Retail Revelation

I'm a little excited. I just finished going through the new Orvis catalogue. I don't even know why I'm on the mailing list except via the credit card information whores. Nonetheless, I'm stoked.

As embarrassing and politically uncool as this may be, I love retail. New shoes, new pants, new shirts...more stuff. Not that I'm acting on this impulse. I'm trying to learn restraint and fiscal responsibility so that, one day, I can retire if I so choose. Besides, it's late as I write this and I'm not about to walk all the way out to the kitchen to dig out a credit card. But I do love clothes, especially this time of year.

What was especially exciting about the catalogue, however, was not the numerous items for sale. What excited me was the number of items made in the USA. The text even included a reference to the reemergence of the textile industry in New England. I love reading that and only hope the resurgence is substantial and not just a go at a marketing niche.

Over the past few years I've been in an Orvis store or two. I'm not a fisherman but I like their stores. But Orvis, like Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, and damn near everyone else out there, annoys the crap out of me when I see their products with top-dollar prices and manufacturing labels from China, India, Vietnam, Chile and the like. Top dollar. At the top end every bit in line, price and quality, with favorites of mine like Bill's Khakis which are made in the U.S. The higher price on the other guy's imports equate solely with greater profits, not greater quality.

I guess I'm just weird about all this but I like to think that when I purchase an item made in the US it somehow helps out the home team in a more substantial way than just being a good consumer. Like shopping locally owned rather than big box. I live where unemployment is high, where many manufacturing jobs have been exported, where small stores have long been snuffed out by Wal-Mart and the like. The effect is demoralizing on the individuals as well as the community.

If you happen to see the Orvis catalogue laying around somewhere, or if you find one in your stack of junk mail, check it out. And look for the items marked "USA." It's just nice to see after such a long absence.