Endorsement

I'm not generally a fan of chains, and would rather patronize independent businesses. But those are becoming increasingly scarce, and there a few chains that I do like, for instance, Nordstrom and Ruth's Chris. It doesn't hurt that these were started in two of my favorite cities, Seattle and New Orleans, but I digress. A new (to me) chain has appeared in Tucson, and I love it. I'm talking about QuikTrip (QT) convenience stores. When I'm cruising around Tucson, as I often am, I like to pick up the occasional fountain diet Pepsi. My local QT is big, clean, and staffed by friendly employees, who are constantly straightening and cleaning things when they're not pleasantly assisting customers. They have every self-serve beverage imaginable, and you can choose between crushed & cubed ice (cubed for me, please). The restrooms are clean, and everything about shopping there is a good experience. These stores are not dim, dingy, and scary, like some other convenience stores have become. There you have it: a shout out to capitalism done right.