THE LAST SHOP

Herbert let the final customer out, a lady all the way from Missouri who bought a purple coat.

He closed the store for the last time.

He had expected more ceremony. Only one journalist had come to bear witness.

Since Ancient Greece there had been shops – physical places with goods to sell. 5th Avenue, Oxford Street, the Champs-Élysées: these were the shopping meccas.

Bloomingdale’s on Michigan Avenue was the last in the world to go.

Shopping was now done solely in front of a screens.

Herbert would be back on Monday morning to open Bloomingdale’s new flagship Order Fulfillment Centre.


chicagomg
Copyright Marie Gail Stratford

Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).

To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

120 responses to “THE LAST SHOP”

  1. Ironically, we’re almost there and we are all in the process of creating it!
    Great short fictionl.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, I agree, we are all culpable to a degree.

      Like

    1. Hopefully not. Thanks Dawn.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Some think that may happen, and I do some shopping online myself, but I find it hard to imagine a world without ‘real’ shopping.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. For our generation I think your right, but in the future… Thanks for reading.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. I identify with the shop assistant, and his elegiac mood. Room for both- actual 3D & for ‘screen shopping’. Hands on is more fun !

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for commenting.

      Like

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