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WHERE TO SHOP FOR WHAT

The United States is the land of consumer choice, but it is
helpful to know where to actually look for particular things, since
the American names for many stores can be different, and some
products are sold in unexpected places. An ironic example of this
is that cigarettes are sold in drugstores in the United States,
alongside the nicotine patches and gum.
In general, Americans shop for food and other household
products at large groceries or supermarkets. The convenience of
one-stop shopping has almost done away with small, individually
owned specialist shops. These days, supermarkets carry more than
just food. Besides health and beauty aids and cleaning products,
supermarkets often have in-store bakeries and delis selling
prepared food, as well as pharmacies, film developing counters,
and video rental facilities. Why go anywhere else?
Words like "fishmonger" and "greengrocer" are not used in
American English, mainly because there are few of these shops
around. Fresh fruit and vegetables are called produce, and they are
sold in the produce section of a grocery store or at a produce stand.
Alcoholic beverages are sold in supermarkets, convenience
stores, and liquor stores or package stores. Most states regulate the
hours during which alcohol, particularly hard liquor, may be
purchased. Sometimes city and country regulations also apply. In
some parts of the country, blue laws may apply, which regulate
Sunday business activities.
Cigarettes can be bought in supermarkets, convenience stores,
drugstores, and from vending machines in some restaurants and
bars. The legal age for buying tobacco products is eighteen.
For products for home repairs and decorating, Americans head
for hardware stores or home improvement stores, which stock
most everything from power tools to wallpaper, and everything in
between.
Newspapers and magazines are sold in a number of places:
convenience stores, supermarkets, bookstores, and newsstands.
Newsstands are small kiosks on sidewalks and in train stations that
sell newspapers, magazines, and candy, and are more common in
larger cities where people actually do some walking.
Housewares, appliances, and furniture are available in large
stores dedicated to these items, and in department stores.