If you are a native Clevelander or a person who is interested in food or family, the video I've linked below is an hour well-spent, with familiar faces like Michael Symon and Leon Bibb offering interesting commentary and memories. I just stumbled onto it on youtube and thought it was terrific. I hope you'll have a chance to watch some of it, if not the whole thing.
http://youtu.be/4z-eR_VJ7XQ
The filmmakers did a good job showing how Cleveland's food history means different things to different people. They even captured my very personal food experience--- the still photograph of an old Heinen's store (at 20:01) made me catch my breath. As far back as I can remember, for our family, food meant Heinen's. My father even worked there for a spell. As a toddler, I slipped out from the watchful eye of my daycare playgroup coordinator and ran away. It was not an aimless escape-- I could see the Heinen's roofline in the the distance. I knew if I could make it there, I might be reunited with my mother. Living less than 1/2 mile from the flagship Heinen's store, my mother was able to indulge in daily shopping trips in order to have the freshest produce on our dinner table. It is hugely significant that I associated the corner grocery store with family and security...with MOM. The aforementioned still shot was very typical of the Heinen's stores of my youth...heck, it might be "my" store...and I loved seeing it in this documentary.
I know the world has changed a lot, as have our eating and shopping habits. But unlike my faster-paced corporate peers and neighbors, I find myself at my local Heinen's every day of the week, though my visits are mostly for work. But in doing so, I have dodged the faceless experience that some folks have grabbing a frozen TV dinner or prepared sandwich at whatever store (or convenience mart or gas station) is handy to the commute home. Instead, I've had the opportunity to get to know people working and shopping there so my food experience is truly an integral way that I connect with my community.
And gosh, when I really think about it, that makes me so very happy. I guess it's OK that I am not a regular at some of the other more famous food shopping institutions that make Clevelanders proud and make neophyte foodies gush like teenagers when describing their grocery shopping experiences. Those institutions and cheerleader-types are arguably important to the overall culture of Cleveland, but I can't discount the fact that I've got a pretty cool connection with the folks right here in my little old neighborhood Heinen's. And if you've got a good thing going in your neck of the woods that makes you feel connected AND well-nourished, then amen to that, and please let us know all about it.
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Karen, we had a wonderful privately owned grocery store just a couple of miles from our house. It had been there for decades, had a wonderful bakery/deli and old-fashioned meat department (nothing prepackaged and shrink-wrapped). When the owners were ready for retirement, not one of their children was interested in carrying on the family business. I still miss that store (and groan every time I drive by and see the gym franchise that now occupies the space).
ReplyDeleteI dreamed of this store last night. I had a complete memory of it and all the details. It was so strange, even the font of the numbers at the cart check. I forgot I even remembered the cart pick up. Thank you for writing about this. Any idea where I might find a still image of that store? I've been looking online and that is how I found you!
ReplyDeleteHi Sheila--
ReplyDeleteHow cool! Sounds like you are a vivid dreamer. I have not checked these places yet, but my best guesses for still-photo images of Heinen's would be either clevelandmemoryproject.org or contacting someone at the Heinen's Find Foods website (they are great about getting back to you)...maybe they have an archives???