28 Feb News from Experienced Goods: March 2023

I know there’s a significant divide between people who like daylight savings time
(DST) and those who don’t. Anti-DST folks argue that it’s an antiquated system
that was originally meant to give farmers and others who work in agriculture
more daylight hours in the summer to plant, tend and harvest crops. Since we
are not a largely agrarian society anymore (debatable in Vermont), the hassle of
resetting clocks an hour in either direction and the loss or gain of an hour of
sleep seem pointless and serve no function other than to annoy these people.
Those of us who like DST (me included) look forward to more daylight hours, the
pleasure of being outdoors into the late evening, grilling and gardening,
exercising, relaxing and taking in the many feasts for the senses that warm
summer evenings provide. It’s hard to argue that summer in Vermont isn’t
paradise, and having another daylight hour to enjoy it seems like a no-brainer to
me.

In the spring and summer it’s still light when I leave work at Experienced Goods.
The day still has potential, and I feel more energized than I do during the dark
winter months. Even though March is notorious for being the snowiest month of
the year, and we are a long way from looking up at the trees and seeing a lovely
canopy of green, my spirits have been lifting lately when I walk to my car at the
end of the day. And on March 12 when we spring forward, even though I will
lose an hour of sleep (unless I just sleep another hour), those light-filled
evenings will be getting longer and the promise of summer will be real.

Therefore, the beginning of daylight savings time seemed like the perfect
moment to implement an exciting change at Experienced Goods. Starting on
Tuesday, March 14, the shop will be open until 5 pm instead of the 4 pm that
has been in place since we re-opened in July of 2021. Donations will also be
accepted until 5 pm instead 3 pm. All of you shoppers and donors who haven’t
been able to make it to the shop before we lock the doors, this is for you! And to
the people who rush through the doors at 3:50 and speed shop for 10 minutes,
relax! Peruse the clothing racks, browse through the books, sift through the
housewares and linens, ogle the jewelry at your leisure. We will not be urging
you out the door until 5.

We are very lucky to be a favorite shopping and donating destination for so
many people in the community, and we greatly appreciate how you adapted to
our early closing time when COVID was predominant. We hope staying open a
little later will make your shopping and donating experience easier and more
enjoyable, and thank you for your loyalty to our fun and ever-evolving thrift store
and to Brattleboro Area Hospice. Just think, soon you will be able to shop for
another hour AND still make it home in time to fire up the grill and enjoy all that extra daylight!

~Jennie Reichman