Every day I drive almost the same route to work. And like most repetitive driving I rarely take a good look at my surroundings. Too busy singing along with whomever or listening to a good book. But the other day I noticed a store in a strip mall on my way to the freeway. The name of the store is "Grocery Outlet". Really, that's the whole name.
Here's my question: what is a grocery outlet? Do they sell food from last season? How about food that couldn't be sold in the big supermarkets? Maybe they sell foodstuffs that are the wrong color or size. Perhaps the food is past its expiration date but not really dangerous to eat. "Grocery Outlet" definitely does not give me a positive vibe.
Other retailers that traffic in last season's unwanted and unsold goods have names like "Marshalls", "Ross", or "Steinmart" so at least they sound like places you might like shop. Outlet malls even have names like "The Citadel". These malls list their designer stores to attach even more cache to shopping there.
But this "Grocery Outlet" has an odd green facade with no banners proudly proclaiming their brand name wares. No "Save on Kellogg's cereals" or "Ivory Soap for less". The passerby or driver by has no inkling of what lurks behind the dark glass. Frankly, I don't think I want to know.
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