monday's mulling: first appearances {october 9, 2023}

My dad had a very successful career with today's almost defunct Sears, Roebuck and Co. He was a store manager and one of his pieces of wisdom that he imparted upon his employees was to be proud of their job at Sears which included pride in their appearance and pride in keeping their departments neat. First appearances always make a big impression in any aspect of life.

I remember back in the day when there were few restrictions on public smoking, ash trays were at the entrance doors to department stores and cigarette butts would pile up. Not at my dad's stores. The custodians had to check on and clean the ash trays every couple hours. Employees had to keep the merchandise in their departments neat and orderly. If there were slow times, you walked through your department to see what could look better. Were the hanging items all facing the same way, were the folded clothes stacked neatly, were the screw drivers lined up according to size. There was always something to do.

The same philosophy goes at an outdoors farmer's market. Are the shelves full, are the vegetables presented neatly, are the areas around the shelves free from debris. There is always something to do when there is some down time.

During sweet corn season, corn husks are all around the bin where customers get their ears of corn. We rake at least a couple times a day to keep that area neat.

We have a section for half-price veggies, ones that need to be used in the next few days. It's necessary to go through them daily in case they spoil. Spoiled veggies don't leave a favorable impression.

Tomatoes spoil quickly and need to be watched closely. Nothing grosser that putting your thumb in a rotten tomato. Better me than the customer.

One of the guys who works the morning shift used to work in the produce department at Dorothy Lane Market, a local store where the shelves always look neat and orderly. He keeps that philosophy with him and I'm willing to bet that we have some of the nicest looking vegetable displays in the area!

Customers have been picking through the colorful peppers. Looks like Dan will have to work his neatness magic!