The search for pocky....

Sekani · Rookie Gender: Joined: 19 Sep 2002

Lately I've been sort of craving pocky. Ever since I first tasted those strawberry-creme-covered biscuit sticks so many months ago back in Atlanta, I had been searching for a place locally that carried those sticks of joy. Unfortunately my area has an Asian population of about seven, so I'd have to venture a little ways to satisfy my craving. Not a big deal, I thought. I mean, I'm only living near the second-largest metropolitan area in the country, there must be plenty of Japanese/Asian grocery stores.

So last night I checked the online Yellow Pages for "japanese markets". Nearest listing was in Victorville (distance from home: 94 miles). Nope, that wasn't gonna work. Let me broaden my search a little... "asian markets". Ah, much better results this time. I printed out the list, made a few calls, printed out the directions, and planned on setting out the next morning.

First stop: Asian Imports in Moreno Valley (42 miles). Yay... wait a minute... what's this pizza-flavored junk? No thank you.

Next stop: Asian Market in Riverside (51 miles). Finally! Chocolate pocky!! Cool! But when I asked the clerk if he had any other flavors, he said this chocolate was the only flavor in existence. What the hell? After I broadened his horizons a bit, I picked up the five boxes they had and was out. Chocolate is good, but I wanted the strawberry stuff, dammit!! Let's try out the next store on the list, which was

Chenla Asian Food Market in Rialto (54 miles). Nothing, even after being told by someone else on the phone that they carried it. Blah. Well, this was planned to be my last stop, but my stubborn ass had to try one more. After braving heinous traffic, I finally made it to

Asian Groceries (these are REALLY creative names by the way) in Ontario (67 miles). Since this was the only place I hadn't phoned, I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. I didn't expect a place called Asian Groceries to be a mostly video rental joint. Bah, who cared what they had to rent, none of it was on DVD. I grabbed a soda (I was thirsty) and bailed.

Well, it wasn't a complete bust, since I'm munching on a box of chocolate pocky now, but I didn't get what I really wanted. Bummer. And after looking at the rest of the locations--Victorville, Oceanside (102 miles), Temecula (89 miles), San Diego (123 miles)--doesn't look like I'll find the strawberry or any other flavors any time in the near future. Bah. Guess I'll be bugging Doot to send me some in the mail again *sigh*

Doot · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 8:32 pm Post subject:

Awwww, no strawberry pocky for you on the west coast. What kind of blasphemy is that!?

Surprise Inside

Cobalt Katze · Uncertainty Gender: Joined: 05 Oct 2002

No Pocky on the west coast? Hah! Here in Seattle, we've got a lovely little internation district with a japanese grocery store called Uwajimaiya (sp?) that carries nearly every flavor of pocky known to man!

Unfortunately it's a bit of a bus ride away, as it's downtown.

Nacht · Queen of Darkness Gender: Joined: 25 Dec 2002

oooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i want coconut pocky!!!!!

mmhmmm yum

Reverend · I kin Age: 41 Gender: Joined: 21 Oct 2002

I Want my sacramental Pocky! And barring that, man pocky would do fine

Cobalt Katze · Uncertainty Gender: Joined: 05 Oct 2002

Pardon my ignorance, but what the hell is man pocky anyways?

Sekani · Rookie Gender: Joined: 19 Sep 2002

$2.79? What kind of highway robbery is this? I got these boxes for 99 cents, and they want $2.79 plus shipping? That's so wrong....

Shino · Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 9:15 am Post subject:

Doot · Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 9:19 am Post subject:

Shino · Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 9:35 am Post subject:

Sekani wrote:

Next stop: Asian Market in Riverside (51 miles). Finally! Chocolate pocky!! Cool! But when I asked the clerk if he had any other flavors, he said this chocolate was the only flavor in existence. What the hell? After I broadened his horizons a bit, I picked up the five boxes they had and was out. Chocolate is good, but I wanted the strawberry stuff, dammit!! Let's try out the next store on the list, which was

$2.79? What kind of highway robbery is this? I got these boxes for 99 cents, and they want $2.79 plus shipping? That's so wrong....

Well let's look at this then. I don't know what you drive, but my eclipse gets b/t 22-28 miles to the gallon. It requires Supreme Unleaded gas and here that is about $1.60 a gallon. It would take about 2 gallons for me to drive that 51 miles to get to the store. So I'm looking at $6.40 in gas alone (there and back). Then bought 4 boxes at .99 + tax. Tax here is 7% so let's say you spent 1.06 on each pack. That's 4.24 + your gas brings me to 10.64.

Now you may or may not have a car that gets better gas milage them mine, but I know Gas is more expensive out there.

4 boxes from the place Doot mentioned comes to 11.16 + shipping. Also it's the flavor that you want and it get's shipped directly to your house. You also don't have to drive ~an hour and a half to get it. Just a thought, but it doesn't sound too bad if you have to deal with what you have to.

I guess you need to buy in volume (about a dozen boxes) to make the trip worth it.

Just thought I would put things in perspective. Smile