The closest supermarket to where I'm staying is known to the cognoscenti as "Blob-blaws" and that store's management has become weaker and weaker lately. This evening I decided to work in my health-motivated walk and kill two birds with one stone by picking up a few groceries. I was on a very short time-line, because I didn't want to miss too much of the hockey game.
Of the six items I wanted to buy, two were difficult to locate in the store. After being misdirected twice (by well-meaning but "new here" employees), a third spotted the manager -- David -- so I trotted up to ask him where I might find a coffee mug. He didn't even answer me, just shook his head to indicate "NO." I repeated my question in case he hadn't heard me. "No coffee cups or mugs AT ALL?" THIS time, he didn't even look up, just shook his head again. I tried again: "You don't even have any travel mugs for coffee?" Same treatment. So off I went to where I THOUGHT there should be coffee mugs -- and found them ($4.98) -- and then I remembered the other missing item. Back to David, where I asked him where I would find the horseradish mayo. "We don't have that. I've never even HEARD of it," he said in an accusing tone. I was dumbfounded: "But it's a PC brand. It's your HOUSE brand!" Back he went to the head-shaking. Fed up, I said: "Well, that's unbelievable. But just in case anyone ELSE asks you, I found the coffee mugs without your help!" And I showed it to him.
If this guy is the manager, I mean, aren't they TRYING to sell product? This is the "Forest Hill Market" branch of Loblaws, so it's hard to believe they don't have the full product lines one expects in a store on the edge of one of the wealthiest areas in Toronto! And PS, I have purchased PC horseradish mayo at this particular store on several occasions.
So, Manager David, I suggest you freshen up your resumé, as you are bound to be job-hunting soon (at least as soon as the Weston folks discover how poorly you are doing your job, and how dreadfully you are treating your customers). And PPS: I was so annoyed that I walked out without buying anything. I think I'll try Sobey's instead, even though it means getting into my car and driving there! Bah!
But first, I had to return something to Michael's in Richmond (no hassle, BTW). On the way to the cashier. I noticed the item in question, so I asked a supervisor "Do you do price-matching?" and she said "Yes, if it's the same item." So I went out to the car to retrieve the Walmart flyer. The item I wanted was a set of three baking sheets from Wilton. (My old ones are GROSS.) I was dubious that Michael's would match Walmart's $8.98 price, because Michael's shelf price was $24.98. But miracle-of-miracles, Michael's price actually came up at even less than Walmart's -- including the taxes! 