Stop and Shop Does a great job!

[DawnCt1]

At least the one in my area. They hire from ARC which is the association of those with Developmental disabilities. They have since I began shopping there years ago. I remember "D" when he was a young man, riding his three wheeled bike to work so he could be independent. Today his hair is mostly gray. There are several grocery stores in my area including Costco, and I usually hit them all one time or other. Lately I have been going to Big Y because their 'loss leaders' have been good. Today I went back to Stop and Shop after Costco. I loaded my groceries on the belt and there was "L". She has been working there since she was a teen. Now she is a woman. I said, "Well, I am sure glad to see my favorite bagger today". The grocery checker said, "That's exactly what I said when I got to work this morning". "L" loved the attention, told me she was 'staying out of trouble'. I told her that I didn't believe her, which made her laugh even more and we chatted back and forth until it was time to pay. She is absolutely delightful and I am amazed at the number of customers that proceed through the check out line and act as if the ARC employees do not exist. When my groceries were totaled. ($118) the checker said, "A previous customer left a $10 coupon because she couldn't use it. We were waiting for our favorite customer to come through!" I was so touched. What a nice thing for her to do. Edited to add, Stop and Shop, out of at least 4 grocery stores, is the only one that hires ARC.

 

[freckles and boo]

Our Jewel-Osco stores hire developmentally delayed adults, too. There is a guy who is probably my age who is an ace at gathering carts. I suspect he has Asperger's by the nature of his chattiness. There are also half a dozen women who bag groceries. They are all treated with respect by the other employees but I know what you mean about the shoppers ignoring them.

 

[justjudy]

The Stop and Shop I use does the same thing. Wonderful idea.

 

[DawnCt1]

I really do not understand why the other grocery stores do not hire them. When I was working, the cafeteria that served the insurance company hired HARC (Hartford ARC). They are all such dedicated, happy workers. They love their jobs, no matter what they are. It was sad when the insurance company changed cafeteria vendors. The new vendor made no attempt to keep the HARC employees on. It was a sad day saying goodbye to all of them. Some of the older ones had been there for years. It was a bright day in their lives and a bright day in ours.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Our Stop and Shop does too. My favorite bagger is Ellen. My ds even know her from the bowling alley. She only has a hearing problem but can only take the bus and is pretty independent. They now have a new bagger, Kelly and we know her too from the special recreation bowling probram where my ds work. She doesnt speak and only puts about 1 thing in the bag, but I just smile. I am glad for the help since I just got out of the hosp. I dont have too much energy these past 2 months. Also around here you are generally expected to bag your own groceries if it is busy in the line, so I do try to find the line where they are working.

 

[maelstrom]

I really miss our Stop & Shop. The building ours was in was bought by Shoprite and is now dirty, cramped, expensive, and gross. Shoprite can turn even the nicest building into a dump.

 

[DawnCt1]

I really miss our Stop & Shop. The building ours was in was bought by Shoprite and is now dirty, cramped, expensive, and gross. Shoprite can turn even the nicest building into a dump.

Isn't that amazing! If I walk into a grocery store and smell ANYTHING, I leave. I have an extremely sensitive sense of smell and Shoprite has always stunk! We don't have one in our area anymore.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Dawn, one of our fellow DIS'ers works at HARC. She just got back from WDW with a group of 13 clients. They had an amazing time!

My S&S also hires from ARC for baggers. They are always so friendly to the kids, DD eats up the attention she gets from a few of the baggers.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Before you glorify S&S too much you need to know that they get a subsidy for hiring the handicapped. I know the inner workings of the company personally and I can tell you that they treat their employees pretty much like dirt. I think it is a great idea to hire the handicapped I work with educationally challenged kids all day but it kind of gets my back up when I hear S&S glorified. They treat their suppliers horribly too do you know that companies have to pay big money to get a product into the store? It is called a slotting fee and it is a dirty little secret. It keeps the little guy out of the competition. I have not even scratched the surface with some of the things that they have done.

OH and the Jimmy Fund, they force their suppliers to put in all the money and then THEY hand over the check making it look as if the company donated to the cause. TRUST me there is no altruistic motive for anything they do. As for the cashier being nice, well now they have this new policy that they give the customer everything and if they do the cashier gets "recognized" with a gift card (worth 2.50 no not 250.00 ....two dollars and fifty cents).

 

[Nancyg56]

I don't know about S&S but there are several Geisler stores in our area and the one in East Windsor hires developmentally delayed adults and have done so for more years than I can remember. They also have a great reputation for how they treat all of their employees.

 

[DawnCt1]

Before you glorify S&S too much you need to know that they get a subsidy for hiring the handicapped. I know the inner workings of the company personally and I can tell you that they treat their employees pretty much like dirt. I think it is a great idea to hire the handicapped I work with educationally challenged kids all day but it kind of gets my back up when I hear S&S glorified. They treat their suppliers horribly too do you know that companies have to pay big money to get a product into the store? It is called a slotting fee and it is a dirty little secret. It keeps the little guy out of the competition. I have not even scratched the surface with some of the things that they have done.

OH and the Jimmy Fund, they force their suppliers to put in all the money and then THEY hand over the check making it look as if the company donated to the cause. TRUST me there is no altruistic motive for anything they do. As for the cashier being nice, well now they have this new policy that they give the customer everything and if they do the cashier gets "recognized" with a gift card (worth 2.50 no not 250.00 ....two dollars and fifty cents).

