The economy has taken another victim under its swift and failing arm...and this time it's personal.
Daiso, the Japanese superstore I and my sisters love so much, is closing on January 31st. As I ventured in today to pick up a few 'essentials' I grabbed my mauve basket and looked up to be slapped in the face by a sad Daiso poster board sign. Written in black felt tip pen and junior high school scrawl it said, Daiso is closing January 31st. Nothing more, no explanation, no cold towel, no stiff drink, just "Closing." Not even the peppy Japanese pop and the $1.50 bento boxes could lift my somber mood after this discovery. It turns out the Bellingham Daiso (the largest in north america per rumors) wasn't bringing in the yen like the others. The staff found out just a couple of days ago and know nothing more than what I have said.
This is truly a huge loss for Bellingham. We have three Asian markets in town that do what they can to provide us with the fixings for a Japanese meal. But Daiso really filled in the gaps, with cooking utensils and service ware and some food products. You need a rice bowl that is not extremely overpriced simply because it's exotic? Daiso. How about chopsticks, just plain old chopsticks for everyday that aren't $15 a pop because they are 'bamboo'? Daiso! Onigiri molds? Daiso! Chirashizushi bowls? Daiso! Bento accessories? Daiso! Not to mention the amazing randomness found around every corner, garden gnomes, art supplies, eyebrow razors, blow up gag boobs! Oh Daiso! What am I going to do without you? How can I call Bellingham my home after you have left? You snuck into my life not long ago and now you try to sneak away, like an amazing lover with a fear of commitment...please, I can change, I promise! Stay!
But alas, it's not me it's you: wicked economy and uninformed town. If only I had spread the word more swiftly. If only I had spent my stimulus solely at Daiso (truthfully, a good chunk of it was). If only...
And I bid a fond sayonara to you Daiso...and in yr dust may a great Mexican superstore rise. One can only dream...
2 comments:
first off, that blows. but really i'm commenting to compliment the writing of this post, it read very nicely. good job.
This post reminds me of a Simpsons episode, you know, the one where Flanders opens up that lefty store, but nobody knows about it, so it flops, and the Homer comes to the rescue by telling everybody about it, and it turns out that the whole town is left-handed, and then everyone is happy...well, Amy, you are Homer, and Daiso is Flander's store, and Bellingham is Moe...and well, the rest is up to you...
um, I just realized I wrote this a little late...
-Houston
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