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| Bill and me at the new Weis Market in Lewes |
We have a new supermarket in town. It's called Weis Markets. I've never heard of them but I was excited to see what this new supermarket was like.
In my position as a front desk agent at a boutique hotel in Lewes I'm often asked by visiting guests how do I like Delaware. I always say: "I love Delaware but I do miss Wegmans Market!" They almost always know what I'm talking about.
When I lived in Downingtown, Pennsylvania we were blessed to have a Wegmans market in Downingtown. I have to honestly say that is the main thing I miss about our previous home in Pennsylvania, not having a Wegmans supermarket.
If you don't know of Wegmans, you don't know what you're missing. As Terry K., the wife of my former dentist, both of whom also retired to Delaware, said of Wegmans:
"Wegmans isn't a supermarket, it is an experience." How true!
When I make my annual trek to Buffalo New York to met my Canadian buddy Pat (he picks me up in Buffalo and takes me over the border to his home in Toronto because the flights are way cheaper to Buffalo than Toronto), we always stop at Wegmans in Buffalo. Always.
Living here in southern Delaware, often referred to as "Slower Lower", with justification, we do without a lot of the amenities that folks other parts of the eastern seaboard take for granted. Like a Trader Joe's, Costco, and Wegmans. Oh we have our Walmarts. Three in the immediate area (Georgetown, Rehoboth Beach and Milford) but none of the cool places like Wegmans. Thus it was with some excited anticipation that I visited the new supermarket in town. So how was it Ron?
Well folks, you know what they say about first impressions. Not good.
The first thing I did when I went into the store was go to the customer service counter to get one of their cards for discounts. I approach the counter. I see three young women gathered around a computer screen. Laughing and giggling at something on the screen. I think they were training each other But they were totally unaware of me.
I'm AT the CUSTOMER SERVICE COUNTER.
I wait. And I wait. One minute, two minutes three minutes. Then from behind me a man with a red Weiss shirt asks "Are you being taken care of?" I replied "NO.I.AM.NOT."
He immediately went over to the gaggle of girls and one of them came over to me to ask if she could help me. Hmmmm. Not a good first impression. Usually when you go to a customer service counter, someone waits on you. Not here today at Weiss'.
I get my card. I take my shopping cart and I'm off to shop. First thing I encounter are tables blocking my path. One table, two tables, three tables. I stop and look at the products on the tables and immediately I'm in another shopper's way. I move. I maneuver myself and my cart around more tables and again, I'm in someone's way.
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| The widest space I encountered at Weis Market today |
You know what I hate folks? Supermarkets that don't have wide aisles. Not only does this supermarket have wide aisles but the aisles are cluttered with tables of more products. As I try to maneuver myself and my cart around, I am constantly in someone's way or someone is in my way.
So far not a happy experience folks. I get a head of cabbage of make soup. I try to shop some more but again, the store is too crowded.
I got to check out. And what do I see. LINES! Folks, long lines! Oh no. I tell Bill "I'm taking this cabbage back and getting out of here." And I did.
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| Long slow lines at Weis Markets today |
This is the experience I had at the new Weiss' market on their grand opening week. Man oh man. Not a good experience Weiss Markets.
I attended the first day of Wegmans when they opened in Downingtown. When I went into the store I thought I made a big mistake because the store was packed. I thought "I'll never get out of here." The store was almost elbow to elbow people.
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| My Mom (white top) at Wegmans in Downingtown, PA - fresh veggie and fruit section - lots of aisle space |
I shopped and got some items and then approached the checkout lines. And guess what I saw folks? ALL the checkout lines were open. Never in my life did I ever see a supermarket with ALL the checkout lines open. NEVER.
I think most people are like me, they like to get in the store and out without standing in a long line.
With my few items I choose my place in one of the lines. Almost immediately a Wegmans employee approached me and suggested that since I had only a few items I might want to go to another line that he pointed to. I did and I was out of that store.
Guess what folks? Wegmans has employees monitor the lines to expedite their shoppers getting out as fast as possible. Know what you call that?
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Another thing I noticed with Wegmans was that the checker bagged the groceries as they checked them. Wow. What revolutionary idea! Efficiency!
Wegmans know how to run a store. That's why they are so popular.
Presently I shop at Food Lion. While Food Lion is no Wegmans, one thing they do have is wide aisles that aren't blocked. They have a customer service center where an actual person provides SERVIÇE. And, this is very important, I rarely have to stand in line long. If a line develops, almost always there is a manager or assistant manager who opens another line. Again, CUSTOMER SERVICE.
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| Food Lion supermarket in Milton, DE - our grocery store of choice here in Lower Slower - it's not Wegmans but I get good prices and I can get in and out of the store . . . . fast |
So that was my experience today folks. I took a break from my political ranting. I'll go back to ranting tomorrow, I promise.
