Sunflower Store and Damanas

What makes something "cool" to a toddler? I found myself asking that question recently because Derek has decided that a recently opened "healthier alternative" grocery store called the Sunflower Market (he calls it The Sunflower Store) is THE most desired destination in his world.

I can't imagine what impressed him so much about our ONE visit to the Sunflower Market together. After they peppered the city with their "grand opening" flyer featuring some amazingly low prices on fresh produce, I decided to brave the hoardes and try to shop there even though I knew it would be a ZOO with everyone checking out the hype and taking advantage of the grand opening sale prices in the first week. And the experience was pretty much as I expected: cart traffic jams, and long checkout lines, etc. 

But ever since,

• When I say "put on your hat and shoes" - he gets excited and says hopefully, "We go the Sunflower Store?"
  
• As we drive out of our neighborhood he says, "No Mummy, go that way - go the Sunflower Store!! Not go [fill actual errand destination here]!"
  
• When he's bored and wants to get out of the house he will coyly sidle up to me and politely request, "Mummy, pwease we go car ride and go Sunflower Store and buy some damanas?" (Damanas = bananas in Derek-speak)
  
• Every Tuesday when the new flyer arrives in the mail, if I don't sneak it past him and into the recycling, and he spies it, he demands to leaf through it and then has a fit when I won't load up and go straight there...

I suppose it was a Mummy and Derek only outing (by chance, not plan - Kenzie was at school, and offhand I can't remember where Cooper was) , and maybe that made it so special and memorable? And they do have bright, colourful, and neatly stacked produce. We were there quite a while due to how busy it was, and he got kinda cranky toward the end - it's not like it was a fascinating and joy-filled experience, as far as I could tell, at least! If he were old enough to read, I might consider that it's because they actually have a catchy slogan - or maybe he just really likes their pretty green and yellow flower logo? If only it were as simple as just asking him why he wants to go back there so bad...but odds are he will outgrow his adoration of The Sunflower Store before he can articulate the nature of the attraction, and I'll never know the truth!