Page 38 - March #170

RLI RETAIL INSIGHT
The Community

Store

In this month’s Retail Insight, Adam Kaat, author of ‘Life on the
Grocery Line: A Frontline Experience in a Global Pandemic’ gives us a
rst-hand account of what life was really like on the front lines of retail
during Covid-19, highlighting how the humble retail space became much more than that
and became the centre of communities.

As we move out of the pandemic and on to whatever is next store. We were trapped in each other’s presence for far longer
for retail I think it’s valuable to look back on what we saw and than necessary. We made the best of it and tried to joke about
experienced. Below is an account from the very beginning of the the circumstance but that only goes so far.
pandemic when the first waves of lockdown were upon us. I started to notice that the grocery store was a centre of
We are about a month in from when they announced the first community more than I had ever imagined. It was the only thing
lockdown. There is a line around the building filled with people open. People would go to the store just to get out of the house.
bundled up against a cool spring day, rubbing their arms to keep I would see folks three or four times a day. They’d rather wait in
warm while they wait to buy groceries. I am in charge of counting line out in the cold multiple times a day instead of being cooped
the number of people allowed in the store. Everyone I speak to up at home. I even recognised my job as some relief from being
only needs a few small items but will probably decide they should isolated. Restaurants and bars weren’t open and bigger social
stock up because there is talk of lockdowns being extended a events were gone. All I had was work, co-workers and the
month. I feel exhausted just looking at all these folks just waiting customers who went through my line.
to get inside. One night, I met a couple that clearly had been fighting in the
At the front of the line a man begins talking at me instead of to car and maybe while shopping. They looked miserable and worn
me. His voice begins to rise as his arms start to gesture and flail. thin. I tried to make light of the interaction and asked them how
He doesn’t know why we can’t just let everyone in. The man’s their night was going. Without emotion in her face the woman
tone is accusatory. He is blaming me for the inconvenience and replied, ‘I guess this is date night.’ Stunned, I took a pause for
for his su ering. I listen to him for maybe five minutes straight but a moment and laughed. Her comment managed to make us
I don’t have anything to say to him. There is nothing I can do to all chuckle for a few seconds. But the reality was that this little
comfort his weary soul. So, we just have to sit here, until finally, interaction was all we had for face-to-face contact. It’s most
another customer leaves and the angry man can go inside. likely the only relief they had from whatever troubles they were
During the first few months of the pandemic you could watch going through.
a scene unfold like this every day, over and over again. It went The pandemic has taught me that we really need each other
on for so long in Denver, Colorado it was hard to tell when - even strangers - more than we think. For me personally, I felt
it might end. You might remember those early months when like I went from a cashier to a therapist overnight. People were
new rules came out all the time, like we would have to wipe spilling their hearts out to me in these di cult times.
down the register, conveyor belt and credit card machine after We all have areas we can improve upon in our own lives and
every customer, and we were an extremely busy store. All of in the way we treat others. There are lessons to learn about in
the normal duties of being a cashier slowed down to a grinding business and human nature. I truly believe the best is yet to come
halt. Customers felt it too because they wanted to get out of the for all of us.

36 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2022