Dear Customers, With just a little more than two weeks till Thanksgiving, we’re all probably (at least in our heads) planning for the big meal.  Thanks to our friendly pandemic, however, there are bound to be shortages among the items we’re used to buying year in and year out.  I would advise buying early whenever…

Dear Customers, As the calendar flips to November, I get excited for the holiday season that is in the offing for the next two months.  True, the woods are gray, leafless and stark while the sun drops behind the hills earlier and earlier but there’s something about a warm kitchen that chases the gloom and…

Dear Customers,   A few weeks ago in this column, I alluded to several changes/improvements that would soon be coming to Costa’s Supermarket.  If you are a regular visitor, you are already aware of them before most people read about them here.  At the end of September, we changed our cash register line-up from four…

Dear Customers,   As we look forward to the approaching holidays, there are many enjoyable associated traditions that we look forward to year in and year out.  Many of these, at least for me, are food related!  For instance, if your mom, like mine, used to make meatballs only on special occasions; Christmas, Easter, possibly…

  Dear Customers, Our ad plans follow the weeks of the year since it makes it easier to compare the same week a year ago to this week, vis-à-vis sales, promotions, etc. I was more than a little surprised that this week was already Week #41, rendering 2021 nearly 80% complete! The next two months…

Dear Customers, October means many things to the residents of the great northwestern corner of Pennsylvania.  The nights are chilly while the days are still temperate.  The hills are alive with colors ranging from green to yellow to brilliant reds and oranges.  It’s candy for the soul! But sadly, nighttime comes earlier and stays longer…

Dear Customers, Walking up and down the aisles of this supermarket, I am dismayed by the number of empty spots caused by shortages we’re still experiencing 18 mos. after the onset of the pandemic.  Realistically, it’s nowhere near as bad as what we suffered through a year ago where whole categories were out of stock. …

Dear Customers, If you happened to travel this past summer, say from McKean County to Florida, the Outer Banks or even Portland, Oregon, you would expect to see certain brands on your grocer’s shelves no matter where you were.  Campbell’s soups?  A given.  The same with Pepsi, Coke, Tide and Pillsbury.  These are company’s which…

Dear Customers, Professional sports are huge in this country.  The majority of Americans follow at least one of the major sports and some – all of them!  Baseball claims to be America’s game, but in reality, football comes in first with baseball right behind in second place.  Pro basketball is third followed closely by hockey.…

Dear Customers, Many’s the time I’ve bemoaned the fact that due to printing deadlines, I have to write this column 3 or 4 weeks before you read it.  That’s usually not a problem but it becomes so when it pertains to time-sensitive information.  I often completely forget that there’s going to be a certain holiday…