retail today.

The company, founded by Mr. Salter in 2010, bets on famous names in fashion and entertainment, often buying their intellectual property with the aim of striking licensing deals with those who want to use the brand names internationally or on new products. Authentic Brands tends to earn an estimated 4 to 6 percent in royalties through this model.

“History,” was one of the answers Mr. Salter gave when asked what he looks for in a brand. “Does it have good archives we can bring back, because the world repeats itself all the time. The longer the history, the better.” The potential to cut costs was another.

For years, Mr. Salter led a division of Hilco, a financial firm, as it snapped up the intellectual property of bankrupt retailers like Sharper Image. While the retailer’s stores closed, Hilco was involved with deals that put Sharper Image’s name on products like garment steamers that were cheaper than wares at the original retailer and then sold in chains like Bed Bath & Beyond.

At Authentic Brands, Mr. Salter pulled off an early coup by acquiring the exclusive rights tied to Marilyn Monroe, whose likeness drew the interest of everyone from Dolce & Gabbana to Walmart. His stable of 50 brands now includes Juicy Couture, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali and Frederick’s of Hollywood.

The Juicy acquisition in 2013, where Mr. Salter bought the brand but couldn’t secure its locations, made him realize the value of physical stores. Losing the stores, he said, hurt Juicy. ��I can tell you unequivocally it’s easier to build brands with a retail footprint — touch, feel, try on,” he said.

Though Authentic Brands does not own the types of luxury retailers and labels as European conglomerates like Kering and LVMH, Mr. Salter said that LVMH served as “inspiration” and that they shared “similar ambitions.” He thinks of his company, where his four sons are also among the 200 employees (his eldest, Corey, is chief operating officer) as a family enterprise despite a roster of investors including BlackRock, Leonard Green & Partners and General Atlantic. The biggest individual investor after Mr. Salter, whose family owns about 20 percent, is Shaquille O’Neal, whose brand is managed by the Authentic Brands. Mr. Salter said that he has considered an initial public offering of stock but that the company has plenty of money and he doesn’t want to exit.

“Other people do want in,” he said. But, he added, “It’s a lot easier when you have two guys, and if there’s a problem, you pick up the phone and work it out in 10 minutes.”

Simon Property also holds about 7 percent after an investment in January, when it also increased its interest in SPARC to 50 percent, according to filings.

Four years ago, Mr. Salter said, “David came to me and said, ‘Why do you always close the stores when you buy the company?’” Mr. Salter replied that he was too nervous to operate the stores, worrying that the leases could become too expensive. Mr. Simon proposed teaming up with Brookfield to buy Aéropostale, which led to the formation of a venture called Aero OpCo. Mr. Salter owned 20 percent, and Brookfield and Simon the rest. (Brookfield, which is not part of SPARC, declined to comment.)

The mall operators wanted their tenants to stay and ideally resume making money. They were also interested in Mr. Salter’s marketing prowess and his brands, which they figured could eventually turn into stores at their malls.

“At the beginning, Simon just wanted ‘get my rent,’” Mr. Salter said. “But we started turning profits very quickly, and it started to be about building a business.”

Each side benefits. Mr. Salter’s brands have “variable rent” contracts with Mr. Simon’s malls, meaning their rent goes up and down with their sales and, in a lucrative arrangement, most don’t have minimums. Mr. Simon also receives a percentage of royalties from sales associated with the brand names. In January, Mr. Salter bought out Brookfield’s interest and the venture was renamed SPARC.

“Covid is a good lesson for all of us because thank God we had percentage rent,” Mr. Salter said. “We furloughed whatever number we had to furlough in Forever 21, and you’re only paying rent on a percentage of sales. It hurts a lot less.”

Still, some analysts say it isn’t good to see mall operators buying their own tenants out of bankruptcy at this pace.

There may be few options. As long as large retailers or hedge funds are unwilling to buy bankrupt chains like J.C. Penney, which could ultimately liquidate, “mall owners are the only viable acquirers,” analysts at Coresight Research, an advisory and research firm, wrote in a recent note. The firm estimated that 20,000 to 25,000 U.S. retail stores would close this year, and at least 50 percent are mall-based.

“Acquiring retailers raises questions about mall owners’ long-term viability,” they wrote. “Mall owners cannot buy every anchor retailer in their malls, and often they will have to let stores fail instead of propping them up,” the analysts wrote.

Mr. Simon bristled on a recent earnings call at the notion that he was buying retailers for rent. “We believe in the brand and we think we can make money,” he said. He compared critics of the venture to those who told Amazon to remain in the book business.

Still, rent is no small concern. In filings, Forever 21, a top tenant at Brookfield and Simon malls in the year before its bankruptcy, said the aggregate occupancy cost for its stores was $450 million annually. Lucky listed $66 million in rent and occupancy costs last year. Brooks Brothers said its 187 store leases and other corporate property leases cost about $86 million a year. On top of that, there are co-tenancy agreements, which can allow other tenants to break leases or demand rent reductions based on vacancy rates or the exit of certain retailers.

“I do believe that the strategy by Simon and Brookfield is to protect their co-tenancy in a lot of cases, but I think it’s a Band-Aid,” said Jackie Levy, chief business officer of Caruso, the real estate firm that owns California open-air shopping centers like the Grove. “It might solve the immediate issue of keeping some of their smaller retailers or shops in the malls, but long-term, those leases are going to expire at some point and there’s going to be a flight to quality.”

For his part, Mr. Salter sees opportunities to meld the brands that go beyond reducing corporate staff and sharing e-commerce capabilities. He can imagine, for example, Brooks Brothers teaming up with Spyder to make performance outerwear, and with Volcom for swim trunks. Saks Fifth Avenue still plans to introduce Barneys New York shops within its New York flagship and Connecticut stores.

“If I could buy anything, I’d buy Reebok,” he said. “Hanna Barbera. I like the Flintstones, Yogi Bear. Got big ideas for Yogi Bear. I love the Jetsons. They should be the delivery system for Amazon. Just call the Jetsons, they’ll deliver it to you in two seconds!”

Though Mr. Salter said he wasn’t joining a bid by Simon and Brookfield for J.C. Penney, he can envision pursuing a similar chain in the future.

“There’s no doubt about it that Jamie Salter’s dream is to have an A.B.G. department store,” Mr. Salter said. “And as David Simon says, maybe one day you’ll have your own mall.”

[kattodoroki]

i just love love love your first dialogue line things! keep up the good work! can I request "You got a package for me?" with bakugou? thank you so so much!

request are always open.

—

“You got a package for me?” You asked Bakugou. You stood in front of his door, he had it cracked open, not wanting you to see inside of his room. You eyed him suspiciously as you leaned over, trying to get a better look. You had forgot you ordered something online when your parents had given you money, you just remembered about it when Bakugou had called you yelling that he had accidentally picked it up while getting his own mail.

“Yeah,” He looked down at you, “I opened it.”

You stared at him in shock, taken aback by his bluntness in the situation. You didn’t even remember what you had ordered, but you still felt that pang of embarrassment. You couldn’t help that your face was now glowing red, obviously getting angry that he would go through your personal mail. You opened your mouth to argue, quickly closing it when he started talking again. 

“You know,” He smirked, “Yellow isn’t really your color.”

You looked at him with curious eyes, wondering what he meant by that. Then it hit you like a semi-truck, you remembered what you had ordered online. Your eye grew wide when you realized what he meant by mentioning the color ‘yellow’. You had ordered a new pair of underwear, in yellow. The website was having a sale, so you had thought ‘why not! it’s a good deal.’ you didn’t know that your crush would be looking at them though. You stared at Bakugou, you couldn’t open your mouth, your mind fogged with embarrassment.

Bakugou just laughed as he closed his door, leaving you speechless outside. You hear shuffling for a minute before he opened the door, stepping outside.

“Here.” He told you firmly, holding out the semi-opened box. You grabbed it without saying a word, glaring daggers at him.

He chuckled at your intimating act, “I wouldn’t like it either if someone opened my mail.” You knew he couldn’t hurt his pride by apologizing so all you did was nod your head at him.

You laughed nervously, “Yeah, sorry, next time I’ll remember to get my own mail.”

“Yeah you better.” He replied. “Or I’ll keep it next time.”

You watched him turn around, putting his hand on the door handle. He cracked open the door a bit before turning back around towards you, “In my opinion, I think red would look so much better on you.” It took you a second to register his comment before blushing deeply. “Maybe we should go to the mall sometime so I can upgrade your shitty wardrobe.” He turned back around and walked into his room, watching the door close with a click, leaving you out in the hallway.

