Premium prices for marginal goods, services

Since moving to Fallbrook, we’ve been determined to shop locally whenever possible. We understand that we may pay a premium for comparable products found in “big box” stores, and are happy to do so. Increasingly we find this goal more and more frustrating.

Community pharmacies with national affiliations seem to keep a minimal inventory of medications here, such that when we renew prescriptions, they often have to order in our medications, none of which are exotic or out of the ordinary. Stores like Costco, Target, etc. do not run out of items like Celebrex or Maxhalt. You can count on getting your prescriptions filled in a timely way. Fallbrook is not competitive. We have had this problem with each pharmacy in Fallbrook.

A local garden store sent out an e-blast promoting the arrival of a new, beautiful assortment of robust veggies; I went the following day and found spindley, snail-ravaged plants with a very minimal selection of varieties.

I want so much for our community to thrive and our local economy to rebound, but we can’t ask our residents to pay premium prices for marginal goods and services – it speaks to our pride and our culture.

A.P. Breathed