spas and convenients

[Joel S. Berson]

At 2/28/2011 04:26 PM, Wilson Gray wrote:
>So, then, it's not just a neighborhood, open-at-all-hours,
>grocery-&-sundries store - in Saint Louis called, oddly,
>a "confectionary" - that was erased from the local scene by chains
>such as 7-Eleven.

In passing, wasn't it *Store 24* that promoted open-at-all-hours?

Yes, the Montrose Spa seems to have expanded.  My memory from years
ago doesn't include table service.  The connotations I have are very
similar to Wilson's:  neighborhood, at least open-at-longer-hours,
and grocery-and-sundries.

The Montrose Spa was known for its longer hours than the
supermarkets.  In the day (1960s), supermarkets in Massachusetts
closed at 6 PM (or was that only Cambridge?) and were not open
Sundays.  I remember on a business trip to Los Angeles being
surprised that I could go later to a supermarket.  When I asked how
late it stayed open, I was told "till <whatever>" (something like 10
or 11 PM) -- and then, with regret ,"But on Sundays we close
earlier".  Open on *Sundays*?  Weren't there any blue laws?

The Mass. blue laws allowed local groceries to be open on Sundays,
but did not permit supermarkets (in effect, if not by that
language).  See Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Supermarket, 1961, decided
for the Commonwealth's Sunday Closing Law by the U.S. Supreme
Court.  6-3, with Warren writing an opinion joined by 3
others.  http://tinyurl.com/4ksz3ay  (Google Books).  That says
"there were numerous exceptions for the production and salve of a
variety of commodities including milk and bread, retail drugs,
tobacco, candy, and ice cream".  The necessities of life.  I now
remember learning around that time that convenience stores had to be
careful what they sold on Sundays, even encountering this personally
when I tried to buy something and was told the store couldn't sell it
to me on Sunday.  (I haven't so far found when the Mass. law was relaxed.)

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."

Did townies' conflating "convenience" with "convenients" lead to the
singular --"convenient store"?!

Joel

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