Before the chains like A&P, Grand Union, First National arrived, groceries were bought in true, neighborhood mom & pop grocery store....where *pop* was the butcher...often a first gen immigrant. If mom sent you to the store for something during the week, deviating from her once-a-week shop [usually on Friday when dad got paid] ...the *mom* of the store would write what your parents owed for that loaf of bread, in a well-worn ledger. I recall a dime bought a loaf of Wonder Bread. :)