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Save 60% OFF CUSTOM FRAMING!
I saw this ad in one of the many flyers inserted in my Saturday paper a while ago. It was from a chain of craft stores that my personal ethics prevent me from naming. All I can say is that it starts with an M.
An M, as in, I don't know, Michael for example.
60%, what a deal! I decided to check it out because first of all it is smart business practice to measure out the competition once in a while and also because if that was real, I had the perfect plan (yeah, I know: another one of those): If that deal was real I could bring to M. all the orders that you place here at Eastmont and just take the rest of the day off. With sixty per cent off, I could let M. do the framing, then simply double the price and still be cheaper than M.'s normal "non-discounted" price. I know, BRILLIANT!
You follow my twisted reasoning? Here's an example: let's say that the work I bring to M. will cost 250.00. With 60% off, I'll only have to pay $100 bucks. Back at Eastmont I sell it to you for $200.00 without having to order any material, doing any work or running the risk of cutting myself with a piece of glass yet again. I could maybe get another job, let Cindy work on her new venture full time (see more about this in another section of this newsletter), go fishing, date, anything!
So I went to M. the other day with a Q Li Holmes watercolor under my arm. I shaved, wore some cologne and spoke with sort of a french accent just I case I'd get recognized. The choice of molding and matboards was basic but the service was friendly. I estimated at about 500 the numbers of corner samples on display and at 19 the age of the young lady helping me - just for comparaison's sake, 19 is the number of years I have been in business, and 500 is about a 1/4 of Eastmont's molding selection). The lady was actually quite helpful and good at matching colors, the matboard selection was done in no time. It took a bit longer to come up with a suitable frame because of the limited selection and because I was trying very hard to look like I had no previous framing experience. It was fun. Once the design completed came the moment I was waiting for: The Cost!
That design came to $215.00. I was extatic, my idea was shaping up nicely, as planned. I was already thinking that Dick's Sporting Goods was next door and I could quickly hop in there and get myself some fishing gear. That was before the lady added proudly "And that is WITH our 60% discount special". I'm not very good at math but I figured that M's "normal" price (that of course they don't even bother to mention) would have been around $537.50 or something like this. A similar design at Eastmont would cost between $200.00 and $250.00 depending on the choice of molding.
There went my brilliant idea. . . . Well, I never liked fishing anyway. And I'm a vegeterian.
So you can relax, dear customer: your orders will always be done by us right here at honest, competitive, not inflated-to-be-then-heavily-discounted prices. |
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At the Elusie Gallery
June 28 - July 26
William Sieruta's Artist Statement starts with this quote from Leonard Baskin:
"Pop art is the inedible raised to the unspeakable. It's a perverse celebration of all the commonly advertised blessings of American life. Pop artists are insufferable charlatans. Maybe what they really are is self-flaggellants..."
Sieruta continues by saying: "My work is an exploration of the relationship between food and identity. My aim is to question our automatic responses and unrealized prejudices towards a certain group of foods I call the "American Diet". I hope my work playfully challenges the viewer with bizarre juxtapositions calling attention to the absurdity of the unconscious, predisposed "meanings" and value systems we project onto the things that we eat. I hope that these pieces will one day serve as a document of the food and "food products" of the our time and how we relate to them." My work is a synthesis of the values of Pop Art and Dada in the tradition of by Eduardo Paolozzi and (to a lesser extent) R.B. Kitaj
William Sieruta lives and paints in his studio in Leverett, Massachusetts. He graduated with a degree in Finance from the University of Massachusetts in 2002 and is currently applying to MFA programs and showing his artwork throughout New England.
The majority of the works in this installation are mixed media (acrylic with collage) on paper mounted on panels. His compositions are initiated with familar food images and then freely explored with painting, drawing, and the collaging of vintage print matter and found objects.
Don't miss the Artist Reception
July 12, 5-8 PM
during the monthly Art Walk Easthampton
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This little trip to Michael's (oops now you know where I went) got me thinking. What if that was not an unique situation? What if Florence Paint, Manchester Hardware or Fleury Lumber compared favorably with with Home Depot? What if Serio's Market or Big E's prices were just as competitive as Big Y's or Stop & Shop's? What if shopping local and keeping the money locally was not only morally correct but also made economic sense?