[purplesurveys]

747

Have you ever worn those Drunk Goggles? Uh no. I’ve never heard of those either. Which decade before the 90s had the best makeup trends? I’ve never really paid attention to makeup. I do love how actresses looked like in the 40s and 50s though, if that counts. Can you agree to disagree, or usually get upset over conflicting views? I only get upset if someone’s views implies impinging on basic human rights, like saying that women can’t get abortions or if drug addicts deserve to die. Otherwise you do you dude. Does it bug you when long socks are constantly falling down? Yeaaah I had a pair of loose socks in high school that would constantly fall down whenever I walked and I hated them. I always forgot to stop wearing them completely. Rodeos -- entertaining, or cruel? I can honestly tell you that I don’t know what goes on in one of them. I’m not even sure if rodeo refers to a sport, a physical area, or an event.

Why can't politicians debate politely? Because most of them aren’t even supposed to be fucking politicians, if you’re also from where I live. Who is the best female rocker? Why? Joan Jett, partly because she’s one of the very few female rockstars I know but also because I know she’s the best one out of all the ones I know of. I love her work both for The Runaways and the Blackhearts. Can you even taste a difference between Cheez Its and Cheez Nips? I’ve only had Cheez Its. What about between Pepsi and Coke or Sprite and 7Up? No, all soda tastes nasty to me. Do you care what kind of toilet paper you use? Not really. What color of roses do you find the prettiest? Gonna go the basic route and say red. It just feels the most romantic. Which celebrity has the cutest butt? I don’t go looking at their butts and thinking which one is the cutest D: Do you still have any decent arcades nearby? Yeah we have an arcade chain called Timezone and all of the ones I’ve been to are really fun and entertaining. Gab and I will sometimes go to one after school for some stress relief. After a holiday, do you go to the store to get candy on sale? No. That doesn’t happen here and eh, I don’t really like candy. Did Marilyn Monroe look better before or after cosmetic surgery? I didn’t even know she had surgery, but I’ve always thought she was attractive. Bullfighters who get gored kind of had it coming, right? Yes. I’ve never really felt bad for them even if I see them being tossed around like fucking paper. Don’t they agitate the bulls on purpose? I get stressed out just thinking about it. If you make surveys, do you care what people rate them? Have you ever accidentally found porn when looking for something else? Maybe once or twice in the past, but it was unremarkable enough for me not to remember them until today lol. Ever run into those 'celebrity lookalike porn' blogs? No? If you're not religious, is the Bible basically just an old collection of short stories? Not all are short stories. Some are psalms, songs, prophecies, etc. But they are short stories, psalms, songs, and prophecies that I don’t believe in. Do you think religious leaders just like to manipulate people? Yes. At least the ones I come across do. The amazing priest from today’s mass livestream was bitching in his homily about why liquor stores continue to be open but masses couldn’t be held. Uh genius, maybe it’s because masses are public gatherings, and because you never see a hundred people at a time gathered in a liquor store? Couldn’t resist an eyeroll when I heard it. Why do so many fans with OTP's insist that their ship is real? Oh my god OTP, I haven’t heard that term since 2013... sometimes they just like the idea of their ship being together forever and ever and it makes them happy so whatever, let them fangirl/boy. This was me with AJPunk many years ago hahaha; we were just lucky enough to witness them become canon in real life. Even when the writers (or real people that they ship) tell them it isn't? ^ Same reason. Some people are happy from simply fantasizing their OTPs. It should be ok as long as it doesn’t strain the relationship between the shipped people, which is exactly what happened to Louis and Harry of 1D lol. Do you draw fanart of anything? No. Do annoying city kids ever loiter outside your library and harass people? No? That’s so specific lmao. Do you like to hang out at your local library? We don’t have local libraries because our government has never prioritized public spaces such as those, and parks. We only have malls. On that subject, do you like the smell of books? New ones, yeah. I can’t stand the smell of much older books. What's on your Reading List, so-to-speak, right now? Read any great non-fiction books lately? No. But thanks for reminding me I downloaded a bunch of wrestling autobiographies last year that I completely forgot about until this moment. Maybe I’ll start on one of those one of these days. What do you like on your burger? Caramelized onions, special sauces, brioche buns, sometimes jalapeños, sometimes bacon. What do you NOT like on your burger? Tomatoes and lettuce. Do you like 'loose meat' sandwiches? I’ve never heard of those. Have you ever heard of the restaurant Maid Rite? Never have. What is the best thing to put in a grilled cheese (other than cheese)? I don’t really have grilled cheese sandwiches. Homemade tomato soup, or just out of a can? Hate tomato soup. Favorite thing to see in museums? Artifacts. I love all museums, but I enjoy and appreciate history museums more than any other kind. Have you ever seen an unwrapped mummy in person? I haven’t. What things have people shamed you for? Liking wrestling, mostly. I was also shamed for my name and the way I looked (I had really short hair) as a kid, which is why I struggled to like my name until I got to college which was the first time people didn’t make a fuss about my name and even told me how much they like it. Do you always reply to private messages? (On any website) Not all. If I don’t recognize who sent it, I wouldn’t bother to reply. What device do you seem to always be buying batteries for? We don’t really go out to buy batteries anymore. Most of our gadgets are rechargeable. What's worse -- snow, or all the mud after it melts? Can’t relate. Are there any 'adult stores' in your area? I don’t think so. If there are, they’re hidden enough that I don’t know about them. Have you been inside of them/shopped there before? Yeah we went to one in Metrowalk. It was fun but I mostly felt uncomfortable hahaha. Do you watch The Masked Singer? Any theories? No. Favorite Alfred Hitchcock film? Haven’t watched any. I tried watching Vertigo once but if I remember correctly, I stopped because my copy didn’t have subtitles and I couldn’t follow the plot lol. Do you like Funko Pop figurines? Sure. I’m much less enthusiastic about them now for sure, but back in high school I used to want to start collecting them so bad. If so, do you have any? Which ones would you like to have? No but I’ve bought one as a gift once. I got Gabie the Funko figurine of Dana Scully from The X-Files for Christmas 2015. Which ones do you think they should make (but haven't yet)? I dunno if they’ve made ones for them but the cast of Queer Eye should definitely get their own.

[vickisventures]

Mt. Rush(what’s the rush?)more

I am so disappointed and irritated! We had really hyped ourselves up to go see Mount Rushmore.  I knew in advance that the Visitor Center, Avenue of Flags and a small portion of the Presidential Trail was closed due to COVID and renovations.  I was prepared for that, but Dennis had gone just last week and had hiked to the base of the memorial using the Nature Trail and the open portion of the Presidential Trail.  We knew that the parking fee was $10.  I had done my research.  So off we go yesterday to see this great work of art.  Upon arrival, we were happy to see that there weren’t a gagillion tourists. We walked up to the entrance after parking and saw that the bookstore and ice cream shop was open (as the website said.). We took some pics and headed toward the Sculpture Studio.  A lady was giving a talk at a small viewpoint area about the park and land.  We went on to the studio and another ranger was giving a talk about the sculpture. We decided to go ahead and hike before it got any hotter but had trouble finding the trail.  We decided to ask a ranger and he said it was closed due to preparation for the Independence Day celebration.  SAY WHAT?!? I didn’t see any posting about that anywhere.  The guy said he realized that and apologized.  We were (and still are) really upset with the park administration. There were a lot of upset people. We could have chosen any day/week between May and October to go and we picked a day that they decided to close all of the trails without warning.  I am trying to get a free parking pass for a return visit (or a refund) but I’m not going to hold my breath that they even care.  We plan to return when my parents and sister come in July, but we had hoped to see what the hike was like before they arrived.  We did get some nice pics and listened to 2 ranger talks before heading back to pay our $10 parking fee and heading to Keystone for lunch.  One ranger talk was rather thought provoking. The ranger had done a lot of reading and research on the topic of Indian tribes in the U.S. He talked about the mistreatment of the Indians back in the day of Custer and about how the government destroyed the buffalo population so they would remove the food supply for the Indians.  He told of the government sterilizing all Indian women 15-25 so that the Indians would cease to exist.  He was very passionate about his feelings about the U.S. vs the Indians. Apparently a lot of money sits in the treasury that the Indians in South Dakota could have but if they take even $1 of it, they will be accepting the sale of the land and they refuse to do that. So the money just sits.  The ranger postulated that they Indians just want respect and recognition; not money.  And they want their land back.  I understand his viewpoint, but I also don’t completely agree with him.  I agree that the Indians were mistreated and had their land taken away from them and were forced to live in reservations. I do not agree that the government was 100% at fault for the situation that resulted in them being forced into reservations.  I know everyone has differing opinions on this and that’s ok.  The other ranger talk was more about how the monument was created.  I didn’t realize that the monument wasn’t ever completed.  Apparently, they ran out of money and Gutzon Borglum (the mastermind) died before he could attain more funds so they just did what they could with the remaining money and quit.  So, I guess the trip wasn’t a complete bust but for people living on a budget, the lack of updated park information didn’t allow us to make an informed decision on when to go.

