Big Bear

When I was a child, one of the first grocery stores that my mom used to take me to was Big Bear. I used to always bug her to get me one of the sugar cookies in the bakery. If I remember correctly, they were shaped like bears. Although Big Bear is no longer around, it still serves as a nostalgic memory for me, and little did I know the historical significance of this store and how it would continue to tie in to my life.

Big Bear was the creation of Wayne Brown of Columbus, Ohio. He opened what is considered to be the first modern supermerket on Lane Ave. in a roundish looking building that was once a dance hall. Today you would never know where the location of this store was unless you were privy to the location's history. The Riverwatch Tower apartment complex currently stands where it once was. Long before I knew the historical significance of the lot, I had met up with some friends form The Ohio State University in their apartment there.

Big Bear had enjoyed some great success up until after 1989 when it was bought by an investment banker on borrowed money. This investment banker used the purchase to give himself a bonus and slapped his debt on to the store itself. This was apparently a common practice of the time and was a practice that made many rich at the expense of the purchased company. Since Big Bear was in debt, it could not lower prices and could no longer compete with other grocery providers.

Despite many bumps in it's storied history, Big Bear did many things right and often innovated. For instance, it was one of the first stores to sale both home goods and groceries under the same roof. Big Bear Plus in Graceland, Ohio sold home goods like department stores do on one side, and groceries on the other. This concept became an industry standard and can still be seen in stores like Wal-Mart and Target today. The building that this Plus store occupied is now a Kroger. When I first shopped at this Kroger, I remember commenting on how big it was for a Kroger and I wondered why it was selling furniture on one side which Kroger stores rarely do. Of course, I had no idea of the historical significance of this store when I was there.

Big Bear is a store that many outside of the Ohio valley do not know about but they can think this company for the types of stores that we enjoy today.

References:

Big Bear Stores Wikipedia Page

The Sad Demise of Big Bear

Hurricane Season

What Hurricane Season has meant to me over the course of my life is worrying about relatives who happen to live on the coast. Now that I live on the coast, Hurricane Season has taken on a new meaning. Even though I live much further north than most people living on the coast, the predictions that this Hurricane Season will be very active have gotten many who live in my area to believe that we may indeed see a full blown hurricane this year. I was in Sandy when it became extra tropical and I was in the super derecho when it rolled through Ohio but I have not experienced a true hurricane. I am starting to wonder if I should start preparing now since I do live 6 blocks from the coast. For those who have had to deal with hurricanes, what should I put in a hurricane preparedness kit?

One Year

The end of this month marks the one year anniversary of my workout routine. Of course, my workout routine has changed over the past year, but the important thing is that I've kept at it. Although I haven't seen all of the changes that I wanted to make of my body, my tone and athleticism has vastly improved. My next goal is to achieve a healthy weight. Unfortunately, I don't earn enough money to eat the way that I should and I am underweight as a result.

If you're on a workout routine or are thinking about starting one, I would be interested in hearing about it in the comments. I have found that discussing workout routines with others helps in the inspiration department.