My snail-mail box has been deluged as of late with coupons and annoucements for the newly remodeled Safeway in Rose City on Sandy Boulevard. With this and the recent renovation to the Lloyd District store, Safeway is trying to upscale their clientele with a mix of low prices and artisan items. End result? Pretty appealing.
Pocket overflowing with coupons and grocery list in hand, I joined the madness at the grand re-opening this afternoon. It took a while to secure a parking spot, but I got in! Couldn’t push my cart more than a few feet without running into another sample station. I tried everything from fresh cantalope to New York steak. It was fun to comiserate with my fellow customers about the crowds, and several staff members commented that they hadn’t expected such a huge turnout.
Once I was finally done with my shopping, the checkout lines were eight- to ten-carts deep. Several staffers functioned as “checkout hosts” and kept the area in front of the stands clear for cart traffic while the rest of the line extended into the grocery aisles. I strategically chose the one in the “Magazine and Greeting Cards” aisle because there was no avoiding the wait, and at least that would keep me entertained. I flipped through a copy of a home deco mag and people-watched. Since they were ready for crowds, it didn’t as long as I thought. Kudos to the staff for being well-organized and polite even after being on their feet all day.
It took about two hours altogether for me to emerge triumphant, saving a whopping 48% on my groceries. Complimentary Starwhore’s frapp-a-chino in hand (wouldn’t drink if I had to pay for it!), I dodged the cars headed in for their turn at the shopping adventure, loaded my rig, and headed home.