I normally purchase greeting cards at a charming little shop in Stevensville, because its cards are the best around. But that little shop went out of business a month or two ago, so I’ve had to make other arrangements. This morning I drove to Walgreen’s to purchase a variety of greeting cards to send during August. There were the usual events: three birthdays, a get-well, and a congratulations.
But what I found at Walgreen’s made me wonder if I’ll be making even more arrangements soon.
Walgreen’s used to have two full aisles dedicated to the greeting card in all its various versions. As card companies found more and more events to honor and also focused on attracting different ethnic groups, the racks bulged. The choices multiplied. There was a card for everything and everyone.
What I found today, however, was an implosion going on. The two full aisles with their teeming racks had been cut to one aisle — a short one at that — and the number of cards had markedly declined. It took effort to find something suitable for my needs. Besides that, the cards themselves were expensive, although none was particularly elaborate.
Maybe email and the Internet have impacted card companies. Snail mail certainly seems less important these days, what with the cost of a first class stamp and as people keep in touch through instant messaging and/or text messaging. In addition, you can send online greetings that pop up on the recipient’s screen, bouncing and jiggling. Snail mail can’t compete with that. Add in the price of gas to visit a card shop, and I’m thinking people just stay home and use their computers or phones to offer good wishes.
I’d wondered why the Stevensville card shop has closed its doors, but maybe not enough people care enough anymore to send the very best.
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