SHOPPERS ARE PULLING IN THEIR BELTS

A year ago, most everyone was gorging on stimulus money. Checkout lanes had long lines of shoppers with overflowing carts. Often, a couple would have two carts full of groceries. All of which made it tedious to wait your turn. It wasn’t at all unusual to see tabs running over $150 to $200. My defense was to try and find little pockets of time when there were fewer shoppers. Maybe, one o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon, right before the weekly grocery ads started appearing on Wednesday. But something miraculous has happened this past month. It looks like shoppers are pulling in their belts, because they’re buying less. Consequently, checkout lines are moving faster.

I’m probably one of the few people who welcomes this change. At our age, we don’t have huge appetites, so it doesn’t affect our grocery bill too much when prices skyrocket. And it’s nice to get in line behind someone with ten items in their cart rather than 50.

It is amazing when you get home and check your receipt, though. Last week I bought 30 items, and upon close inspection, I saw several products that cost 50 cents to a dollar more than they did a few months ago. The stores have these little tricks like placing the price underneath a package when it actually applies to the product below. My favorite brand of coffee used to be $4.99 . I didn’t realize until I got home that I had paid $7.99 for that same brand. Probably, the house label on the shelf below would have cost $3.00 less..

I don’t know how low-income shoppers with a couple of kids are making it. Since they’re buying less at the supermarket, they could be experiencing food insecurity. Maybe they’re eating more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Or having cereal for dinner.

All I know is that leaner times at the grocery store result in shorter wait time for me. Shoppers are pulling in their belts, and checkout lines are moving faster

January 18, 2021January 18, 2021

CELEBRATE MIRACULOUS RASPBERRIES

One of the advantages of being an octogenarian is that you appreciate what others may take for granted. When my husband I were children, any fruit for dessert came from jars stored in the basement. Women didn’t work outside the home unless they had to. However, they did plenty of work at home. Both of us remember our mothers sweating over a pressure cooker on hot summer days. Most everyone drove to the farmer’s market, and bought peaches and pears by the bushel. Consequently , any self-respecting house wife did their share of “canning”–especially during World War II. Fast forward to 2021. Our frig is sight to behold—full of colorful fresh fruits and vegetables. We’re grateful for the truck drivers who deliver them, and celebrate the miraculous raspberries available in the winter.

The highlight of our days during this pandemic has been grocery shopping. Especially during these dull winter days. The produce section of any supermarket is bound to give you a lift. Isn’t it amazing that we can still purchase so much fresh fruit? Big, juicy strawberries that come from California. Pretty pink raspberries grown in Washington & California. Pineapple from Hawaii. They say we’re “at war,” with the virus. But I can’t think of any modern war zone where you could buy fresh fruits and vegetables from all over the world, any day of the week.

The covid-19 lockdown has been long, dreary and stressful. However, compared to other plagues that have occurred through the centuries, we are blessed here in the good old USA. You can download e-books from the library. Watch television. Listen to the radio. Stream movies. . E-mail, text, and zoom your friends and family. And yes, you can have a dessert of ice cream topped with fresh raspberries and whipped topping.

Let’s celebrate miraculous winter raspberries.

January 8, 2020January 8, 2020

Yucky Restrooms Repel Customers

Most of us avoid using public restrooms like the plague. But sometimes, especially if you’ve had too much coffee, you have to go. It amazes me that big supermarket chains and discount stores make so little effort to keep their restrooms fresh and clean. Remember the heyday of the big department stores? Part of their appeal was their attractive powder rooms. Yucky public restrooms repel customers.

We live 5 minutes away from three superstores who constantly try and outdo each other to attract sales. They spend a fortune on beautiful full page, color ads. They run unbelievable sales and loss leaders to lure you through their doors. Only one of them has clean, attractive public restrooms.

Store #1: Before you even walk inside the bathroom, you see two dull, grimy drinking fountains . Open the door and you’re greeted by a disgusting smell. This is not a one time thing. It ALWAYS smells this way. You have to wonder why. Because of backed up drains? Poor ventilation? Whatever. The walls are painted an ugly brown, with mustard yellow tiles. Makes you think of diarrhea and other nasty images. All of which goes along with the odor. They have two stalls, and one of them is usually plugged up with toilet paper.

Store #2: This is a big box store, so they have about 8 stalls. The odor isn’t so bad as store #1, but it comes close. Paper towels are scattered all over the floor and on the sinks. Usually, two or three toilets are stopped up, so it takes awhile to find one that works and doesn’t stink. Often, they’re out of toilet paper. Stalls are stainless steel, and walls are painted a grayish white. There is nothing remotely appealing about this place,

Store #3: Nice surprise because it doesn’t stink. No, it doesn’t look like the restrooms at the Hilton Garden Inn, but at least the walls are freshly painted and bright. The floors are mopped and free of litter. The sinks are clean. None of the toilets are stopped up. Stainless steel doors aren’t smudged with fingerprints. Locks work.

Guess where I’d rather shop for my groceries? Yes, it’s a mile further, but subconsciously, I’m attracted to the cleanliness, good lighting, and smell of the restrooms at Store #3. I probably won’t use their restroom very often, but I know it’s there, and I won’t have to hold my nose if I have to use it..

Clean public restrooms attract customers — Grocery stores that maintain clean public restrooms attract more customers.

Here’s my advice to all the big grocery chains: If you really want to compete, forget about offers to save a dollar if you buy five, and all the other confusing ads. Paint your restrooms pink or blue. You might even have some pretty murals or framed pictures. Install some soft lighting. . Make it smell fresh—not like bleach or disinfectant, but something really fragrant. Keep the mirrors clean. Take out those disgusting blow hand dryers that everyone knows spread bacteria. If a toilet gets plugged up, have a maintenance guy fix it pronto. You might be surprised what attractive public restrooms will do for your bottom line.

Yucky public restrooms repel customers.