A few weeks back, I was driving along and I saw this new store being opened up. It's called 5 Below and it's in the old Border's building.
"Great," I thought to myself. "Another snotty, yuppie-attracting version of REI or EMS full of over-priced, designer crap that is only going to cause me a traffic headache when I try to go shopping this year. I guess I'll have to find another place to shop with K-Mart and Best Buy in the same place."
Legal Friend and I get talking a week and a half ago, and she says, "Have you been to 5 Below yet? It's my new obsession!"
Oh no, I think to myself. I had no idea Legal Friend was one of the hated over-spend-on-mediocre-outdoor-gear-yuppie-types. And I've never heard her talk about hiking, camping, or any other outdoor activity that would necessitate the type of merchandise I assume is sold there. But outwardly I smile and say, "No, I haven't made it over there yet."
(See, I can be polite! Especially when someone is volunteering to feed The Little Man and take him on a Christmas Light Tour while I recline on my sofa, eat soup and try to wait out a head cold.)
Then, Legal Friend blows my mind: "It's the most amazing place I've been to. They have EVERYTHING you possibly want. I pretty much finished my Christmas list. Nothing is over $5."
Um, what?
"Yeah! I got this scarf, and a ton of stocking stuffers, little toys. You have to go!"
How was I so grossly wrong in my assumption of this wonderful land? What possible reason could I have had to dismiss this place out of hand with no prior knowledge of the incredible deals and values to be had? WHY?
So, today... I checked it out. It was like a magical fairy land. Wrapping paper, puzzles, toy cars, gloves, ornaments, rude t-shirts, nail polish, books, and on and on and on! I wandered and ogled and might have drooled a little.
And... the best part... are you ready?
The little baskets you carry stuff in? They have wheels! (Insert choir of angels singing here.) I didn't have to lug around a shopping basket as I bobbed and weaved through the mass of mothers and preschool-aged children who filled the aisles. But what about the bending over to have to pull said basket around? Nope. One of the handles opens up to a reasonable height (your esteemed author is a whopping 5'2, maybe if you are 6'4 it won't work as well for you) and the shopping revolution has begun. Never again will we have to carry a basket filled with goodies through stores, worrying the basket is getting too heavy!
Around and around the store I go, piling things into my rolly-basket, circling back to rethink an item I may have overlooked, chuckling as I ran into the same mom over and over... she had the look of awe on here face that I imagine was on my face. Ipad cases, SD card readers, headphones! Oh, the headphones and the speaker systems. (A number of you may be getting a little speaker for your iPhone this year.) Mittens and hats. Dinnerware. Board games.
Legal Friend was right. They do have everything you can want for Christmas. Another debt of gratitude to Legal Friend.
So, why did I leave you ask? Well, I had just come from coffee with The Professor. My bladder was singing and Five Below did not appear to have a ladies room. So I braved the check-out line, spent a modest amount on gifts (as well as a cookbook for me), and drove home in a state of euphoria.
I'm going back tomorrow. Who wants to join me?
"Great," I thought to myself. "Another snotty, yuppie-attracting version of REI or EMS full of over-priced, designer crap that is only going to cause me a traffic headache when I try to go shopping this year. I guess I'll have to find another place to shop with K-Mart and Best Buy in the same place."
Legal Friend and I get talking a week and a half ago, and she says, "Have you been to 5 Below yet? It's my new obsession!"
Oh no, I think to myself. I had no idea Legal Friend was one of the hated over-spend-on-mediocre-outdoor-gear-yuppie-types. And I've never heard her talk about hiking, camping, or any other outdoor activity that would necessitate the type of merchandise I assume is sold there. But outwardly I smile and say, "No, I haven't made it over there yet."
(See, I can be polite! Especially when someone is volunteering to feed The Little Man and take him on a Christmas Light Tour while I recline on my sofa, eat soup and try to wait out a head cold.)
Then, Legal Friend blows my mind: "It's the most amazing place I've been to. They have EVERYTHING you possibly want. I pretty much finished my Christmas list. Nothing is over $5."
Um, what?
"Yeah! I got this scarf, and a ton of stocking stuffers, little toys. You have to go!"
How was I so grossly wrong in my assumption of this wonderful land? What possible reason could I have had to dismiss this place out of hand with no prior knowledge of the incredible deals and values to be had? WHY?
So, today... I checked it out. It was like a magical fairy land. Wrapping paper, puzzles, toy cars, gloves, ornaments, rude t-shirts, nail polish, books, and on and on and on! I wandered and ogled and might have drooled a little.
And... the best part... are you ready?
The little baskets you carry stuff in? They have wheels! (Insert choir of angels singing here.) I didn't have to lug around a shopping basket as I bobbed and weaved through the mass of mothers and preschool-aged children who filled the aisles. But what about the bending over to have to pull said basket around? Nope. One of the handles opens up to a reasonable height (your esteemed author is a whopping 5'2, maybe if you are 6'4 it won't work as well for you) and the shopping revolution has begun. Never again will we have to carry a basket filled with goodies through stores, worrying the basket is getting too heavy!
Around and around the store I go, piling things into my rolly-basket, circling back to rethink an item I may have overlooked, chuckling as I ran into the same mom over and over... she had the look of awe on here face that I imagine was on my face. Ipad cases, SD card readers, headphones! Oh, the headphones and the speaker systems. (A number of you may be getting a little speaker for your iPhone this year.) Mittens and hats. Dinnerware. Board games.
Legal Friend was right. They do have everything you can want for Christmas. Another debt of gratitude to Legal Friend.
So, why did I leave you ask? Well, I had just come from coffee with The Professor. My bladder was singing and Five Below did not appear to have a ladies room. So I braved the check-out line, spent a modest amount on gifts (as well as a cookbook for me), and drove home in a state of euphoria.
I'm going back tomorrow. Who wants to join me?