My new Piggly Wiggly

[Jenise]

Well, not yet exactly. But the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons is going to require that the Albertsons side sell of the four Haggen stores in Bellingham as well as 1 of 2 Safeways. We presume the 2nd Safeway, technically being located in Lynden and not Bellingham, is unaffected by the requirement to prevent a monopoly. The two Kroger stores known as Freddy's, short for its full name Fred Meyer, are probably the most popular stores in this town. Well, them and three Grocery Outlets.

The five stores in the crosshairs are being sold to C&S Wholesalers, I think the name is, is headquartered somewhere in the midwest. All we know about this outfit is that they own the Piggly Wiggly stores and appear to have no other west coast affiliations. No idea what's coming, but I sense it's not going to be good. Anyone know them?

Piggy Wiggley introduced self-serve check out which I hate and will not do. I see people often having trouble with them. Lots of info online as to why they are so popular. We do not have one and frankly, I am sick of fast food and big box. I recall the years of mom-and-pop stores and I dearly loved them.

Piggy Wiggley introduced self-serve check out which I hate and will not do. I see people often having trouble with them. Lots of info online as to why they are so popular. We do not have one and frankly, I am sick of fast food and big box. I recall the years of mom-and-pop stores and I dearly loved them.

I'm with you. I also dislike them because they replace employees. Local WalMarts went 100% self-serve here, but after a few months added some real people again due to the dislike.

[Jenise]

Karen, once upon a time self check-outs were ridiculously buggy. I hardly ever made a successful purchase without having to call over the attendant to fix something. I hated them.

But those problems are very rare now. I use the self-checkouts if I can go straight to one vs. waiting for a real cashier. And Larry, while I understand your resistance to replacing humans, that ship has sailed. The commitment to self check-out virtually everywhere is firmly established and growing. And in my area, which was decimated by Covid, where market shelves were empty and medical clinics and restaurant were working limited hours or even closing because they couldn't find employees to re-stock and serve? Self check-out was frankly a godsend for necessary businesses. I'm sure it has been the case in many other areas as well.

I don't mind self-checkouts but they are still buggy, especially w/r/t using your own bags.

And to Karen: It is one of the pleasures of NYC that real estate is so expensive here that we have very few big-box stores. NYC is one of the last strongholds of mom-and-pops.

I don't mind self-checkouts but they are still buggy, especially w/r/t using your own bags.

Yes! So annoying with the prompts for bagging after each item.

And to Karen: It is one of the pleasures of NYC that real estate is so expensive here that we have very few big-box stores. NYC is one of the last strongholds of mom-and-pops.

Is that just about real estate pricing, or also zoning laws? Definitely more chains than 20-30 years ago, but that isn't the same as big-box stores.

I've never been to Costco but was reading recent NYT article about them and I guess there's one in your fair borough of Brooklyn.

I don't think Piggly Wiggly introduced self service checkout. I think you are confusing that with the fact that 100+ years ago Piggly-Wiggly was the first self service grocery store- or we call them now, grocery stores. Well into 20th century most places you went in and gave your order to clerk, who filled your order and rang up bill. PW was first to have shelves with marked prices, carts, etc. By the 1980s when self service checkout was first introduced PW was no longer an innovator.
They are far less buggy these days and I often (mostly) use self service lines, Even if there's a glitch and I need to wait a minute for the clerk (one clerk for 4 or 6 machines depending on store)it's generally far faster than being in s line behind the person who generally forgot their loyalty card and now which number did I use? Oh, my order is rung up, maybe I'll get out my wallet/purse now, well let me see if I have the correct change.
Not doing somethingmore efficienty because it will replace jobs is backward looking. I think sewing machines are better for society than seamtresses, and cars better than rickshaws.

The ship may have left and I may be backwards, but I still hate self-checkouts. If you like them, use them. I like to talk to my favorite cashiers.

One reason WalMart here reverted to some cashiers again was the rampant shoplifting.

I don't think Piggly Wiggly introduced self service checkout. I think you are confusing that with the fact that 100+ years ago Piggly-Wiggly was the first self service grocery store- or we call them now, grocery stores. Well into 20th century most places you went in and gave your order to clerk, who filled your order and rang up bill. PW was first to have shelves with marked prices, carts, etc. By the 1980s when self service checkout was first introduced PW was no longer an innovator.
They are far less buggy these days and I often (mostly) use self service lines, Even if there's a glitch and I need to wait a minute for the clerk (one clerk for 4 or 6 machines depending on store)it's generally far faster than being in s line behind the person who generally forgot their loyalty card and now which number did I use? Oh, my order is rung up, maybe I'll get out my wallet/purse now, well let me see if I have the correct change.
Not doing somethingmore efficienty because it will replace jobs is backward looking. I think sewing machines are better for society than seamtresses, and cars better than rickshaws.

I searched PG and this came up in an article written about them:
"Piggly Wiggly's introduction of self-service grocery shopping revolutionized the grocery industry; many of the conveniences and services that American shoppers now enjoy were brought to them first by Piggly Wiggly®."

[Jenise]

True story: one market near me installed two self check-outs early on. Refinements had not yet improved the vocal descriptions (which seem to have disappeared in the years since) that acknowledged each scanned item. A couple were quite humorous: my favorite was any bread item that wasn't actually a loaf, like crumpets or English muffins: "Please put your BUNS in the bag!", she'd say. Worth buying just to hear it.

[Robin Garr]

True story: one market near me installed two self check-outs early on. Refinements had not yet improved the vocal descriptions (which seem to have disappeared in the years since) that acknowledged each scanned item. A couple were quite humorous: my favorite was any bread item that wasn't actually a loaf, like crumpets or English muffins: "Please put your BUNS in the bag!", she'd say. Worth buying just to hear it.

When I started studying Spanish on Duolingo, etc., I started resetting the Kroger self checkout device to Español and turning it up, mostly so I could practice but also to irritate any MAGAts who happened to be nearby. I never did have any confrontations but a couple of odd looks, and occasional staff checking on me to see if I was a pitiful geezer who hit the wrong button and didn't know how to get out of it. ("No, gracias, estoy apriendo la idioma Español," I'd tell them with a nerdy smile.)

I believe you meant to say, no gracias estoy abriendo la idioma español in english

[Robin Garr]

Or switched into Italian!

And to Karen: It is one of the pleasures of NYC that real estate is so expensive here that we have very few big-box stores. NYC is one of the last strongholds of mom-and-pops.

Is that just about real estate pricing, or also zoning laws? Definitely more chains than 20-30 years ago, but that isn't the same as big-box stores.

I've never been to Costco but was reading recent NYT article about them and I guess there's one in your fair borough of Brooklyn.

Oh, no doubt. Inroads will be made, they have the money to buy changes to zoning laws.