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Shop Around Wal-Mart

March 24th, 2010

After you exit the parking lot of most Wal-Mart stores in East Texas you will see a small shopping center, including a small store, Cato and at some Wal-Mart stores you will find the “Cato sister store“, It’s Fashion. Cato and It’s Fashion are women’s fashion store. The small store is crowded with in style clothing.

The circular path leading around the small store seems smaller every time I walk around it. But Cato is sure to only sale the most stylish clothes according to the season of the year.

As I walked through the store I can not help but notice the lack of selection and styles. Although the clothing was very attractive the style was limited to the Cato fashion in other words, church clothes. There was nothing I would really wear on just an average weekday. I think that if a business is a “woman’s attire” business I think they should provide for all women. Cato was lacking in the larger woman clothing selection and had no selection for maternity. I guess it would not make sense to cram all sizes in the small stores, but it seemed like most of the clothes that they were selling were in sizes 6-9, which does not really make sense because “supposedly” the average woman wears a size 14. And most Wal-Mart shoppers wear a much larger size than that. You would think that if there was a demand for larger size outfits that they would meet those demands. I once was shopping at a Cato store for a friend’s bachelorette party. I picked up a cute pair of lacey panties. To understand my frustration of the sales woman, I wear about an 8 in panties and my friend might be able to fit in a 2. I laid down the coupe pairs of underwear and the lady looked at me and kept repeating how little the panties were. Not necessarily saying anything to direct but saying small comments such as “man these are tiny panties”. I just did not say anything to her about it. I guess it was strange if I was buying it for myself, but is it normal for women to have absolutely no idea what size underwear they wear? Why would they think that I, a grown woman, would have no idea what size I wear?

Cato’s neighbor across the street, It’s Fashion, maybe Cato’s sister store but the style is obviously different. While Cato’s Fashion appeals to the career driven woman, It’s Fashion appeals to a whole different generation of woman. This is not the place to shop if describe yourself as “modest”. I do not think I saw a single shirt that did not either cling to every inch of my upper body, or if it did not show sixty percent of my breasts. Jeans that feel like they might split fro how tight they are or breast showing shirts, and a pair of black leather hooker boots, are not quite my style. I felt pretty out of place walking through the store but the sales women were extremely personable and almost made the store bearable. It’s Fashion does have more of a selection in more women’s sizes than Cato. So it was refreshing to see a store catering to all woman’s needs. Even though I did not find anything that suited y everyday life, I did find the shopping experience humorous, since there were only my friends and I there, otherwise it would probably be quite embarrassing.

So if you are looking for that cute outfit for that dinner party or a cute modest skirt for your Sunday morning study group, I would completely recommend that you shop at Cato, if you are a larger set woman than I guess you can hope that they extra stacked in your size. On the other hand, if you are looking for that sexy outfit for a night out in Tyler’s unpopular night clubs filled with bar flies and overweight want-to-be cowboys and small dance floors, then by all means shop at It’s Fashion. Don’t forget that you can complete your outfits and frost yourself in the cute accessories and jewelry at both these stores.

Big Lots by the Mall in Tyler, TX

January 27th, 2010

4400 South Broadway Avenue
Tyler, TX 75703-1303
(903) 581-7477‎

I love Big Lots. I am a huge fan of the concept of selling overstocked and discontinued items at an awesome price. They keep a regular supply of most items you would find in a small convenience store such as trash bags and socks, but a large part of their inventory is constantly changing. They always have soaps and shampoos, but maybe one day you’ll find a really nice brand for cheap and not the next week. 

Big Lots in Tyler Texas

Big Lots near Robert E. Lee High School

 Regardless of the inventory changes, one thing stays constant. The prices at Big Lots are always cheaper than comparable stores. It also maintains the fun feel of treasure hunting almost like shopping at thrift stores.

This Big Lots is located on South Broadway across the street from the Mall and right next door to Robert E. Lee High School. It shares a parking lot with Michael’s, the arts and crafts store, and T.G.I.Friday’s, along with a dozen other smaller single location stores. This location is a great convenience for when you want to go to several stores on the same trip into town. I go to this one when I am looking for gifts, because if I can’t find something good at Big Lots I can head over to Michael’s or the half-price used book store in the same lot. The problem with this store’s location is the traffic. I can only assume that the intersection of South Broadway and Loop 323 is the busiest intersection in Tyler. This happens to be where Big Lots is located. Almost any time of the day, it is hard to navigate through this area. If you are traveling via the loop, you have to be prepared to choose the turning lane a few stoplights before you get to the intersection. Once in the parking lot, you still can’t relax until you have stopped, because this lot seems to be a collecting spot for all of the impatient people in Tyler.

