The Sobeys in Belmont has earned itself quite the positive reputation after the store owner and one of his employees started a “slow lane” to allow people more chat time while they check out their groceries.
Jerry MacLachlan, the store’s owner/operator, said he noticed one day that one of his cashiers, Jason, had an extra long lineup — people were waiting to talk to him.
He said he originally got the idea when a friend shared a video with him about a store in Europe that had adopted the more relaxed and connected way of shopping.
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Having a slow, chat lane “allows us to really connect to our shoppers,” MacLachlan said. “It’s a real pleasure to serve our community. It enriches our lives… sometimes we’re bringing people out of a dark space.”
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One customer said he usually waits for Jason if he sees him at the cash.
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“If he’s on one of the checkouts I’ll come and I’ll wait for him because we always have things to chat about… always a man-to-man talk, or we talk about the weather or talk about sports. It’s fun coming here,” said one customer.
“Some people go through some good days, some people might have a bad day. And when you talk to a person who had a bad day, you might be able to cheer them up and make them a little happier. I’m all about talking to people cause I’m a person, person.”
“We make friends with our customers very quick. It’s a labour of love, really serving our friends and family in the community,” MacLachlan added.
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