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Home My WebLink AboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-07-15, Page 6•• • • • • ••• • •:•••,•}. • • • • OFFICIAL START—The Ilderton Centennial celebrations were officially begun Friday night when the over 700 people watched as Newt Paisley, center, cut the ribbon to open the festive weekend to observe Ilderton's 100th birthday. Photo by T. Stover SQUARE presents GODERICH summerfest Illa o.. 1 4th Annua 0 U) Items, clerks, counters on the sidewalk to serve you. Thur., Fri., Sat. JULY 22, 23, 24 1110111111% The area's original and 'biggest sidewalk sale 3 EXCITING DAYS OF SHOPPING Eriloy The KINSMEN SUMMERFEST CARNIVAL MOST STORES OPEN THURS., FRI, NITE TILL ANNW G, M. CHEERIOS 10 oz. 624 Thuringer • SUMMER SAUSAGE $ 1 49 LB. LEAN GROUND BEEF (Ground Chuck) 83' LB. BURNS 1 LB. PK. SUMMER SAUSAGE HEAD CHEESE Page 6 Times-Advocate, July 1$, 1976 Shopping in Moscow Line up and wait your turn to .spend your money By RON. BOGART Shopping in the stores of Moscow was a complete ex- perience in itself. To make a purchase you had to line up and wait your turn — you made your selection and the clerk com- pleted the bill in triplic ite. I kept a copy with the item, gave you the other two and you lined up at the cash register. This cashier initialled the remaining copies, you paid and she returned one copy to you. Now you returned to the purchas- ing line-up again, worked your way to the front, .presented your receipt and received your arti- cle.Shopping in most stores was a very time consuming process because of the long line-ups. Note: Russian money is in denominations of roubles and kopecs. 1 rouble (R) = 100 kopecs (k) = $1.37 American = $1.28 Canadian, One morning my roommate and I decided to skip breakfast and walk to our classes at the Institute. This one hour walk lead us through some of the back ways of Moscow. It was a very interesting walk. We had breakfast at the Institute cafeteria. Breakfast cost 79 k — 2 cups of tea, 2 large sugared cookies and 2 large pastries. While we waited for classes to start we wrote some postcards. Cards cost 6k and the stamp 14k. An air mail envelope cost 20k and 16k to mail it, Transportation costs are relatively inexpensive. You could ride the Metro (subway) for 5k; a bus for 10k; taxies varied of course by the time and distance travelled. They were metered but we travelled ap- proximately 12-15 miles and the cost was 3R for 4 of us. One could barter with the drivers about the cost. Of course walking cost nothing unless you jay-walked. Our buses were apparently chartered for 5R per day in- cluding the driver.Cars could be rented for 14R per day but you needed an international driver's licence, Stores appeared very drab looking. There are no flashing neon signs, no large signs projec- ting out over the street, no advertizing of any description — sometimes it was quite difficult to know the kind of store it was until you were inside, There is no competition between stores —the state owns all of them. Window displays were very simple if at all. Front store windows were usually very small. At night, large padlocks kept the doors securely bolted. Ice cream (mopo,skehoe) was sold from small booths on the street. You could buy a cone for 15k, a bar for 18k, ice cream sandwich for 22k and a large chocolate roll for 28k, Icecream was delicious. Kobe, the national drink made from rye bread and malt, and it tasted like car- bonated molasses and maple syrup, sold for 20k for a large mug full, We did some shopping in the Russian stores, but many purchases were made in Berioska stores — special stores where you could spend only foreign currency. Prices were the same here as in the Russian stores. Russians cannot shop in these stores unless they have hard currency. Few natives ever got into these places. One of my main purchases was a Matrushka doll. They ranged in size from 2 inches (18k) to 30 in- ches high costing 150R, Salaries ranged considerably a surgeon earned 250R per month; a hockey player 300-350R per month plus apartment and maybe a car; a high ranking army officer (1 below a general) earned 850R/month plus a staff car. Apartments were either co- op or state owned. You could purchase one for 7000R with 40% down and the rest like a mortgage, Rent was determined by the square footage size (and I also think who you were), The army offical above paid 10R/mo rent and a Canadian em- bassy secretary paid 135R per month. Stares appeared to be very specialized in what they sold. I did not see any large food super- markets. Some stores sold dairy products — eggs were sold in 10's and cost 90k; cheese 3R per kilo; milk 32k per litre; butter 3R 60k per kilo, Some stores sold only