To the editor:

I recently went to a large, venerable department store on South Iowa Street, checkbook in hand, intending to buy a freezer. The price was $178. I was ready to pay for it, when I asked if there was a delivery charge. The salesperson said that it was a flat $65. I thought I had heard wrong. Could a local delivery cost half again as much as the purchase? No deal — just on principle! I’d rather have my frozen foods rot than to succumb to extortion.

She assured me that I was not the first to walk out for that very reason. On my way out, by coincidence, I saw a store supervisor. I told him why I was leaving without my intended purchase. He seemed not to care and casually explained that that’s just the way it is.

I did not see one other customer in the store — not one! Now, these are clearly hard economic times for stores as well as customers. One would expect such a respected establishment to be grateful for an authentic customer rather than to engage in unfair pricing and a cavalier attitude towards its patrons. My parents always shopped at this time-honored store. The store used to have the reputation of giving their customers the best prices and of treating them in “the old fashioned way.” Well, Mom and Pops, I think times have changed!