What brings on this tirade was the disappearance of Squirt from my favorite store yesterday. The straw that broke my back.
Some of you may not even know what a delightful soft drink this is. According to research, it is not a new product. This I was well aware of, for I drank it as a six year old. It was introduced to the public in 1938 (the year before I was born) while America was facing the Great Depression. It was a time of innovation.
Notice the 5 cent price.Herb Bishop created a new grapefruit flavored, carbonated drink that he named Squirt because the drink was claimed to "squirt" into one's mouth like a freshly squeezed grapefruit. It does have a definite grapefruit taste that has been weakened or maybe watered down a bit with the advent of aluminum cans. In a bottle, it tasted much better.
I grew up on Squirt and rarely drank colas. It has faded in and out of popularity through out my 60 soda drinking years. There have been several different manufacturers but it has till now, managed to survive. Now it has vanished again. My stores no longer carry it and while I can get a 12 pack on the Internet, shipping alone is over $21.00. Too steep for me.
While it is my soft drink of choice, I can do nicely with water. Even when they were abundant, I only drank about half of one a day. I would keep an open one in the fridge (oh horrors) and just needed an occasional hit to cut the worst of my thirst. Hopefully I can find a fringe market that still has a supply. Will have to be local though for I refuse to pay such shipping costs.
Just recently, my favorite Kashi granola pumpkin bars have vanished along with Jello Chocolate/Mint pudding cups. My world of choices is shrinking. My favorite perfume and lipstick are also out of vogue and manufacture. I am perilously close to using the last of each.
Probably the most serious obsolescence is my favorite Hanes G367 sports bras. They have been gone for so long now that even e Bay doesn't have them. I have a drawer full of wannabe bras that just don't come close to the same comfort level. I keep hanging on the the few I have left and am to the point now that I have to drive my car V-E-R-Y carefully. The ones I continue to wear should NEVER be exposed in a hospital emergency room. I know, too much information. Come on Hanes, lets put those Taiwanese to work. They have families to feed.
Finally TV shows. Here again I appear to be a "fringe audience." I loved "Medical Investigation" and in particular Neal McDonough. My devotion was not nearly good enough for it went into the can after 20 episodes.
"Friday Night Lights", which is on my must see list, is border line survival. Another favorite "Jericho" was dumped, brought back by fan clamor, only to be dumped again. Yet the "reality shows" boom. Go figure
This "fringe area " is a lonely place. Since I am a fringe consumer, my only defense will have to be buying in huge amounts to keep my favorite products on the shelves. Probably need to be shopping for a warehouse. Expiration dates will make warehousing only marginally successful. Worse,trying to determine which is a suspect product, apparel, or TV show in advance would take a sharp psychic. I am feeling a bit obsolete myself right now. How about you?
What favorite product, TV show or apparel has left your world to your dismay?
Hi Patty,
ReplyDeleteAbout "Friday Night Lights". The show was never a huge success because the producers never figured out that folks would be more likely to look at THAT show on a Friday night more than any other night of the week. Make sense?
Only when they FINALLY woke up and put it on the Friday night schedule did it get an audience.
I understand that now it has been
put on the new schedule for Summer of 2010 on FRIDAY NIGHTS.
Gosh Patti, I thought I was the only obsolete thing around.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Squirt. I wonder if it was ever carried in Oklahoma. I actually wish they would stop making Diet Coke...then maybe I could kick the habit!
Thank you for exposing yourself for another good laugh to start the day with!
ReplyDeleteIn my 20’s, I was in love with Levi’s 501 Button Fly jeans! It was really hard to say goodbye to my last pair, but they had so many holes in them I was risking being arrested for indecent exposure.
Hi Patti,
ReplyDeleteI do remember the "Squirt", but my drink was "Double Cola". I think they were products from the same company. Don't know much about the G-367's, but if I see them on Ebay, I'll let you know...LOL Arkie38
Hi Patti, We must be 'fringe' people also--for different reasons than yours. I've never heard of Squirt--but do remember Fresca. AND to think---I used to drink TAB.. Go Figure!!!! ha
ReplyDeleteEverytime George and I find a TV show that we really like ---the networks take it off. SO--we watch cable shows more now (The CLoser, Hawthorne, Saving Grace, Rsising the Bar, and my fav--Leverage)... The networks are gradually changing totally to reality shows --which we do NOT watch.
Have a great day.
Hugs,
Betsy
Our favorite soap, Pure and Natural, which we used for years was discontinued last year. We found a store that had fifteen bars left a few months ago and we grabbed them. Now they're gone too. That's our fringe taste story.
ReplyDeleteShake-A-Pudding -- I absolutely loved pouring the powder and milk into the cup, covering it with a lid, and shaking it up. (I still like shaking things up!)
ReplyDeleteNancy,
ReplyDeleteThat does make sense doesn't it?
Sure hope you are right about Friday Night Lights. That and Army Wives are the only two I kick my self if I miss. Thanks to DVR nowdays, missing a show is a thing of the past.
okihdan,
Squirt was started in Arizona. Maybe by getting it off the market, I can actually quit. This might be a good thing. Good luck with Diet Coke.
