Publix and United Way

You know, I truly love Publix grocery stores, and I feel the need to tell you about my experience shopping there on my way home from a training yesterday. We unfortunately have no Publix anywhere in our county. In fact the choices for grocery shopping in Clewiston are pitiful, so on my way home from Sarasota, I stopped at the Publix store on highway 80 headed home to Clewiston.

From the moment I walked in the store I was blown away. Every single employee who passed me, looked me directly in the eye and asked me how I was doing, and offered to help me find anything I might need. This is not standard customer service in a world that is allowing customer service to fall very short. The store itself was spotless and sparkling clean, again a think unusual for Clewiston. Then, there was the freshness of the produce, unlike last week, the produce I bought in local stores went bad in a day. AND THE CHOICES!!!! The choices for food, produce, meats, etc. is limited locally, here the choices were endless. At the seafood shop I overhead a customer ask for the rare thing they did not have fresh, the assistant called every Publix Store in the vicinity, gave the customer directions to the store, and had the store hold the item till the customer got there. Meanwhile, staff continued to greet me pleasantly and offer assistance.

As I went through the store I discovered their Green Wise Market, how cool! These days, more and more people are looking for naturally delicious and environmentally friendly products. The Publix GreenWise Market items offers excellent quality and value. Organic items are raised without added growth hormones or synthetic antibiotics, steroids, pesticides, or fertilizers and are all-natural with no GMOs (genetically modified organisms). They offer, minimally processed, all-natural items with no artificial colors, flavor, preservatives or sweeteners. The earth-friendly products are produced in such a way to minimize any negative impact on the environment.

And of course, being the Good Corporate citizens they are, I can get Upromise Points by shopping there, and free oral anitbiotics from the pharmacy. Again, all with EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.

So it is finally check out time, the check out woman was so pleasant, chatted with me, and as the bagger had left checked my groceries and bagged them, refusing to let me help. A manager witnessed this came and began bagging apologizing profusely not only to me but to the check out girl. Then the manager offered to take my groceries to the car, I told him (being the feminist I am) that it was truly not necessary. He insisted. He took the cart to my car, unloaded the groceries, making sure I put the cold stuff up front near the AC knowing I had a long drive and taking care to put eggs and bread where they could not be damaged. Again, I was shocked, so I had to bring up the fact that I worked for United Way, he proudly puffed up and told me how much the store had done, I smiled and told him I was well aware of it and mentioned that Publix funds had helped incredibly in our rural Hendry and Glades Counties and shared the wonderful work their funds had allowed us to achieve. I told him the biggest thing the company could do for us now, was to please open a store in Clewiston! He proudly again told me they are opening 30 new stores next year.

The store I went to was: The Shops at Verandah 11851 Palm Beach Blvd Fort Myers, FL 33905-5912

Cool, lets hope one is in Clewiston and God Bless Publix!