Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - A NEW YEAR'S WISH

While working through the holidays, and having company visit, I hadn't had the chance to write a page dedicated to the New Year.  And when trying to come up with something well, the only thing to come to mind was, Happy New Year!

But while working on New Year's Day, there was a song that came to mind that kind of says it all.  For even after 43 years, the words still ring clear and leave just as much of an impression on life as they did back then.

So, to everyone;

"......... a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Let's hope it's a good one, without any fears."
                                                         John Lennon, 1971

And from me;

May your family come closer and never part,
And your friendships be many and dear to your heart.

Show kindness and caring to those that you meet,
Let these words guide you and you will never be in need.

                                                   NG, 2013

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - THE WISH TREE

Inside the front door of the store, stands an artificial Christmas Tree.  There are no ornaments to adorn it and there are no blinking lights; just a plain, green, artificial tree.  And even though this tree is not decorated in Christmas fashion it does, however, provide a strong Christmas spirit - the spirit of giving.

This tree is called, Wish Tree.

Hanging from it's limbs are tags and each one has the name of a child along with their age and a description of what they may want or need for Christmas.

In passing the customers, and employees alike, stop to view this unadorned tree and  one by one the tags begin to disappear. 

With each tag that is taken, a gift is returned; all wrapped in Christmas paper and adorned with bright colored bows.  Quickly, a pile of presents starts to form and then another and another until there are grocery carts heaped with all of these gifts.  And when there is no more room in the carts then the piles start forming again.

So in these times when things seem bleak and we are all forced to contend with the uncertainties of the coming year, there is still something in us that makes us want to share, care and to give.

And when I hear someone state that everyone has lost the true meaning of Christmas and that it has become too commercial, I think of the Wish Tree.

This simple, unadorned tree demonstrates to us all that the true spirit of Christmas is still with us.

Merry Christmas

Talk at ya later!

 

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - A HOLIDAY THANKS

It's that time of year again, when people seem to get just a little nicer.  Customers, and employees alike, seem to smile more as they go about their every day business. 

But this year, a couple of employees have provided just a little something extra to the holiday spirit.

To start off with, a Frontline employee decided to have a Christmas Party for the department;  decorations were hung, a lot of delicious foods were prepared and the gifts were abundant.  And in order to provide a time where each of the department employees could enjoy the festivities, some managers and other department employees manned the stations. 

And to add a little something extra another Frontline employee made stockings, filling them with candy and keepsakes, and presented one to each Frontline employee.

Each of these two ladies used their time and abilities to provide a moment of enjoyment for the people that they work with. 

While we all are busy, in our personal lives as well as with our jobs this time of year, it's kind of special when someone takes it upon themselves to provide that little something extra for the people around them. 

So here's to all of those great cooks (meatballs) and bakers that provided such a feast - thanks, it was delicious. 

And here's to Debbie and Susan, for making it special.

Talk at ya later!
 

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - THE CHRISTMAS GIFT

Since I have been on vacation, I have been up in my studio painting away at my easel.  Leaving the Laptop behind I have opted for brushes instead of a keyboard.  But, come lunchtime I hit the kitchen and grab a feast and, instead of heading back up to the easel, I make a right to the office and sit down at the Laptop. 

Just to check my email, of course.

Before you know it I have ventured onto the news sites and what do I find, but an article about a grocery store.  Please, I am on vacation.

Having just read the first couple of lines of the story, I was hooked and had to finish.

It seems that an owner of three grocery stores, out in Minnesota and North Dakota, has decided to retire after 46 years in the business; all of which time was spent working and growing his business.

After that many years in the grocery business, anyone would be ready for retirement. 

But here is the surprise ending to this story: instead of selling the business, he is transferring ownership to his 400 employees.  Sound a little off -beat?  Perhaps, but he has a reason and it's a good one.

You see, he feels that his employees are 'largely responsible' for his success and with that in mind, he feels that they deserve the benefit of the success.

So, to 400 employees in Minnesota and North Dakota - Merry Christmas!

But the real gift in this story is that this employer knew how he had become a success and was grateful.

Talk at ya later!

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - FAMILY, MEMORIES - AND SHOPPING?

