Poem of the Week: "Eulogy for a Store" and "We at the Front"

Each week, Upper Moreland-Willow Grove Patch is happy to present poems selected by the members of the , as well as poems from the residents of the Upper Moreland area.

This Patch reader submitted two reflections on the where she worked until it closed:

Eulogy for a Store

By Linda Barrett

She’d been here for a long time now

     first known as the Food Fair

A wonderfully modern store

     with her streamlined 1960's flair

She changed her name when she married

     and became Mrs. Pantry Pride

Everyone loved her because

     of the beauty of her insides

She fell in love with Mr. Shorday

     taking on his venerated name

But to us loyal customers and workers

     we still loved her just the same

She then married and became Clemmen’s

     we still kept up with her as friends

When she changed her name to Giant,

     we wondered where all the years went

Remember when on her benches

     we’d share our smokes

and in her break rooms

     we’d laugh at each other’s jokes

Each day, her sound system

     played the same old songs

and every time we heard them

     we’d sometimes sing along

This store became part of our lives

     this cluttered, little place

A customer would come in here

     and leave with a smile on his face

Now as a Giant,

     to her we must say good bye

It’s so hard to see her go

     and try not to cry!

---

We at the Front

By Linda Barrett

At Giant Store Number 470 in Abington, Pa., we at the front end do our best to uphold all of Giant’s goals. We wear our eager smiles as customers leave our store. Our baggers ask them how they would want their bags packed: either with paper and plastic or light if they suffer from physical problems. When they need to have their groceries taken out to their cars, we baggers gladly do that also. Visually impaired customers ask our help in finding their groceries.We guide them along the store to the right aisle; even reaching to take those items off the shelves. If there’s an accident, it’s quickly cleaned up. Some of our baggers lift heavy items out of shopper’s carts: bottled water cases, huge bags of pet food, and produce items. We return items to the right shelves and take damaged goods to their appropriate damage bins. Customers ask where they can find things. We lead them to the right aisle. If they ask for something specific, we consult Customer Service.

Our cashiers pull out their best when checking out groceries. From time to time, we call the check out coaches or even the managers if we encounter problems. It’s better to check out something to be sure instead of causing Shrink. In some cases, we even catch dishonest people who try to sneak past us. Our managers immediately call the police. Even when customers act difficult, we always keep our spirits calm. At Giant Store #470, our Front End always gives their best work for our customers.

---

From the author

I've lived in Abington all my life. My family has shopped at the Abington Giant Store ever since it was Food Fair in the 1960's, Pantry Pride in the 1970's, Shorday's in the 1980's, Clemmens' in the 1990's and finally Giant in the early 21st century.

This store is like the Cradle of all supermarkets. It's so old but so vital. Will there be another supermarket in its place? Probably. I wrote this poem (or these poems) to honor those who shopped and worked here. I hope these two works will bring back fond memories.