Supply and Demand

One of the stores I pass along "the strip" on my way to work is a chain drugstore. Recently, they started to build a stand-alone store to replace the one currently in a strip mall -- directly across the street.

I started wondering this morning if they will have to shut down as they transfer inventory from the old to the new location. The boxes in the back should be easy enough, but what about all the product on the shelves? What about the shelves themselves? Will they have everything new in the new store so they can open it and close the old one on the same day? If so, do they toss the old products or sell them at a discount?

Then I had the realization that they must sell nearly everything in the store. Sure, there are the seasonal items (like plastic figurines of whimsical frogs for your garden) that either get stored, returned, or sold on close-out, but when you think of all the medicines, health aids, school supplies, cosmetics, etc. they must sell it all to someone, or else they wouldn't stock it. Now think of the entire store full of merchandise I pass by, just to get the one item I need. Someone else in this town must buy all the other things. What a wonderful feeling of diversity I never thought about before!