Th Politics of Groceries: Gateway closed today 7/29/2014

[Hoss]

You should be able to still get one...just more than $100.  Am getting ready to get mine soon...but since I am so old it is only about $30 combined....  I buy a regular license - hunting and fishing - every year, even if I don't get the chance to go, for the one simple fact - this is where the wildlife department gets most of its money and I support their work 100%!!  There is no entity in this country that does more on a broader basis for wildlife in general, than the state wildlife departments!!  If one has concerns about wildlife and habitat and renewal of wildlife populations, there is NO better leverage of one's support than to buy a combo license - even if you don't hunt and fish!  

I also occasionally buy the state and federal migratory fowl stamps.... love the pretty pictures!!

wow, lifetime combo license is now $725.  I'll pass I think.   I might however get the $225 lifetime fishing license (I do more of that anyway).

[rdj]

When the entire cost of an item is covered by a third party you don't care what it costs.  When it is coming from your pocket you care.   And, if the buyer doesn't care what is costs what is the sellers incentive to keep the cost low?

If you're on a food assistance program that pays for certain items in your grocery cart regardless of their costs why would you shop around?  More importantly, as the seller of those items why wouldn't wring as much profit as you could out of them?

Gateway routinely sold a gallon of milk a full $1-1.50 more than a Braum's or even QT.

[heironymouspasparagus]

When the entire cost of an item is covered by a third party you don't care what it costs.  When it is coming from your pocket you care.   And, if the buyer doesn't care what is costs what is the sellers incentive to keep the cost low?

If you're on a food assistance program that pays for certain items in your grocery cart regardless of their costs why would you shop around?  More importantly, as the seller of those items why wouldn't wring as much profit as you could out of them?

Gateway routinely sold a gallon of milk a full $1-1.50 more than a Braum's or even QT.

True.

Local co-op....

[Conan71]

When the entire cost of an item is covered by a third party you don't care what it costs.  When it is coming from your pocket you care.   And, if the buyer doesn't care what is costs what is the sellers incentive to keep the cost low?

If you're on a food assistance program that pays for certain items in your grocery cart regardless of their costs why would you shop around?  More importantly, as the seller of those items why wouldn't wring as much profit as you could out of them?

Gateway routinely sold a gallon of milk a full $1-1.50 more than a Braum's or even QT.

Doesn't the SNAP card have a finite monthly limit?  I'd think that would make someone pretty budget conscious, but then again, I've never been in that position where someone else was picking up the tab on my groceries in my adult life.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Doesn't the SNAP card have a finite monthly limit?  I'd think that would make someone pretty budget conscious, but then again, I've never been in that position where someone else was picking up the tab on my groceries in my adult life.

Lucky you!  Never had to deal with a minimum wage job!!

[Conan71]

Lucky you!  Never had to deal with a minimum wage job!!

Had several in my lifetime.  I never tried to support a family on one, that's not why they exist.

[Hoss]

Doesn't the SNAP card have a finite monthly limit?  I'd think that would make someone pretty budget conscious, but then again, I've never been in that position where someone else was picking up the tab on my groceries in my adult life.

Yes, but whatever is left over carries over.

[Red Arrow]

Had several in my lifetime.  I never tried to support a family on one, that's not why they exist.

You could get a part-time minimum wage job in addition to your day job.  Then you could claim to be supporting yourself and MC while working at a minimum wage job.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Had several in my lifetime.  I never tried to support a family on one, that's not why they exist.

Lucky you!



Actually, that isn't why they exist...they exist to try to ensure that people don't get even more hosed by the John Pickle's of this world.....no matter what the age of that person.

[Conan71]

You could get a part-time minimum wage job in addition to your day job.  Then you could claim to be supporting yourself and MC while working at a minimum wage job.

Damn, great idea!  I could pull the pity card all the time around my liberal leaning friends.

[DTowner]

When the entire cost of an item is covered by a third party you don't care what it costs.  When it is coming from your pocket you care.   And, if the buyer doesn't care what is costs what is the sellers incentive to keep the cost low?

