Tuesday, August 18th, 2020

The supermarket at the Heart of the City has gone slightly upscale. A bit of pale wood at the edge of bins goes a long way. The store's name has changed to that of the wine merchants who bought the chain a while ago. It's still a bit scruffy, but stark black and white and splashes of bright colors shine out where dull walls had been plastered with shaggy ads. The bakery at the entrance is far smaller than it had been. A few racks of baked goods have replaced it. Displays of fresh produce greet customers as we make our way past the sleepy guard with his thermometer. The cheese counter, my favorite in town, is unchanged. Freezer cases had lined many of the walls beyond it. They have been replaced by shelving. Free-standing freezers now run down several aisles. Otherwise, much of the store is the same. When I go to check out, I see that only two cashier’s aisles are open. Other registers have been replaced by self-scanning stations. Customers poke at machines and look frustrated until workers come over and help each of them. The queue for the cashiers is chaotic. People fall into a sort of order without conversation. The motor for the cashier’s conveyor belt on my aisle isn’t working. We have to push our items along. I’m only buying a few items: sliced cheese, white cheese, pomegranate nectar, golden dates, surgical masks, and super-glue. Once I get to the front of the line, the cashier is friendly and efficient. That makes a big difference. I don’t have plans to return soon, but I won’t stay away as avidly as I had.