We have a kind of urban legend here at Waterside that we're a hostage audience and the prices in the easily-accessible grocery store here are higher than they are "downtown" in the stores along E. 23rd Street and 1st Avenue.
I have to say I've long believed in this myth, but time again again, I'm proven wrong. In fact, I've been burned, time and again! I'll *swear* that the Odwalla is more expensive at our Gristede's, when I see it for $3.99 at the Walgreen's drug store on First Avenue, and then I get home, and whoops, it's down to $3.49 at the Gristede's. I will absolutely swear that the Tostito Lime chips that I can't live without are cheaper at $3.89 at the Morton Williams and then whoops -- it really is only $3.79 at our Gristede's.
OK, I said today. Ima beat this thing. Surely the detergent at the CVS will be less (so much at CVS *isn't* less, you know? Except the Coke but who wants to lug it home?). So *first* I checked the All clear and saw it was $8.99 for the jug I usually buy, the 2x concentration. I like to get All because it is free of extra chemicals I guess, and I'm allergic to Tide and others with harsh chemicals.
Headed over to the CVS on E. 23rd and -- yessss! It was only $7.49 for the same bottle. Finally, a score! I was so excited I...left it in the store after buying it, and a bunch of school stuff. Back up on the plaza, I realize I don't have it -- no rest for the weary, back I go. Then to the Gristede's again -- and now I cast a weather eye on the All and...whoops, burned again. The *60 ounce* bottle at Gristede's at $8.99 is .149 per ounce...the same price as the pro-rated *50 ounce* bottle at the CVS for $7.49.
You would think I'd get better at this after 23 years. I'm reminded of Randall Jarrell, "That's all. I'm old":
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