We had stopped briefly in Keystone on our train ride and it looked Iike a cute town, so we wanted to go back.  Mount Rushmore is very close to Keystone, so we decided to head there next.  We were a little disappointed there too.  It has several pizza places, a few other eating establishments and some touristy shops but that’s about it.  The Rushmore Borglum Story museum is closed right now due to COVID but most everything else was open.  We walked from the top of the town to the bottom.   Our lunch was so-so.  I had read that the food was expensive there for what you got.  The picture of Steve on the wooden motorcycle is at a place where they do chainsaw art in Keystone.  We do want to go back because we can get a free 18 course mini golf ticket, a free ticket to the presidential wax museum, and a free pass to a place that has an alpine slide, ski lift, zip line and ropes type course.  We plan to check all of those places out in time.

Monday. we went on our bi-weekly expedition to Rapid City to go to Walmart.  We decided to run to Kohl’s and the mall for a bit as well.  It was so nice to go into a mall and do some shopping. We haven’t really done much “shopping” since we went full-time but it’s one thing when you choose not to and another when you can’t.  About ½ of the stores at the mall were still closed but we were able to get what we needed to.  

Next week is 4th of July week.  We are still getting calls for reservations and we are still full.  We are selling sites that we don’t usually sell; so our next work week will be a busy one.  We aren’t sure how we got so lucky as to have ALL of the summer holidays fall on our work days this year!  

Steve has solidified his plans to drive for a company in North Dakota for the month of October. He will be delivering sugar beets to a processing plant.  We decided to do this instead of working at a processing plant or have Steve drive for a farmer.  He will instead be working for a trucking company which he thinks will give him a chance to ease into the trucking business before we get back to Arizona where he plans to work full-time for Knight Transportation.  He will work 5 on, 1 off, 12-hour days while in North Dakota. We have reservations at a campground there and I hold down the fort while he works that month.  After that we plan to check out our land in Colorado and spend a couple of days in Amarillo going to doctor appointments before heading to Arizona.  I just found out that my niece won’t be playing college softball next school year after all due Arizona running scared and closing down sports programs.  I know this is a sore subject for people and another area where there are varying opinions but I think it’s DUMB.  It’s time to get on with life and get back to normal.  Let the virus run its course and let’s stop worrying about masks and social distancing.  I have heard that Arizona has had a number of new cases recently. From what I’ve seen, Arizona has been fairly strict on their following the pandemic guidelines so why are they having issues when other states aren’t?  I wonder if that’s more due to the number of elderly people who live there than a loosening of restrictions.  I did make sure that my job at the RV resort in Arizona is secure no matter what happens with the pandemic in the fall.  My boss said there will be plenty for me to do not matter what.  That made me feel better.

As I mentioned earlier, my sister has decided to fly in and join us while mom and dad are here visiting. We also learned this week that Steve’s brother and sister-in-law are going to bring their RV up here to Big Pine Campground in September for a visit/vacation.  Looking forward to our company in this beautiful place!

[traciedemars]

Upcoming Free (& non-promotional) Home Buyer Classes: Home Showings 101...home buyer & seller education ​www.traciedemars.com Saturday, February 8th, from 9am-12pm (ish)       Marshall Community Center, conference room       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College) Tuesday, February 11th, from 5pm - 8pm (ish)        Marshall Community Center, Conference room       1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College) Saturday, February 22nd, from 12pm-3pm (ish) ​       Vancouver YMCA, conference room      11324 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver WA (corner of SR500 & Gher Road/112th Ave).                                                                                     If these class dates and/or times don't work for you, please let us know.  We understand that you have lives, and families, and work.  We will work something out that works better with your schedule.  Just let us know....                                                                                   ....we also have home seller classes available too...look for link on top of website                   Happy February!   Finally....January is over...not that it was the longest month ever, or anything like that...  The beginning of the year is a good time to sell your home (if you've been thinking about it), and it's a time where a lot of folks who have been thinking about buying a home start the pre-approval process.  This months blog is going to address something that is important for both sellers, and buyers....showing homes.  Let's talk about this...the funnest, and the scariest part... As we've talked about in the past, there's a process to buying (and even selling) a home.... first,  you take a home buyer (or home seller) class, second, you move on to getting pre-approved.  Yes, even if you are selling a home, you want to get pre-approved before you go looking for your next home.  For a seller (who is going to be a homebuyer when their home sells) part of the information you will be giving to your lender is the guesstimated amount that you'll receive from the sale of your current home...your Realtor will help with this.  When you are buying a home, your Realtor is here to help you with your home adventure, and while yes, this is kind of scary...it is a lot of fun.  Whether this is your first home, or your 3rd, or 5th, or whatever...with a pre-approval & your Realtor,  you are ready for the 'fun' part.....LOOKING AT HOMES!  :-)  This is always an exciting time for buyers, and it should be!  Every home you pull up to has the possibility to be 'the one'....The one you make an offer on, the one that you buy, the ONE that becomes YOUR HOME...and it is very exciting, and yes, kind of scary too.  For the sellers though, it is very stressful because currently this IS their home, and they're leaving so that strangers can come in.  As a Realtor, we are trying to make this as easy as possible for both the buyer and seller, but we need help... From the homeowners (sellers), we are asking that the home be available to show, that the home be clean, nothing of value is being left out, all medicines are put away and out of sight (not left in bathrooms or kitchen cabinets), anything that a seller wants excluded from the sale is noted, that sweet pups are either removed or kenneled, that sweet kitties are noted as inside only or inside/outside ok, and that please, please... homeowners (sellers) be gone for showings.  Before you go on the market, talk to your Realtor about HOW the showings will work with your home.  Some folks are cool with a few hours notice, some need more time.  Most of my clients need a bit more time for showings.  If you have kids and/or pets, it's ok to ask for 24 hour notice.  That way you have time to prepare your home to be seen in its best possible condition.  You are still living in your home, and the buyers and buyers Realtor will (or should) respect that.  A lockbox will be put on your home, and during a showing the buyers agent will access the box for the key.  An email and/or a text will be sent to the sellers Realtor to let them know that a Realtor with XYZ company has accessed the home, and for how long we were there.  Before a seller puts their home on the market there is preparation, and usually some 'honey-do's' that need to be done.  As always, there is more to it than this, but that is a different class....and email.  You can always call me for more information when you are selling your home. From the buyers....it gets a bit more complicated...  before we go house shopping, we are asking that you have a pre-approval letter with a solid lender, we are asking that you do not look at homes above your price range, we are asking that you have thought about the Top Three things you want in a home (so we can show you homes that have those items you value most), and that you help us help you....      When a Realtor opens the lockbox to show you the home, we are taking responsibility for everything that happens from that moment on....until we lock up the house and put the key back into the lockbox.  As I say all the time...  Real Estate is NOT like HGTV...  you don't just get to wander the home while your Realtor sits outside...  we must be with you at all times when touring your potential new home.  Sometimes this can be like herding cats, but we understand your excitement...  just please, please as you are touring the home, and we know you have your family with you, please...we must all stay together.  Don't make me sing to you here.....    As cool as those toys look, I'm sorry but the kiddos can't play with them, and sorry...but you can't jump on the beds either.  It's ok to open cupboards, and closets, but we can't open dressers, or go through someone else's personal items.  Touring a home is a VISUAL thing....sorry.  Yes, you can use the bathroom.    When it's wet out (and lately it's been VERY wet), it's always a good take off our shoes before we enter someone else's home so be sure to wear easy on & off shoes, or use shoe booties.    When we are looking at homes, often we have more than one home to look at, and many homes are owner occupied so your Realtor makes appointments.  We do the best we can to make sure we have enough time to look at the homes, but we need to stay within our timeframes as the sellers are waiting to come home after we leave, or there are other Realtors waiting to show the home.  I promise we are not trying to 'rush' you through the home...we are just trying to stay within the timeframes so that you can see the other homes on your list.    With the real estate market starting to pick up for spring, it's important that if a home comes up that you like, you need to let your Realtor know as soon as possible so we can make an appointment for you to see it.  Your Realtor should be sending you a list of homes as they come on the market for you to check....drive by the homes...check out those neighborhoods....and let's make an appointment to go see the inside of the home.    Do not trust Internet photos!  Realtors hire professional photographers for our listings for a reason.  :-)  Internet photos are a lot like internet dating...you don't know what you're going to get when you get there      Like the neighborhood, but not sure about the house?  Let's at least go check out the inside!  You never know as you can't judge a book (or a house) by its cover.    ASK QUESTIONS!!  For heavens sake...this is a home you are thinking about buying...  ask questions!  As your Realtor, we are here to help!  If we can't answer your questions, we can at least set up in the right direction to get those answers. Buying a home is a very emotional experience.  Your Realtor is here to point out pros/cons, and to help you.... Trust your heart, but use your head...  or your Realtor.  :-)  Remember that we work FOR you.  Once you find THE home it's time to talk about making an offer, and those pesky timelines that you need to know, and that we need to abide by.  So, let's talk about that....next month!   Thank you, as always, for reading this. I hope this helps you this week!  Please, if you have any questions, please feel free to call, email, text, or even facebook me anytime.  I am always here to help!   Information is power, and I hope that I am help you!  Good luck, and as always...May the odds be ever in your favor out there....  If you are looking for a real estate agent, I would love to be able to help you. I hope that explains this a bit, but if you have any questions, or comments please call or email me anytime!  Please remember that while I mean these emails/blogs to be helpful, and educational, I am still hoping that you will call, or email me.  I would love to help you with your home buying, or home selling adventure!  :-)    As always....this is just a quick overview.... again...and I can't say this enough...please remember that your agent is NOT a salesperson, and should not be acting like one.  Real Estate is not really about houses, it is about relationships.  Your agent, and your lender work for YOU.  You drive the bus...we are merely GPS to help you get to your goals.  Like the classes, this weekly blog email is to help you with your home adventure.  The goal is to be informative and non-promotional.  :-)  We are, however, hoping you will call and want us to help with your adventure.   Thank you again for your business and your referrals!!  ...and thank you for referring these classes to your friends, family, and co-workers. ....disclaimer...if you have already purchased a home, or would no longer like to receive these emails, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from any further mailings... Upcoming Topics: How long is the home buying process... aka....when do I GET Keys? Last Month:  New Year...New Home?  Maybe?  Where to Start? Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon,   ;-D   Tracie DeMars   Real Estate broker     Re/Max - Van Mall   360/ 903-3504 cell   360/ 882-3600 fax   www.traciedemars.com   traciedemars@aol.com       “Interested in free and non promotional home education classes?  Go to www.freehomebuyerclasses.com for local upcoming home buyer and home SELLER classes, or facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate for my home buyer education blog.” "Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."       - Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).

