Scene From A Mall

Going, going . . . The local Zellers store is closing, another victim of the nationwide battle with US giant Walmart. And it illustrates what a sale will do to usually sensible shoppers - when Jools and I were there the other day, the payment desks were overrun by ladies with large and overflowing trollies, the busiest the store has been in 40 years. What the customers didn't seem to be noticing in their rush for bargains, however, was that the sale prices of many of the goods are still higher than the Walmart prices . . . which helps explain why the store is closing!