A fun addition to your trips to Big Lots in the Spring and Summer is that right outside of Big Lots going towards Loop 323 there are usually a couple of guys selling produce. They’ll often be selling watermelons and oranges and then whatever else happens to be in season. 

Robert E. Lee Highschool Tyler TX

Robert E. Lee Highschool

 Even if you aren’t in the mood for fruit, these guys will usually give you a huge East Texas smile and greeting just for acknowledging them.

While, the other Big Lots store in Tyler has a full furniture show room, this store location does not. This branch sells furniture to be assembled at home. They have book shelves, entertainment centers, glider rocking chairs, small dressers and other things along this line. Most of these are very attractive and afford-ably but are made of the non-durable press board. Though, for something like a small bookshelf, this store offers almost exactly what you need and will beat the price of most other stores with similar products.

I’ve also been impressed with their small electronics section near the front. They have standard computer accessories like mice and USB cables. This section has regular and rechargeable batteries. My favorite item that I’ve found here, though, is a set of burnable CDs. 

Big Lots in Tyler

Big Lots in Tyler

 A couple of times that I’ve gone, they’ve had incredible deals on blank CDs. The problem is you have to be willing to check and understand that with this kind of store there is not much guarantee that they will have the item you wanted.

One last feature about this location I should fill you in on is their bedding section. If you are in the market for new sheets for your bed, then check out Big Lots first. The section can be a little messy because most of the sheet sets are the only one like them in the store. It should be divided into bed size, but look around in the whole section. You can sometimes find really high thread count sheets sets for less than half the cost of other retail stores. The bottom line is that you should give Big Lots a few shots. Visit the store a few different times and at least see if it is a good fit for your personality and shopping needs. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Goodwill on Loop 323

January 26th, 2010

Goodwill on Loop 323

1817 W.S.W. Loop 323
Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 581-5422
9am – 8pm

This Goodwill store is located on the South West side of Loop 323 in Tyler, TX. If you are unfamiliar with Tyler just ask someone how to get to the mall, and there’s a good chance you’ll see the Goodwill on the way there. It has an almost ridiculously large and attractive sign for the type of store it is. The parking lot is attractive as far as thrift stores usually go. Though, be warned. This parking lot is on a fairly steep hill. Sometimes it causes awkward entrances and exits in my car.

The most obvious reason people go to a Goodwill thrift store is for the clothes. This branch offers a huge supply of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing. One interesting fact about this store is that they also have a few racks of completely brand new women’s clothes. Though, the prices are pretty high for these new items. These new clothes will usually be all within a similar style. I assume that they are overstock from a clothing store or something along those lines.

Being a man, I’ve spent most of my shopping for clothes in the men’s section. They have the stereotypical suit section that I rarely see people shopping in, but the bulk of this section is devoted to t-shirts, pants, and collared shirts. This is a really good store if you are looking for a new addition to your funny or ironic vintage t-shirt collection. You may pay a dollar or two more than you are used to paying for t-shirts at a thrift store, but I think that the huge selection makes it worth the effort and much more likely that you’ll find a keeper. The dress shirts are in my opinion over priced and not impressive. I can often find a better shirt in the clearance rack at Old Navy for cheaper.

I often check the tie section in hopes of adding some variety to my work attire, but the tie section is a little underwhelming. They are one dollar a piece. That is an awesome price, but in all of my trips I’ve only found one tie worth buying. So keep your eyes open for the chance of getting a nice tie for only a dollar. Also be sure to stop by the two shopping carts full of belts. Most of these are unattractive eighties style, but don’t let that stop you. I recently found four designer belts in near perfect condition for fifty cents a piece! Three of these were nice leather. One was a modern style canvas belt. All of these were name brand and probably worth fifteen dollars or more new. I almost couldn’t believe it, but with Goodwill I’ve learned to not be surprised.

Now why should you make a special trip to this Goodwill? My number one reason for visiting this store is for the book and media section. They have a five or six bookshelf unit section in the back full of books. There is one fully dedicated to children’s books which I usually avoid due to the messy nature of children’s book sections. The rest of the section is pretty incredible. There are new and used books of every genre. You can find most of the John Grisham books on any day. Besides that, it’s the luck of the draw. I never enter the store without checking through the book section, and I’d say that at least half of the time I leave with a book or two or twelve. Also in this section you’ll find a pretty decent selection of audio CDs, computer software CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes and vinyl records. There are certainly more efficient ways to buy CDs and software than a thrift store, but it’s worth the effort to possibly find a gem.

