European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 11, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday August 11, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 9 shoppers line a meat counter full of fresh cuts at the French econ mat in Baden Baden. Acan of escargots Acha tines. Some sauce Lamaise cassoulet for two a set of be Cru set pots wine from Beaune Camembert. Alacy Chemise dior perfume sound like the result of a shopping excursion in France it could be. It also could be Booty from a trip to French pm econ Mol in Germany open to members d the . is an econ Mol in every town in Germany there French armed forces Are stationed about 50. Toyshop in one All that is needed is an econ mat member ship card which allows you to Purchase at the stores neither Marks or French francs dollars Aren t accepted. Besides groceries wines household goods etc., tin Economous also enable members to buy at re Don t Overlook the cheese counter. Diced prices in numerous stores in France jus across the Border from Germany As Well As in Paris without paying taxes and without having to go through customs. Other bennies there is an econ mat travel service for France and mail order Cata logs for French stores. Members of the . Air Force can apply for an econ mat membership card at the nearest French military Post. Members of the army and other services and department of defense civilians should apply through their unit clerks or administration officers. The cards which must be shown at the Check out coun Ter before a Purchase is made Are valid for three years and can be used by any member of the family. After the application has been approved the card Mustbe picked up at a designated econ mat nearest where you Are store located most conveniently for people stationed in the Frankfurt Wiesbaden Heidelberg area is at Speyer about 15 Miles South of Mannheim. Though not As Large As some of he other stores the Speyer facility carries a Good selection of wine and cheese. Only a few Miles from Speyer. In Landau there Isano her econ mat. Which offers not Only a larger Groc Ery c department but a housewares shop and boutique. Every French Exchange offers fresh produce bread Dairy products fish and seafood meat poultry canned goods wines toiletries and other household items. Some of the stores also have car Sale offices departments and audio and clothing shops one american family which discovered the econ Mats some Lime ago always visits More than one store in a Day. If the weather is Nice they pick up French wine and other delicacies and picnic in Between .1 visit to. Say. The store at Baden Baden i among the Larn Ronesi and the stores at Soever and Landau the first time we visited the Speyer to up Kup our purchasing cards the prices really threw us. Re Calls Marilyn Ramsey we thought they were in Marks they re in Frame another thing we Learned is to take along some shopping bags the stores Don t provide Thirn and sometimes there Aren t any boxes available she says that while her husband. Phil seeks out Gour met goodies the last time he blew my mind by buying can of 12-dozen snails for 26 francs about my she Heads to the housewares department to Check out French cookware and Kitchen gadgets. Compared to what you d pay in the . For enam eled cast Iron be Creuse Ware for example the prices Are the store at Baden Baden has one of lot larger Liou beware departments with an excellent selection of French cookware. Dishes and gadgets. Prosaic items like toilet brushes Contact paper Bath room cabinets and the like also Are available. After All. The Economas Are to the French troops what the Safe stores Are to the americans a place to pick up items they d find at stores Back Landau a transplanted East coaster with an insatiable hunger for Shell fish goes bananas at the fresh fish counter. Last christinas they had the loveliest fresh oysters 1served them Christmas eve on the half Shell along with a fantastic French wine. There is always a Good selection of really fresh the store also has a meat counter with a Mouth water ing display of pates and other delicacies a Good selection of French cheeses and a produce department where products look As farm fresh As can be imagined. If it is a particular wine that you Are after there is an exclusive wine list available upon request for Spe Cial orders. So far the Ramsey have had Only one disappointment when it comes to shopping at the Economas stores. They headed to Landau one thursday afternoon and found i closed. Opening and closing hours vary from store to store so if you Are planning on shopping at several differ ent ones write to the French Liaison office. Odds Ops. Headquarters t Sarteur. Apo 09403. For a Complete schedule. As to that bargain buying in Border stores a total of 43stores take part. Econ mat card holders select what their purchases i a minimum amount of so francs is required and the store delivers it to an econ mat in Ger Many where the customer pays for it without the hassle of customs procedures Anil minus the French tax. According to the item and Brand prices run 10 to 35percent lower than in France stores that take part in the program Are located i Strasbourg. Druse Nheim. Colmar. Mulhouse. Hagenau. Isse Bourg Metz. Thionville and Paris. They include department stores maternity baby Wear fur and shoe shops camping and sporting goods stores jewellers Inte rior decorator centers customers also can order from mail order Catalon products in the Cata logs also Are offered at a discount and the econ mat customer is informed As to deliver time. Included in the Cata logs Are Dunlop. Goodyear an Michelin tires. Be Creuse. Duralek and Cristal d arques Kitchen items. Bosch and Laden household appliances and Roneka silverware. Econ mat shopper Ramsey is particularly inter ested in the discounts offered on Kitchen items and China. There about 17 stores alone in Strasbourg that offer such bargains a Holiday there could turn into a Nice shopping what does her husband plan to do with those 12 dozen snails he s planning on serving part of them on Toast rounds topped with garlic spread and cheese at our next big party then freezing the rest for later