Jewels,
Hay, torn jeans are still in I think. Too bad you didn't hold on to them with patches to cover necessary parts.
Key bunch,
Thanks, I can use all the eyes I can get. I hadn't heard of Double Cola but see it is on Amazon for $30.00 a bottle. Makes my 12 cans of Squirt for $30.00 seem like a bargain.
Betsy,
We watch the same shows excetpt for Saving Grace. She is just too rough around the edges for me but it is a popular show.
Everyone I talk to hates reality shows. Who is watching them? Although for those who only get network TV, there is no choice.
robin,
Oh, I have been there with my hoard pile and the day you open the last one is soooo sad. I have one more box of Kashi bars then it is withdrawal time. Yikes.
Cheffie Mom,
Don't remember that but there is nothing on eBay but a refridg magnet. Guess you are just stuck with the memory only.
I do love your stores...If I hade a tape recording of you telling your tales, I could make a million....
ReplyDelete4th sister,
ReplyDeleteWell now aren't you kind to think so. Thank you so much.
Maybe not millions however. How about enough to buy a peanut butter sandwich with all the trimmings?
Don't get me started. I drink Nestea Diet in a can, I believe a Coca Cola product. It does not taske like tea at all, but ice cold, it is sugar free and carbonation free, both doctors orders. Yes water is healthier.
ReplyDeleteI buy 12 cases at a time to be sure they keep it in stock, but that may not be much longer.
My brother-in-law sponsored a small festival called the Sardine Festival in Aberdeen, SC. The highlight was sardines, RC Cola and Moonpies. He said he got RC Colas at Sams Wholesale Club. Maybe they have Squirt!
I may check out Grapette-haven't seen that in years.
Wal-Mart is currently cutting facings and substituting/replacing shelf space with their crappy store brand. This is there answer to slower sales/recession. Well, my business with them just got slower, too. I won't buy sonmething I don't want, seems like an oxymoron to me.
Nabisco had a NEW product, Wheat Thins Fiber Select which had 5 gm fiber per serving instead of 2 gm in their regular Wheat Thins.
Fiber Select was flying off the shelf. WWs love higher fiber products as a serving will have lower total points.
Well it is flying of the shelf but not to consumers. WM is returning to manufacturers and replacing with their equivalent of regular wheat thins, NOT Fiber Select.
I ran into the Nabisco man at WM resetting his merchandise; he told me this. He said this is what is happening. Its their way of combating lower sales.
Well they don't know it but I'll buy it wherever I can find it as the price is not a major factor.
Let's see WM has cut my Almay hypoallergenic deodorant gel. If my blog gets a little stinky, please forgive.
And they cut my baby bok choy a long time ago.
I've got so I watch re-runs and news only, so television is not upsetting me too much. However, my parents used to squawk when a show was cut. They tended to watch so-called family friendly, no controversial material type sit coms.
I'm a football fan. Until they decided to do regional broadcasting, I could always find my team on Sunday. NO MORE.
The adage, the customer is always right, doesn't hold water anymore.
I buy both Squirt and Wink, but they come in 2-liter bottles, not cans or small bottles.
ReplyDeleteNitwit,
ReplyDeleteWell I did get you started didn't I? You feel my pain, I can tell and I feel yours.
You are right, WM has seriously cut back on selection. It may be fiscally prudent for them but it hurts. Guess we have been spoiled with choice for so long.
I miss football also. Thank goodness for the Razorbacks.
I pay big bucks for my baseball sports package but it is worth it. Comes out to a little over one dollar a game.
kenju,
You had better stock up. No telling when they will go off market again. Wink wasn't bad, hadn't thought of that in years.
They quite making my favorite perfume. Now if any of the girls in the family see it, they oh so kindly pick it up for me. But the day is coming when I won't be abl to find it. Then you can just call me ol stinky.
ReplyDeleteBrighid,
ReplyDeleteOh how I know what you are going thru. You know the supply is limited and you fear that day when the "last" item crosses your path.
I'm still looking for that darn bra -- refusing to accept, it is gone forever.
Ever since my grocery store was sold to an out of town owner, they have dropped brands and items at will, and they don't care how many people want them to carry the items. I wish it were still locally owned. (And, so do its long-time employees.)
ReplyDeletePretty sure that means we just don't matter any more.Shame on em.
ReplyDeleteHi Patty,
ReplyDeleteGillian from Hanes here. I'm so happy to hear you are a fan of our sports bras and think we may have a solution to your shopping woes. As the G367 was a fuller coverage back close sport bra, I would recommend converting to the G470 style which is our new full support style. The best part? The G470 style is available for purchase on Hanes.com using the below link: http://www.hanes.com/Hanes/Products/Women-Hanes/Women_ShopByCategory-Hanes/Women_Bras-Hanes/Women_Bras_Sport-Hanes/G470.aspx.
Hope this helps!