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Every time a store established in other, larger metropoli, opens its doors in St. Louis, I celebrate. Wahoo! Another national retailer has finally recognized the power and potential of our market.
And when they close? Wahoo immediately turns to boo-hoo.
It's happened again. The local Viking Store is shuttering. The shop with the snazzy stoves and some of the best cooking classes around will join the ranks of here once, gone now. The morose and glum salespeople say the official last day won't be until late January but the reality is it will happen sooner—the shelves are already just about bare. The great kitchen gadgets and gourmet accessories are being snapped up by savvy shoppers. The salespeople who have always been incredibly kind and patient will soon be filing for unemployment.
It's a shame.
But...you can raise your voice and state the case for keeping the store on Brentwood Boulevard alive. Simply call the Viking Culinary Home Office at 601-898-2778 and punch in extension 6601 or 6602. In truth, I'm not quite sure how effective it will be. The voice message on ext. 6601 points out she will be out of the office on Dec. 4th (I called today, the 17th). But undaunted, I left messages on both extensions expressing dismay and just hoping they would reconsider.
Give them a buzz. You never know what will make the difference and when tides may turn.