Are there any negative things about this store? There is one major negative. The furniture. In other parts of the country used and outdated furniture gets cheaper and cheaper until it is eventually close to free. This store sells furniture for fifty dollars or more regardless of the condition or style. There are occasionally really good finds on couches or chairs. In fact, I’ve purchased a really nice mirror and a small wooden night stand, that were both reasonably priced. But usually the couches and chairs are ridiculously ugly and still priced at fifty to eighty dollars a piece. Some of these, I would just throw away if I owned them. Regardless of this, eighty dollars is cheaper than a thousand, so maybe I shouldn’t complain about it.

There is one last thing to mention about this Goodwill. If you are in need of a costume, be it for Halloween or just a random themed costume party, I can not think of a better place in Tyler to go for it. This Goodwill has supplied me with costume pieces for at least five different costume parties. I’ve been able to find robes, pants, shirts, jewelry, accessories, and even a couple of wigs and beards. My experience has taught me to skip Wal-Mart and other retailers completely and go straight to Goodwill for costumes and accessories.

So if you are in Tyler and are looking for good thrift store deals, I would suggest going to the other Goodwill in downtown Tyler on Locust St or the Salvation Army store. But if you don’t have time for hunting, this Goodwill on the Loop will most certainly have what you are looking for. You may just have to spend a little more, fight more traffic and weed around way more customers. If you do decide on this store, you can rest assured that at the least they have a pretty amazing set of staff. You should see at least five employees at any given moment who can help you find things or even to help carry out your overpriced and ugly furniture.

Wendy’s on 64W Near Wal-Mart

January 19th, 2010

Thinking of Wendy’s makes me smile. It is one of the few fast food restaurants that cause random exclamations of “I want!” from me. Just imagining the classic and comforting yellow and red sign, I find myself craving a ninety-nine cent “Frosty”. The “Frosty” has become a comfort to me due to the several times I ate them after surgeries or when having a sore throat. Though, there is probably nothing helpful about the frozen chocolate dairy dessert that we all love – except for producing smiles.

So what is special about this Wendy’s? The answer is that it is a Wendy’s, and if you live on the West or North side of Tyler, then you are close enough to drive to it. It is also conveniently located within the Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lot. Well, I should say that excluding its proximity to my most used shopping location, Wendy’s is inconveniently located within the Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lot. It is purely because of the traffic and where the entrances are. If you need to do Wal-Mart and eat, then I suggest going to Wal-Mart first. Trying to turn left into Wendy’s from the main entrance can be both frightening and frustrating. The traffic that runs perpendicular with Highway 64 has right of way at all times, and the flow of traffic so rarely ebbs. Leaving Wal-Mart you can just turn right into the Wendy’s which works out beautifully.

Other than that, I choose Wendy’s often because their ninety-nine cent menu exceeds the industry standards. In fact, it seems to me that they have set the standard, and other fast food restaurants are slowly climbing on board. I can get a full meal for my wife and I for under seven dollars. I’ll order two double stack cheeseburgers, a breaded chicken sandwich, a small fry and two small sodas all for less than I’d pay for one meal at most other places. The cool thing is that I don’t have to settle to do this. Their food simply tastes wonderful and is fully capable of filling us both.

They also have some of the best standard priced value meals. My wife will often order their salads which were surprisingly tasty. I recommend playing it safe with the grilled chicken Caesar salad. If you are feeling adventurous but want to keep it healthy, try the Mandarin chicken salad. All of the burger and chicken sandwich meals have been good in my opinion. It’s more just a matter of choosing the size you want. Though, I almost always go back to the ninety nine cent menu because it’s cheap and just as good in quality and quantity.

The other positive is something that some people might laugh at. We like to eat at this Wendy’s because of the aesthetics in the parking lot. The parking lot is usually clean aside from the occasional bag of used sandwich and fry packaging that someone was too lazy to deal with. What we love the most is the grackle population. If you are unfamiliar with these birds I suggest making a trip to this parking lot. They look like slightly more unattractive crows, but they have an amazing awkward caw. They also have become trained like seagulls to come really close to people and expect a handout. So, we watch the birds and then watch the impatient people trying to leave the Wal-Mart parking lot. It’s entertaining to those like me who enjoy observing people.

