The Low End Theory

The retail gods have seen fit to bestow an Ocean State Job Lot ("Home of Adventure Shopping ™") upon my fair city. It's literally right down the street, where Stop & Shop used to be before they opened a new, bigger store adjacent to the old one two years ago. The building has been vacant since, so I guess it's good for the strip mall operator too.

There had been rumors that OSJL was going to open in Somerville, on Broadway at the bottom of Winter Hill where the crappy old Star was (and coincidentally, also right near where we used to live). But that space is only about a quarter of the size of the location they ended up taking over here in Medford.

Job Lot, as my mother calls it, is not for everyone, but it serves a purpose. Think of it as a modern-day equivalent of a five-and-dime. (If you don't know what that means, ask one of your grandparents.) I'd say it's a step or two up from Building 19 on the niceness scale. That's not saying much, I know, but the "charm" of the 19's veneer of grime wears thin quickly.

Sometimes you just need a household item quickly, cheaply, and simply. We got our dog's leash there; it's a double-thickness length of nylon, so it's extremely durable. I think it was $6. In fact, they have a large selection of pet supplies at very reasonable prices, but I wouldn't buy the dog food they sell.

They also have hardware, bedding, drugstore items, packaged food, clothing, and so on. Maybe you've driven past one of their stores many times and wondered about it, but never went in. Maybe next time, you should stop and check it out. You might find something good, and cheap.