[ur-a-wizard-bts]

BTS in Brazil

These past few days have been a nightmare. 

I knew getting tickets would be hard, impossible even given that it’s only one city in a huge country and an entire continent, so when my cousin suggested we went to the venue at Allianz Parque to get tickets, I said yes. 

We planned to spend three nights there. Three of us total, each would sleep there one night so it wouldn’t be so tiring. We didn’t have a tent or anything and we were incredibly lucky that the kind armys next to us in line let us stay with them, otherwise we would have been left in the rain and out in the open at night. It was scorching hot and the rain was heavy, but otherwise we were all okay.  Around us we had other armys, teenagers with their parents, parents alone for their kids, everyone looking out for each other. The tickets would sell Monday at noon. We only had another day to go. 

That’s when things started to change.

The line was FILLED with resellers. Only a couple of tents behind ours was a group of 5 of them. Tents ahead were empty, but still there. It was painfully obvious what they were, but still the staff of Eventim decided to do nothing about it. These people were drinking, smoking, not even bothered to try to fit in. None of us felt safe, so we barely even slept at night. Not knowing what to do, we kept it to ourselves, figuring that if we left them be they would leave us too. We also knew that the night before the sales would be hard, we’d have to keep our eyes open and protect each other, but we weren’t expeting what happened. 

Around 2p.m. on the 10th, 22 hours before the ticket’s sale, they made us take our tents down. The Sun was burning hot, rain was obviously on the way and most of us were either resting or taking a break at the mall down the street. We were moved and left with barely any space and told that we’d have to be in that position all night. We knew then that things would only get ugly.

People started showing up. The group of 5 scammers behind us turned into 30. A tent that was apparently empty ahead of us turned out with 15. Resellers were trying to skip in line, lying, making fun of us and even threatening to hurt the girls. I was tent 43, a group of 5+ people trying to skip ahead of us saying they were tent 61. We almost got into a fight, I was terrified but the armys with me backed me up and they left. This was only 4 p.m. The line kept getting bigger and bigger, people who bought places in line, people who tried to skip, resellers. The staff still refused to do anything about it, saying that if we weren’t feeling safe then we should call the police - which many of us did. At some point a reseller assaulted a girl. I wasn’t close to see it, but I heard it. The staff went to the place and forced the man to leave the queue, but he came back anyway. Fights were breaking all over the line and it took the police over an hour to show up. They managed to remove some of the scammers, but not all. Many were still there, barely concerned in hiding who they were. 

At this point, I started to break. Everywhere you looked you saw armys holding back tears, fear in their eyes. Fear of being assaulted, of being robbed, of spending the night in the rain stading up and of not even being able to get the tickets they wanted because of all the people trying to skip ahead. I was scared too. I was trying so hard not to cry, but it was impossible. I started to question if it was worth it, why I was even there. And the thing is, my love for BTS is huge and only I know how much I need to see them, what they mean to me, but I should never have to go through something like this. None of the other armys around me, no one. We kept seeing girls leaving in tears, the experience being too much for them and it broke our hearts too. I wanted to give up, I cried so much and got consoled by these girls I had never seen before, them crying with me, hugging me as we all tried to support one another. They talked to me and convinced me not to give up, to stay with them and that we could go through it together, so I stayed some more. 

It started raining then.

We were already short on space, we couldn’t even stretch our legs, and to add to the stress of our safety, we had to deal with the possibility of standing up all night. This was around 6 p.m. They wouldn’t even let us leave to use the bathroom. It was getting dark and the rain wouldnt give in and things were scary. I held on for another two hours, then I hit my limit. It broke my heart to choose to give up, and even harder to see how it broke the heart of the other girls with me to see me leave. I hugged them and wished them luck, but I couldn’t do it anymore. I left in the rain and I cried the entire train ride home. I barely slept because I was worried about the girls I left behind, if they were safe and okay. I felt so guilty for giving up too, on them, on the boys, the whole situation.

From this point foward, I can only share what my friends saw, since I was no longer there, but there are multiple videos online. It took four hours for the girls with me to reach the ticket booth. Our tents were number 39-45, to give you an idea of just how many people skipped ahead. Resellers were buying 10 tickets, when the website stated we were only allowed to buy 4. Eventim staff were skipping them in line, allowing these people to buy the tickets that so many armys went through rain and Sun to get. It was obvious the scammers had some sort of deal with the staff of Eventim. For them it doesn’t matter who buys the tickets, as long as they get their money. I’m grateful that the girls with me got their tickets, but my heart breaks for so many that couldn’t.

We were treated with absolutely no respect by Eventim, and they expect us to do nothing about it.  Not to mention the website, a complete joke. I had 5 computers open from the first second and still I only got one ticket. Many other armys got nothing.

Not even a day after the sales we found resellers selling tickets for R$ 5.000,00 or more, when the most expensive ticket for sale was R$ 975,00. No shame at all, no respect at all, and no prospects of the people responsible for the concerts of doing anything. 

I’m writing this now because I needed some way of getting all this anger, sadness and resentment out of my chest, in the hopes of raising some awareness of what we were put through. 

But nonetheless, I also wanted to express my love and gratitude for the people I met, these girls who took care of me, cried with me and protected me during the 24+ hours I lined up. I saw first hand how strong armys’ love can be, and I have no words to say how thankful I was for them. 

In the end I got my ticket and I’m going to fulfill my dream of seeing BTS live, and so will those girls. 

They also announced an extra concert, which will give everyone who didn’t get them a second chance. It will also give many scammers and resellersa lot more money if Eventim doesn’t do anything about it. 

If you’re curious or want to help, you can also look up the tags #BTSxAllianzParque and #ArmysDeservesRespect on twitter to see the videos/pictures from the armys that were there, like and share those in the hopes of it bringing more attention to it. 

I’m sorry for this huge text, but I had to get it out of my chest. 

Stay safe everyone <3

[luqmanali07]

One-Day Holiday and Christmas Shopping Plan

Instead of aimlessly buying gifts throughout the season (a major wallet drain), use this Christmas shopping guide, chock-full of surprising strategies, to cross everything off your list in a single day.

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn a commission.

Don’t dress just for comfort. When people are feeling insecure, they tend to buy more, according to Darren Dahl, a professor of applied marketing research at the Sauder School of Business, in Vancouver. So nix the sweats and the sneakers if they make you feel frowzy and opt for something stylish, like cute flats or an on-trend top, that boosts your self-confidence. Download an upbeat playlist. “Holiday music makes us nostalgic. We linger in the store and buy more to capture that warm, fuzzy feeling,” says Martin Lindstrom, the author of Brandwashed ($19, amazon.com). Outsmart the shops blasting “Jingle Bell Rock” by donning your earbuds and listening to songs with a beat faster than your resting heart rate, which is, on average, about 70 beats a minute. Those tunes will keep you moving quickly and efficiently through the stores. One good track: Katy Perry’s “Firework” (124 beats per minute). Find additional song suggestions at jog.fm. Get dibs on discounts. Before you leave the house, download the free apps offered by your favorite retailers or check out their websites for announcements, coupons, and the latest information on sales. Smartphone users can use the no-cost app ScanLife to scan a product’s barcode and find out which local or online establishment has the best price. Head out solo. Unconsciously, people tend to mimic one another. That means if your girlfriend stocks up at the kitchen supply store, you’re more likely to do so, too, says Lindstrom. So just say no to a shopping companion today. You can share deals with friends by using the free My Shopping Circle app, which notifies them about sales you see (and vice versa).

