The Fugitive Grandma

Chapter 11 - Great American Superstore

Nick Lowry, the western regional manager for Great American Superstore, arrived at Caruso’s grocery store the next Monday morning. Lowry was coming fresh off a successful year supervising the firm’s phenomenal growth in the southwestern region that included Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada. Now that the deal in California was done, he was sent to supervise the Caruso’s takeover.

Lowry had spent his whole career at Great American. His life and worth were inextricably tied to the firm’s ongoing prosperity. He was utterly convinced of the righteousness of its mission to become the world’s largest seller of everyday goods.

He led expansion into many cities and counties across the country, and saw the incredible change Great American unleashed, demolishing the local competition and removing any advantages organized labor unions still held within the local workforce. Change was brutal, but it was inevitable. Lowry knew that whoever forced the change first would benefit the most, and whoever accepted change last would suffer the greatest. Change was a force of nature that no one could deny. Lowry was merely an agent.

Lowry believed that he knew as much of the Caruso story as he needed to know. He knew the grocery was founded by an Italian immigrant in Santa Ramona and had blossomed into a chain of two dozen stores at its peak.

Caruso’s business declined after the founder’s death, caught between flat sales and an obsolete cost structure. Great American had already spent a year in negotiations with Caruso’s current owners.

As these talks dragged on, Great American put its political strategy into play. The company poured money into the reelection campaign of the city mayor and the incumbent city council members. Investing in political allies was essential to get the right policies on the issues that mattered, like land use, immigration, wages, and health care.

After winning reelection, the mayor made personal assurances to Lowry and his firm that they would find a friendly business environment in the city. There would be no initiatives blocking Great American expansion; no demands that the firm perform an environmental study prior to store construction; no zoning regulations to limit store size; no local measures forcing the firm to provide health-care insurance for workers; and absolutely no local measures raising the minimum wage. City government would be a good partner to Great American.

While Lowry waited in his car in front of Caruso’s, his two security contractors, Riggs and Perez, pulled up in a black Hummer. Security was a core part of Great American’s operations. The store served a customer base larger than the population of many countries, so it seemed fitting to have a private army.

At seven o’clock, all Caruso’s employees were congregated in the back of the store. The doors wouldn’t open to customers for another hour. Lowry stood in the foreground of the crowd, by the butcher’s counter run by Vince Santana and the employees’ only entrance leading to the delivery docks. Riggs and Perez stood at the far end of the crowd.

“I will be in charge of all two dozen outlets in the Caruso’s chain as we convert them into Great American Superstores,” Lowry announced. “Mission number one is serving the customer. If a customer comes within ten feet, we call that the service zone. When they’re in the service zone, you ask ‘How can I serve you today?’ No exceptions. I want to hear you say it!” he barked like a drill sergeant. ‘How can I serve you today?’” He hovered over Silvia, who was standing at the front of the crowd. “Let me hear you say it!” he shouted. “‘How can I serve you today?’”

“How can I serve you today?” she said in a shy voice.

“Let me hear it again.”

“How can I serve you today?” she repeated, adding volume and energy.

Lowry smiled approvingly. “We’re looking to the customer of tomorrow at this store. Americans are living longer. Their needs are changing. We want to be there to sell basic goods from cradle to grave, whether it’s diapers or bone density pills.”  “Any questions?” he asked, with a stiff frown that made it clear he didn’t really want any questions to be asked.

“I have some questions,” Vince shouted from the back of the crowd, his arm raised. “You told us that Great American bought out Caruso’s. But what does that mean for us workers? What about our health plans and pensions?”

Lowry squirmed, visibly annoyed. “I can’t talk about that right now.”

“Why not?”

Lowry paused again before his reply. “Terms of any agreements between Great American and Caruso’s are still under wraps. You will all be notified in due time.” He tried to cover his irritation with a nervous smile.

“I have another question,” Vince began, but Lowry cut him off.

“That’s all the questions for now. The meeting is finished. Thank you all.”

The employees dispersed and prepared to open the store. Lowry took Vince aside, gripping his shoulder tightly.

“You’re Santana, the deli counter man, right?” he said, checking the names on his clipboard.

“I’m the head butcher. I run all meat, fresh fish, and poultry.”

“What’s the deal blindsiding me with questions during the meeting?”

“We need some straight answers. We don’t know where we stand.”

“Are you trying to challenge me, Santana?.”

“Mr. Lowry, I know you’re the boss now and I respect that. But I’ve been through a lot with the folks here, like Elmer and Silvia. One of the old-timers that used to work here, Stella Valentine, risked her life defending this store. Mr. Caruso treated us like one big family.”

“I don’t want to hear about the past,” Lowry snapped. “This place is Great American now. No more looking in the rearview mirror.”

Vince nodded and ducked behind the meat counter. Lowry ushered his security man Riggs through the employees-only door.

“Keep your eye on that butcher,” Lowry whispered, handing Riggs the clipboard. “And be on the lookout for anyone else on this list who looks like trouble. You know what I’m saying?”

“Sure do,” Riggs replied.

Copyright 2013 Dmitri Ragano