I've lived on the Central Coast for 13 years and moved to Paso a little over five years ago. I am a regular shopper at the Niblick store and I live within about 3 miles. Employees recognize me, as I usually shop there at once a week since the pandemic (more often before). Nearly every time I've gone in since April, one pandemic related "policy" or another has changed. Either it's been the arrows indicating what direction you can enter an aisle (now gone), entering the store from the veggie side and exiting from the pharmacy side (now it's the other entrance on the veggie side). In the early days of the pandemic, I was literally stopped and scolded by one of the regular employees for going down an isle in the wrong direction to get my cottage cheese. I kid not, he raised his voice at me. I have also been turned away when I wasn't aware that I was walking in the "exit side" and told to go to the other end of the store to enter.
Still, I always stay calm in the long line, thank the checkers, deli counter workers and folks cleaning the carts for taking care of me. This is a hard time for them and deserved to be shown appreciation for their efforts.
Last week shopping at this store, I was pleased to see that everyone I passed in the store had a mask on. I told my husband, neighbors and friends that I felt fairly safe there, considering.
Yesterday, as I walked into the Paso Robles (Niblick Road) Albertson's, I noticed a very elegantly dressed elderly man (probably in his 80's or 90's) in front of me enter the store. One of the regular male employees I've seen over the years said to him "how you doin', Hollywood?" It seemed he knew the man. I was shopping later in the afternoon this time (Tuesday, 8/4/2020). I entered the store on the veggie side. While shopping, I noticed another elderly man and a fragile looking elderly woman (both wearing masks) choosing veggies. I can only imagine what they were thinking as they shopped. As I walked the isles choosing my items, I noticed a woman without a mask. Then I saw a young couple walking along without masks. Then, I saw a group of about 10 teenagers in a group, all without masks. I got into the line for check out. I commented to the woman directing me to the individual check out lane that I was shocked and really upset about the number of the people in the store without masks. She said "well, we have a sign on the door requesting for them to wear one, but we can't do anything if they don't." She told me to call the customer service phone number on the bottom of my receipt if I wanted to complain and told me to ask for someone named "Carol" if I wanted to talk to someone now. When I reached the checker, I looked behind her. There were the group of teens at the self check out station, mobbing the area between two check out stands. By then, I was really upset seeing that no one was doing anything to enforce the no mask policy. I asked the young checker how she was doing. She quietly shirked her shoulders and said "okay." I told her I was really upset about how many people were in the store not wearing masks. Seemed very sweet and young. I asked why management wasn't enforcing the no mask policy. She said that the managers told them they could refuse to wait on customers, but that they (the managers) couldn't do anything about it. In other words, they were putting the responsibility of mask enforcement on the employees they are supposedly "managing." She told me, "I have to just figure I'm going to get sick." Clearly, she felt helpless.
When I was finished, I thanked her and told her to stay healthy. I then asked a regular employee if I could speak with management. Out came the store "manager" (I use the word loosely) with his mask dipping below his nose. I told him I was livid that there were so many people in the store not wearing masks and no one was enforcing their policy. He said they can't force people to wear masks and they're doing all they can. When I insisted that they *could* (consider giant corporations requiring masks including Costco, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods), he argued and insisted that I'm wrong. It's private property. Ever heard "no shirt, no shoes, no service?" If his employees and customers mattered to him, he would not only enforce it, he would wear his flippin' mask over his nose!
As I walked out the *correct* exit door, I passed an employee cleaning carts... with his mask below his chin. I thanked him for cleaning the carts and told him it might be a good idea to use his mask properly since he's supposed to be cleaning carts.
SHEESH! If Albertson's management doesn't care about me, or their employees, AT LEAST care about the elderly customers shopping in their store. Consider how it must be to lay in a hospital bed on a ventilator, with none of your loved ones by your side, knowing that you lived 80+ years caring about others but it was too much for an inconsiderate store manager to care about you. read more
