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GROCERY STORES: What’s up at West Seattle supermarkets

April 25, 2020 6:30 am
|      31 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Time to start Saturday with grocery-shopping updates. The only major change this past week is that Westwood Village QFC has launched curbside pickup; Christine from the store’s e-commerce team told us it’s being rolled out at most QFCs, and that the usual service fee is being waived during the coronavirus crisis. … Hours at local standalone stores, including senior/at-risk shopping hours, stayed unchanged (here’s our standing list). We’re only shopping once a week, so we can’t scout all the stores for you, but readers have reported in each week, and it sounds like the safety measures are getting to be almost universal: Plexiglas, masks, floor spacing, etc. The main variable: Your fellow shoppers. They’re not all masking up, or paying attention to the one-way-aisle markers. (So don’t be THAT shopper!) Looking to avoid crowds? Shop in the first or last hour that your chosen store’s open. And let us know if you discover something new/changed! (Example: West Seattle Thriftway [WSB sponsor] says it has a new supply of garden seeds!)

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31 Replies to "GROCERY STORES: What's up at West Seattle supermarkets"

  • Tony April 25, 2020 (7:09 am)

    Whole Foods looked like a surgery pavilion-Spotless. Impressive to say the least. 

  • Dumpling Girl April 25, 2020 (8:30 am)

    PCC was pretty easy when I went in the morning mid-week. Not crowded, lots of fresh veggies. They even had a “cleaning ambassador” or something like that called out on the t-shirt of one roving employee. The only thing they were missing was a disinfecting solution for when you first grab a cart.

    • Loretta April 26, 2020 (7:28 am)

      They have some. It’s right by the carts through the entrance by the parking lot. 

    • That One Cashier April 26, 2020 (9:21 am)

      Sounds about right for them to have T-shirts made before getting the stuff that’s actually important for customers AND employees.The image must be maintained at all costs.

  • Mj April 25, 2020 (8:44 am)

    I see lots of new employees at the Admiral Safeway

  • WS Grocery Shopper April 25, 2020 (9:35 am)

    Thanks for the updates. I recently read an article stating that Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Markets aren’t offering their employees hazard pay, and that there have been employee complains about a lack of adequate protection.  My husband went to TJ’s and said at least our location  seemed very safe, so I was disappointed to read this. Both companies are also currently suppressing unionization efforts.

    “Amazon-owned Whole Foods is using a data-powered heat mapping tool to monitor unionization risks among its over 500 stores throughout the US, as workers have held sick-out protests in response to a lack of protections for workers during the pandemic.”

    Full article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/23/labor-unions-trader-joes-workers-coronavirus-us

  • bill April 25, 2020 (10:27 am)

    West Wood Village has the police department “eye in the sky” watching over everyone with portable solar powered trailer mounted surveillance cameras. I gave them the traditional bird salute just to see if anyone was watching. Were ready for “Live PD”

    • WSB April 25, 2020 (10:33 am)

      That’s not police equipment, it’s private – many have asked and we’ve been working on a story I hope to publish later today.

      • Capesta April 25, 2020 (12:32 pm)

        I did a pick up order at Westwood QFC today.  Very efficient…thank you to QFC for offering this.

    • Jon Wright April 25, 2020 (3:32 pm)

      Way to stick it to The Man!

  • Grocery worker April 25, 2020 (3:03 pm)

    I mean, those one way directions signs, while well intentioned, are pretty much useless. I’d also ask for customers not to directly police the behavior of employees or other shoppers. Please cough or sneeze into your sleeve. (You’d be surprised by how many people still haven’t gotten that memo!) Most of my customers are lovely, but it is exhausting holding space for all this collective emotion and anxiety. I make it my aim to provide a sense of normalcy for folks. I listen to their stories, and their fears, and I’ve taken time to talk to elderly shut-ins who call, really, just looking for a little conversation. I was sick early on, and I’m still not 100%. I was so exhausted that I came home last night and just cried. I don’t say all that for pity or anything. I’m really grateful to have a job, and with an employer who cares for their employees. But, a little kindness? It goes such a long, long way.

    • TWST April 25, 2020 (4:50 pm)

      Thanks for sharing. Wow, you’re doing awesome. Please know you are appreciated, even if some days it doesn’t feel like it, because people get too caught up in their own experience to show you the kindness and support you deserve. Take good care of yourself.

    • Kelley Cain April 25, 2020 (5:07 pm)

      Thank you for working during this incredibly worrisome time. Your efforts are appreciated by those of us that need to shop for food. 

  • Brad Running April 25, 2020 (3:18 pm)

    QFC in Westwood Curbside pick up is the Best!!! ACCURATE AND ON TOME!!!

  • Trickycoolj April 25, 2020 (4:44 pm)

    Definitely going to look into new pickup options! We really need some produce this week to shake up the frozen veggies that we’re tiring of. Was disappointed with Amazon Fresh’s onions that rotted with spectacular blue mold in only a week. 

