spas and convenients

[Victor Steinbok]

Well, "having" is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. I mentioned one
entry for "mixed business" that actually uses "convenience store" in the
definition. I did not notice convenience n. 9. has two quotations with
"convenience store". In fact, it is a very odd entry. Two quotations are
for "convenience store" that really deserves a separate entry and the
rest are for "convenience food" that /does/ have a separate entry
immediately following. And the definition itself, "attrib., in sense
'designed for convenience; used when convenient'", is questionable in
uniting these two sets of quotations. "Convenience store" was not
"designed for convenience"--the store came first, along with its
"design", the term came later. And "used when convenient" also sounds
odd to me in this context. The "convenience" here implies opportunities
to shop for basics when more comprehensive stores are closed, which is
somewhat different to me than "used when convenient", unless
"convenient" here means "when you have no other options".

http://goo.gl/Ivhbm
Proceedings of the second Pan American scientific congress. Section 3:
Conservation of Natural Resources. Volume 3. Washington, December 27,
1915-January 8, 1916. Washington, DC.: GPO, 1917
Modern Retail Merchandising. By C. C. Parlin. p. 629
> //Convenience stores/./---Convenience stores exist for the sale of a
> great multitude of minor articles of daily purchase that are bought
> without shopping. The group includes grocery stores, delicatessen,
> meat markets, cigar stores, haberdasheries, candy shops, small textile
> shops, small hardware and electric supply stores, and last, though not
> least in importance, drug stores. The drug store originally, as Its
> name Indicates, filled prescriptions and sold medicines, but gradually
> it came to acquire that long line of miscellaneous convenience
> articles that do not fall particularly to any of the other convenience
> stores. It became, so to speak, a residuary convenience store to sell
> everything that was not handled by some other shops.
> The problems of all these types of convenience stores are similar, and
> may be most advantageously studied In the grocery field, both because
> of the vastness of the grocery volume, and because the grocery retail
> system Is more intensively and highly developed than that of any other
> line.

But even for this notion of convenience (n. 9.), this same volume serves
as a better entry point, without mentioning either "food" or "store".

p. 624
> CONVENIENCE GOODS AND SHOPPING LINES.
> Women's purchases are of two distinct classes, which we may call
> "convenience goods" and "shopping lines." Convenience goods comprise
> notions, cottons under 15 cents a yard, stockings for the children,
> and, in general, the lower end of women's purchases. These lines are
> bought in the same manner as men buy---(1) at the most convenient
> place, or (2) by impulse, or (3) at an accustomed place, or (4) by
> brand. There is little or no comparison of values.
> Shopping lines in general comprise the upper end of women's purchases,
> such as cloaks and suits, carpets, millinery, drapery, and the better
> grades of hosiery and underwear. In purchasing these lines a woman
> does want to compare values. She wants to go to one store, then to a
> second, then to a third, and after having seen three stocks, and
> having compared quality, price, and style, to make her choice.

I have not done a complete search--this was the first item that popped
up in GB search!

     VS-)

On 2/28/2011 5:46 PM, Joel S. Berson wrote:
> ...
> I assume the long hours is why they were called "convenience stores",
> or "convenients". Victor, you didn't mention it, I think, but the OED
> does have "convenience store" -- six quotes, including a couple under
> "convenience, n.", 9. attrib., one being "1965 Daily Express 11 Nov.
> 2/8 The 'convenience store' is always open in America."
> ...

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