I hope the day comes when Wegmans returns to being a social outing as well as a shopping destination. Before the virus, the stores were hangouts for people of all ages. Nerds, taking advantage of free wi-fi, would play video games together in the cafe. Codgers would gather for coffee and doughnuts. High school students…
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Masks and wellness checks make their debut
My co-workers have finally begun to wear masks. Not all of them, but some, which indicates not only that they’ve received the required training but that the company has reduced the pressure not to. Beginning yesterday, Wegmans employees undergo wellness checks before starting work. We’re asked whether we’re experiencing any symptoms, including a new or…
Shifting sands at Wegmans
I’ve been searching for the word that best encapsulates the change in Wegmans, pre- and post-coronavirus. How have perceptions been altered by the company’s response to the pandemic? The word trust comes to mind, certainly. Although Wegmans maintains a loyal and enthusiastic customer base, many of us trust the company less today than we did…
Social distancing from pay screens
Awhile back, I asked whether anyone had found a way to avoid touching payment screens at grocery stores and other retailers. I’ve watched sanitizing procedures, at Wegmans and elsewhere, and these screens are often overlooked. Dozens, even hundreds, of fingers touch them each day as shoppers process credit cards and other digital payments. I had…
An essential worker wallows
In the early days of the Corona Epoch, I was distressed to hear that people of Asian heritage were being harassed. Then I learned of some friends in the South who were told to “get the f**k out” because their car had New York plates. Now, I have to admit, I wonder if I’m branded…
Some things will change forever
We can’t help but speculate about how we’ll be different when we finally emerge from this nightmare. Surely, some traditions such as the handshake will fade away. And good riddance to European-style cheek kissing. How will food shopping change? We’re witnessing the transition already. In the future, we’ll likely see: More online ordering. Will this…
The reappearing grocery list
People who would never dream of flinging McDonald’s bags or empty Budweiser cans out car windows have no qualms about littering in supermarkets. Even for the law-abiding, the act of leaving things in wrong places is part of the shopping experience. Miscreants will select a family-sized package of hamburger, decide several aisles later they don’t…
Wegmans will supply masks to employees
After banning face masks and then discouraging their use, Wegmans has announced that it will supply them to employees. “All along, we have followed the guidance of the CDC for the latest trusted advice,” President and CEO Colleen Wegman said in a press release posted today. “Most recently they are advising that the application of…
In praise of porches
Working the night shift during a pandemic, I sometimes feel like all I do is stock shelves, eat and try to sleep. But as temperatures have risen (temporarily, at least), I’ve grown increasingly fond of my front porch. I’ve always enjoyed the porch as a place for reading, having coffee in the morning or a…
Going on a bear hunt
Don’t know if there’s been panic buying of these little guys, but there ought to be. Dozens have popped up in my neighborhood, including a group having a tea party. The kids love them. (See this story from the New York Times.) My store, which has a toy section, didn’t have any in stock, so…