My Favorite Stores

Thinking back on my favorite stores:

Bechtel's store in Bally, PA where pocket change bought me a cold bottle of Mountain Dew after biking around town. This was about my thirst for something cold and sweet—literally. Stanley Bechtel was always so friendly.

Sadie Bittenbender's store in Bechtelsville, PA. My good friend Ray told me about how Sadie would throw your change down on the stainless steel counter at the cash register—always—unless you compliment her hair. This was true. I would often get cream-filled doughnuts there for coffee break at the quarry.

All the sporting goods stores in surrounding towns: Eddinger's Hardware in Bally, PA, where I bought my first fly rod. Sands Sporting Goods in Boyertown, PA. There was one in Pennsburg, PA right on Main Street just north of Route 663 where I bought my first hockey skates. This was about getting great stuff for my hobbies.

Christian bookstores: Hallman's Bible Bookstore up in Whitehall, PA, and the Provident Bookstore down in Souderton, PA. This was all about to feed my hunger for the Bible and all things theology…and the flickering hope to meet my future wife as she shopped for the same stuff.

Staples. There I was, sitting in a counseling class in grad school, explaining how my favorite store was Staples because I could purchase tools that would help me organize my unorganized life. Some of my classmates turned around with the expressions on their faces that said, “What the _______?”

Home Depot, Chalan Pasaheru, Guam as I was into building and fixing stuff. I was leaving this store one day, sitting at the traffic light waiting for green when I experienced what a 5.2 earthquake feels like in a stationary pickup truck.

Currently? Amazon.com! ‘Nuff said?