Tbilisi Tales - The Dollar Store (8/19/05)

Occasional Tales from our Life in the Republic of Georgia

When does a recounting of a visit to the Dollar Store qualify as a tale? When you live in Tbilisi! Last week, we attended the grand opening of Tbilisi’s third Dollar Store. We arrived to find a crowd gathered outside, blocked at the door and craning their necks to see over one another and into the store. We moved forward, flashed our coveted invites (obtained from the embassy’s community liaison office) and were ushered inside, where we were met by several machine gun-toting security guards. We exchanged looks that said, “O-kaaaay.” It was very crowded inside, and Jason struggled to push Sophie’s stroller down the teeming aisles. But we soon found ourselves caught up in the excitement as we filled our little basket with lemon-lime Gatorade, pancake mix, gummy worms, Bit O’Honeys, a soap dispenser, scented candles, and peanut butter made in India! By the time we spotted the Kit Kats, the store had become uncomfortably crowded and hot. Jason took Sophie outside to the car while Amy had the unenviable task of jockeying for position in the “line” at checkout. It was during her very long wait in the scrum – er, line - that the disgruntled crowd outside (the people without invitations) finally rushed the door. There was shouting and confusion, and even though she couldn't see a thing, Amy vividly imagined the waving of machine guns. Finally, she made it through checkout and we were all reunited in the parking lot. It was time to go home and we giddily polished off a precious Gatorade on the way. Just another Friday night in Tbilisi! By the way, everything in the Tbilisi dollar store costs $1.55.


Note that Amy is clutching a can of Pringles, and look how extremely excited Jason is to see American products!