The Andy Griffith, Mayberry era of the friendly neighborhood drug store has come to an end. Customer relationships, familiar faces and friends gathering to socialize are no longer the norm.

Customers are now focused on getting in and out and moving on to the next store. Busy lifestyles necessitate large corporations and quick, easy access to an abundance of desired items.

The shopping trip, once a social event, has now become an impersonal experience. The personable small time charm has been replaced by large box stores, which provide an array of quality products, selection and efficient shopping experiences.

Large businesses appeal to a wider audience and attract more customers with their wide selections and discounted prices. Most people have little time for small talk or to “get to know” the store employees.

As the focus begins to shift from quality customer relationships to quantity and selection of merchandise, it comes as no surprise that small businesses are slowly disappearing.

In this day and age, people are less concerned with establishing personal relationships. The super stores of Borders, Blockbuster, JC Penny’s and others appear to make the “mom-and-pop” stores obsolete. After all, why would one search for a movie at a store with 1/10th the selection of a Blockbuster or Hollywood video type establishment?

The sacrifice of personal relationships with the owners is a small price to pay for a guarantee that the desired product will be available and easily attained.

If you want good variety and a wide selection, take your business to Borders, where you can quietly read in a corner with a cup of coffee amidst the hustle and bustle of a big city. And with Target right across the street, you can kill two birds with one stone.