Food and Restaurants 11552 Views Edited by Peggy Chan

Coronavirus: This grocer provides the worst shopping experience in Ottawa



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Do you live in or near downtown Ottawa?

Are you tired of going to supermarkets like the new Farm Boy on Metcalfe Street and Whole Foods in the Glebe whose friendly staff are dealing with this terrible coronavirus situation sensitively to public health considerations?

Let me then tell you about my experience at Massine's Your Independent Grocer on Bank and Somerset.

First I call them to verify that they have a product on the shelf.  They tell me it's not on the shelf yet.  But, just come after 5 PM and it will surely be there.  It's just sitting in the back.

Fabulous.

So, I arrive there, and what's the first thing I see?  I notice a long line up of about 15 people who are lined up along Somerset and well-spaced apart.

Normally, I would go elsewhere, but I really needed this product.  Besides, I thought, it must be very crowded in there, and Massine's management is just doing the responsible thing by regulating traffic density in the store in order to ensure proper "social distancing".

But, having waited there for about 30 minutes, think again!

Once I was allowed to go into Massine's by a rather grumpy looking member of their staff, I doubt there was more than 15 grocery shoppers in this huge supermarket.  Each person in that store could have their own aisle!

They even had in this sparsely populated store arrows and "Do No Enter" and "green arrow" signage to regulate what direction these 15 shoppers were supposed walk in each aisle (photos attached).

I asked them what's up with these signs?  They said it was required by "Ottawa Board of Health". 

Oh yeah?  Funny, I don't see such signage at other supermarkets in the area.

And just to top-off your "alternative shopping experience", some guy came on the intercom system to keep urging us handful of shoppers to keep two feet apart and then ordered us in the store to "go home as quickly as possible!"

You know when you have become a successful business like Loblaws that owns this store when you can basically tell your customers to "f--k off" like this.

And as for the product that I was seeking, it was neither there or on the shelf.  At least, that was what one very rude member of their staff said.

I coined a new term just to characterize my experience at Massine's.  That is "Corona-Fascism" - a group or company which uses a public health situation to engage is the arbitrary or oppressive use of power which goes beyond recommended medical practices to ensure pubic safety.

So there you have it.  Go to Massine's Your Independent Grocer to get the Corona-Fascist shopping experience that you have been missing!

Comments

There are 3 comments on this post

Date: 29 March 2020
Posted By : Don\'t worry about it
@Editor, I'm sorry that one item wasn't on the shelf for you. Also I ask of you have you ever stocked shelves, and no I don't mean at home. More grocery store shelves. Stores get large orders come mixed with many other goods on pallets that are more or less 5-6 feet tall. And sometimes the people that stack the pallets are careless of the items and they get damaged or even yet the item doesn't show up at all. They urged you to go home to avoid catching this virus for your safety and others safety. It's hard enough keeping profits up at this time. I hope you understand now and can actually have a proper viewing of the store.
Date: 29 March 2020
Posted By : John Stokes
Yes, indeed. Other supermarkets have shown much more sensitivity in this area. I applaud this writer's observations. We must protect public health while protecting our society from drifting into fascism.
Date: 29 March 2020
Posted By : David Jones
Great article. I had a similar experience there

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