Meh from Bob Slate

Wheeling up from lower Hyde Park, I swung over to the Porter Square Bob Slates. I thought of Lily Tomlin - they don't care; they don't have to; they're closing.

A half dozen of us, all of whom had shopped the mini-chain for a long time were browsing. Everyone felt compelled to tell the two Bob Slate Stationer clerks how sorry they were the stores were closing. We didn't get any feel-good in return.

Oddly, the store had virtually nothing discounted. The calendars were 50% off, but hell, Borders did that the first week in January. Customer after customer would ask what the discounts were, only to hear that if it wasn't marked with a red slash, as nearly nothing was, it was full price.

Repeated word from the clerks was that the Church Street Harvard Square store had to clean up and get out before the end of the month, so its last day was Sunday. The bigger Mass Ave Harvard Square one would close a week later. Then all the remaining merchandise would move to Porter for the End of Paper Days.

There's no way the tiny Porter can hold the goods if the attitude at the other store is also pay-full-price-and-thank-us. There are philosophies of closing a store that vary, but not enticing customers with good prices is not up there in the merchandising wisdom pyramid.

Surely, the final weeks at Porter will see them trying to unload office commodities. It's highly unlikely a store vulture company that specializes in close-outs would pay as much as sentimental ex-customers.

I left without the Moleskine notebooks and letter opener and maybe yet another fountain pen I intended to buy. Honestly, I can do better in choice and price at Amazon. Then again, my real purpose was the pontificate over ale at Cambridge Common back down Mass Avenue. That I got done. And their prices are good.