You would think by now that everyone has woken up to the fact that the country is in its deepest recession in seventy years, but along comes the latest Williams-Sonoma holiday catalog, landing on my doorstep this past week.
I couldn’t help but be amazed and dazed at the American Farmstead Cheese Collection; 1 pound eleven ounces of artisanal fromage priced at $79.95. That’s a bargain compared to their Stilton In A Crock where just eleven ounces will set you back $46. Their USDA Prime Rib Roast is also a steal at $299.99 for a ten pound slab. Even the candy and chocolate consistently comes in at $50 per pound. And get this, peppermint sticks…you know, the candy cane of our childhood, registers $45 for just under 16 ounces.
What’s going on here? At least one new retailer has the right idea. As I drove to my local post office this week, a sign was going up to top off a new establishment in the neighborhood. Appropriately, it read…The 89-cent Store.