[Delphinus]

If I may comment -

Gas prices aside, this thread is about Big Al's closing. Personally I am extremely saddened at this development. With the vast majority of SW stores in the north it was a nice place for a southerner like me to be able to visit on a whim. Franchise rules and hardware prices notwithstanding, I got most of my supplies (cleaning things, fish food, etc.) from there and the loss to me personally is, well, large. I was always on friendly terms with most of their employees, as well as Rick and Tom the owners, and ALWAYS appreciated the friendly "hello" and chats we would have every time I would go in. I don't get that kind of treatment anywhere else. I also depended on Big Als to scope out livestock items that I would be looking for, and I appreciated the extra mile they would go to find me something. Like my gigantea carpets. Nate finally finds a place he can import them from, and now they go out of business. Again, I might add, no other vendor I have ever dealt with has been willing to the same extent to work with me to the extent that Nate would.

I guess nothing lasts forever, but still, this sucks. Now I worry about my friends who work there and what will become of them. This sucks, sucks, sucks.