Notes from the Old Noank Jail

Noank’s Universal Store Closes

Recently, we learned that a well known Noank Landmark, the Universal Food Store, had closed its doors, primarily because of Hurricane Irene. I looked back to my previous TIMES article files from 2006 and found the following material.

“Recently, my wife visited family out of state, leaving me to decide what to eat and where to buy the food. I have never been a fan of big box stores with their canned music, loud PA systems, confusing coupons and impersonal attitudes.

My salvation is a small grocery store on Pearl Street in Noank which stocks fresh farm vegetables and meat, home made casseroles, canned and frozen food, with the addition of a pizza oven and deli counter. The Universal Store has been in Frank Quartella’s family since the ’40’s and is old fashioned, with 3 isles, old photos, model boats, antique typewriters and friendly employees.

There is no canned music or PA system and they don’t use coupons. Smaller stores like this have difficulty competing favorably against big supermarkets, but for local convenience, quality, ease of use, lack of noise and friendly atmosphere, they definitely have their place in my world. And Universal benefits from having a generous landlord who has invested capitol in the building in order to encourage the local population as regular customers. Time will tell if that population will respond.

So, goodbye to the tension and gasoline expense of driving five miles to crowded supermarket parking lots, listening to canned music and fumbling with coupons. Smaller is better and life is good.”

Unfortunately, life isn’t so good any more because Universal is now shut down. A good friend sent me a note with the following comments:

” A sad day for Noank An extremely sad end for a family business that supported Noank for decades. Frank and his crew will be missed. Another victim of our move as a society to large and impersonal business. Big box stores, Internet commerce, corporate control. While we may be saving a few bucks on small transactions, we are now seeing the true cost. And when our banking system stops working, as it is close to doing, the result will be ugly. Universal may well be the “canary in the coal mine” for our society. Not real proud of my generation right now.”

In closing, I am reminded of an old saying…if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.