I realize that to many younger or more mobile babblers, this will seem a tempest in a teapot. But for me, it is a real problem.

Grocery Gateway was (and is still pretending to be) an online grocery-delivery service.

They weren't perfect, but for someone in my situation over the last five years, they were a godsend. I have no car, five cats (think heavy food; think heavier litter), and for a long time there I was living under semi-house arrest, often not free to go out shopping.

Probably many of their customers were preoccupied yuppies, but many others would have been like me, just grateful to have another burden taken care of quickly and efficiently.

Their selection was not perfect, but it was impressive: they did Dufflet pastries, eg; lots of ethnic fresh and semi-prepared foods; basic hardware and pharmacy; and so on. Never liked the fish, mind.

Anyway, very suddenly, about three weeks ago, we started getting odd messages telling us that GG had been sold to Longo's. By email and on-site, we were being reassured that, although there might be small interruptions, everything would go on for customers as usual.

Most regular customers had, as I did, a reserved delivery spot every week -- by reserving that time, one got a small reduction in delivery fee.

No one warned us that those slots were going to disappear.

But suddenly, they have. Suddenly, what is available on-site has shrunk by at least half.

The site is still there, maintaining the same format and thereby pretending to be the same thing, but it is a skeleton as soon as you try to find anything on it. Go to schedule a delivery, and you discover that all slots are full for the next four days, the result, obviously, of other people having begun to discover, just this week, what I just discovered.

It has become useless -- worse than useless, because such an insult. We were reassured every step of the way -- but they lied.

Plus I love Dufflets Lemon Tarts!

Scout, I knew I loved you, but this is a super-bonding experience! The lemon tarts!

But if anyone needs me to pick up stuff and deliver it, its gratis

Plus theres a nice reasonable pet supply store that just opened up in Liberty Village where I work so I can get stuff there for people and the 24hr dominion.

[ 09 September 2004: Message edited by: Bacchus ]

[ 09 September 2004: Message edited by: Scout ]

I am currently engaged in a yippie action against the new GG. I have phoned their help line -- which predictably is advising us that the wait time is reeeeaaaaallllyy long just now, and thank you for your patience but you could call back later, etc.

I have just set the receiver down on the desk beside me, and it is going to sit there forever, or until tomorrow morning, whichever comes first. I don't know whether this will tie up one of their lines or not, but I certainly hope so.

And apart from that, could everyone present do everything he or she can to slag these people into oblivion? Both the bastards who sold us out and the bastards who pretended they could take over, and lied to us along the way?

We use litter we get from the St. Lawrence Market down in the basement (I'll have to look up the exact name at home) but it's made from ground up corn cobs. It's light (a 20lb bag weighs only 10lbs! ) and it clumps like a charm, but the neat thing is when it clumps it doesn't turn to concrete! This makes it flushable under all conditions, and it won't clog. (We clogged up the toity with old-style clumping litter once and the plumber had to come and lift the toilet from it's seat. I still owe that guy one for not telling the landlord).

The greatest part of this litter though, by my reckoning, is that it seems to last about 4 or 5 times longer than regular clay based litters. You can sift it plenty of times before you need to add more. I expect, even with my 20lb eating machine, that I'm only buying a bag every 2 or 3 months.

I have two cats, and I get the clumping litter and scoop it every day. I just get the food and litter from the corner store near me on the way home from work, even though I know it's more expensive to do it that way. But then I only have to lug it two doors down to my building.

And Bacchus, that is the sweetest offer, but I can't do that to you. I shall soldier on.

Michelle, Bloor Super Save used to be saintly towards us that way. Sometimes their guys would walk orders up the street to us. But now they are so far away. I miss them a lot. Nicest store there ever was.

Mrs Bacchus and I go to St Lawrence to get stuff and this would be a boon with our 6 widdle kitties running around

Bacchus, I shall PM you. If you and I are going to do Mr Magoo's litter, then maybe this would be a Good Thing.

[ 09 September 2004: Message edited by: 'lance ]

I used to love Honest Eds as a child for that for some reason!

quote:

---

Well I walked past just yesterday
And I couldn't bear that new mall no more
I can't expect you all to see it my way
But you may not know what was there before
And I want them to put back my old corner store.

---

and so forth, and so on.

quote:

---

Wood creaky floors, gotta be creaky or slightly warped.

