SHOPPING: MAP - CITY GUIDE TO SHOPPING CENTERS
STORES IN TUCSON AND SHOPPING
SUPERMARKETS OR GROCERY STORES sell fresh, frozen and canned food, including fish, poultry, meat, dairy products, staples such as flour, sugar, salt and spices as well as toiletries (shampoo and toothpaste) and paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, sanitary napkins, paper plates and paper cups). Most supermarkets also have inside the store a bakery and a pharmacy. Many supermarkets now offer other services such as a bank, post office and video store inside the supermarket. Self-service is the rule in grocery stores, which means that you take a cart or basket, select the items you wish and present them for payment at a cashier's counter. Large supermarkets in Tucson are ABCO, Frys, Smiths, Safeway, Albertson's and Smitty's. These are the stores that often participate in the "Apples for Schools" program sponsored by Apple Computers. Save your cash register receipts. The nearest large grocery stores are Safeway at Campbell and Broadway and Fry's at Grant and 1st Ave. Also at Campbell and Broadway is the GrantStone Asian Market. You can take the bus to either center.
CONVENIENCE STORES. Other stores, such as the Circle K and Seven Eleven, also sell food and groceries. They are called convenience stores because they are small and the service is fast. Food bought in these stores is sometimes more expensive than in the large supermarkets.
FOODS FROM YOUR COUNTRY. Many grocery stores carry ingredients used in cooking foreign foods; however, sometimes you need to go to the specialty grocery stores to find foods imported from your country. Some of these stores are
Caravan (Middle East, Iranian, etc.) 2817 N. Country Club at Glen 323-6808
Mediterranean Foods (Middle East, etc.) 4636 E. Grant at Swan 323-1443
G&L Import Export Corp 4828 E. 22nd 790-9016
GrantStone Asian Market E. Broadway east of Safeway
17th Street Fruit Market 830 E. 17th Street
fresh vegetables and fruit; Korean, Chinese and Oriental supplies
Food Conspiracy Coop (health & vegetarian) 412 N. 4th Ave 624-4821
RESTAURANTS. There are dozens of restaurants and fast food shops around the UA on University Blvd, Park Ave, 6th Street and Speedway. You can find food from almost any part of the world within walking distance. Explore the UA neighborhood and enjoy many different tastes. Be sure to check the Wildcat for coupons to save money. Many times you can find a two-for-one offer or some free food. Tucson has hundreds of restaurants with cuisines from all over the world. Check Appendix B at the end of the Handbook for a list of restaurants.
TIPPING. It is customary in restaurants where your order is taken by a wait person at your table to tip 10-15% of your total food check. This is not necessary where you pick up your food in a deli, cafeteria or fast-food restaurant. Do not tip gas station attendants, persons who carry packages in stores, or restroom attendants in stores. However, it is customary to tip the beautician who cuts, shampoos and styles your hair; the barber; a valet parker who parks your car; the bellboy in the hotel who carries your bags; the red cap at the airport or train station; and a taxi driver.
DRUGSTORES are the only stores that are licensed to sell prescription pharmaceutical products. Doctors' prescriptions can be filled at a drugstore or at the Student Health Service on campus. Drugstores also sell a large selection of cosmetics, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, periodicals, household medicines, greeting cards, photographic film, alcohol and other items. Large chain drugstores in Tucson are Walgreen and Osco. Near campus is the University Drug on the corner of Park and University, where you buy many immediate necessities as well as fill doctor's prescriptions.
DEPARTMENT STORES sell a variety of things: shoes, clothing, appliance, furniture, dishes, pots and pans, linen, towels and toys. In Tucson, most department stores are located in the Malls: Pennys, Sears, Montgomery Wards, Dillards, Foleys, and Macy's.
DISCOUNT STORES. Other large stores, such as Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target, are less expensive and are usually not located in the Mall. You can buy most everything in these stores.
MALLS are large shopping centers that include a large number and variety of department stores and smaller specialty shops. There are four malls in Tucson: Park Mall on Broadway & Wilmot, El Con Mall at Broadway and Dodge, Tucson Mall at Oracle & Limber lost and finally, Foothills Mall at Ina and La Cholla. All four Malls are accessible on the bus. Check the schedule for routes and times. When you shop in the mall, always look for the SALE racks. All stores have SALE racks, but the more expensive stores have really good SALE racks in the back of the store!
PRICES in stores are fixed. The customer does not bargain with the sales clerk. An exception to this is on purchases made directly from a private individual or when buying large, expensive items such as cars or houses and some large electronic items, such as video cameras, TV, etc.
YARD SALES & SWAP MEETS. Many people try to sell their own items. People have yard sales when they move to a new house or apartment or when they clean out their closets. You can buy many used household items and clothing at yard sales. Things are very cheap and you can always bargain. Look for signs on street corners and special sections in the Classified Ads of the Tucson daily papers. A SWAP MEET is a large, commercialized yard sale. Merchants as well as individual vendors sell all kinds of items at the swap meet. You can always bargain at the swap meet and at yard sales.