9:30 a.m.

Stop at the bank… Curb impulse buys by leaving your credit cards at home. Shopping with cash cuts your overall outlay by 23 percent, according to Lindstrom. Avoid the ATM and go to a teller so you can request larger bills, such as the 50s or 100s. You will be less likely to break them on unnecessary purchases. …Then hit the mall. Since the main entrance may have a lavish display enticing you to spend, come in through a side door or the food-court entrance. Avoid unplanned detours by using the free FastMail app, which contains full maps of more than 1,250 malls nationwide. Buy less expensive stuff first. And here’s why: Once you shell out for something costly, your brain loses perspective on what’s a good price, says Scott Huettel, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina. So once you’ve paid $250 for a PlayStation 3, doling out $40 instead of $30 for a Lego set may no longer faze you.

1 p.m.

Eat lunch. Recharge by choosing a protein-rich salad with chicken or a turkey-avocado wrap. (Carbohydrate-laden picks, like pizza and fries, will make you want to nap.)

2 p.m.

Perk yourself up. A few hours trolling the mall can get anyone down. But you’re more likely to make good buying choices if you stay in a pleasant mood, because you’ll more carefully consider the pros and cons before making a decision, says Paul M. Herr, a professor of marketing at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Virginia. So treat yourself to an inexpensive manicure at a salon or a free chair massage at Brookstone. Skip lines. When possible, pay for your purchases in less crowded areas of the store, like the men’s-underwear or home-furnishings department. Otherwise, while you’re waiting, you just might pick up something on a whim. Steer clear of attractive salespeople. You’re more likely to buy something from a sales associate who is easy on the eyes. Research shows that people tend to trust folks whom they find physically appealing, says Dahl. So ask yourself, do you like the looks of the sweater or the handsome clerk holding it? Get in, get out. The longer you listen to a sales pitch, the more likely you are to hand over the cash, according to Dahl.

6 p.m.

Multitask at dinner. Meet your spouse or friends for dinner at a restaurant that offers gift-card freebies, like T.G.I. Friday’s. At that chain, you can buy your college-age son or a friend a $50 gift card for the holidays and get a $10 credit to apply toward your dinner then and there.

8 p.m.

Back at home, search for discount codes. Look for your favorite e-tailers to see if free shipping or other discounts are available. Or simply shop the clothing-and-accessories sites they never charge for domestic shipping. Cash in your rewards. Assess which credit-card partnerships and rewards programs you are eligible for. Consider using points to buy gift cards or make online purchases through the card’s rewards site. Doing so could land you a discount or earn you more points. Buy toys online. Instead of scouring the often ransacked shelves of big-box retailers, such as Target and Toys“R” Us, head to their websites. Bonus: At this time of year, you can often land free shipping with a purchase over a certain amount. Be a little sneaky. “Just as you’re about to finalize an online purchase, cancel the order,” says Lindstrom. “If you’ve previously shopped the site, the merchant should have your e-mail address, and you may get a message within minutes touting a discount code.” Or contact a site’s live-chat associate and ask for a discount. This simple action could save you about 15 percent off the price tag, says Robert Pagliarini, the founder of RicherLife.com, a financial website. All done! Now kick back with a glass of your favorite something. (Find red and white wine recommendations.)

[the-mira-life-project-mtf]

MILE STONE! Makeup Shopping (My MtF~HRT Journey)

So today, I had a wonderful visit with my PCP who also manages my transgender progress. It was now been officially 1 Year on HRT and since May of 2018, I have learned so much!

While visiting, we covered general health and then transgender health and talked about the next step. I will save the clinical notes about surgery for another post (as this one is all about my experience on buying makeup for the first time in my life).

When I first began my HRT back in May of 2018 I do recall in one of my blog posts that I would never consider looking into wearing feminine clothing or using makeup. But as noted in my posts about the ‘mental transformations’ while using hormones...I have to agree something has changed. Oddly, I find myself socially appropriating to act more feminine then masculine. Most of this transformation began shortly after coming out as transgender to family and friends.

Even prior to my coming out ceremony, I already began looking into feminine clothes for pictures and status updates, but to never wear in public. But with my families pushing me to dress...well...in a dress, the times are changing. One thing I did not realize is that men’s clothes and female’s clothes are designed not only to look aesthetic, but also to support and insinuate the chest and rear...in basic terms, sex appeal.

Even now, I find that my male clothes do fit my expanding hip and rear size and chest size like it did a year ago and it feels kinda ‘cramped!’

Todays visit with Dr. Worth was to talk about surgery and my uncomfortable situations I am experiencing and I talked about my need for facial surgery as I am not passing for female as I am still being called ‘he’. She advised that as I wait for my consultation with plastics, I should consider makeup.

I have no knowledge of makeup as I just nodddd and said ‘Ok’. She continued that if I learn how to use makeup, I could hide my five-o’clock shadow and define my cheekbones. All that went right over my head. But with the unlikely chance of surgery, I need to learn new methods.

Dr. Worth said that two areas I could visit is Macy’s or Sephora at the Silverdale Mall. She added that with some money, they could show me how to do my makeup and try to sell me product. I took her advice and left to head home as I considered that Silverdale was just a town away for my location and it is along the way home. Won’t hurt to gain some education.

Then came the concerns: ‘What if they are not transgender friendly?’ ‘What if other shoppers make a scene?’ ‘I should just go online and order something.’ But where do I start? How do I know what to get? ‘I could buy over 200 dollars in trial and error or woman-up and just go to Sephora.’ as Dr. Worth said I might have more luck there.

I made up my mind as I programmed my GPS to take me to the mall and I’ll see what happens. I was thinking: ‘This could be a really bad idea or a really good idea...only one way to find out!’

I wall inside to the JCPenny, looking for this makeup place. I am making a lot of firsts today! First time considering using makeup, first time in a JCPenny and first time possibly purchasing makeup!

I find the Sephora store and just dread the remarks or comments I might have to endure from sales staff, but to my shock and surprise I saw a familiar face. My brothers boyfriend apparently works here as he sees me and is pleasantly surprised himself.

Talk about fears just melting away!

I explain what the doctor advised me and we went shopping to get me started. I work lie...even now as I write this blog, I don’t know all the exact steps! I was just glad that we and I were on the corrrect page about starting slow and that in time I can elevate to more serious cosmetics.

He asked if I had oily or dry skin and that was easy, ‘Dry’ I say as I never had oily skin, not even after starting HRT!

So we looked at moisturizer to apply first and then moved to primer and then base coat. He used a camera to find my skin tone (1Y08) and found a base to apply after testing a few colors. Next, we moved on to eyelash stuff, lipstick and brow brush. It was a little overwhelming!

He asked if I wanted to do eye shadow, which probably would not hurt as terminal disease make your eye shadow very dark and grey. Color be nice, but I want to slowly learn to appear female and not a clown at the circus!

He offered his help to learn how to apply in the upcoming weeks (which I will greatly accept) and seemed eager to help me with beauty as he is all about makeup and my brother Ryan is all about hair styling! For being a transgender individual, I have been blessed with an amazing family and friends!

When the price came up for the few items, I was shocked! 130.80! What did I buy?

Of all the items, the foundation was almost 40.00$! Is the normal? When I looked at the Sephora website, it was rated as expensive, so it makes sense. Typically, I would not spend this much, but because I knew that I might have help in the near future to do my makeup for the wedding and to learn...

Nevertheless, this was a good experience!

[the-gone-ton]

This is the full story of the Dempsey's chain of restaurants. It's a long one, but one I felt should be told. Pictures Will be at the end.

Phillip Rowe Jr. was given a big gift by his grandfather in 1948: a restaurant in Shillington, Pennsylvania called Dempsey's American Kitchen. A homey, 24-hour diner serving up authentic homestyle meals, the restaurant was an especially popular hangout for teenagers who enjoyed crashing at the diner at all hours of the night, after seeing movies or whatever.

The restaurant with the red-orange roof eventually expanded its presence, especially in the 70s and 80s, by buying or building a number of new restaurants spanning eastern and central Pennsylvania, with each location staying true to the Dempsey's model of cooking from scratch. Many locations had in-house bakeries, and the chain had a lot of fame for its strawberry pies and "mile-high" coconut cream pies.

Kathy Lauer-Williams of the Morning Call recounts, "With the chubby, barefoot 'Dutch boy' out front and homemade soups and meals inside, Dempsey's was like going home." And that was exactly the strategy. The company refrained from promoting the Dempsey's name in favor of developing a reputation for quality at every individual restaurant among the community.

Starting in the 80s, the chain sought to diversify. Dempsey's purchased two upscale bar & grill type restaurants, which served a full menu including broiled seafood.

