SHOPPING ACCESS

Editor:

I followed with great interest the letters concerning the ability to find

merchandise in Petaluma. I would like to turn the conversation a bit and

address ''the ability to shop'' almost anywhere in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park

and Petaluma.

In all three towns, shopping is for the strong and young. The way stores,

with few exceptions, are set up to preclude shopping by one of the largest and

most affluent groups -- seniors.

We are able to shop where it can be quickly done or where some method of

sitting a minute to regain strength is available. Otherwise, we shop by

catalogues.

Many of us cannot walk for any great distance and need to rest at intervals

before resuming our trip. For example, I like one particular department store,

its staff and merchandise, but I can no longer shop there because I cannot

enter the store and rest a moment before continuing to women's wear or

housewares or shoes, resting along the way perhaps once more.

I wrote to central office and was told it would take up too much valuable

sales space if a bench were added at the end of a display rack. How

shortsighted! I have not been back, nor have many people with similar

problems.

We cannot shop the big warehouse-size stores or any of the new discount

center stores. It deprives us of ''fun'' and merchants of dollars. Foolish!

Trader Joe, Raley's and some Safeways provide electric carts, and what a

difference that makes! It is liberating! Perhaps there would be no problem

finding merchandise, if it were easier to seek.

ADELE DAVIS

Penngrove