If you're on a food assistance program that pays for certain items in your grocery cart regardless of their costs why would you shop around?  More importantly, as the seller of those items why wouldn't wring as much profit as you could out of them?

Gateway routinely sold a gallon of milk a full $1-1.50 more than a Braum's or even QT.

I don't have a problem with a store in an area with little or no competition charging a higher price than in a highly competitive market  The owner who pushes the margins too high will create an incentive to get some competitors.  Realistically, the small independent cormer markets discussed above will always charge more than the big chain grocery stores and WM because of the disparity of buying power.

As for SNAP, given the capped monthly benefits, recipeients have a huge incentive to cut coupons, be bargain shoppers and do whatever it takes to stretch their food dollars - in the same way generations of college kids have eaten Ramen noodles.  Just because some individuals make poor decisions does not mean we should mandate what a store owner charges.

[AquaMan]

I can't be part of this conversation as it has progressed. Some good ideas and motivations, but too many erroneous assumptions and will take too much precious time to address.

My feeling is that Tulsa, all four of its geographical segments, will never face its sex, class, age and race biases. They are historical, political and institutionalized. Therefore, we will always be a second city without much of a clue. That is why we have such slow growth as Artist has pointed out.

I'm sure you guys will figure it out!

[Conan71]

I can't be part of this conversation as it has progressed. Some good ideas and motivations, but too many erroneous assumptions and will take too much precious time to address.

My feeling is that Tulsa, all four of its geographical segments, will never face its sex, class, age and race biases. They are historical, political and institutionalized. Therefore, we will always be a second city without much of a clue. That is why we have such slow growth as Artist has pointed out.

I'm sure you guys will figure it out!

Don't be hung up on the problem or perceived problem.  Contribute to the solution, Aqua!

[TulsaRufnex]

So, what did I miss?
Ooops.    

I get frustrated at the minimum wage debate because we seem to enjoy making policies that further marginalize some reasonably hardworking folks who are dangerously close to functioning on the margins of society already.

Meanwhile, back to Gateway... there's a Sav-A-Lot about a mile directly east of there... my closest traditional grocery store is about three miles away... I cringe when headlines flash that "North Tulsa's only grocery store" is closing ... http://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/north-tulsas-only-grocery-store-gateway-market-closing-down-not-paying-the-bills-says-manager

The problem is this:  You have a nice suburban style strip mall at the corner of Pine & Peoria in a city that's absolutely filled with suburban style strip malls.

It's been a couple of years since I shopped at that store, but I remember it was huge and looked like one half of it was a dollar store and the other half a Las Americas... there are other places on my way to/from work that are far better and more convenient... and I think there are many people in that neighborhood that travel to work in east/south/midtown Tulsa who'd rather shop at Reasors or Dollar Tree or the smaller Las Americas on 3rd Street on the way home than frequent an empty looking super-dooper market closer to home.  I mean, a couple of weeks ago, I found myself over at the Librarium on south Denver and walked around thinking how dinky that space looked when "back-in-the-day" it was an honest to goodness "supermarket."

I think the term "food desert" gets overused in a situation that looks to my untrained eye less about meeting needs and more about placating egos.

If you think a grocery store belongs on that corner... heck... give me an Aldi in a smaller space in the same shopping center-- I'd be a regular customer... and turn that huge cavern of a super-dooper market into a community center and/or a basketball court.

[Red Arrow]

I can't be part of this conversation as it has progressed. Some good ideas and motivations, but too many erroneous assumptions and will take too much precious time to address.

My feeling is that Tulsa, all four of its geographical segments, will never face its sex, class, age and race biases. They are historical, political and institutionalized. Therefore, we will always be a second city without much of a clue. That is why we have such slow growth as Artist has pointed out.

I'm sure you guys will figure it out!

I'm sure that as soon as white, mid-town, south and southeast Tulsa figures out that everything is their fault that everything will be OK.


I live in Bixby so I'm OK.