Dempsey's reached a record high of 14 restaurants in consecutive operation in 1985, when the Morning Call reported on the chain's purchase of the City Vu Diner in Whitehall, wedged in between the Whitehall Mall and the Lehigh Valley Mall. Philip Rowe Jr., then the President of Dempsey's Restaurants, Incorporated, sat for an interview in the lounge of his newest acquisition, telling the Morning Call that he had been interested in buying this restaurant for almost a decade, as it sits at the corner of two main roads with the malls drawing traffic. Rowe had been eager to secure his chain's place "at the corner of main and main," as he put it.

He predicted that the newest Dempsey's would have a competitive edge over rivals such as Friendly's, due to the discretion that Dempsey's restaurant managers have over the menu and decor - and of course, due to the chain's rejection of pre-prepared food products.

Rowe stated that he was amazed at the reception Dempsey's has received in Whitehall during its first half a year or so in business there, even going so far as to say that "If we get what we should get when the weather breaks, it'll be one of our top four or five stores."

Capping off the interview, Morning Call reporter Tom Moylan wrote "Ever since his grandfather gave him a diner 38 years ago, Rowe says, the Dempsey's concept has succeeded. Today, each store does between $850,000 and $1.5 million in sales. Some Dempsey's have been closed because of lost leases or changing markets, but Rowe says none has ever failed financially."

But that was when they would indeed begin failing financially. After just 6 years in business at Philip Rowe's long-sought Whitehall restaurant, Dempsey's closed that location. The experimental bar & grill restaurants were also among the first to go. The 90s saw a huge reduction in Dempsey's locations. Unfortunately, the exact dates of many of the closures and indeed even many of the restaurant locations are virtually lost to history. However, at least two Dempsey's restaurants chugged on into the 2000s: the original Dempsey's American Kitchen in Shillington and a Dempsey's restaurant in Bethlehem, at the ailing Westgate Mall.

Then in 2005, without any notice, the Bethlehem restaurant took down its signage, locked the doors, and meekly hung a cardboard sign thanking customers. Again, the Morning Call reported on the end of the era. Mark Baranowski, the auctioneer who was handling the sale of all the equipment left in the Bethlehem Dempsey's said that there were a lot of disappointed customers. He stated, "They served the community real well and fed a lot of people, but now the times are changing. The food wasn't wrong, they had good food - the page just turned."

19 years after he sat in the lounge of his 14th restaurant talking about the future of his expanding chain to the Morning Call, Philip Rowe Jr., now an aging restauranteur in his mid-70s, did not return calls from the Morning Call to talk about the closure of his second-to-last diner.

Two years later, in 2007, Dempsey's American Kitchen in Shillington - the first and the last of a small empire - shut its doors after 59 years of operation under Philip D. Rowe, Jr. Aside from the difficulty of staffing 24-hour restaurants, no explanation has ever been made for the collapse of the beloved restaurant chain. Perhaps it's as simple as cooking from scratch becoming too expensive to maintain. Philip Rowe himself still lives in Reading, Pennsylvania, not far from where the heart of his restaurant chain was located, at the age of 92. What follows are pictures from every former Dempsey's restaurant I could find.

Image credit: Google Street View, Berks Nostalgia. This was the original Dempsey's American Kitchen. It is unknown when it opened, but it operated under Rowe from 1948-2007. Most Dempsey's restaurants were purchased by the chain rather than built by it. However, those that were outright built by Dempsey's shared the original restaurant's red-orange roof. After 11 years of vacancy, this Dempsey's was demolished in 2018 to make way for a Sheetz.

Images: public domain. This is the City Vu Diner in Whitehall that Dempsey's purchased from the family that founded it. City Vu had gone bankrupt in the end, which is how Dempsey's got a hold of it in 1985. Despite Rowe's statements suggesting that the restaurant would be a top performer that could out-compete other chains in the area such as Friendly's, the restaurant was a Dempsey's only for 6 years, and no pictures seem to exist of the restaurant during this time. Today the restaurant operates as the New City View Diner. As a point of interest, the Friendly's restaurant that Rowe mentioned by name in his 1986 interview ended up outliving Dempsey's by quite some time, but it did in fact close its doors as well in December of 2018.

Image credits: Judy Palladino. This was a Dempsey's in Pottstown. That picture was taken to show the damages of Hurricane Agnes in 1972. If you look closely, you can see the sign in the window advertising their famous strawberry pie. The restaurant was later operated as the VIP Family Restaurant, the High Street Diner, the New VIP Diner, until finally reopening as the Potts & Penn Family Diner. The diner today is supposedly mostly the same as it was back then, and the owner of the restaurant, Manny Vlastos, has said that 9 out of 10 stories he's told by customers are about the Dempsey's days - a legacy he says he's honored to carry on.

Image credits: me. Bethlehem's Dempsey's outlived most of the chain when it closed in 2005. Opened in 1973 along with the Westgate Mall, this restaurant was one of the few that were built, rather than merely purchased, by Dempsey's. This is why it sports the red roof, as well as a basement bakery. This place was a favorite of my grandfather's, because they were the only restaurant that still made mashed potatoes the real way, not from powder mix. Despite redevelopment plans being adopted in 2017, the restaurant stands abandoned to this day.

Image: public domain. The Plain & Fancy Diner on Hamilton Street, Allentown became a Dempsey's in 1968 and remained one until 1993. It now operates as the Hamilton Family Restaurant, or as it is lovingly called, the Ham Fam.

Image: tripadvisor. Dempsey's owned this restaurant in Easton, but it is unknown when it began operating as a Dempsey's. It closed in the early to mid 90s, and is today the Tic Toc Family Restaurant.

Image: Queen City Family Restaurant. This restaurant in Reading, today operating as the Queen City Family Restaurant, claims on its website that it was originally a Dempsey's. Assuming that's true, then I suspect it became a Howard Johnson's franchise afterwards, which would explain the blue paint on some of the roof fixtures.

Additionally, Dempsey's operated Leed's Bar & Grill Ltd. in Harrisburg starting in 1982 as well as the 1760 House Bar & Grill in Trexlertown starting in 1989. These were the experimental upscale bar & grill restaurants that Dempsey's bought. At the time, the manager of 1760 said that he expected all the difficult-to-staff 24-hour diners would be replaced by these upscale alternatives. However, Dempsey's would only end up owning 1760 for 3 years before selling it off. It is unknown when they sold Leed's. Having been purchased in 1989, the 1760 House Bar & Grill appears to have been the last acquisition ever made by Dempsey's Restaurants, Inc. Leed's Ltd. And the 1760 Pub ~N~ Grille, as they're now known, operate to this day.

There were over 15 Dempsey's restaurants in total. The nine here are those which I have been able to identify; the rest have eluded me.

[sparklyjojos]

--[Disco Wednesdayyy 24/?] The brave new world is made out of closed rooms, or are we really switching the genre over 1000 pages into the book? Okay then. [tw: csa, child abuse, brief gore]--

Last time, Disco arrived at the World’s End, accidentally jumped to the year 2019, and discovered that a company called Styron Japan built themselves a nice new skyscraper in Chofu. As soon as Disco enters the building, a bunch of company vicepresidents introduce themselves and tell him JJ Styron is already waiting. Judging by their quick explanations, JJ naturalized himself through marriage with a Japanese woman and was planning on spreading his influence to Japan.

JJ welcomes Disco with tea and sweets and says he’s been awaiting this visit for years. He looks startingly young for his 38 years, but asked about it claims he’s just taking good care of himself, since it’s not like he can jump in time or something, haha! Already unsettled, Disco asks about Sharon Styron’s death.

“Ah, yes, she’s dead.” JJ answers casually. “I killed her. Drugged her so she couldn’t move and cut her to pieces while she was still conscious.”

“...Why?”

“Why? Because she betrayed me, of course! The only thing she cared about was protecting you. I’ve been trying to find you and your family, and she refused to give me any information. She claimed you were an orphan.” So she must have sincerely believed the lies Disco told her about his identity... “Well, but it turns out she wasn’t lying... Mr. William Eady.”

Completely confused, Disco looks at the documents JJ shows him. A birth certificate. ‘William Eady’, ‘orphan’, a slightly different day of birth, ‘St. Paul’s Church in New York’ as the place he was found in. Everything exactly like in the made up story he told Sharon. ...If emotions can take external shape, can imagination, fiction? But then Disco notices the documents were ‘found’ by the law office in which the real William Eady is employed, so it’s likely that the lawyer forged the certificate to protect Disco.

“What were you going to do to me when you found me?”

“Kill you, if you went in my way. But now that the company is big enough to no longer be threatened by you, I don’t really care. And you know what? I can’t help but feel deep respect for you for doing your best to solve the mystery. Which is why I’d love for you to become the sales promoter for our wonderful Kozue Method! I can vouch for its effectiveness -- why, I’m my company’s client as well, and look how youthful I am. Well, my body is physically 11, haha!”

He spreads a variety of pamphlets on the table.

