Town Diary - December 2000

Barkhamsted Market Basket

Below are prices of some typical holiday items sold at various establishments in the town of Barkhamsted during the month of December 2000.  We selected items very commonly purchased at this time.  The prices were charged during the month of December, however there may have been price variation before and after the day we did this.  We thought it would be interesting to periodically select a few items like this and "freeze them in history".  It might be fun to check back here in a few decades and see what was being sold and for how much.

1)  Homegrown Farms, Route 44, Barkhamsted
$34.00 for any Christmas tree; pre-cut or cut-it-yourself
$16.00 for a 16” Christmas wreath with a bow

Photo-Homegrown Farms, Route 44, Barkhamsted

2)  Ames, Route 44, Barkhamsted
$4.99 for a 50’ string of garland for decorating the Christmas tree
$6.99 for an 8’ string of outdoor icicle lights
$3.99 for a box of 18 holiday cards
$9.99 for a Christmas stocking
$9.99 for a snow shovel

Photo-Ames at Mallory Brook Plaza, Barkhamsted

3)  Sears, Route 44, Barkhamsted
$1,099.99 for a Craftsman 9 horsepower snowthrower, steerable track model

Photo- Sears, Mallory Brook Plaza, Barkhamsted

4)  Pleasant Valley General Store, Corner of Routes 318 & 181, Barkhamsted
$1.69 for a gallon of regular, 87-octane gas
$4.99 for a Sara Lee frozen apple pie
$1.99 for a 6 oz. box of Stove Top stuffing mix
$4.29 for an 11.5 oz. can of Maxwell House coffee
$1.49 for a 15 oz. can of Healthy Choice soup

Photo-Pleasant Valley General Store

5)  Berkshire Spirit Shoppe, Route 44, Barkhamsted
$27.99 for a 750 ml bottle of Moet & Chandon White Star Champagne
$12.99 for a 750 ml bottle of Korbel Brut Champagne (one of their biggest sellers)

Photo-Berkshire Spirit Shoppe, Mallory Brook Plaza, Barkhamsted