My Publix Problem

by Patrick Best

My wife says I have a “Publix problem”. I admit that I visit my favorite grocery store five to six times per week (sometimes multiple times in a day), but I don’t think an intervention or counseling is needed. MY Publix is the new one on Ga. 20 at The Village Shoppes at Millers Chapel. I was a devoted fan of the one across the street, and I was a bit worried when I learned about the plan to move to the new spot. I knew the old store like the back of my hand, and I don’t deal all that well with change. The old place kinda felt like it was an extension of my pantry. With the exception of the bread now being in the aisle with the chocolate bars and big bags of M&Ms (this makes no sense to me), the layout and smaller size of the new store (about 10,000 sq. ft. smaller than the old store) is perfect. Much to the chagrin of my wonderful wife, it’s also closer to our house and easier to access.

I have to defend my dedication to MY Publix all the time. My wife has actually said the following sentence (in a rather stern voice, I might add) to me on more than one occasion: “Do not stop at Publix on the way home today. They’re going to think you’re weird. Stop by Kroger if you need something.” I simply can’t do it.  I eat a lot of the same things every day. I like fresh fruit, honey-glazed turkey, Cream Havarti Cheese, Publix Savory Tarragon Chicken Salad (that stuff is addictive), Chobani Yogurt (I like blueberry) and Glacier Freeze Gatorade. All the aforementioned items run out or expire fairly quickly, so I usually have a totally legitimate reason to drop by MY Publix every day or so. Plus, I like the employees, I like the layout and cleanliness of the store, and I like that a bagger will occasionally tip me off to a coupon that I missed. I like it that cashiers like Lana, Laurie, Theresa and Jim give me a wave and a smile when they see me in the store… even when they’re not scanning my groceries. I like that friends of my children work there and ask me about how they’re doing when they see me. I like that the college student/stocker that works out at my gym asks me if “I’ve played any basketball lately” or if I’m "hitting the weights hard” when I see him.

I know Publix is a huge company that has a corporate office in Florida and stores all over the Southeast, but the people who work at the one where I shop live in my community. Heck, one of them actually lives in my neighborhood. Everyone knows that employees at grocery stores, restaurants and retail establishments are supposed to be nice to their customers, but do you experience that everywhere you shop? I certainly don’t. It’s refreshing and, gosh darnit, worth rewarding when you get treated well by a business and the people who work there.

I’m not immune to the social media phenomenon that’s taken over our nation in the last decade. I think Facebook and Twitter are amazing tools for connecting people and keeping in touch with what’s happening in the world, but they will never replace good ol’ fashion human-to-human interaction. I doubt my explanation for my devotion to MY Publix is ever going to be enough to make my wife not want to wear a big floppy hat and sunglasses on the rare occasion she joins me on my trips to the store. I am hopeful that these words will make her stop thinking I’m in need of a visit from the folks in the white coats.