Don't laugh, but I really kinda miss
Big Lots.
I know; I don't necessarily seem like
the Big Lots kind of guy, do I? And I really wasn't. After all,
when the store was open in Marquette I would only visit it once or
twice a year (so yes, I'm to blame for it closing two years ago, I
guess). But it was around this time of the year that I'd pop in, and
it was probably not for the reason you'd think. I didn't like to go
to Big Lots for their collection of off-brand merchandise and factory
seconds, or for their overly fluorescent lighting.
Nope—I liked to go to Big Lots
because you would've found that the store had somehow amassed this
amazing collection of interesting foods from around the world. Over
the years I'd picked up blackberry jam from Turkey, cheese gnocchi
from Italy, and a package of raspberry filled chocolate cookies from
Poland, just a few of the many treats I found there.
And that's why I'm sad they closed
their doors and never looked back.
Aside from the oddities of
international food you could've picked up at the store I can also
vouch for another service provided by Big Lots when it was around.
If you had found yourself in need of a small, shall we say, out of
the ordinary gift for an upcoming holiday season you could've found
one while looking through the food shelves of Big Lots. Not only did
they have a bunch of snacks and treats from around the world, but you
could always find something weird from here in the USA, as well.
Case in point? A couple of years ago I
needed a small gift that cried “strange”, and I found it at Big
Lots? What was that gift, the one that cried “strange”? How
about Elvis Presley flavored hot chocolate. That’s not to say the
hot chocolate was flavored like Elvis Presley which, if I had to
guess, would taste vaguely of fried banana sandwiches and
painkillers. Nope; it actually had different flavors you’d expect
from hot chocolate, flavors like mint & caramel. But just the
fact that you could get “Elvis Presley” brand flavored hot
chocolate at a store (at least at a store someplace outside of
Memphis, where everything has Elvis’ picture on it) was one of the
prime reasons why I would visit Big Lots once or twice a year.
And that's why, especially this time of
the year, I kinda miss it.
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