Denuo - denuology.com

So, for those of you that know me, you know I can’t cook. And for those of you that don’t know me, It’s not that I don’t like to cook, it’s really that I can’t. The only time I’m at a big name grocery store is when I’m out of TP or laundry detergent. I instead prefer to do my grocery shopping in places that I can walk to versus have to park in a lot at. See, it’s in those types of local groceries that I can get quality pre-made eats or things that require very little preparation. And by local grocery establishments, I don’t mean the corner liquor store that is also good for an occasional carton of milk.

It was with some confusion then that I entered my local meat market on Saturday, in need of my deli favs and some hash of the corn beef variety, and encountered twenty something in PJ’s – seriously, the average age of the mid-day clientele was cut in half. It took me a moment to realize that earlier in the week, Paulina Meat Market was one of the daily Chicago Groupon deals. My worlds had collided; commerce of the digital variety, hottest internet start-up and darling of Chicago had invaded my local little traditional marketplace. And as I wandered the store and filled my basket, I realized I was grinning with pride.

Here was a long standing family owned and operated establishment with butchers that I’d happily adopt as grandfathers (if only they’d let me) introducing themselves and their encased meat to a whole new set of customers. It’s true, a few of the guys were thrown off a bit by the lack of printed “bar codes” as most of the kids where pulling up their purchased deal via their phones but all the blue Paulina shopping bags I saw were full to the brim. It was then that I began to get a little nervous, my secret happy grocery place was now not so secret. I went home and confirmed my apprehension by logging onto Groupon and seeing that the Paulina daily deal had sold out before noon on the 15th. $20 for $40 worth of fresh meat and homemade sausage. So I was officially torn – love that it was so successful but don’t want to spend my next few Saturday’s telling the new shoppers to pull a number from the pig face at the entrance.

So listen up all of those that have yet to spend your Paulina Groupon; I’m the blond in workout clothes with the mild look of annoyance on her face as she watches you hem and haw over your selections. In the end though, I love Paulina and the evolution of couponing too much to be mad forever. Just for the love of God, ask the man in the white apron how best to prepare your purchased meat selection so as not to ruin a fine, fine piece of meat.