lakecitydirt.com Blog

Some things never change (like the cottonwood snowstorm we’re experiencing) and some things do. Now that the cash register is back up and running, we have expanded our credit/debit card policy at the Country Store. We are now accepting Visa, Mastercard and Discover cards as well as debit cards. There is a small service fee for purchases less than $20.00 and we still accept cash and checks! We hope this will simplify things for our customers, but the system is not without it’s flaws. Whether electrical, dust or just those magnetic strips we do have an occasional glitch and want to apologize to anyone experiencing those times. Thank you for your patronage.

I too did the local shopping in LC for the month of May. I found it both frustrating and surprising. Blue Spruce always seemed to have whatever I needed as far as household items go….trash compactor bags and some cleaning supplies. I did find a natural laundry detergent at the Country Store that I had previously only found in Gunnison at City Market. Granted it was more expensive than in Gunnison, but it was available and I didn’t have to “settle” for a laundry detergent I didn’t want to use and I didn’t have to drive to Gunnison.

I did have to go to Gunnison to get prescriptions refilled and while I was there we had lunch and did some other grocery shopping. Not because the grocery shopping was a necessity, but because we were there and it was convenient. I appreciate the Country Store in trying to help with this May campaign. I did quite a bit of my grocery shopping there and was pleased with the selections of items and the price.

Of course as always, there was the frustration factor of not finding “everything” I needed or remembering why I don’t always go into particular businesses to begin with (un-friendly store owners, etc.)

I love that summer is here…it means we have a lot more restaurants and stores open….makes it easier to do the shopping and eating local!!

My May local shopping was definately enlightening.  I did have to take a couple of trips to the eastern slope that month and not having to stop and do the “power shop” in Gunnison on the way home was nice.  Not having to unpack and put it all away after a long drive was also nice.  Of course, I missed fresh produce and herbs but for the most part, I found what I needed to get by.  

I really appreciate the County Store and think it would be a great asset to them to somehow? add another register in the summer months, when the lines get so long.  Also, I think it would help alot if the store were a little more aesthetically pleasing.  When you look past the deli, well frankly, it’s a little scary and creepy.  The only sort of bad experience I had was looking in the meat counter and seeing a pork loin right up front with a WAY out of date tag on it.  This will not deter me from shopping there - but I think it’s important to know that people notice these things and then come away with a certain opinion that’s not so great.   

I used the local shops to purchase gifts and will continue to explore shops that I don’t normally go into as there are certain things that I didn’t realize where right here in Lake City.  Excellent quality leather hand bags at the Timberline!  

In comparing my April and May receipts; I spent 18% more on everything combined (food, supplies, gas, meals) while purchasing local goods in May.  In light of the outrageous gas prices and the fact that it just feels good to keep my money in town as long as I can, I will continue to try and do a good deal of shopping here. 

I think that alot of times, folks are just away for other reasons (doctor appts etc) and tend to pick up supplies since they are already there (Gunnison, Montrose, Grand Junction or Denver).  Also, I honestly feel that it is just sometimes a thereputic need to get away from town from time to time.  Those of us that live here year round need a change of pace occasionally and getting a bit of a different shopping scenary sort of goes along with that. 

I think the shop local campaign was/is a great idea.  Spreading the awareness and encouraging the community to at least try to spend a little more here

My May shopping experience in Lake City produced a mixed bag of results. I did my best to do 100% of my shopping for the month in Lake City but I did end up having to purchase a few necessities in Gunnison. Although I didn’t get to have nearly as much fresh produce as I’m used to and I couldn’t find some of my favorite brands, it was a relatively easy thing to find everything else I wanted or needed in terms of groceries. The Country Store was very interested and engaged in the local campaign and offered a prize for those shoppers spending more than $200.00 in the store during the month. The fresh asparagus was fabulous. I found true bargains at the Mocha Moose for coffee and Acme Feed & Supply for petfood. Although I haven’t conducted a complete analysis, I believe I spent about 15% more than normal for groceries during May taking into account that there were some things that I went without. I do find it incredibly convenient to stop and pick up a few things at the grocery store on the way home as opposed to taking half a day or better to plan a trip to Gunnison or Montrose. It was also nice not to have to unload the car and put away all those things it took me hours to pick out. When I factor in the cost of gas and the value of my time, local shopping looks more and more attractive. Overall, the experience was better than I thought it would be and I do plan to continue spending at least 50% of my grocery budget in Lake City.

My biggest disappointment was the complete lack of interest and cooperation on the part of some business owners (i.e. General Store) to accommodate local buyers. Oh well, maybe next time.

Storm Front Gallery on Silver Street in historic downtown has a nice selection of Father’s Day cards and gifts.

Well, I bet the Country Store was out of asparagus before the close of business yesterday!  I took some home, put it on the grill and ate every single bite.   It was delicious.

 Coffee lovers out there should check out bulk pricing at the Mocha Moose.  I bought a five pound bag about a month ago and saved $.19 per pound over the cost of gourmet coffee at City Market.

I found nutritious cat food at Acme Feed.  My cats love it and it was less expensive than the Iiams I used to feed them….plus - it’s better for them than the Iiams or Science Diet!

Hi, we got a call from Montrose and a new delivery of asparagus should be arriving Tuesday or Wednesday. For those who asked, fresh greens should arrive Wednesday also. Thanks! Nancy

Storm Front Gallery is getting new items in every day. Sink strainers, kitchen items, Mothers Day cards and gifts. We currently have ALL our Food items on sale at 50% off…..Pizza Kits, Soup Mixes, jams and jellies. Have a great spring!! Lynn

The Country Store has initiated a “May Rewards” card which allows you to accumulate $200 in purchases in May for a free prize, such as a free handcut ribeye steak. Purchases of $25 or more will count towards your May purchases. This is a tangible incentive to Buy Local.

And another thing…their fresh asparagus is delicious! And I mean FRESH. It was brought in Wednesday from a Montrose supplier. Makes it seem like spring in spite of the brisk wind outside.

Marian