Best of the Best

Shopping is an escape.

I will miss escaping to Norway. In my mind, I traveled there each time I visited Nordic Living – a local Scandinavian-lifestyle store and school.

Yarns, rugs, sweaters, fabrics, foods, tea sets, books, cards, music and a zillion other things displayed in cozy nooks transported me to my second home – without the flight ticket.

Whether shopping for a gift or on a trip to reminisce, I could hop in the car, drive through the forest and be there – in minutes.

Today everything in the store was 75% off. With one week to go until the doors closed forever, the owner stood at the counter welcoming patrons – many whom – she knew by name, including me.

"So what are you going to do with all the time on your hands once this is over?" I asked. She replied, "Look for gainful employment. We've still got to put food on the table."

I asked, "You mean – work for someone else?"

She nodded, "It'll be hard. We had five wonderful years. We worked with the best of the best. Our customers were terrific. But sales topped out a couple years ago. We tried things, like a catalog, to try and boost sales. But it just didn't work. Now we'll have to see."

"Right away? After all of THIS?" I pressed, motioning my hand around the emptying store. "Aren't you going to take a little time off?"

"Maybe a month," she said. "I'm going to weave."

I nodded and began to weave through the remnants of merchandise. For two hours, I paged through books, rummaged through fabrics, fingered ribbon, scanned CDs, browsed at cards, jewelry, sweaters, florals and porcelain. I needed nothing. (The vanilla sugar was long gone.) But I imagined projects: sewing, reading and relaxing.

I came to the counter with a bundle of fabric, a spool of ribbon, two children's books and a porcelain plate. The owner figured each discount and recited my cost.


Before I handed her the porcelain plate, I showed her the blue mark on the backside.


"This one is special! It's from Magnor – the glass factory in my home community in Norway. And, Per Spook is a well-known Norwegian designer."

I noted a couple other reasons. The pine cone-and-needle design befit our home decor; and at 75% off, it's still less than half the price of a platter. I figured cookies would serve up just as well on a dinner plate. The owner scanned the plate and surprised me with a further reduction: "Just $5."

I raised my eyebrows: "If that's the case, I'll take the cup and saucer too," I said. She rang up my last item: "That's also $5."


While she
took
payment,
I said,

"These
(books)
will be
great for
gifts."


Pointing to the cup and plates, she asked, "But these – are for you?"



I nodded,


"They'll be
perfect at
home in my
Norwegian
coffee
nook.


I can have a cup of coffee, think of Magnor and remember Nordic Living – The Best of the Best!