Import Store

[talon]

I finally made it by the British import store while it was actually open - it keeps moving and the hours keep changing so it's not been easy.

I was truly hoping it would actually be a British import store, but apparently "British" means "Middle Eastern" as fully ¾ of what they carried was Middle Eastern in nature.

The British items they carried consisted of a few easy-to-get teas (PG Tips, Typhoo, Taylors of Harrogate), some tea cups (most of which were actually made in China), a few canned goods (mustards, ploughman's pickle, ketchup, beans, jellies and jams - most of which I can buy at Buy 4 Less), and lots of candies.

They had a few German items (mustards, candy, coffee), and one French item in 3 flavors (breath mints in tins). For the most part, though, they had Middle Eastern items - spices, teas (mostly Ahmad's), coffees, hookahs, hookah tobacco, breads, sweets, dairy items, frozen dinners, boxed dinners, and canned goods.

All in all, I was rather disappointed as they didn't carry anything I couldn't easily find elsewhere locally. I had sort of been hoping they'd carry a lot of the things I buy online so I could save the shipping charges, but that wasn't the case.

They were clean, and half the store was taken up with what they called a deli. It did offer some sandwiches, but it wasn't a deli as I understand the term. It was more a sandwich kiosk with indoor tables.

It's not a bad store, really, and the people were friendly. It just wasn't special enough to make the effort to find it when it moves and to remember to seek it out during its hours of operation.

I suppose my disappointment arises from the fact that when I see a store claiming to be an import store from one particular country, I sort of expect the bulk of their merchandise to originate in that country

All of the British items they carried I can find at the Middle Eastern stores and the India stores and even the regular grocery stores.

Sadly, there is no need for me to seek them out because they do not carry anything unique and other places carrying the same things are closer.