“You’ve heard about using stem cells acquired from clones to grow organs and such, have you? The Kozue Method is bolder! You can exchange the entire body at once! It’s perfectly possible, since the personality of a person is tied to consciousness, and not their physical body. Of course, we cooperate with the Blackswan company, who’s the patent holder for the Main Child treatment and for thouroughly preparing the Jacket, that is, the vessel Sub Child. It’s the single greatest development in the world’s history, and it’s all thanks to you, Disco!”

The Kozue Method involves the following procedure. The client -- the Main Child -- is given horrible abuse, so just like it was with Kozue parts of themselves split off and take over fetuses still in the womb, pushing the original souls out. These split off parts -- the Sub Children -- are born and raised, then mysteriously disappear one day, and the empty bodies (the ‘Jackets’, as JJ calls them) are used as new vessels for the Main Child.

That’s not all. From what JJ says, it seems the global consciousness, humanity’s emotions and will, can now be curated -- after all, there’s a way to get negative emotions and violent thoughts quite literally out of you, and apparently resentment will vanish with ‘split personalities’ too. This resulted in a clean, shiny, perfectly peaceful world with apparently zero creativity, to the point that no new fictional media is really made. [I’m... honestly confused as to how this exactly works, especially considering some later parts. Maybe JJ is just overexaggerating.]

“It really is all thanks to you! You found Kozue and the six others, managed to connect them back together, and the news spread all over the world. You’re a hero, Disco!”

“...How many kids did you... did you sell?”

“In the last 10 years it’d be, hm, two hundred millions? Now, now, I understand you have reservations. There’s a little guilt involved, but it’s not like people don’t live with many little guilts on their backs anyway. We’re improving the procedures, too! We already established that sexual abuse makes the job done the quickest, and hey, the faster it is, the shorter it hurts! The kid will just forget it anyway. The Blackswan guys are true specialists, they can do a lot in just one tiny moment. In a single second the child gets, what did you call it? ‘Abuse’, and in the next, the memory has already been moved to the other personality. It’s good that the parents don’t have to see it, since nobody likes to live thinking their children are being hurt.”

Blackswan. The company’s logo on the pamphlets looks familiar.

[The name Blackswan (or Black Swan? I’m not sure of the spelling here) may be a reference to Project Bluebird, which -- at least according to all the conspiracy websites out there -- involved among other unethical experiments trying to induce DID in healthy subjects.]

“You may think: what about the parents of the Sub Children?” JJ continues. “Aren’t they angry? Here’s where one of our big achievements comes into play. You’ve heard about the vanishing twin phenomenon, right? Of course you have, you met Daibakusho Curry. It happens a lot in nature. The strongest survives. What we’re doing here is just giving the poor weak kids a chance! We retrieve and raise them, so they can get a go at living before... being reused.”

How can this future be avoided?, Disco thinks. Is the Black Bird Man involved? Maybe if Disco finds and defeats him, all this can be fixed. But no, he can’t change the future in any way... so what can he do? Find children. Somehow protect the Main Children from abuse, so this entire system breaks. So twins no longer vanish, just like he promised to Run Run -- oh God, if Run Run can speak and act like a human, does this mean...?

Disco asks JJ if Run Run was a victim of their experiments too (maybe they tried to transfer human souls into animal bodies at first?), but JJ seems to genuinely have no idea what he’s talking about.

“Ah, whatever,” JJ says, waving his hand. “You don’t seem convinced, and I’ll forget everything that happened here anyway once you leave.”

But before Disco can actually leave, JJ turns on a futuristic screen and shows him a documentary called LAMIA SYNDROME (2019), sponsored among other by Styron Japan. “Just so you know I’m not lying to you,” JJ says.

--

The documentary states that 4- to 8-year-old children have been disappearing all over the world since autumn 2006 in a phenomenon called Lamia Syndrome. A few parents talk about how their children suddenly vanished even under close supervision. We see a recording from a mall security camera showing a little girl holding her grandfather’s hand one second and disappearing the next. The footage is then repeated frame by frame. Just before the girl vanishes, another man shows up in the frame.

It’s not the Black Bird Man.

It’s future ‘Disco’. He looks around sixty and seems very happy about something. Looking straight into the camera, he gives it a thumbs up, and with the other hand holds up a sign with a single sentence:

THE WORLD IS MADE OUT OF CLOSED ROOMS

The documentary has a literary critic explain that “this is the title of Ehimegawa Juuzou’s 1996 novel, the 7th book in the Runbaba series. In it, a criminal called the Locked Room Billionaire announces that he’s going to kill a billion people in locked room situations in just ten years. Even if people may try to avoid going inside buildings or returning home, they’re nevertheless trapped in the locked rooms of their own fear.”

[Lore note: this is not even remotely what Maijo’s 2002 novel The World is Made out of Closed Rooms is about. Instead, it seems to be a combination of Seiryoin’s Cosmic and Carnival, with the main villain’s name and modus operandi being a mix of the Locked Room Lord and the Billion Killer. 1996 is when Cosmic was first released, too. I honestly wonder how different JDC is in Disco-verse if Mitamura could get away with this.]

“The crowded mall situation seems similar to one from the book,” the critic continues, “although there’s no proof that the same locked room trick was used. This time, there’s just an evil man at work. He seems similar in looks to Disco Wednesdayyy, a detective and one of the 31 people who disappeared in the Pine House case, which concerned Ehimegawa Juuzou’s death. The same man was involved in finding Yamagishi Kozue, the origin of the Kozue Method. Closed Rooms predicted our current situation in which children are sent to shelters in order to protect them from the Lamia Syndrome. Maybe by using the book’s title, the man is trying to say that he, a great detective, will eventually open the locked room... that is, bust open the shelters and kidnap the children.”

(Disco’s like, no, no, I’m not even a great detective, I��m a hardboiled detective! I don’t know shit about locked room tricks! I haven’t even read Mitamura’s books! [You know, you probably should, Mitamura seems to have put a lot of useful hints in those.] And all this must be a mistake, it’s not like I’d ever start kidnapping children... right?)

The documentary then shows an interview with the only survivor of the Pine House -- Dezuumi Style, now much older, who isn’t sure whether the man in the photo really is his friend Disco Wednesdayyy (and aw, he really refers to Disco as his friend, even if they hardly ever talked). From the interview we learn that this new world doesn’t need writers or great detectives anymore; no locked room murders or tricky false alibi cases or anything similar ever happens anymore. Dezuumi believes that ‘Disco’s’ Closed Rooms message is sarcastic, to show that “in a stiff world without different points of view or creativity, instead of people being closed in locked rooms in mystery novels, it’s now human emotions, ideas and values that are closed in new locked rooms...”

“But isn’t it right to stop the unwanted thoughts and focus on the useful ones?” the interviewer asks.

“No. People should be always thinking about new topics and coming up with new inventions. They should dare to break things. Trying to keep everyone’s thoughts perfectly ordered is terrorism.”

Next, the documentary shows Iwasaki Kousuke, the taxi driver from Nishi Akatsuki, who also isn’t sure if that’s Disco in the photo. When the interviewer brings up that Iwasaki’s family defeated cancer thanks to Kozue Method and that the idea of ‘a lifespan’ may soon be irrelevant to humanity, Iwasaki says that he’s still not sure if that’s a good thing. Death is a fact of life, after all, and we should be grateful for happiness and sadness.

The documentary then says the whoever the mysterious man is, he has kidnapped close to three hundred million children since 2006...

--

JJ stops the movie, saying that what he wanted Disco to see is that there really is only a tiny group of people in Japan standing against him, and the rest of the world is pretty much his. “But do you understand now why I have respect for you? Three hundred millions! For the first two years, we could hardly ever find the kids, since you hid the majority of them! I thought that maybe killing your family would lure you out, but that plan didn’t work out... and it’s not like the Blackswan guys haven’t already killed you seven times.” The time fold effects must have protected Disco from permanently dying in the future.

Three hundred million kids?! That’s be over 60 000 a day! You’d need an entire organization of space-jumpers to pull off something like this... or thirty one people from the Pine House. Did ‘Mercury C’ prevent everyone from leaving because they were meant to form a group, and their mysterious disappearance meant they simply moved to the shadows? Have the others spent years and years helping him hide the kids from Styron and recruit new space-jumpers?...

But where do you even hide three hundred million kids? They could probably warp any small space to accomodate even that number, and since they could jump in time they’d just make it so a child stays there for merely a second before it’s returned to their parents once the world becomes safe. But would they ever return them, considering that Styron won the battle for the world?...

Disco asks if JJ hurt the families of Disco’s accomplices, to which JJ claims he wanted to take down Disco first, so he didn’t bother yet. But anyway, JJ really wants Disco to stop this whole children kidnapping thing, because can’t Disco see how much the parents are hurt by his actions~? [You’re one to talk, buddy.] He resumes the documentary to show one last scene.

--

19-year-old Kozue says she’s not sure if the man in the photo is Disco. “I feel sympathy for the affected parents, and I think it'd be best to return the kids to them. The Disco I knew wouldn't do something horrible like that. Are you sure it's not someone else?” Then, as she’s leaving the shot, she looks back at the camera and yells that maybe it’d be better if she had never gotten involved with Disco at all.

