Bargain shopping in Parma, Ohio

Emily — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:33:09 +0000

Within Northeast Ohio, Parma (and it’s is overwhelmingly Eastern European population) is the brunt of jokes. It’s famous for pink flamingos in the lawns, a love of white socks and a diet of pierogi with kielbasa. It’s also notorious for poorly-timed traffic lights. It’s a place no one rushes to visit, even if they are from the area.

Cleveland’s original Post-War suburb, Parma is filled with brick bungalows and tree-lined streets. It was home to Cleveland’s factory workers and their kids. It boomed with the baby boom. But with the kids long gone, the factories closed and the parents nursing home bound, its not quite the hub it was in the 1960s. The empty store fronts in its shopping centers, un-buried power lines and sprinkling of Pay Day loans shops, give it a run-down, urban decay feel. Compared to the gleam of DC’s suburbs, Parma is all grit, sprawl and brain drain.

Parma, however, is interesting because it’s home. The day after Christmas, most people flocked to the mall for post-holiday sales; I headed to Marc’s. Nothing was on sale at Marc’s; it never is. The Northeast Ohio grocery store-like chain is famous for having the cheapest prices in the area — if you can tolerate the crowds and low-tech approach. This year, the stores finally installed ISBN scanners. Previously, someone with a sticker gun applied prices to every item in the store. It also doesn’t accept credit cards, so bring cash.

Marc’s is also notable for quirky decoration. The stores are littered with hand-drawn cartoon signs: “We’re long on savings” reads one drawn with a cartoon dachshund wrapped around the pole. The the sign marking the spice rack features one spice shaker asking another “What’s up Basil?” Furry, anamatronic characters from the failed Chucky Cheese-esque Marc’s Fun Time Pizza Place sit on top the frozen foods cases.

My favorite segment of Marc’s is what my mom calls “the aisle of dreams.” On my visit, the this close-out section stocked $15 prom gowns from David Bridal and $10 dish sets from Macy’s.

As thrilling as it is, Marc’s is not Parma’s only attraction. Budget shoppers with a high tolerance for grime, should check out Gabriel Brothers, a discount clothing store that usually can’t bother sorting its merchandise. The OH, PA, WV and MD chain marks everything bought out from a mainstream retailer (say The Gap, the Limited or Anne Taylor) the same price. A pair of jeans, a t-shirt or a sweater from the same brand will all cost the same. However, finding such deals involves sorting through racks of size 00 jeans and holiday theme

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Bargain shopping in Parma, Ohio