South Eastern Idaho Shopping SUCKS

Okay, so my header is a little bit on the harsh side, I know. I would not, by any means, consider myself to be an avid shopper. I shop for things when I need them. I window shop for things when I want them. And I ALWAYS look at the price tag BEFORE I dream about them. Pretty simple. I like to think that most people have a similar shopping style to myself, but maybe I'm just vain?

Prior to moving to Idaho Falls I didn't really think much about the shopping impact this move would have on me. After all, I grew up primarily in Nampa. The big shopping was done in Boise - pre-building boom. So we had the "normal" stuff, but nothing super special. I rarely went to downtown Boise to go shopping. Probably because we didn't want to deal with parking and also because the prices downtown are typically higher since they are specialty shops.

On any given "shopping excursion" depending on what I was looking for or looking at I would hit up the Boise Towne Square Mall, stores around the mall, the Eagle and Fairview district to include Babies R Us, Craft Warehouse, Shopko, Walmart, Marshalls, Ross, etc. You know, the NORMAL stores. If I was desperately looking for something specific, like when we needed to get cloth diapers for Ryker's crazy diaper rash that wouldn't go away, I was able to find several stores that carried what I was looking for. They all had websites, I called, they told me what they had and what the prices were, etc. and I went and purchased the ones that were closest to me at the cheapest price. See, I'm not a crazy shopper.

However, my first real experience at shopping here in Idaho Falls fell far short of my normal routine. It was about 2 weeks before Christmas. Justin and I had decided that we wanted to get Ryker the Little People Click N Fun Barnyard as one of his presents. We had seen them in town and after finishing our list of his other gifts decided that was the last thing on the list.

So I went out searching for Ryker's last present. It was only December 10th at this time, so it's not like I was crazy looking for an item on Christmas Eve or anything like that!

I went to BOTH Walmarts, Toys R Us, Shopko, Target, Sears, JCPenney, and KMart looking for this silly toy. We didn't really want it THAT bad, but I didn't think it would be impossible to find either. All of the stores were out of this particular item, but many of them told me that they were getting new shipments of toys in a couple of days. I decided to look online before going to the stores after a couple of days. Walmart, Toys R Us, and Target all said that the stores here in town not only had the toy but that they had several in stock. Cool, right? NOT! I called the stores where they confirmed exactly what I had seen online. (Yes I called all four stores because I didn't believe them) And then I went out to get our last gift.

Turns out, according to the floor people at ALL FOUR STORES, the computer system was wrong and they didn't have the toy I was looking for and they wouldn't have it until after Christmas. The sales people weren't all rude, in fact I even had one lady who saw what I saw online and began digging through all the new shipment of toy boxes at Target for me. Needless to say, there was no success. Justin and I ended up just changing what we got Ryker. It all turned out great in the end, but COME ON!

Now you be thinking that this is probably just an isolated incident that I happened to get stuck in the middle of. Well, you are wrong. Sorry! I tried to find my dad a four waffle waffle-maker - very specific I know. Anyway, again Walmart said they had it. When I arrived at the store, the sales lady was incredibly rude to me and told me that the ones they showed as available were the two broken ones on the display. When I asked her why those were showing as for sale, since they obviously weren't sellable, she got even ruder!

I know that you have to travel to get anywhere out of Idaho Falls. Heck, that's true for anywhere in Idaho. I used to drive 30 mins one way to work every single day! However, this lady proceeded to tell me that if I was so damn picky (yes her words, not mine) about what kind of waffle maker I wanted then I could drive up to Rexburg or down to Blackfoot to see if they had one. In shock, I politely asked her if she would be able to call either of them to guarantee that if I did drive there I would be able to get this waffle maker. She just huffed at me and told me nope, no one could guarantee that.

Needless to say, I found a different gift for my dad as well.

Here is the lamest thing I think I have seen while shopping here. It's like we live out in the middle of nowhere or something. While we do live out a ways, I think big chain stores like Walmart should be able to keep their inventory stocked. I was doing some grocery shopping and needed to buy some stick butter. Pretty basic grocery store item to have on hand, fully stocked at all times unless there is some sort of stick butter shortage expected in the near future. I kid you not, between the two Walmarts they had ONE BOX OF STICK BUTTER. ONE, not just one of a certain brand or one of salted or not salted, ONE BOX!!! I might be able to let that one go IF there had been like the inventory boxes in the middle of the isles and they were working on them or something. But no, they had simply run out of all their stick butter (at least had let the shelves get completely empty that is)

I am not dissing on just Walmart, that happens to be where I shop most often because, again, I'm just an average every day, cheapo kind of shopper.

Some of the other things that have really irritated me about the shopping over here include the lack of baby supplies. I know this is going to sound wrong, but the area here has a lot of farmers and a lot of LDS people. Both of which tend to have families on the larger side (4+ kids). WHY CAN'T I BUY ANY BABY OR MATERNITY STUFF AROUND HERE???? Every store has a dinky little section if any, but nothing substantial. Even the Toys R Us over here stinks. It's tiny and crowded and lacking largely in the baby department. They have like 2 crib sets to choose from!

I was excited when I saw that Macy's was finally getting a maternity section since Kohl's and Target's sections sucked (3-4 shirts and a few pants - no dresses) but was disappointed again when it was a tiny little section that had the EXACT SAME CLOTHES in it as the Motherhood store just a few stores down in the same mall. HELLO, that is just lame, seriously!

When it's really cold outside, you are 7, 8, 9 months pregnant and you have a 15 month old and want to go for a walk or just get out, I've always found going to the mall or going "shopping" was a good alternative. Maybe I'm crazy, but I like to do that. I have walked the Idaho Falls mall so many times now that I probably could tell you the price of every single item in that place! It's ridiculous. I seriously am to the point where I take Ryker to Lowes or Home Depot because I have paced the mall and all the other stores so many times I am sick of it.

Don't get me wrong, I am really enjoying it over here. I miss my family, I miss my friends, I didn't realize I would but I miss my shopping. It is a beautiful place to live and I am sure that being super pregnant, stuck at home with my little guy, and not really having any friends here yet has contributed to my skewed view of the area. However, to any one who is still reading this and especially if you have any kind of power to make things change - BRING MORE SHOPPING OPTIONS TO IDAHO FALLS!!!! They have a TON of chiropractors, dentists, optometrists, insurance agents, realtors, etc. THEY NEED MORE SHOPPING!!!! Don't get me started on the dining around here right now...that'll be a post for later.

Until later, enjoy your wonderful shopping wherever you may be. I know it could be worse, like living in Rupert :-) He he. So I am thankful for the options I have, I'm just not quite so used to the limitations that are set before me!