Has everyone stopped shopping?

hatemail

And he wants to take all my nickels!

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/11/06/2008-11-06_if_i_had_a_nickel_for_every_bag_sez_mayo.html

I haven't shopped in over a month besides for grocery.
Well. And the bars....

caaahyoko

Drunken Revival wrote: Caaahyoko... I'm a bit of a whore myself. Now that's one industry that is insulated from a slow down.

On a less serious note: I've always felt that overconsumption is the greatest challenge facing our species. Bigger houses, the Big Gulp, faster cars, 24 oz steaks, the mere existence of Old Navy... and it trickles both ways.

Corporations are forced to show growth. More sales, more corporation t-shirts, the Swifter, plastics pieces of shit designed for obsolescence... designed to make YOU feel good as you consume them.

It's sick. It will catch up with us. As always, with everything, the lean, shrewed, cynic smart ones will survive. The rest will, thankfully, die.

Yes, music, booze, books and whores. Those steadfast depression-free staples.

Oh, yeah, and the bigger is better is finally catching up. A hell of a lot of "money" that was lost in the stock market drop was not really money to begin with. Just hot air and numbers on an Excel spreadsheet.

longtimesloper

brooklynpotter wrote: art.

alyssaettinger.com. that's me.

Wow! Beautiful stuff! And, you look nothing like i pictured. first of all, I got the impression you were more middle aged. Thanks for sharing the site.

drunken revival

Wow. Long time sloper. You're a real charmer. I got the impression... you know what, I'm not even going to bother.

longtimesloper

^^Excuse me? I don't see where I said anything offensive, sheesh

booklaw

I also have a piece of Alyssa's pottery, and love it.

voodoonyc

Funny when you finally see what someone on this site looks like - not at all what you expect - and i mean that in a GOOD way. Potter - your stuff is awesome. I'm placing an order! :P

the chipster

On a less serious note: I've always felt that overconsumption is the greatest challenge facing our species. Bigger houses, the Big Gulp, faster cars, 24 oz steaks, the mere existence of Old Navy... and it trickles both ways.

I think this should be 2 threads? One about pottery and the other about this topic.
I see people with TONS of Old Navy bags, filled with "cheap" stuff that they then feel fine discarding after a year. More Landfill. Disposable Planet.
I don't shop online, due to the packaging, lack of "mouthfeel" and the ease of hitting "add to cart." How many things do I add to cart only to forget about once I receive them?
I do shop local. And I appreciate the shopkeepers who try adding to their community in a tangible way.
For those of you who think you're "saving" money by shopping online, please think of what you are losing every time you do.
We will survive this, and fear will not guide me.

brooklynpotter

LongTimeSloper wrote: [quote=brooklynpotter]art.

alyssaettinger.com. that's me.

Wow! Beautiful stuff! And, you look nothing like i pictured. first of all, I got the impression you were more middle aged. Thanks for sharing the site.

ah, lol. but i am sorta middle aged. (what do we define as middle aged?)

regardless, thank you all for your compliments. go back to discussing regular shopping. go down to the brooklynian classified board and see that i'm having a special sale for y'all. 10% off, cash and carry.

brooklynpotter

The Chipster wrote: On a less serious note: I've always felt that overconsumption is the greatest challenge facing our species. Bigger houses, the Big Gulp, faster cars, 24 oz steaks, the mere existence of Old Navy... and it trickles both ways.

I think this should be 2 threads? One about pottery and the other about this topic.
I see people with TONS of Old Navy bags, filled with "cheap" stuff that they then feel fine discarding after a year. More Landfill. Disposable Planet.
I don't shop online, due to the packaging, lack of "mouthfeel" and the ease of hitting "add to cart." How many things do I add to cart only to forget about once I receive them?
I do shop local. And I appreciate the shopkeepers who try adding to their community in a tangible way.
For those of you who think you're "saving" money by shopping online, please think of what you are losing every time you do.
We will survive this, and fear will not guide me.

chipster, it's really about making local shopping about as affordable as otherwise. everyone's watching pennies, everyone wants to see how they can consume less and live well.

i buy nearly all my clothes at the salvation army or on ebay, even beacon's closet is too pricey. i've always done this, because i've never had a lot of $$ and because i like to get the most for my $$.

i'm also always hunting for bargains wherever i can find them... if they're online, they save me $$. i'd like to be better about the environment, but i'm not increasing my bills by switching to wind-power. really, how many of us can afford that loveliness from con-ed? every little bit counts. as my mother always told me, every $5 you save is another shrimp salad sandwich you can buy.

