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We’re continuing the series we started two weeks ago, the one I summed up with “Places People Spend Time and/or Money.” If you look at the home page, you can see the kinds of places we’ll be trying to find. I don’t think there’s a lot of overlap, but it’s always good to know what the future is going to bring.

Last week we did retail establishments that didn’t sell food. This week it’s retail that does sell food. Here’s my gallery. The featured photo today is looking down the snack aisle in my regular grocery store.

On Friday, November 7th, post a flower or a black and white photo on your blog. It can be the subject of your post, or just a photo you add to a different post. Visit either my blog (https://noFacilities.com), or Marsha’s (https://alwayswrite.blog/), or both and leave a link to your post. The black-and-white pictures can be on any topic, but Marsha reminded me that Cee particularly loved bridges and old barns. Post a photo and, if you like, add a thought about Cee or your experience with her challenges. Reminders, links and the publishing schedule will follow in the coming weeks. Note: I plan to put my post up early enough for the folks in Australia to join as their day starts. You can use the hashtag @1Day4Cee and you can use the badge below if you like.

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Six of Dan's books
The Dreamer’s Alliance and Rascal Todd Mysteries on “display” on the Gateway Clipper.

If any of those look interesting, you can find them all here. PS, they are all also available in audiobook format. I used KDP’s Virtual Voice, but I edited each book in its entirety, and I really like the way they turned out. And, as far as audiobooks go, they are a bargain.

82 responses to “Retail Food — CFFC”

  1. Yes I remember all the empty shelves and people fighting over toilet paper.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Those were crazy times, Wayne. I had a harder time getting cat litter than toilet paper, and our cats were particular (to say the least). I Remember driving to 3 and 4 stores.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh wow that’s so interesting, I had never heard of that. We also had a pasta crisis where it all sold out. I guess people were sticking up. Seems like a lifetime ago now.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. I was behind a guy in one grocery that had a pack of toilet paper and a bag of cat litter. He turned to me and said “Now the cat and I can both ****”

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          1. Haha that’s hilarious.

            Liked by 1 person

  2. Supermarkets in the US look like the Australian ones. I don’t think there is a specialist Olive Oil store anywhere near me, maybe in the cities 🤔

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I suppose word gets around as to the best way to lay out a supermarket. You know, to force people to go up and down multiple aisles to get things that should be placed together. That’s the only Olive Oil store I know of, but it was great for a last minute Christmas gift for my wife. Although, I didn’t buy one close to the top end – yikes!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh no, the top end olive oil is so good but it’s out of my price range even for a special present.
        Some good bread, a ciabatta, pane de casa or baguette dipped in an olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix is delish 😋

        Liked by 1 person

        1. It is, and I was able to buy her a good enough label, but top end? Nope, not happening.

          Liked by 1 person

  3. Nice photographs. I have some 🤗💚

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Robbie. I look forward to them.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. As a child, I was raised on ‘macaroni’; nice to see some places still call it that.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That store has been there for over 100 years. I remember going along when my father took my grandmother there to shop.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. It’s great to see some Mom & Pop stores still in business. Shopping in the store where people call each other by their first name is a tradition I hope never disappears …. the last bastion of Americana. Wonderful memory of your father and grandmother, Dan.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. You did a fantastic job here, Dan. BRAVO!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks GP. But I’m hungry, now.

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      1. hahaha, understandable!

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  6. We certainly spend time and money, more and more money, in grocery stores these days. Shopping during Covid was a nightmare. All these stores appear well-stocked. I have never seen a specialty shop for olive oil, but why not!

    I love your caption for the Halloween Shop! Ain’t it the truth!

    I’m guessing the Middle Eastern Grocery offers some wonderful delicacies, but geez, their awning could use some TLC!

    Great photos Dan. Happy Monday and week to follow.

    ginger🦋

    Liked by 1 person

    1. These are places we need to visit (or order from), Ginger. Like it or not, we have to eat.

      I had retired a few months before Covid’s impact on shopping. That’s when I started doing the grocery shopping. It was crazy, going from store to store to get things like toilet paper and cat litter.

      That shop does need a new awning. Not much comfort when it rains.

      I hope you have a great week!

      Like

  7. Excellent photos and post, Dan! Food for thought and food to be bought…

    Liked by 1 person

  8. As always, I love the comments. There are a lot of real people in the world, and I’m tired to death of reading about those who aren’t real and who have much to do with the unreal prices at the grocery stores. I love poking around specialty shops like these — they are like food museums. A hunt for Polish food is a most worthy effort. Real food for real people, yes? A great post for a Monday morning! Thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I love the comments, too, Maureen. Real people, to be sure. If we run out of them out here, I’ll give up blogging. Real food for these real people is required.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Are you having any problems with comments this morning? I am having all kinds of problem trying to leave a comment on Lois’ blog. WP keeps telling me her blog isn’t taking comments. I doubt that.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. I was able to leave a comment on her blog, but it took several attempts.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Thanks. Mine went through even though WP said it didn’t. I think the W in WP stands for Weird.

            Liked by 1 person

  9. Do people actually buy fruitcake???

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I don’t know, Liz, but I see it for sale every year. Maybe it’s the same stuff from last year.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. It wouldn’t surprise me if that were the case.

