Sad news...
Feb. 6th, 2006 09:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
herveusThe Magruders in Bowie is closing for good in less than two weeks. Apparently, the owners of the shopping center have been unwilling to make the kind of long-term committments that would make it feasible for them to make the kind of renovations they need to make to the store, and they aren't going to keep going on a month-to-month lease. This sucks.
Magruders is the only grocery store in Bowie that doesn't play the "two prices for the same item" game. You know, the "Bonus Card" scam, where they tell you it's good for you, but it really means that the prices go up, overall. I find those scams unethical and immoral. Giant Food went from getting the lion's share of my grocery dollars to zero (as a percentage, to three significant digits, or so) overnight when the jumped off that bridge so they could "compete" with Safeway and Food Lion. Izzy Cohen must be spinning in his grave.
Anywho, that leaves Shoppers Food Warehouse as the only "nearby" grocery store that doesn't do that crap. I guess BJs will be getting more of our dollars as well. Then "nearest" Magruders are in Rockville, Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, and Alexandria. That is to say, not near at all. I am depressed. [cue Lyle trying to cheer up Mr. Taggart]
Just to pile on, and to share particularly with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pedropadrao, word comes to me that 28 February will mark the closing of a Chicago landmark. Berghoffs is closing. Apparently, the current generation of the family is not interested in continuing the restaurant business. I'm told that lines to get in go around the block, these days. I've only eaten there once, when I was in Chicago for the SCA Heralds Annual Convention Known World Heraldic Symposium. One person commenting on this wondered what would become of liquor licenses #1 and #2.
Magruders is the only grocery store in Bowie that doesn't play the "two prices for the same item" game. You know, the "Bonus Card" scam, where they tell you it's good for you, but it really means that the prices go up, overall. I find those scams unethical and immoral. Giant Food went from getting the lion's share of my grocery dollars to zero (as a percentage, to three significant digits, or so) overnight when the jumped off that bridge so they could "compete" with Safeway and Food Lion. Izzy Cohen must be spinning in his grave.
Anywho, that leaves Shoppers Food Warehouse as the only "nearby" grocery store that doesn't do that crap. I guess BJs will be getting more of our dollars as well. Then "nearest" Magruders are in Rockville, Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, and Alexandria. That is to say, not near at all. I am depressed. [cue Lyle trying to cheer up Mr. Taggart]
Just to pile on, and to share particularly with
pedropadrao, word comes to me that 28 February will mark the closing of a Chicago landmark. Berghoffs is closing. Apparently, the current generation of the family is not interested in continuing the restaurant business. I'm told that lines to get in go around the block, these days. I've only eaten there once, when I was in Chicago for the 
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Date: 2006-02-06 04:07 pm (UTC)I heard about Magruder's from my mom. With any luck, maybe a Trader Joe's will open in the spot. They don't require as big a store front. Apparently Magruder's wanted to work something out to rearanger the Hilltop center so they could expand towards the old Crown Books store front and it just didn't work out.
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Date: 2006-02-06 04:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-07 05:37 pm (UTC)Now, if they dropped a Whole Foods nearby (nearer than Annapolis), that could be Very Bad...
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Date: 2006-02-06 06:05 pm (UTC)And Pedro told me last Wednesday evening about Berghoff's closing. I was in the same dinner gang as you were for that trip, and had hoped to get back there someday. The world will be a less happy place for its absence. :-(
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Date: 2006-02-06 09:14 pm (UTC)Now, if some of us want to get together for a "light meal", we could organize an expedition out to The Old Stein way out Central Avenue in Mayo.
http://www.oldstein-inn.com has menus, both food and bier...
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Date: 2006-02-06 11:33 pm (UTC)The Old Stein doesn't list any Bingen or Ingelheim wine (a minor quibble on my part, as those were the old family digs) but the entire menu looks very much to my liking. Hmmmm...
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Date: 2006-02-08 02:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-07 10:52 pm (UTC)Potato _salad_?! with the wurst? Meh. Give me potato sauce any day of the week. With extra cream, thank you very much. (Heck, most days, you could just serve me the sauce and hold the wurst.)
On the other hand, those appetizers look tasty.
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Date: 2006-02-08 12:44 am (UTC)