There has been a lot of reporting going on, prior to Thanksgiving Day, with regard to retail companies making employees work on this holiday.  In fact, there has been enough information provided, from both sides of the fence, to keep journalists and columnists busy.  Employees of two major retailers threw out their side of the story while spokesmen for the companies provided their side.  Legal positions were taken while protests and walkouts were forecasted and still, the public went shopping.

And since I am a retail employee and, for the first time in ten years, had the benefit of spending this holiday with my family then I feel I have a right to throw my hat into this ring.

We, as retail employees and companies for that matter, are not the ones to call the shots; it is, in fact, the consumers.  This is the group that controls the retail world.  How much revenue will be brought in, what big ticket items will be purchased, how much workforce will be needed to cover the shopping frenzy, all decided by the consumer. 

They may not attend the board meetings of these large retail companies but, they sure do set the standards by which they operate.

The fact of not receiving time and a half pay to work the holiday, doesn't bother me at all.  It's not that I don't need the extra pay, it is the fact that I was able to put family first.

On these holidays, my cousin  opens up her home to all of us living in the vicinity.  She graciously prepares a tremendous feast and provides us all an opportunity to come together.  We laugh, converse, bring each other up to date and remember those that are not with us anymore. 

It is our time, our family time.

The family, of which we come from, is who we are; our past, present and future.   It is where we go when we need support, guidance and the feeling of belonging.  We argue, laugh, cry and through this we come together - we are family.

So, when speaking of this holiday and comparing the celebration and meaning of it, to those of previous years, we must remember that it is us, the public the consumer, that has allowed for this holiday to change.

We have a choice.

As for me, I prefer to celebrate with my family

Talk at ya later!







 

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - PERSONALITY

When people get transferred, from store to store, they will most generally move on to one that is further away. It will be a store that has been recently remodeled, might even support more traffic and have higher sales.  And many times this will be looked upon as a move up, or so I am told.  But when employees, who are not familiar with our store, find out that they are being transferred to our store, I understand that these employees most usually exhibit a 'Don't want to go' attitude.

Well, this last month we had someone come from another store to fill in and now they are leaving to go to another store.  And guess what?  They wanted to stay.

Considering this attitude was opposite, of the majority, I had to inquire as to why.

"I like it here." was the response which I received.  She went on to tell me that from the moment she walked in the doors that she felt the 'warmth'.  She could see the employees interacting with the customers, and by this she could tell what kind of store this was; warm, friendly.

From what I have been told, and experienced in another store, all stores are different; different personalities and outlooks.  And a lot of times, I have found that it is the personality/attitude of management that is the building block of the store's personality.

So even though we are not a remodeled store, and our appearance is somewhat dated, it is the employees and management that provide this warm and friendly personality

As one employee once stated, "It's the loyalty."

So, now we know.

Talk at ya later!

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

From time to time we, employees, like to reminisce.  We will speak of former employees, customers, and managers along with everything that we experienced during those days of long ago. 

In those days, we were a busy store.

The lines at the cash registers were never ending and when you left after a shift, you were literally dragging yourself out the door.  It was a time when frustration and laughter went hand in hand.  And if you didn't feel either of these emotions, well then, you weren't working hard enough.

Unfortunately, as time went on, things began to change. 

But this week, we got  a chance to revisit our past.

All the thanks goes to one of our employees who took the time to create, and frame, a collage - of  us.

Having assembled from so many pictures, this employee provided  us with a window to our past.  There they all were, past and present employees, with smiles on their faces and some in goofy poses.  We laughed as we pointed and named them all.   And the stories we can tell, makes us laugh all the harder.

We have all enjoyed this trip back to the past and have discovered how much we miss so many of those smiling faces.  And even though we realise that we can never recapture those times, it sure has brought a smile and a lot of laughter recalling them.

But tonight, amongst the pictures, I saw one that kind of says it all. 

The store manager that we have now, had been here some years ago.  In fact, this is where he did his training.  And when it was time for him to move on, he was given a party.  He was presented with a big poster board complete with signatures and pictures of his staff, along with the words, 'Good Luck'.  But on the bottom of the poster board, were these words that stood out the most;

'FROM THE MOST AWESOME GROUP OF EMPLOYEES YOU WILL EVER HAVE'

Enough said!

Talk at ya later!