As for negative things, there aren’t many. The store sometimes smells weird. The employees have been pleasant more than ninety percent of the time. I’ll occasionally catch the grumpy window associate during a rush, but luckily it is occasional and not a habit, like so many businesses in America. Also, before visiting this location, commit to not being upset over the salt. They rarely salt the fries correctly and sometimes at all. I suggest automatically asking for extra salt and ketchup. Then you can just keep being happy at little effort on your part or theirs.

Another weird experience I had with this Wendy’s was not food related. I had set up a time with them to do a fundraising car wash for a mission trip I was going on with a group of students. We had called at least a month in advance, and the manager had been very kind to say that we could use their parking lot and water for the day. The day of the car wash we woke early and got our supplies ready. Someone suggested I call to confirm, and the employee acted like I was crazy. They had no record of my team being scheduled. In fact, there was another team scheduled to do a car wash on that day. It was lame, but I don’t hold it against them. I know how stressful working in fast food can be. Random events like mine do not take precedent when you have hungry Tyler residents to feed.

Overall, I’d give this Wendy’s the number one slot in Tyler fast food burger joints. Give it a try. If you already like Wendy’s, then I think you’ll prefer this one to the other locations.

3816 State Highway 64 W
Tyler, TX 75704
(903) 535-9292‎

Taco Bell on Highway 31 and Loop 323 in Tyler, TX

January 19th, 2010

Of all fast food chains available in the United States, I prefer Taco Bell, and if you found this by searching for Taco Bell, then I assume you also love the chain. In Tyler, there aren’t a lot of non-burger fast food restaurants. They exist, but for a city our size, there seem to be relatively few.

This Taco Bell branch is located at the corner of Highway 31 and Loop 323. It shares a parking lot with Blockbuster Video which together make a great combination for a lazy evening. Also in the same shopping center are a Burger King, a Little Caesar’s Pizza, a Family Dollar, and interesting enough a Mexican grocery market which has a real taqueria (taco restaurant). I’ve tasted real Mexican tacos. They are amazing. In fact, Tyler offers several locations that will sell you tacos as close to authentic as possible this far North. Yet, I so often find myself pulling into this Taco Bell.

What makes it special? Well, the location has nothing to offer in the visual realm. The parking lot is as depressing as a parking lot can be. It’s as huge as you would need for a mall or a Wal-Mart and so it is rarely even close to fully occupied. This allows for making the potholes visible. Taco Bell itself feels very scrunched against the corner of the two busy roads. The drive through tends to make me claustrophobic like driving on an interstate that is under construction. It is not very wide. It curves and does not allow for exiting it once you’ve committed. I sometimes wonder what I’d do if I was in line and had an emergency. I guess I’d have to attempt hopping the six inch curb.

The things that are special about this Taco Bell in Tyler are the food, of course, and the employees. I have become a bit of an expert on Taco Bell dining around the United States. This is purely from eating at so many of them and hanging out with people at them. Only once have I been disappointed by this Taco Bell’s food, and it was because I made the number one fast food ordering mistake. I tried to go healthy. I ordered some sort of chicken and rice burrito that was close to disgusting. I didn’t spit it out, but I didn’t smile either. That was such an obvious mistake on my part that I could never hold it against the restaurant.

This Taco Bell has been very consistent with their food production. The burritos and tacos always come out as expected. They look close enough to the enhanced commercial examples and consistently taste exactly as I want them too. The “grilled stuffed burrito” is an item that is so often messed up by Taco Bells. When I’ve ordered them at other locations they’ve been dry and overcooked. One common mistake with it is overstuffing it with the rice which needs to be there but not noticed. This location does it right every time. I was even able to convert my wife from a chicken sandwich only customer to being a burrito fan with this branch’s consistently wonderful “grilled stuffed burritos”.

The other cool thing is their employees. I know that fast food doesn’t pay well, and that the employee turnover rate is pretty high. It should be hard to keep good workers. And though I can’t say for certain that they have been the same employees, I can say that the service has stayed the same. They must have a manager who understands customer service. When I pull up to the window, the worker may appear rough or unfriendly, but they inevitably smile at me and offer some small talk. One employee in particular actually had me laughing at loud. It really made the difference in where I will choose to take my eating business.

One last thought to encourage you to check them out…their soda is perfectly mixed. They are always strong with the initial burn that a good soda should offer, and the syrup mix has never been off when I ordered. They also have really good small ice and the really thin straws that make for a nice drinking experience. Give this slightly unattractive location a shot. You might become a regular like me.

500 S Southwest SL-323
Tyler, TX 75702‎
(903) 597-9244‎