Have you read the recent CBC news investigation into Canadian grocery stores overcharging customers? There were numerous violations at Loblaws (some 80 stores), but CBC News discovered “errors” in the 4% – 11% range at seven major grocery stores when purchasing meat. The article indicated that stores were “including the weight of the packaging in the cost of meat, which over time could add up to millions in profit” overall. It appears that this sort of miscalculation is not accidental and a food inspector stated that she “consistently found that food retailers were selling underweighted meat and seafood.”
The article made me wonder about getting less than expected in other ways when shopping in the larger impersonal stores, where a shopper is tempted to think that price is the most important factor.
More to my point, I find that patronizing our local Almonte shops usually delivers more than expected. For example, the catering at our backyard event by Hunter and crew from the Almonte Butcher Shop far exceeded our expectations, and at a price easily within our budget. We requested a few meat platters and the photo shows what arrived – a glorious amount of deliciousness and a gorgeous presentation!
Lissie and I have continued to shop there and have never been disappointed. Excellent businesses often receive just a 4-star Google Review, but the 5-star review for the Almonte Butcher Shop says it all.
And we could easily mention many other shops and businesses in Mississippi Mills where we have found quality products, exceptional service, and a friendly face who remembers our name. But I wonder if other Millstone readers might write in to offer some reasons why they enjoy our local shops and stores? Sharing our collective experiences may help to inform others and make our area businesses thrive even more.
I believe our municipality has a distinctive friendliness and flair that is partially characterized by our array of first-rate retailers and specialty shops. We do not want to lose this. Steady or rapid growth often gravitates towards random strip malls or dreams of big-box stores, but we must avoid this track to remain distinctive.
Visitors are known to seek out a small-town shopping experience here and spend the day finding out what some of us already know. This community is both lovely and extraordinary. So let’s renew our efforts to ensure the success of our local businesses. We should celebrate that they have chosen to serve us and help create the magic of Mississippi Mills.
Rick Edwards / Elisabeth de Snaijer
Church Street, Almonte
