Sunday, July 23, 2023

When One Door Closes, Mrs. HM Has To Open A Couple More

Farmer H startled me from the pain doctor's office last week, when he sent me a text that Country Mart was CLOSING on August 4! I quizzed him on whether it is permanent. He said he didn't know, but that he saw it on Facebook, and that it also said big changes were coming for fall. Which seemed to mean a reopening.

Anyhoo... I couldn't find the info anywhere. When I was in Country Mart yesterday, one of the workers struck up a conversation. I asked her about it, and she said they would be closed for 11 WEEKS! That means it will be November! Just before Thanksgiving when I can shop again at Country Mart! Also, she said they will NOT reopen the deli. That it was losing money, and they rented most of the equipment anyway. So that's disappointing.

She said that some of the workers will stay on to help during the remodel. They have told them they'll work Monday-Friday. She is a weekend worker, so that won't apply. She said the manager is trying her best to see that everybody gets some hours during that time, although they will be reduced. And that they don't qualify for unemployment, because the store is offering them hours at other locations. There is one in Sis-Town, by The Pony's post office, where he shops. And there is one over in Bill-Paying Town. 

I told her I don't know what I'll do, but that I'm glad the workers will have a job to come back to. She said, "There's always Save A Lot." To which I replied, "But the parking is crazy!" She agreed.

I am sure I won't resort to the Devil's Playground. Ever since the VIRUS, and their weird cattle chutes and one-way aisles and restricted hours, and their addition of self-checkouts and loss of regular checkouts, they leave a bad taste in my mouth. I don't mind bagging my own groceries at Save A Lot, but I draw the line at ringing them up. If they want my business, they can darn well sell me the merchandise! If I need something I can't find elsewhere, I will send Farmer H. 

6 comments:

Rae said...

I'm sorry to hear this. You will be discombobulated for quite awhile. Our favorite diner shut down last year and we're still waiting for it to open up as a new Mexican food restaurant and bar. We won't be going there. We have a Mexican restaurant and a new Taquiera place just opened in our old Taco John. We like the old original restaurant and we miss our diner. I know how it is when someplace you have been going to for so long, is gone. It's never the same again. Ranee (MN)

BTW, we went to DQ for our lunch today. We have been getting the fish sandwich combo, of late. I think it must be a requirement to take a bunch of napkins and scrunch them up before placing them in the bottom of the bag. I thought of you when I pulled them out.

Hillbilly Mom said...

Rae,
Yes, it will take some getting used-to. I have barely recovering from when Country Mart switched to a different chain a couple summers ago. As you can see, I'm still calling it Country Mart!

Too bad about your diner. I will miss picking up already-cooked food at the Country Mart deli.

Heh, heh! I wonder if that's how DQ trains their workers with the napkins. Good to know it's not just ME! I haven't tried the fish combo. I'll stick with my 2-for-$5 menu for now. The commercials for that Backyard BBQ Burger with the ranch sauce looks enticing, but I'm not trying anything new right now. I DO like their ranch sauce when I get a chicken tenders basket.

River said...

I'm not a big fan of change myself. I don't mind moving to a new area and finding the stores to shop at, but once I get the routine set I'd like it to stay that way. I'm facing a new way to walk to the shops now because the main road intersections are being widened so there's roadworks for the next few years. If this was Western Australia they'd have crews working around the clock with floodlights at night and the work would be done in a year. In SA they work regular daytime hours and don't work at all on weekends. Slackers.

Hillbilly Mom said...

River,
OH NO! I hate detours. I hope you discover a new path that works for you.

River said...

It just means going around the block in the opposite direction but that way is longer, which is fine most of the time, but a damn nuisance on frosty days.

Hillbilly Mom said...

River,
As I recall, you have some nice scarves to wrap around your neck for those frosty days. So there's that.