Two people close to me have ethical/philosophical cause in mind to wish to avoid shopping at a Walmart.
With one it is more absolute than the other. In the second case, there is a green chile sauce available in the Mexican and Asian food isle at the Elk River Walmart that appears unavailable through SuperValu distribution.
Liking it enough precipitated a compromised relaxation by the one person of an absolute sense of personal boycott, for this singular exception. Obviously, that's something that rings as entirely sensible to me. Life is full of adjustments to circumstance. We all know that.
Having qualms about some of Walmart's more publicized labor policies and practices, I am not in boycott mode because the Bank of Elk River branch remains open there while the one on a trial basis in the Ramsey Town Center Coborns store has been closed for some time. (The now closed banking area at Coborns is still dedicated for some in-store banking or other services potentiality, but presently it is walled off and unoccupied - it is next to Coborns' service desk at the west Coborns entrance).
BAKERY: Stopping at the bank, perhaps shopping at Walmart, then a quick trip to the Cub Store on Jackson Street, and south on Jackson across Hwy 10 and the tracks to Diamond City Bread, every Thursday, because that day, starting early morning before most are awake, owner/operator/lead baker Garrett Jordahl bakes Italian bread, which is a favorite. Usually the Thursday baking schedule has Italian bread to be fresh from the oven around 10:00 am, so allowing it to cool somewhat on the racks; 10:30 or later is the best time for buying it.
For anyone in Ramsey willing to drive 10-15 miles for exceptional quality breads, and not already familiar with Diamond City Bread; there is the firm's website. Other links of interest are here and here about it, and there was an earlier Crabgrass item, here. A google. At menupix.com/minnesota/, the Diamond City Bread entry has it marked "100% Say Yum," and it is from that site that I found the bakery's online menu - http://www.dcbread.com/.
Bookmark the website. Shop there. Say yum.
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Panara Bread does have a chain outlet in Elk River across the service road from the Walmart-Home Depot stores. If that's your habit, take a break and try the local fresh baking at Diamond City. Another spot in Elk River to try, Mucho Loco, for Mexican food several cuts above the current Acapulco fare at Town Center. It reminds me of what Acapulco was when it was a single site on Coon Rapids Blvd, not aiming at chaining and yuppification and being noiser than the Metrodome --- back when the food was far better and the help did speak Spanish. The old days. Mucho Loco is a quieter place when fully packed, if you value being able during a meal to talk to people at your table without shouting. Cross over the river to Otsego some evening, and try Pour Wine Bar and Bistro.