I was going to check this all out, compare the prices of nails and 2x4s, paint thinner and duct tape, but this is the June Newsletter, it's supposed to come out in June and July is furiously breathing down my neck. But I did manage to compare some prices at Northampton's Stop & Shop and the Big E in Easthampton.
Here we go, read on!
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The Organic Cow milk was $3.99 at the Big E and $4.19 at Stop & Shop.
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The big bag of Doritos was $3.79 at both places.
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The Pete & Gerry organic eggs (6 pack, large) were $2.49 at both locations.
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The Rotisserie Chicken was $6.99 at both places.
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The 5lbs bag of King Arthur whole wheat flour was $5.49 at Big and $4.99 at Stop & Shop.
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The 64 ounce Gatorade was on sale 2 for 5 bucks at both locations. Big E's regular price is $2.79, S&S did not show the regular price.
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The Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice was $3.79 at Stop & Shop and $4.29 at the Big E.
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The Nescafe Instant Classic was $6.99 at Big E and $8.19 at Stop and Shop.
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The pack of Hillshire small kielbasa links costs $3.99 both at Stop & Shop and Big E.
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The 5lbs bag of Uncle Bens brown rice was $6.29 at Big E and $8.99 at Stop & Shop.
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The Basic 4 cereal box was $4.19 at S&S and $4.59 at Big E.
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The bag of Huggies Snug & Dry was $10. 49 at Stop & Shop and $12.99 at Big E (that was for a friend).
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A pack of Trojan - the ribbed kind, for extra sentations - was $10.99 at Stop & Shop (that was for her husband, they finally decided to spend a little more on birth control to eventually save on Huggies). I did not find this item at the Big E and must admit I was too chicken to inquire . Imagine me, telling the lady at the desk I was looking for condoms, for a friend, in a store 300ft away from mine. A friend? Yeah right! So I'm afraid you'll just have to do find out by yourself!
PLEASE NOTE that the list above is just a random selection of items that I actually bought and some others that I just priced, taken over a period of 10 to 12 days. Some prices may have changed (Nescafe at Big E for example was only $5.99 the first time I checked and is now a $6.99, still more than a dollar cheaper than S&S).
I take full responsability in the choice of items listed and understand that is is only a sampling among hundreds of items sold in these stores. I tried to be as impartial as possible and added a few items just for humor's sake. But I think I can safely say that the idea that Big Boxes are cheaper than your local store is a misconception. They can even in some cases be quite a bit more expensive.
So shop wisely, and whenever possible shop locally, you'll support a local owner/neighbor and his/her family and may very well be saving some money. And gas to for that matter. I for one would do it even if it cost me a little more.
And Mike, if you read this, can you please tell me where the condoms section is, thanks!
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MUSEUM GLASS UPDATE
Our Optium Museum glass is getting increasingly popular, so much so that we are now able to buy it in larger quantities, and therefore at a lower price.
We are happy to pass the savings on to you and have lowered the price of our Optium Museum glass by about 10%.
This is not a limited time offer! |
Cindy has been with Eastmont for almost 6 years now. It's a record she says, and I'm quite proud to have been able to provide the working conditions to allow such a record. Cindy recently started her own little entreprise:
Her business card lists a few of the many services that Cindy can provide: elder companion - errands - gardening - window washing - minor repairs - pet and cottage care - dog walking. I'm sure this is just a sampling of what Cindy can do. If you're interested in any of these services or if you need any other kind of help, just call her at 413-527-0546.
We know that Cindy can wear many hats,
but there is one that she can't wear, because it has been lost:
One of the many visitors of the June Art Walk lost her favorite hat, a vintage hat that she is very attached to. It is a light brown felt hat with a brown flower on it. If you have seen that hat or know anything about it, please call me at 529-9265.
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Once again: thank you for reading, and enjoy the summer!
Jean-Pierre Pasche
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