Hello everyone,
This morning, I ventured out to Costco.
A week or so ago, I looked at the line at the warehouse near Christiana Mall. and decided to go elsewhere.
As it turned out the scene was deceptive. The membership club had already employed measures aimed at enforcing social distancing and store crowding.
Costco knows a thing or two about this difficult environment. The company is headquartered in the Seattle area, the first U.S. epicenter for coronavirus. It also has standardized operating practices that allow it to move quickly in such situations.
At Costco, you are handed a cart (sorry two cart hogs) and move forward, based on staff tracking the number of people in the store. A state trooper stands outside as a quiet reminder.
Distancing reminders are everywhere, although the warehouse has not employed one-way aisles. Paper towels were distributed throughout the store, with no toilet paper in sight.
Shoppers of a certain age (for the most part) were well behaved during the special hours. Most had facemasks.
The desire to endlessly examine a certain product made things more difficult as did one couple’s discussion on the wisdom of buying a certain item.
Another recent phenomenon was in evidence – people with facemasks deciding the six-foot rule does not apply to them. One knucklehead in a facemask got uncomfortably close to a Costco associate while trying to figure out how the line worked.
Checkout was smooth and the staff is friendly, despite having all hands on deck.
The final stop came at Costco’s new gas station. Staff was on hand and it appeared that each time a motorist pumped gas, the nozzle was wiped down.
The overall experience, even with the 15-minute wait before going inside, was less stressful than a visit to a grocery store with its far less disciplined customers.
It’s still a necessity to visit your local market since Costco sells things in bulk and a long trip to the mall does not make sense for many.
The same rules apply. Keep your distance, wear your mask and gently remind others to stay back, unless they look capable of inflicting bodily harm. – Doug Rainey, chief content officer.