bread — dark rye bread was 18k a load but you could buy 1/2 a loaf for 9k or V4 loaf for 5k. Freshness of the bread was determined by jabbing it with a large "spike" tied to each bin of bread. Bread was unwrapped and it remained that way even after purchase, Some stores sold can- dy which was very expensive. Other 'stores sold canned goods, others vegetables, others fish. A head of lettuce cost 40k per kilo. We would have thrown it out. A small can of grapefruit juice cost 1R; a can of salmon 40k; a can of soup 19k, Clothing stores were very specialized in what they sold — suits, ties, hats shirts, dresses, coats, etc. Men's suits sold for 150-200R, a white shirt 18R, a rain coat 150-175R. Ladies dresses ranged from 35-135R for a plain ordinary dress. Um- brellas cost 9R 50K. Panty hose, when available cost 7R. Jeans (of poor quality) cost 50-70R. They would trade almost anything for Levis. I traded my old worn out pair for a club hockey sweater. Televisions were quite expen- sive — a small one cost 280R and a colour set from 600-800R. A small hi-fi cost 250R, Cars are very expensive. They resemble a Fiat and cost 7000R for a grey or green one. Other colours cost 2000R more, Colours were not too numerous, We never did see a ear dealership, but you can order a car through a catalogue service in the stores. Cultural events and sports events were relatively inexpen- sive. The circus cost 1.20R; in- ternational volleyball match 1.60R; ballet 2.80R; a "big league" hockey game for 1.50R, There were many shows and theatres. Berioska stores were located mainly in the intourist hotels. The biggest of these was the Hotel Russia — 5,000 rooms at 50R per night. If you were in a store and it was closing time that's it, you made no purchase. When things stopped, that was it — the metro stoppedlat 1 a.m. in the station it was at — it went no further. There didn't seem to.be any regular store hours. Some closed for lunch, The biggest store we were in was the Gum — the largest department store in the world. We estimated it to be 400-450 yards square, 2 storeyshigh with 6 rows of stores on each level. There was no arrangement to stores, A clothing store was located next to an open fish market. It took me 1 hour and 10 minutes just to walk the length of the 12 aisles. Each little store was very specialized and the Gum sold everything. The toy department store was not quite as big. It specialized in children's things, but there were also articles for adults. The day we went here I think half of Moscow was also there. I have never experienced anything like it even at the height of Christmas shopping at Eatons, Plastic toys were very expensive. Shopping had to be planned, You had to know what, you wanted because you spent so much time in line-ups. Now if you were exhausted after your shopping spree and you were so, inclined to indulge in something stronger than Kabec, beer sold for 40k and was sold from small cafes from the hotels; ,cham- pagne was 3.50 R per bottle; vodka 1.50R per bottle and for those people with other vices; cigarettes cost 15k per pack and ten cigars cost 40k. Shopping in Moscow was a memorable experience and I have many articles to remember the many, almost unbelievable episodes. Yamaha AVAILABLE AT , COUNTRY CORNER MT. CARMEL — 237-3456 OPEN TILL 10 P.M, ..e.,:•:•:••+, • •.:,••••• • • ••••• *•:::!:::•••••",‘",:•:•'•"••••• We Make Our Own DASHWOOD SAUSAGE SEARCH—Kids of all ages had a chance to join in on the fun and games during Ilderton's 100th anniver- sary party held over the weekend. One event for the kids was to find money in the haystack. The action was furious as the whistle sounded for them to dig in. Photo by T. Stover For Exceptional Grocery Values SIRLOIN $ STEAK SIDE BACON $11.49 FROZEN FOOD McCAIN PEAS 2 lb. 85 4 PICNIC LEMONADE 4 2 ! White12 oz, Pink & DETERGENT Sunlight Liquid Clover Cream 32 oz. ICE CREAM 4 litre pail $2.99 834 White Swan TOILET TISSUE Assorted Colors 2's 46' Canned SOFT DRINKS Howdy Assorted Coca Cola and MIRACLE WHIP 32 oz. Kraft $1.09 Case of 24 - 10 oz. Tins MERNER'S PEANT/ k r ilhiTTEll FILL YOUR FREEZER Fully Processed Cut, Wrapped and Frozen BEEF SIDES lb. 87' FRONTS lb. 69' HINDS lb. $1.17 CHUCKS lb.' 69' HIPS lb. 99' Delicious Home Baked Pies and Salads Available Wed., Thurs., Fri. and Sat. • Potato Salad ° Tuna Sct/oc-l• Baked Pork & Beans • Virginia Ham • Bean Salad • Coleslaw SIDES lb 89' Prices effective for 2 weeks Made Fresh Every Morning SALADS . PRODUCE ORANGES 113 794 GRAPEFRUIT white 4/5 5 4 MUSHROOMS fresh lb. 894 RED GRAPES lb. 59! Have Your Processing Done At The Home of Famous Dashwood Sausage Dashwood 237-3314 Bicks Yum Yum PICKLES- 15 oz. 59$ Stokely Red KIDNEY BEANS • Sunmaid MINI RAISINS 14 1/2 oz. Bag 55$