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Food shopping is my absolute favorite kind of shopping. I could never do it online–I enjoy looking around and adding things not on my list. Olive oil stores…we used to drive to Alabama until one opened here in Florida. All those fruity flavors…I had quite the stock at one time. I have since cut back. 🙄

    Covid shopping–that is something I don’t think we will ever forget. Pennsylvania Macaroni Company–I just love the sound of that store.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You would love shopping at Penn Mac, Lois. It’s like stepping back in time to that little Italian market in your neighborhood, only this one grew up!

      Adding stuff not on the list is my specialty.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Great photos, Dan. I’ve visited that Olive Oil store in the Grand Central Terminal. It’s a great place to visit when you’ve a few minutes between trains. 🌞

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You can spend a lot of money in a little bit of time in that store, Gwen :-)

      Like

  12. Great photos Dan. Love the lettuce section… let us not get ahead of ourselves…!
    I like the most dangerous section of the grocery moniker for the candy/chocolate section at the checkout area…I totally understand what you mean.

    Great variety in your photos Dan. Love the olive oil store, the Macaroni shop, and the sausage shops.

    My favorite photo is the snack aisle, your feature photo, a great view and love the section that you spotlighted close up.

    Your photo of Wholey Fish brought back fond memories. It was a thing when I was very young to join in the weekly household visit to the fishmonger downtown on the island, and I loved it.

    And thanks for the great inspiration as always, Dan.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I”m glad these resonated with you, Suzette. It’s so hard not to just add a candy bar to my bag when checking out. I feel like I deserve a reward ;-)

      So glad the fish market brought back nice memories. I have memories from childhood of going with my dad and his mother to the Macaroni store.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I like the idea of a reward for shopping.

        Photos capture moments and sometimes bring to mind places, times past and experiences.

        Thank you Dan.

        I hope you have a great day.

        Liked by 1 person

  13. A fun and eclectic food shopping journey, Dan. I do love Olive Oil stores and always end up spending too much time and money in them.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Jan. Fortunately, that’s the closest Olive Oil store I’m aware of. I’m sure there are some closer to home, but I don’t need to find them.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Great photos, Dan. I liked the Covid shots of the grocery stores.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That was a rough period, John. No peace at home if you don’t have “an acceptable” brand of cat litter.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I’m glad we did not have a cat during Covid.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. We managed, John, but we had some nervous moments.

          Liked by 1 person

  15. […] CFFC – Fun Foto Challenge: retail food […]

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  16. The model railroad store is a good addition.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks. I’m glad you like that, Dawn.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. You had me at ‘food.’ 😋

    Liked by 1 person

  18. It looks like really nice stores/markets in your neck of the woods, Dan. I have an idea for a post, but not sure if I can find what I want…. Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The challenge is open all week, Teagan. I hope you can join us.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. You have a lot of good images in this category. Was the cat food isle image made during the Covid lockdown? Big Baby Boy was having trouble getting his cat’s food then. The Snickers and Peanut M&M’s would be tempting. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Deborah. The two empty shelves photos were during Covid. We were having trouble getting cat food and cat litter.

      Liked by 1 person

  20. This is a fun prompt. I like all the shops’ views. Especially the Red Owl and Groceria :-)

    My post is here

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, and thanks for joining us.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Nice post and pics on an interesting subject, Dan. This is of such universal interest and here in the antipodes one cannot help comparing prices. My impression is that we pay more for stuff here and perhaps your range of choices is larger. Interesting that the chocolate treats range is so similar to be almost identical. Maybe this could become a regular prompt? (I have had a distracting month and hope to start posting soon again).

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed this. I try not to repeat the prompts, at least for a while, but pictures like that end up in lots of other posts.

      I imagine the candy makers move quickly to get into every market.

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Good choice of topics. Husby does all of our shopping so much that I fumble around trying to pay when I’m on my own!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I more or less took over the task during Covid. I think my wife is still capable and would probably do a better job (I still need a lot of instructions).

      Liked by 1 person

  23. […] are the target for this week’s Fun Foto Challenge – Though I’m going to stretch the point beyond the shelves […]

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  24. A fascinating array of shops Dan and a wide range of foodstuffs to buy 😎👍I’m with you regards not grabbing the last lettuce from the shelf 😅 We actually get our organic fruit and veg delivered bi-weekly – something that we started as a result of Covid and have continued since. Covid also caused a resurgence in supporting small local stores and there’s still a bit of that going on – My local off licence does a good range of basic fruit & veg should we run short (Bananas seem to just disappear when my Son’s at home 🤣).

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tastes around here changed during Covid based on what we could get. I ended up bouncing between three different stores, and I’ve kept that up since things have gotten back to nearly normal.

      Liked by 1 person

  25. I feel like the only shopping I do any more is for groceries. A nice cross-section of choices! (K)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s certainly the shopping I do most often. I do appreciate the effort all the shops put into making the food available.

      Liked by 1 person

  26. […] Dan’s Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge CFFC – “Places People Spend Time and/or Money”: Retail […]

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  27. […] For the CFFC theme of retail – food […]

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  28. […] Monday, Dan Antion posted this week’s “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).   I can’t get […]

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  29. Everyone is invited to a retro grocery shopping trip in my blogiversal time machine. Here’s my post.

    Whatnot Wednesday & CFFC Vintage Food Market Photos – Teagan’s Books

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Teagan. I enjoyed that!

      Like

  30. I’d forgotten how COVID affected the supermarkets – but I like the fact that people were as worried about their pets as themselves. Here’s mine, a market in Mexico: https://elizabatz.com/2025/10/22/the-mercado-market-in-puerto-escondido-mexico/

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  31. […] Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Food and Groceries […]

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