  • bill April 25, 2020 (5:41 pm)

    What does Jon Wright mean by “way to stick it to the man”

    • newnative April 27, 2020 (10:27 am)

      Bill, before there were other replies, Jon Wright’s comment came right after someone described flipping off the surveillance camera. 

  • Stay Healthy April 25, 2020 (8:32 pm)

    I was at the Admiral Safeway the other day and not a single cashier was wearing a mask or gloves. 

    • Alki Heights April 25, 2020 (10:13 pm)

      We all need to  support the stores that give their employees  protection from this virus. This is the only way to get management to respect their workers. Money talks!

    • Loretta April 26, 2020 (7:31 am)

      I did not feel safe at Admiral Safeway. They only have one entrance open so when you check out you have to pass all the check out lanes to leave the store. The check out lanes were over crowded. It’s was definitely anxiety inducing. If they had the back door open/unlocked people could flow in and out easier without running into each other. 

    • Norman April 26, 2020 (8:47 am)

      Maybe you should take the time to donate some to them, they are single use only you know?

      • Mark B April 26, 2020 (3:41 pm)

        I was at the Admiral Safeway earlier this afternoon and it looked like all employees are now wearing masks. The one way aisles were marked but weren’t fully observed, and quite a few customers weren’t really trying to keep six feet apart. 

  • wseakell April 26, 2020 (9:12 am)

    We did the pick-up from Westwood QFC this morning and it was great!

  • Sue T. April 26, 2020 (10:28 pm)

    Presumably to discourage customer hoarding, Admiral Safeway has stopped writing or honoring rain checks for its advertised sale items that are out of stock. So much for my plan to stockpile 2 loaves of wheat bread and a jar of house brand peanut butter. 

  • Wseattleite April 27, 2020 (12:32 am)

    Today  I nearly started down an empty isle at Safetay the wrong direction, before I saw the One Way sticker on the floor.  I dutifully went down the next one way with as few people in it as I could  fined isle to get to the beginning of the isle I wanted following the prescribed direction.  While doing so, I passed 6 shoppers, one of which had snot dripping from his nose and looked very sick, while another coughed heavily in my direction.  Once past the gauntlet isle of sickness, I went in the correct directions of the empty  isle to quickly up some sliced cheese that I knew exactly where it was and continued on to the end of the  isle.  I then had to run the gauntlet of obviously sick people AGAIN to gain the front of the store to pay for my items and leave.  Common sense has left the building, but follow the rules.  People much smarter than you know what is best for your regardless of the actual situation  Lean not on your own judgement.  That will only bring condemnations and offended neighbors in Seattle. cast openly with world class passive aggression.

    • Community Member April 27, 2020 (9:26 am)

      Stop trying to pass people. Be patient and stay 6 feet behind them. The point of the one-way aisles is to maintain 6-foot separation. 

      • Wseattleite April 28, 2020 (12:12 am)

        Community Member,  I   could have easily done that by going against the sticker on the floor.  not one person passed.  Or I could have stayed within a questionable range (6′) of people that could not decide what type of mustard  and other goods they wanted to buy without handling every brand of bottle available while passing each other going the same way. Stay safe CM, At some point that becomes your responsibility, not stickers on the floor mandated by those far far away with no knowledge of the particular situation.  Darwinism at work.  Best of luck,  I prefer intelligent adaptation 

  • newnative April 27, 2020 (10:37 am)

    I won’t go back to Met Market or Admiral Safeway for a while. Last week I went to Met Market and the cashier said she won’t spray down the area between customers. Then I have a no touch credit card, but their machine still forced me to choose credit card and touch the machine (which wasn’t being wiped down between customers). Admiral Safeway was very stressful. Not too many people there, but the one that were were going the wrong way down the aisles, standing their ground when you tried follow the rules. I had a lady following me closely when I was trying to keep 6 feet away from the older lady in front of me. She eventually passed me. and then did the same thing when I was in another lane. I couldn’t shake her. You don’t have to go down every fricken aisle and it’s not a race. I’m sticking with my PCC (which seems to have sane shoppers) where people keep their distance, wear masks and employ staff that wipes stuff down a lot. 

  • uncle loco April 27, 2020 (11:44 am)

    I did my weekly trip to the store and it worked out well for me. It took me a minute to notice the one way aisles but once I did I followed suit. Some of the customers were wearing masks and some weren’t but that’s ok with me, I need to take my own precautions. The store workers were great as usual and I feel for them because their job is so much more difficult now. The only complaint I have is the trash people leave in the shopping carts to include wipes and gloves.  The fact that someone is aware enough of the situation to wear gloves and then dispose of them somewhere where someone else is forced to deal with it just blows my mind. No wonder we are forced into this lockdown.

Sorry, comment time is over.