:: A few days ago I lamented Safeway's decision to stop serving Italian wedding soup as one of their deli products. Last weekend, I went to Staples, wanting to purchase a few Easy Stick double-sided adhesive cartridges, and a couple Staedtler Lumocolor 313 Superfine pens. I could find neither product, and ensuing discussions with a Staples staff member proved fruitless. Short answer: they don't carry these items anymore.
For years I wore the Reebok Newport walking shoe. Simple, straightforward, basic shoe, about $60Cdn, heckuva deal, as they say in Minnesota. A few weeks ago, I visited a shoe store where in the past, I purchased these shoes. I couldn't see any about, so asked a clerk for help. I might as well have been staring into the eyes of a chicken - no such shoe exists, there is no Reebok Newport Classic anymore. Reebok still makes the Classic, but there is no Newport.
For many years, my mother sold nutrimetics. The line of men's products was called Bavarian, and I really, really liked the soap and aftershave. A few years back, nutrimetics stopped producing the Bavarian line, and replaced it with another family of products that in my estimation, didn't come close to its predecessor.
A new word needs to be coined or invented, in the English language, to describe when this happens. The definition of the word would read something like: when a product or service one likes, uses and purchases regularly, is suddenly withdrawn from market and made no longer available, resulting in feelings of anger and frustration for the consumer.
Posted by Randy at November 24, 2003 10:39 PM | TrackBackRandy, Randy, Randy.
You've just got to get over it. Time marches on, things change. Stuff sometimes even gets better, although old crocks like us would never admit it. Think of the adventure of trying new products. Let your universe unfold. Go forward!
Posted by: Mike N at November 25, 2003 02:57 PMThank you, Oh Wise and Benevolent One. I'm surprised you didn't call me Grasshopper. :-)
Posted by: randy at November 25, 2003 04:05 PMRandy:
1. Shoes are a theme on your blog like the imagery in Shakespeare.
2. I hear ya. I have an aunt-in-law who collected hundreds of dollar bills whne the Loonie started. She scoured hte city for her brand of Baby Duck (awful sparkling Ontario wine) whne it was discontinued at the government booze store. My Dad still have us looking for his 25 year aftershave that disappeared years ago - anyone find an old bottle of Kanon?
3. So I know where you're coming from. Me - I love it when stuff disappears. It forces me out of my too comfortable, old f@rt space and into an exploration adventure for something new. The last time I had to change after shaves was a wonderful time, although it took two showers to remove the samples!
4. Mike N is right. Winter is bleak enough without taking every chance to try something new. You at least have hair!
Cheers,
Stephen
p.s. I tried a new Sushi place tonight before picking up my daughter who's coaching gymnastics at U of Toronto (an aside - if you want to feel old and over-the-hill try having an 15 year old daughter who's employed by your alma mater!). This restaurant opened yesterday. My favourite convenient one closed a month ago. When one door closes, another opens.
dude, be careful, i think the word already exists and it is: old. ;-)
Posted by: jenB at November 25, 2003 11:32 PMI propose "franger". As in, "it made me frangry when they stopped making (insert product here)."
Posted by: GiantKiller at November 26, 2003 09:34 AMThe word you're looking for is "disconpointment" referring to the disappointment you feel when your favourite product has been discontinued.
The other word we need is when something is still around but isn't the same anymore, as in "Why do Wagon Wheels taste so much different then when you were a kid."
Posted by: Stuart at November 26, 2003 04:34 PMLike buying tires for your car, with an extended warranty, and the business closes one month later. Twice in a row: two different businesses!
Posted by: Keith at November 26, 2003 10:29 PMI'm feeling disconpointed and frangry this evening, because my favorite shoes are no longer made. Great, great sandwich, love it, great words.
I can appreciate that a door closes, another one opens, etc etc., but it works both ways. Everything that's good as it is doesn't always need to change. Look what happened to Coca Cola when they tried to "improve" the taste of Coke. Didn't work, backfired badly. To me, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Jen, who you calling OLD, babe?
We do need a word that describes the changing taste of a product we remember as a kid. Speaking of which, whatinhell ever happened to Bar Six? I loved that chocolate bar when I was a kid.
Posted by: randy at November 26, 2003 10:50 PMThere are 76 hits for Italian Wedding Soup on the net. Easy to make. Why don't you try one.
Posted by: no one at November 28, 2003 10:34 PMAt a boy, Randy! Jump on your velocopede and ride to work, rather than follow the crowd and purchase one of those new fangled Model A's. Sounds like the push/pull strategy of product marketing blues.
Posted by: dr.T. at November 30, 2003 02:30 PMGot a pair of Reebok Newports Classics just before Christmas. Cost £32.00 - don't know what that is in dollars. You can get them at many shops in the UK. You're right they are good value for maoney.
Posted by: Andy Brown at January 7, 2004 10:43 AM