The margin on groceries is very thin, so they will do what they will do to make a profit. I get that. One of my DSs worked for them in high school so I know that they do not treat their employees well. Part of the scheduling problems he had was due to union rules. He was available weekends, not so much during the week. On the other hand, they have had a consistant policy of working with ARC. None of the other stores in the area have done that. Whatever the machinations are that occur "back stage", the ARC employees are happy. They like what they do. They have an opportunity that they don't have elsewhere in this rather large town. The cashier gave me a $10 coupon that another customer left. She didn't need to do it. She could have given it to someone else.
Believe me, I have had my complaints with S&S, but on one occasion, I returned a spoiled item and I didn't even need to show my receipt. I received an apology, a gift card and was told to select a larger item. The same happened when someone forgot to bag my Easter ham. I went back to get it. They told me to select the largest one I could find. It was a mistake. No one did it intentionally, but the store policy was to satisfy the customer.
On the other hand, I brought home two Purdue chickens from Big Y. I put them in the refrigerator and the next day, it was obvious that they were spoiled. They were within the date of purchase, but stunk up the whole refrigerator. I took them back to the store, with the receipt. They ran my Big Y card. In overhearing the conversation with the manager, I heard her tell her the amount of my annual purchase, there was a lot of hem and hawing, no apology and I finally got my refund. On another occasion, I bought some lose, wrapped peanut brittle candy in the bulk candy section. Not very much, maybe a quarter of a pound. I got out to the car, took out a piece and noticed that something was wiggling in the wrapper. It was filled with TINY WORMS!! I walked back into the store and the manager happened to be at the desk. I said, "This is what I just bought five minutes ago". Response? an incredibly rude, "Are you sure you bought it here"? "Here is the receipt! I don't have time to wait for you to apologize, You are welcomed, I did you a favor", and I walked out.
The only good customer service grocery store besides Costco has actually been S&S in my experience.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

The margin on groceries is very thin, so they will do what they will do to make a profit. I get that. One of my DSs worked for them in high school so I know that they do not treat their employees well. Part of the scheduling problems he had was due to union rules. He was available weekends, not so much during the week. On the other hand, they have had a consistant policy of working with ARC. None of the other stores in the area have done that. Whatever the machinations are that occur "back stage", the ARC employees are happy. They like what they do. They have an opportunity that they don't have elsewhere in this rather large town. The cashier gave me a $10 coupon that another customer left. She didn't need to do it. She could have given it to someone else.
Believe me, I have had my complaints with S&S, but on one occasion, I returned a spoiled item and I didn't even need to show my receipt. I received an apology, a gift card and was told to select a larger item. The same happened when someone forgot to bag my Easter ham. I went back to get it. They told me to select the largest one I could find. It was a mistake. No one did it intentionally, but the store policy was to satisfy the customer.
On the other hand, I brought home two Purdue chickens from Big Y. I put them in the refrigerator and the next day, it was obvious that they were spoiled. They were within the date of purchase, but stunk up the whole refrigerator. I took them back to the store, with the receipt. They ran my Big Y card. In overhearing the conversation with the manager, I heard her tell her the amount of my annual purchase, there was a lot of hem and hawing, no apology and I finally got my refund. On another occasion, I bought some lose, wrapped peanut brittle candy in the bulk candy section. Not very much, maybe a quarter of a pound. I got out to the car, took out a piece and noticed that something was wiggling in the wrapper. It was filled with TINY WORMS!! I walked back into the store and the manager happened to be at the desk. I said, "This is what I just bought five minutes ago". Response? an incredibly rude, "Are you sure you bought it here"? "Here is the receipt! I don't have time to wait for you to apologize, You are welcomed, I did you a favor", and I walked out.
The only good customer service grocery store besides Costco has actually been S&S in my experience.

I am happy that you are glad with your service BUT let me also tell you that I KNOW the margin on groceries and it is not thin. I actually worked for a supermarket chain as a buyer so I KNOW what the margin is and I know who gouges and who does not . I also know who has put people out of business and who has not.

 

[DawnCt1]

I am happy that you are glad with your service BUT let me also tell you that I KNOW the margin on groceries and it is not thin. I actually worked for a supermarket chain as a buyer so I KNOW what the margin is and I know who gouges and who does not . I also know who has put people out of business and who has not.

I had always heard that its a 1.5% margin. What is the margin? I am not loyal to any chain. I shop the loss leaders and I will go out of my way because I am still feeding 6 people. Last week I bought boneless, skinless chicken for $1.15 per pound. A whole tenderloin cut in filet mignon for $4.88 per pound. Ground Chuck, 80% lean for $2.15 per pound. It wasn't at ANY of the supermarkets!. But a small, little out of the way grocery store.

 

[bballmom56]

Our Shop Rites hire people from ARC and they are always the nicest people! My DD worked for our local ARC in a group home and really loved what she did. Her favorite part (and very important to the residents) was taking them out in the community either to shop, go out to eat, do errands, bowling, swimming, library, etc. When her home got a new manager, the new manager didn't allow them to do that. DD ended up very frustrated as that was not in the best interest of the residents. She actually applied to be the job coach within ARC, who works with the local businesses to hire some of the ARC members, but she hadn't been there long enough to be selected for that.

There are many businesses in our community that have ARC clients working for them. You just don't always see them.

 

[shortbun]

We actually have an ARC Industires here. Kroger employs diabled people as well. It's out of my way but sometimes I go there, just because.

 

[shortbun]

I am happy that you are glad with your service BUT let me also tell you that I KNOW the margin on groceries and it is not thin. I actually worked for a supermarket chain as a buyer so I KNOW what the margin is and I know who gouges and who does not . I also know who has put people out of business and who has not.

Pray, do tell!!!