brooklynpotter

VoodooNYC wrote: Funny when you finally see what someone on this site looks like - not at all what you expect - and i mean that in a GOOD way. Potter - your stuff is awesome. I'm placing an order! :P

you thought i'd look mean. i KNOW people here think i will look mean.

ca

Don't worry people, I am still pumping money into the economy - mostly by buying shoes at Zappos.com :-)

I'm already fortunate enough to have a few of Le Potter's (said like "ooh oooh oooh, Mr. Kot-tair) pottery

anastasia beaverhausen

I'm diggin' the sweater line! I think they're just the incentive I need to hang shelves in my kitchen so I can buy 'em and make it look pretty in there!

spencer4

brooklynpotter wrote: [quote=VoodooNYC]Funny when you finally see what someone on this site looks like - not at all what you expect - and i mean that in a GOOD way. Potter - your stuff is awesome. I'm placing an order! :P

you thought i'd look mean. i KNOW people here think i will look mean.


No, no, no! *I* am the mean one. The bartender told me so. Right in front of Potter.

brooklynpotter

true. the bartender didn't notice me because i was in my big and dirty work clothes.

whynot_31

indeed, nice stuff brooklyn potter....

I can't say we've typed enough that I created a mental picture of you. ...so I withhold comment. good to meet you

brooklynpotter

so back to shopping, does anyone know what weirdness has moved into the space where rare device was? i've driven by a couple of times and have seen odd things, but haven't been up close.

eggcream

brooklynpotter wrote: [quote=Old Time Brooklyn][quote=LongTimeSloper]We are still shopping but as always, doing most of it online since the prices we get online are about half of the stores around here and that includes paying for shipping.

Boo. Shop local.

yes! i'm local!

Beautiful. I would use pics of your bowls or vases as my avatar if I were you.

brooklynpotter

thank you.

whynot_31

back to shopping: I rarely buy anything anyhow, but predict a lot of people didn't buy anything last week because they were transfixed with the election.

...I do think people will cut back a lot this christmas, but hope that they will buy a few nice things as opposed to a lot off useless target crap..

yoda

If I buy online it's from friends from afar or from Etsy or vintage from ebay.

the chipster

I was so excited when I saw those stores being painted--one where Rare Device was, and the Greenjeans old space.
Rare Device, is, umm...errr...i don't want to kick em when they haven't even opened--but, ummm...they are selling flowers? And had an American flag stuck into some dried floral arrangement? Didn't feel very "Park Slope." Maybe more "Windsor Terrace"?! whatever that means!
Greenjeans space is called something like"my closet" ("couture closet"?) painted hot pink, and looks like women's clothing; but i cannot tell if it's used, new , couture, or whoretoure. I wish them luck.

eggcream

Speaking of feeling like Park Slope, not that I like everything considered Park Slope but I was dismayed to see a Dee & Dee coming to 9th & 5 av where Eckerd was. They ruined a beautiful bank to put in an Eckerd then when that failed they're putting in a Dee & Dee? When I pass by the one on my way to Century 21 it reminds me of street fairs in a store. Tube socks anyone? Too bad they didn't put a Trader Joes in that space.

ljnd

There used to be a Dee & Dee on 5th Avenue further up, like 12th Street or something.

brooklynpotter

i still miss lucky bug

voodoonyc

Oh and Potter, I never envisioned you as mean. Opinionated maybe, but that's a good thing.

You don't have any small bowls on etsy. Will you be making some soon or can I email with a request? Need. Small. Bowls. :shock:

voodoonyc

Anyway back to buying. I'm buying. I haven't stopped. And I'm buying some of Potter's amazing bowls. My 401(k) is completely in the crapper - I can't even look at it anymore. But y'know I appreciate good stuff. And Potter's stuff is good stuff.

I never really believed in the trickle-down theory but here's an idea. You buy Potter's... pots. Potter has some extra spare cash to shop at Banana Republic, you have a job at Banana, you get to keep your job! And Potter gets some new pants..er slacks.

Buy from Potter and save the economy!

chthonic

I am keeping a whole bunch of people who work at Zappos and Sephora in work. Lots of work :-)

brooklynpotter

voodoo, lol. the people who would benefit from my trickle down would be the salvation army and ebay. (but i'd buy banana republic stuff there!)

longtimesloper

eggcream wrote: Speaking of feeling like Park Slope, not that I like everything considered Park Slope but I was dismayed to see a Dee & Dee coming to 9th & 5 av where Eckerd was. They ruined a beautiful bank to put in an Eckerd then when that failed they're putting in a Dee & Dee? When I pass by the one on my way to Century 21 it reminds me of street fairs in a store. Tube socks anyone? Too bad they didn't put a Trader Joes in that space.

I thought that would have made a great Trader Joe's spot personally, I even wrote to TJ's suggesting that.