renovating/upgrading...

... in the store where I have been working for years. This work has been ongoing for several months, and apparently seems to be coming to an end. My supposition is based on the fact that there are not nearly as many cargo shipping containers out there on the far edge of the parking lot as there was when the project started. Meaning all the building materials required for the construction have been put in place, all those improvements have been largely implemented. Still some painting and cosmetic stuff needed, and signage replaced, but mostly finished.

The crew that comes in every night at ten and disappears at five a.m. is finishing this particular tour of duty. I have not asked and no one tells me anything, but I assume this construction crew signs on to travel, sort of a deployment for weeks on end as they travel the southeast renovating, moving from one town to another as stores age and need upgrades. A variety of tasks to be done as each store is provided with energy efficient improvements, safety features and new paint jobs.

One big thing that has happened here is most of our refrigerated items are now in coolers behind doors. Keeping the cool in, with customers having to open clear glass doors to reach in and get the products they desire. I assume it will save on utility costs, but that is a lot of opening and closing (with loss of chill power), as well as dozens of doors that have to be cleaned of hand prints. Frozen foods area has also been replaced, though these items were in glass-fronted displays, but now have motion sensor lights, so they are not constantly lit up. Probably more energy efficient too.

I passed a customer yesterday who was muttering to herself, trying to find the items on her list. Asking why it is necessary to relocate everything in the area just because we are renovating. Not understanding why improvements necessitate moving things around when she thought she knew right where her preferred products could be found. I laughed, commiserated and said: "I work here, and I cannot find anything either!" I know there are different square footage and sized of stores, but often hear buyers complain that they cannot find anything in a different store. "They should set them up all the same. This one is not like my store, and I don't know where anything is!"