On my afternoon walk today I popped into the local pet supply store to pick up some food for my dog, Eddie. I've never done a #marketfriday post before, but snapped some photos so I could post about this trip. (Market Friday is hosted by 
Technically I was actually at the store twice, as I passed it on my morning walk. It was far too early for the store to be open though and the carpark was quiet and empty.
You can see it's one of those big brand chain stores that seem to pop up everywhere, unfortunately driving the little stores out of business. As a consumer, they entice me in with a wide range of goods and a loyalty program. The latest discounts and offers get regularly txted to my phone so I don't forget they exist. And I can't deny they're convenient. I can walk there in about 5 minutes and I can usually guarantee they'll have what I need.
My visit this afternoon was focused on dog food. Eddie's now 16 years old and has recently had a few teeth removed. The hunt for yummy soft meals and treats he can enjoy has seen us trying out a variety of things over the last few weeks. (I can make him healthy home-cooked meals too, these are just for the convenience factor on those super busy days.)
This is just one of the dog food isles:
Browsing the treats as well. All those prices are in Australia dollars. I like the SavourLife treats. Each pack has a number you enter into a website to see the photo and story of a dog your purchase has helped. Eddie's a fan of the SavourLife Milky Treats, pictured bottom-right.
Eddie's not really into toys any more. If he was there's a huge range to choose from here - see the header image for just a part of the range. And of course, there's plenty of balls to fetch!
Of all the foods we tried last time, these seemed to be his favourite. They look as good as people-food when served. I stocked up on a few today.
He also likes these - an occasional treat that looks like pieces of beefy jerky but is soft enough for him to handle.
After the pet supply store, I ventured into the main shopping centre. There were plenty of people about, but it was still really quiet for the time of day. People are limiting their time in the centre. The floor is stickered with social distancing reminders and there are hand sanitiser dispensers everywhere, the kind with a sensor that spray the sanitiser onto your hands. The major retailers (a variety store and a supermarket) both have clearly marked entry and exit paths, plus security guards.
This store, Suzanne Grae, closed yesterday. It's a women's clothing chain. I'm unsure if the closure is directly due to Covid. I suspect we'll start to see a lot more empty shops like this though.
Until next time,
@Sammie
Original content created by @Sammie.