The documentary ends by stating that the global birth rate is drastically falling, since women are afraid to bring children into the world in which the Lamia Syndrome runs rampant. It’s predicted that by 2080 the human race will stop procreating except for the purpose of prolonging their immortal lives.

--

“See? If you keep going, you’ll be the one responsible for the destruction of the human race,” JJ says. “Don’t you feel bad about it?”

But all Disco answers with is “Thank you for the movie, JJ. It was quite illuminating.”

“Huh? That’s not just some movie, that’s reality! Don’t you feel bad? Angry?”

“Not really. All it did was prove me that I’m right. Have you ever seen the kanji for ‘lifespan’ (寿命)? The first one (寿) may mean ‘congratulations’, ‘celebration’, ‘being happy with life’. There would be nothing to ‘celebrate’ if there wasn’t a finite ‘lifespan’. You really aren’t naturalized yet if you don’t get it. Japanese people understand why there would be no charm in making sakura trees bloom all year long.”

“Well, clearly Japanese people are mistaken. You can’t look at kamikaze pilots and tell me there’s nothing wrong with their heads!”

“You really don’t get sacrifices for a great cause, JJ. While kamikaze sacrificed their lives, they yelled ‘banzai’, which means ‘ten thousand years of life’. Not death, but life. You saw me smile in that photo in the documentary, did you? That smile is my banzai. If the future can’t be changed, then all this movie proves is that my future is bright: every single day spent fulfilled as I’m protecting children.”

As Disco sets to leave (again), JJ pulls out his last trump card and calls his Japanese wife to the room.

It’s Norma Brown. Or rather, Fuyuno Norma Brown. JJ’s new name is apparently Fuyuno Shinji.

--

Norma is overjoyed to see Disco and sweeps him in a hug, saying that she’s been looking for him all this time. She’s different than he remembers. Sure, she has the same personality, but she looks Japanese, which overall makes her the spitting image of Norma-faced Koeda.

“Do you not like this body of mine, Disco?” she asks seeing his reaction. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t obtained from some poor child! Shinji, haven’t you explained that to him yet?! The method has been improved, Disco! The Jackets are now cultivated in artificial wombs. No more pushing out souls out of the original to obtain a Subchild! After birth, they’re raised by good volunteer mothers. In addition, we discovered that stimulus other than ‘suffering’ works for inducing new personalities. Children aren’t hurting anymore, Disco!”

“It’s useless, honey,” JJ says. “This isn’t the Disco you knew. He no longer protects children.”

Norma tries to persuade Disco to stop taking children away, but he still won’t budge. She has a little exchange with JJ who seems to be seriously jealous (”Do you love me like you love Disco?”), and assures JJ that of course she loves him, Disco starts considering to bring out one of his hidden knives and attack JJ...

But before Disco can make a move, something explodes. It takes Disco a few seconds to realize that while he’s still holding Norma in his arms, her lower half was blown off by a small bomb hidden inside her body, much like the one Disco once pulled out of Nils. Her last words are, “You’re my hero, Disco.”

Disco desperately puts her body back together, trying not to ‘run away to the Pineapple Home’ [I like that this became a metaphore for withdrawing into your mind from shock]. But no matter what he does, she doesn’t come back to life.

“This isn’t her original body,” JJ says. He looks almost as shocked as Disco by what just happened. “The soul can’t return to it, and the original body is already gone...”

“But there’s a spare one, right? There must be!” Disco yells, mortified at his own response. Would he really sacrifice a child for her?... “No, wait... If I just return to the past, all will be undone. She’ll be alive again--”

“No. Norma is dead,” JJ says. “She’s going to be dead in every possible history from now on. Sure, this is just an imaginary, fictional future... but she wasn’t. She came from the past. We met in 2003, and the Blackswan guys helped arrange it so that she’d be taken to 2008, and then we’d get married. Now that she’s gone, her research will disappear too. She was the one who came up with all the new projects, so our progress will be lost... according to plan. Of course! The Blackswan guys must have swindled me again! She’s been kept here all this time for the sole purpose of being killed in front of you! It’s your fault!”

Was it really his fault?... No. Everything's already decided. Every attempt to change history is already contained in that history.

While JJ is still blaming him, Disco doesn’t take that shit and asks “JJ, what was the phrase activating the bomb? It was the question you asked her, wasn’t it?”

[Wait, those bombs are phrase-activated. Which means Nils openly opposing JJ Styron while in a conversation with him was even more awe-inspiring than I thought. DAMN, kid.]

Disco puts the bomb back together, slam dunks it into JJ's body, and starts the last barrage of questions.

Why isn’t JJ busy with drug cartels anymore? Apparently the Blackswan guys managed to somehow remove the hallucinatory effect of drugs, since it could destroy their idea of perfectly managed global consciousness.

So there’s peace in the world, but no new media is created, no Spielbergs or Hendrixes? Maybe so, but hey, even Disco’s beloved San Diego is now clean and pretty! (Disco finds this fact hard to imagine and honestly quite disturbing.)

What was going on with that case with JJ’s seven underlings, why were they all hanging by just one leg? “I don’t know, have you tried asking that kid that should be in the Pine House, Nils Mikami?” [Yeah, you better remember his name!]

Does JJ know about the Pineapple Home? No clue what that even is.

Alright. As Disco prepares to leave (for the nth time in this sequence), JJ says, “If you go back to the past now, the childless method Norma invented would cease to exist too, you know.”

“No. Norma was a great person, but not a unique one. There are many others like her who can come up with it.” [I assume that since the future is unchanging, somebody else really will come up with it.]

“...in the end, I’m weak and you’re weak. No matter the time or place, the weak are an easy target. No, maybe we just have different kinds of strength. After all, you didn’t run away even as Norma was dying in your arms. ...you know, she didn’t answer my question properly. She said that she loved me. But my question was... Do you love me like you love Disco?”

Disco instantly pulls the bomb out of JJ’s body and tosses it through the window, where it explodes at a safe distance. Not ouf of mercy or anything, just because fuck you, you slimy bastard, you’re not getting off that easy, and Disco will be sure to think of a much, much worse punishment later. [HELL YEAH]

--

Leaving the room (and pretty devastated looking JJ), Disco happens to glance at the sweets he was welcomed with, and notices the logo of a shop called Makuri-ya. ‘Makuri”... “Mercury”? Mercury C did say he was the owner of a traditional Japanese confectionary shop in Chofu...

It may be a good time to go shopping for some explanation.

[personal-loan]

Why should you take a Personal Loan to upgrade your Home Appliances?

The word upgrade rings an alarm. The alarm indicates quite an expenditure. An expenditure that cannot be paid from normal earnings as upgrades are time-bound, mostly in years. So generally we save for the “upgrade” and do it when the need arrives.

In today’s turbulent times of high inflation and volatility, the blue-sky path of saving and spending does not help at all. Most people take on loans to do things. Many say this is progressive too as you are not delaying an upgrade in your lifestyle and rather pay off the debt in installments, the same way you would have saved in installments.

So where does the money come from for an upgrade of the home appliances? Is there a shopping loan or home appliance of a sort? There are personal loans of course and nowadays instant personal loans. Let’s see what they are:

What are Personal Loans?

What is not defined, or you do not intend to explain, is where personal loans come in. Despite many loan instruments made available by the financial industry, it shall never be enough to cover all aspects. It is unfair to think of it too. Home loans, car loans, education loans, business loans, and now shopping loans. Beyond that, there are personal loans for what all is left.

How can Personal Loans act as Shopping Loans?

Although specified credits are available in low or no-cost EMI or credit cards, shopping loans are still a new concept. They are more so unfeasible when the shopping is instant or impulse. Let’s say a sale deal or a limited period offer. Get an instant personal loan and use that as your shopping loan.

Will my credit score affect my ability to take Shopping or Personal loans?

Mostly all reputable instant personal loans now help people with no or low credit scores. Although Cibil Score Loan continue to prevail in establish bank houses, you can avail of instant personal loans at PHOCKET at a low credit score as well.

Why Personal loan for Shopping above other offers?

Credit cards continue to be the most pushed methods of shopping debt through ads, messages, and salespeople being present at the counter. Credit card debt is dangerous in nature due to its exorbitant amount of interest rate. While standing at the shopping mall, you can avail instant credit loans without worrying about CIBIL score and shop freely.

What to keep in mind?

Affordability and the need are a must. Just because instant personal loans are readily available should not mean you should overspend or spend on things that you do not require. Remember debts are there to help you and not to put you in more trouble. Do your financial cash flow check before taking a loan. So what you are buying with an instant shopping loan next.

Thus, the process is smooth and shorter (even less than the reading time of this blog). Be ready with scanned docs and visit the website (or download the mobile app now: Phocket — Instant Personal Loan). Your financial emergency need is no more a problematic event.