Buy local .... buy a lot of local

We lost another restaurant this week when The River Merrimac closed it's doors.

We got to really like this place. Besides having food that ranked in the top 25% of all NBPT restaurants (I loved the lobster mac and cheese best), it was run by a father and son who were trying to make a dream come true. I hate that they spent two years working as hard as they ever had in their life, built a good reputation and a decent clientele and still couldn't survive. Meanwhile, crap-restaurants like Loretta's are thriving. There is no justice.

So I got to thinking what places would bother most me if they closed.

I wouldn't like if Jabberwocky closed, but there is another book store. I'd cry, but would survive.

I bought a fantastic pair of shoes here once. I stalked them until the price went down to half and then after many months made the plunge for the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever bought. Since then I haven't found one pair of shoes that I would buy. Glad they were here for my Mark Nason's, but they are not top on my "miss list".

Fowles sell magazines. No one buys magazines. I'm shocked they still survive. As long as they kept the sign I'd be ok. I've actually resigned myself to them losing sometime soon.

Gram's is a Newburyport staple. A gelato place opened a year ago and we haven't gone to Gram's since. I'd be sad but would move on if they closed.

I really like the guy who runs Kaya. I bought my wedding ring there. Still, not my number one choice of places I'd cry if they left.

Agave started badly. We hated it. Then came Taco Tuesday. We're frequent flyers to Taco Tuesday. I'd be very sad if they closed. But not as sad if.......

Richdale closed.... Let's face it. Richdale caters to tourists and the creepy. They sell 25 cent hot dogs. But if a town can't keep Richdale open it says something more about it. It says we're about to become a ghost town. If Richdale closed I'd be most sad because it meant I lived in Haverhill.