SECOND HAND OR THRIFT STORES. These stores sell used goods: clothing and household items. You can furnish an apartment very cheaply from thrift stores. Expensive clothes are also bargains in a second hand shop. Near the University, across Speedway from the Plaza Hotel, is Buffalo Exchange, which has a nice selection of second-hand clothes for the university student. On 4th Avenue there are a variety of second-hand, vintage and thrift stores. 4th Avenue south of 6th Street is an interesting street. Plan a Saturday walk there to browse through many craft and gift shops.
SALES TAX. Nearly every item you buy in the United States will have a sales tax added to its price. In Tucson, that tax is 7 percent. If a can of shaving cream costs one dollar, the sales tax on it will be seven cents. A $500 dollar stereo will cost you $535.00 with the sales tax. This tax is added almost everywhere in the United States, but varies from place to place. In some communities certain goods are not taxed. In Tucson you do not pay sales tax on unprepared food bought in grocery stores, but you do pay tax on meals in restaurants. Sales taxes go to the city, county and state governments.
BICYCLE RENTAL. There are a number of bicycle shops near the UA and in Tucson where you can buy or rent bicycles. Prices vary a great deal so shop around before buying or renting. If you rent a bike you will need a deposit of some kind, cash, a credit card or paid in advance.
Bargain Basement Bikes 428 N. Fremont 624-9673
Wildcat Cycle & Sports 1118 E. 6th Street 628-1015
The Bike Shack 940 E. University 624-3663
Fair Wheel Bikes 1110 E. 6th Street 884-9018
Park Ave Bike Shop 835 N. Park 624-9506
Catalina Bicycle Shop 2310 N. Campbell 326-7377
THERMOMETERS
The United States uses the Fahrenheit scale for thermometers measuring body, cooking and air temperatures; thermometers in scientific laboratories use the Centigrade scale. To convert degrees F to degrees C, subtract 32 from the F measure, multiply the result by 5, and divide by 9. To convert degrees C to degrees F, multiply the C measure by 9, divide by 5, and add 32 to the result.
F = 9/5 C + 32
C = 5/9 F - 32
Normal body temperature measured with an oral thermometer is 37 degrees C or 98.6 degrees F.
CLOTHING SIZE CONVERSION CHART
WOMEN'S SIZES Junior USA
England
Continent
7
9
34
9
11
36
11
13
38
13
15
40
15
17
42
Misses' USA & England
Continent
10
36
12
38
14
40
16
42
18
42
Ladies' USA & England
Continent
36
44
38
46
40
48
42
50
44
52
Shoes USA
Metric
5
35
6
36
7
38
8
39
9
40
MEN'S SIZES Coats & Pajamas USA & England
Continent
36
46
38
48
40
50
42
52
44
54
Shirts USA & England
Continent
14
36
14 1/2
37
15
38
15 1/2
39
16
40
Shoes USA
Metric
6
39
7
40
8
41
9
42
10
43
Children's clothing is sized according to the child's age from infancy through approximately six years. Infant's clothes will be sized according to months of age, from newborn (NB) through 18 months. It is always wise to consider the child's heights and weight when buying clothing. It is not uncommon for infants and toddlers to wear much larger sizes than what their age indicates. It is a good idea to ask a salesperson for assistance until you are familiar with children's clothing sizes.
ADULT clothing sizes vary somewhat from one manufacturer to another. It is always wise to try on clothing before making a purchase. Most stores will take back unworn clothing if you get home and find it is the wrong size, color or if you decide you don't like it. Always be sure to save your sales receipt so that you can return any merchandise.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Most food products are sold in stores by weight. Most recipes are stated in units of dry or liquid volume. The units used will be cups or fractions of a cup, tablespoons, and teaspoons. Measuring cups and spoons are available at supermarkets and discount or department stores. Recipes will often use abbreviations, which are listed below with some equivalents. These are volume measurements.
1 T or 1 tbsp = 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1 t. or 1 tsp. = 1 teaspoon
1 c. or 1 cu = 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
1 lb. = 1 pound = 16 ounces
oz. = ounce
pt = pint = 2 cups = 16 oz
qt = quart = 4 cups = 32 oz
gal = gallon = 4 quarts
The metric system is not in everyday use in the United States; however, it is used in scientific laboratories. Here are a few equivalents.
1 tsp = 5 cubic centimeters = 5 milliliters
1 tbsp = 15 cc
1 oz = 30 cc
1 pt = 500 cc = 1/2 liter
1 qt = 1000 cc = 1 liter
1 gal = 3.785 liters
1 foot = 12 inches = 0.3048 meters
1 yard = 3 feet = 0.9144 meters
1 meter = 39.37 inches = 3.28 feet = 1.09 yards
1 mile = 1.6 kilometers
1 British gallon = 1.2 U.S. gallon
1 liter = 1.057 liquid quarts = 10 deciliters
1 deciliter (dcl) = 6 Tbsp+2 tsp = 3.38 U.S. fluid oz
1 lb = 16 ozs = 453.59 grams
1 gram = .035 ozs
1 kilogram = 2.2046 lbs
450 grams = 2 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
450 grams = 4 cups white flour
450 grams = 4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
450 grams = 2 1/4 granulated or white sugar
225 grams = 1 cup rice