Back to School: The Scrounge for Supplies

If you're anything like me, you have a tendency to ignore that lengthy back-to-school supply list until it's time to pack your first lunch of the season. For those of us with procrastination as a predilection, here's a handy list of five locales stocked with many -- if not all -- of your kid's back-to-school must haves.

Staples, 348 4th Avenue (corner of 3rd Street)

The veritable motherlode of school supply centers -- by far your best bet for knocking off every single item on your list in a single stop. The stock is plentiful and the prices are reasonable, deeming it well worth the sojourn to our 'hood's perimeters.

, 395 Court Street (between 1st and 2nd Place)

This drugstore stocks much of your standard back-to-school fare, but supplies are more plentiful the earlier you shop. Hit it before Labor Day if you'd like to minimize the possibility of lengthy lugging.

, 320 Smith Street (at President Street)

Same as above. The minute the calendar crosses to September, supplies tend to thin out. Plan ahead if this shop is closest to your home.

, 299 Court Street (between Degraw and Douglass streets)

You can easily score a lot of stuff here, but the shelves are a tad disorganized, so you might have to root around a little to locate what you need. Somehow, Winn's is a great place to locate that one item you totally spaced on.

, 252 Court Street (at Kane Street)

Granted, this isn't the spot to grab the hand sanitizer or the requisite paper towel roll, but you will find sundry like markers, colored pencils and glue sticks in abundance. Prices are a bit high, but the experience is calmer than it is at most back-to-school shopping hot spots.