Major Grocer Ditches Self-Checkout

Albertsons is getting rid of those self-checkout lanes that I've complained so bitterly about.

One of the nation's major grocery store chains is eliminating self-checkout lanes in an effort to encourage more human contact with its customers. Albertsons LLC, which operates 217 stores in seven Western and Southern states, will eliminate all self-checkout lanes in the 100 stores that have them and will replace them with standard or express lanes, a spokeswoman said. "We just want the opportunity to talk to customers more," Albertsons spokeswoman Christine Wilcox said. "That's the driving motivation."

Other grocery chains are said to be considering a similar move.

Wal-Mart Tries Buy Its Way Into NYC

After years of being rebuffed by city leaders despite expensive PR campaigns, Wal-Mart is trying a more tried-and-true method of gaining a foothold in the nation's largest market.

The city's summer job program, which had been cut back this year, is seeing an influx of support from Wal-Mart, which donated $4 million -- enough to save about 3,400 jobs for teenagers. The location of the press conference announcing the donation was the Brownsville, Brooklyn, recreation center, a spot within a few miles of the site where Wal-Mart would like to put its first New York City store. When the Wal-Mart rep was asked if this donation had anything to do with the future potential site, the mayor stepped in. "I hope so. Why would anybody not hope so?" he said. The mayor then went on to say the city will not promote or discriminate against any stores who want to come here.

Target Staffers - It Gets Better

Reaction to this should be interesting...