Stores are still rough (on both of us), but he's gotten to the point where he can cope, most of the time. He's got such a mature way about him most of the time, that it stuns people.
In the Meijer freezer section, the noise level is ridiculous with about a hundred and fifty coolers going at the same time. I have to chew on the inside of my cheek and keep my teeth sucked dry the whole time, in order to deal with it and I can't talk to people other than my pre-fab "HI!", but we get through it. Watching him, closely, he "plays" with the acoustical nulls and re-inforcement areas of the place at first, but he sometimes says "This is getting to be a bit much. We need to move it along, please." He is SO aware at times, it fills me with hope.
Whoever thought of the starbucks coffee in that place and the cup holders on the carts was a genius. Coffee calms me down really well.