---

Exactly.

When I was a kid in Renfrew, Ont., I'd go with my dad on Saturdays to a fambly-run hardware store, McPhail's. (I'd be surprised if it's still there, especially now that the town has two Walmarts, one at each end of town). It had those wooden floors and a distinctive smell, probably made up equally of sawdust, varnish and grease.

Well just down the street from where I live now, there's a place called Hillhurst Hardware ("since 1945") which I normally never manage to get to because they keep contractors' hours (7:30 to 4:00) and aren't open Saturdays. But one day a few weeks ago I left work early and went in. And it took me straight back to McPhail's.

[ 09 September 2004: Message edited by: 'lance ]

And I must leave now -- gotta hit the corner store for ciggies before they close.

Bloor Super Save NEVER closes.

Waaaaaaah.

quote:

---

Not a total reno, and it's still pretty basic compared, y'know, to the tarted-up places, but I hafta tell you, the floors are, well, modern.

---

[yorkshire]

Noothin's pairmenant in this flippin' life, noothin' laasts!

[/yorkshire]

You can't miss the giant picture of the world's daffiest looking kitten on the bag. Once, I brought a bag home and sat it in the bathroom near the litterbox (and toilet). I noticed later the bag had been turned around but not opened or used. I confronted Mrs. M., and it turned out my suspicions were correct: she didn't want that kitten staring at her.

We get it from a vendor at the market, on the bottom floor near the "craft" end, around the corner from the Sushi place and the bakery. The vendor sells pet supplies and organic sprouts. Just look for all the sprouts (or the kitten).

Two things to note though, in the spirit of forthcomingness: it won't seem cheap (I think the big sack is about $18 or so) but since it lasts such a phenomenally long time it still represents a better value than anything else we've used. It also tends to track easily. Neither of these trumps the fact that I can flush huge clumps of the stuff, more than seems possible, with no trouble.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bacchus:
LOL well if you want some let me know. Im going to pick up some on Saturday if you want some dropped off.

My prices are reasonable

---

And then there are the fringe benefits.

[ 10 September 2004: Message edited by: Michelle ]

And no problem Michelle. I knew you were teasing but the offer is there if you ever need it

[ 10 September 2004: Message edited by: Bacchus ]

2. Bacchus, a cold in a kitty can be a serious thing. Is the kitty better today? I would watch closely, and see a vet if you're in any doubt at all. The puir wee critter. Fingers crossed for y'all.

This is in addition to all of the other problems or issues resulting from the Longo's takeover: fewer delivery trucks and fewer delivery times (including no Sunday or early morning delivery); far fewer selections, especially organic; fewer credit card and payment options (M/C or Visa only, and only online). I can understand these changes; they are what you sometimes expect when there is a take-over like this. But the service level changes in addition to these reductions in services makes me want to know when Loblaws is going to start delivering online!

The last GG driver I talked to, a week and a half ago, told me that all the drivers had been -- how do we put it these days? "constructively de-hired"? -- and then some had been invited to re-apply to Longo's. He was going to a training session the next day (a Saturday). He looked and sounded nervous.

I ended up cancelling my first attempt to order under the new system. I was trying to be patient when I saw how depleted the choices were, but when I discovered that my reserved slot was gone and it would take FOUR DAYS for delivery, I just banged over and out.

I'm sorry to hear about your order, but it pretty much confirms our worst suspicions, no?

They've killed the goose that laid the golden egg. That seems to be a major talent of capitalists.

[ 13 September 2004: Message edited by: skdadl ]

Has anyone tried TeleGrocer before? Same concept but they have a partnership deal with Loblaws and other stores. Unlike GG, they do not keep their own inventory but actually shop at their partners' stores which should make it more viable in the long run. There seems to be a delivery charge plus a 5% surcharge, but you get the benefit of any sales prices you read about at their partners stores. I am a little gun shy now with online grocers so if anyone has any experience with TeleGrocer or other online grocery delivery service, I'd love to hear about your thoughts on the quality, the service, and the pricing.

The 'rich' ones, churches with donations, bigger budgets, like Churches on the Hill in Forest Hill, would order whatever Daily Bread didn't have - like fresh milk, bread, etc. - and it would arrive just as the people needing food did. A Great service!