Rachel Webster

And from 1880 to the 1920s, America transformed from people who make things to people who buy things, and eventually to people who buy things on sale.

And from 1880 to the 1920s, America transformed from people who make things to people who buy things, and eventually to people who buy things on sale.

Nor would she want to because there was no... Cute. Colorful. Fun. Appealing. Packaging.

Nor would she want to because there was no... Cute. Colorful. Fun. Appealing. Packaging.

Oh my god, when I think of a store like this, I picture the General Store from Anne of Green Gables. You know that one scene where... I've never seen Anne of Green Gables. What?

Oh my god, when I think of a store like this, I picture the General Store from Anne of Green Gables. You know that one scene where... I've never seen Anne of Green Gables. What?

Okay, whatever. All right, that's a tragedy. All right, so I guess I'll have to paint a picture for you. Anne of Green Gables is set in the 1880s. Oh, like when Susan said all this stuff was starting to happen. Yeah. So everyone just buys all their stuff from the clerk at the general store. Okay. Okay, so Anne is an orphan. Okay, like little orphan Annie?

Okay, whatever. All right, that's a tragedy. All right, so I guess I'll have to paint a picture for you. Anne of Green Gables is set in the 1880s. Oh, like when Susan said all this stuff was starting to happen. Yeah. So everyone just buys all their stuff from the clerk at the general store. Okay. Okay, so Anne is an orphan. Okay, like little orphan Annie?

Just like little orphan Annie, except she's a bit older. But like little orphan Annie, she finds an adoptive guardian who has never had a child before and doesn't really know how to deal with what to dress her in. Okay. So Matthew, that's Anne's adoptive guardian. Okay. He wants to buy her a dress, but he's never done that before and he's really nervous. So he totally chokes.

Just like little orphan Annie, except she's a bit older. But like little orphan Annie, she finds an adoptive guardian who has never had a child before and doesn't really know how to deal with what to dress her in. Okay. So Matthew, that's Anne's adoptive guardian. Okay. He wants to buy her a dress, but he's never done that before and he's really nervous. So he totally chokes.

And pretends that he's at the store to buy a garden rake.

And pretends that he's at the store to buy a garden rake.

But it's the dead of winter, so the clerk has to go all the way to the attic and see if she can find a rake. Because they only have one kind of rake? And they only keep them in stock during the summer? Exactly. Got it. And after she finds the one rake, Matthew's just standing there, still shaking in his one pair of boots. So he says that he might want to look at some hayseed. I might want to, uh...

But it's the dead of winter, so the clerk has to go all the way to the attic and see if she can find a rake. Because they only have one kind of rake? And they only keep them in stock during the summer? Exactly. Got it. And after she finds the one rake, Matthew's just standing there, still shaking in his one pair of boots. So he says that he might want to look at some hayseed. I might want to, uh...

Some sugar. He lands on sugar because people use sugar all year round.

Some sugar. He lands on sugar because people use sugar all year round.

But he has to make a choice because there's actually two kinds of sugar. Oh, domino and sugar in the raw?

But he has to make a choice because there's actually two kinds of sugar. Oh, domino and sugar in the raw?

White and brown. Oh, duh. And the sugar was in these, like, big bins with handwritten signs that said just, like, white sugar and brown sugar. Aw, that's so sweet. It's literally sweet. How much would you like? Ugh. Would 20 pounds be enough? So Matthew now has a garden rake in December, a 20-pound bag of brown sugar that he has to take home on horseback, and no dress for Anne. Oh, God, Matthew.

White and brown. Oh, duh. And the sugar was in these, like, big bins with handwritten signs that said just, like, white sugar and brown sugar. Aw, that's so sweet. It's literally sweet. How much would you like? Ugh. Would 20 pounds be enough? So Matthew now has a garden rake in December, a 20-pound bag of brown sugar that he has to take home on horseback, and no dress for Anne. Oh, God, Matthew.