Big is not always best!

I feel very depressed. I just learned that my favorite pharmacy will close down.

I really like the small pharmacy inside of Kasumi Supermarket in Takezono. The pharmacy is small and maybe a little more expensive than the big drug store chains, but the staff are wonderful. If I have any kind of medical problem I go ask them for advice and see what they recommend. For example, when I wanted some good pain relief medicine that was also safe for the stomach etc, I searched on the Internet. After that I went to that pharmacy and the one they suggested was exactly what I researched about. The staff take the time to chat and are so kind.

I'm so upset that the store is being forced to close because a big chain drug store opened up very close. I DON'T like that store for buying medicine! A few times I went there but the pharmacist was not at all helpful and couldn't give advice. He just showed me the medicine and said what it is. I can read that by myself! One time he told me the store didn't have what I was looking for, but a few seconds later I found it on the shelf. Grrrrrr!

Anyway, there is nothing I can do about the small store closing. I have always tried to shop there and support them but it seems many people are only interested in low price products. I asked the pharmacist where she will work next and I will try to go to her new workplace.

Please support small stores. Big stores might be convenient, have long hours and have cheap prices BUT they are often not very professional or friendly. I fear that someday there will be no staff in stores and that we will just see robots/machines. Don't laugh - now in Australia there are 'self serve' registers with no staff. You scan your own groceries and pay by credit card. And of course, everyone is familiar with self serve gasoline stands.

Ah, now I feel blue.