I always make an effort to tell my readers when an article is going to be “A Rant.” Well, this is one, based on an excursion to my preferred grocery store, this past week. So, reading caution is advised!

I often enjoy touring the aisles of my favorite grocery store, just to see what is there that wasn’t there the last time I took time to GO to a store and not just attempt to order on-ine. To me, it is pleasurable just to see the store shelves lined with items that I may – or may not – want or need. I often think what it must be like to live in a country where plenty is only a word in the dictionary. Can we imagine needing to take home milk for the kids only to find that the store doesn’t have any? Here, I have even seen unhappy people in my store because they could not find shoe polish to match their shoes. Amazing, when I think of those other folks. And, I wonder, do people even polish their shoes, any more? But, that is another discussion.

Last week, I felt the need to travel the aisles of “my” store – a less than ten minute drive from my home. It was two o’clock in the afternoon, my visiting dog Kate had gone home, and my soon-to-be-visiting dog Paisley wouldn’t be coming for a couple of days, so I knew that I could spend the time necessary to get the items I needed from the store. I figured that an hour would be as long as it would take; it would still be daylight when I finished shopping and checked out, and I would be able to drive home in that daylight.

Well, that assumption was wrong! First, the decision makers for this store had decided to reset the store. Some time ago, the voters in my state authorized including additional kinds of alcohol in grocery store merchandise; different than had been allowed before. I don’t really understand the differences between the alcohols and wine, but what I do know is the effect it has had on the aisles of my grocery store.

Where the aisles once were wide enough for two grocery carts to comfortably pass by each other in the aisle’s space, there is now just enough room for them to squeeze by each other. And, when the store places a display of some kind in the aisle, one side of the traffic aisle for a buggy is blocked. It creates a traffic jam of buggies. In addition, when my buggy is stopped so that I can contemplate the purchase of an item, the same traffic jam happens. Maneuvering carts around displays and other shoppers is less than pleasant – it is a nightmare!

Allowing shelving for the alcohol has also required that the other store shelves be higher. Now, I am not particularly short, but reaching that top shelve is impossible for me. I wanted to buy some potato chips in a tall can. The size I wanted was on the top shelf; I could not reach it. After struggling for some time, I found another can of something and simply knocked the item about on the top shelf. Knocked it enough (and, apparently, made enough noise) that a store worker quickly approached the sound asking if he could be of help.

I thanked him, and added that he might want to let his manager know that some of us folks can’t reach that high. He won’t, of course. The higher-up shelves have a counterpoint. Those shelves that are close to the floor, along with the pricing signs that are written in minus ten font. Who can read this stuff? Surely, “they” don’t expect older people to get down on their knees to see what the price of an item is. Again, not always being patient and/or kind, I simply pull the price tag from the shelf to see if the item is something I can afford. Not very nice – I know – but shall I always need to call over a store employee to check a price? Or, ask another customer?

By resetting the store and, apparently, thinking it is important to hide those items that I usually purchase, I want the store CEO to know that I’d appreciate a guide to the location of the items that I purchase. Wisconsin stores know how to do it. At both ends of each aisle is a laminated list of products with the aisle location where they can be found. And, yes, I’ve written to the CEOs of both of the major grocers in my city. No response – no change. Is it possible that they expect me to attempt to find an employee each time I cannot find an item? In Wisconsin, I take my list of needed / wanted items to the end of an aisle, check the store directory list, and know precisely where to look for the things I want to take home.

My lengthy shopping spree was not all the fault of the organization and lack of help of the grocery store. No, I needed some “Scrubbing Bubbles.” I knew what I was looking for – a green, opaque, plastic bottle, clearly marked with a spray attached. Easy-peasy. Oh, no. Not so. The “bubbles” people changed the bottle enough that I had difficulty finding the new one on the shelf. This may not be a problem for folks without AMD; it creates a difficult situation for those of us whose vision has become somewhat impaired because of AMD or other vision difficulties. I think that I was among those who did not understand what difference this makes in our lives; but I know now. Some of us need greater contrast in the print (black against white is good), larger print, as well as proper lighting, etc. I really, really could go on and on about this issue – maybe, in another BLOG.

After about a two-hour search to find the items on my list, it was time to check out. Oh, good! In addition to resetting the store and narrowing the aisles, and placing items out of my reach, the check-out stations have been moved. We have self-check out which I will not use because I believe that takes away the job of a human being. Picture this: you are looking toward the front of the store. The self check-out stations are located to the left of the regular check-out stands. Not always in use, there are about seven check-out locations where store employees will total the cost of your purchases, have another employee pack your non-plastic bags that you brought from home, and, sometimes, even ask if you’d like some help out. A rare occasion in today’s world. I’m old – I like that help. Those check-out stands are located at the right of the self check-out stands.

Wait – no they are not! The regular check-out stands have been replaced with the self check-out stands; closer, by the way, to the door that I use to get to the handicapped parking area. So, where are checkers located? They are now on the left side of the self check-out stands, farther away from the exit door so we must walk a longer distance, pushing our cart loaded with our groceries, to get out of the store and head for our cars. This may sound like nit-picking, but after spending two hours walking through the store, loading and pushing a basket, it would be nice to have access to a door a little closer to the HCP parking.

Management had the presence of mind to install a very small additional check-out station, away from all of the others. Rather than being the standard station of at least eight feet long and twenty-five or so inches wide with the “cash register – computer, thing” on a separate stand, the small station is about five feet long. No belt to move groceries from where they are unloaded from the cart. Nope, just put the groceries on the “bench thing” – well, pile them up depending how many items there are. After they are checked through the scanner, put them into the bags with no help, except that of the checker who is working at getting them all scanned. All the while, more shoppers are waiting patiently in line for this checker to get to them. There is little room for the items on the opposite side of the scanner. No place to write a check or put ones wallet to get out the credit card. Of course, the credit card scanner also takes up room. Another NIGHTMARE!

I left the store about four thirty, after pushing my cart further than usual, unloading the cart into my car, and driving home, fighting the “going home” traffic of the day. Although the sun was still up in its sky – but not very high, I was actually driving while it was still light.

This was my experience in what was my favorite store – maybe, not any longer! I cannot really imagine the difficulty that anyone else with similar sight problems as mine (or other physical or visual difficulties) has shopping at that or any other store. I know that I’m not the only Safeway shopper with problems – I do wonder if anyone ever discusses these issues with the “powers that be.”
Be Safe and Be Well
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are very welcome!