When I first moved to the Kings Contrivance village of Columbia, there was a grocery store in the village center that was convenient but old and fairly depressing. It was replaced in short order by a Safeway that was better, but not much. I always found their store arrangement puzzling; aisles marked "Breakfast" and "Dinner" didn't actually tell me what I would find there. And what was plastic wrap doing in the "Dinner" aisle anyway? The worst part was that it never seemed quite as clean as it might be, and some genius had ordained that there should be music aimed at 20-somethings played loud enough to make it hard to concentrate when I was reading a nutrition label. The best I could say for the store was that it was convenient, but that wasn't enough to keep me as a customer.
I chose to drive a couple miles farther away to get to a Giant Food in Owen Brown Village that had been renovated and enlarged. Giant had a logical layout and generally pleasant people. They ran specials and sent coupons in the mail for things I actually bought. The stores were clean and I could usually find what I wanted.
But of course that couldn't last. Giant was acquired by the Dutch outfit that owns the Stop 'N Shop stores. What had been a well-run local chain deteriorated as the "suits" declared that some products I liked didn't turn quickly enough, and that variety in all departments was not as important as volume sales. But, it was still the best alternative, especially as the old Safeway had closed (no surprise).
Then the news made local headlines – our Kings Contrivance center would get the first Harris Teeter store in the area! There would be genuine competition to the Giant/Stop 'N 'Shop. And guess what? As the old Safeway building was being demolished, the Giant began a renovation project that eventually made the store brighter and more open. I think they also did some staff training because the helpfulness and courtesy levels increased. And though they still don't have everything I want, the Giant is a fine place to shop.
Except that Harris Teeter is now open and well worth the wait. Not only is the store several notches above anything around in terms of selection, the people who staff the store have clearly been chosen for their genuine caring attitude, courtesy, and helpfulness. There are small touches throughout the store that show it was designed with convenience in mind. Since it's new, the store is bright and spotless.
Will there be newer stores to give Harris Teeter some competition of their own? Of course. But I see that as a plus. The threat of competition from Harris Teeter spurred Giant to make changes that they needed to make anyway. With a Wegman's on the horizon, maybe Harris Teeter will try harder, too.
Whether it's groceries or real estate or writing, having competitors can inspire us to do more and better. True, it can also lead people to take the low road and try short cuts that are ultimately self-defeating. But for longevity, I think having good competition makes everyone in the game better.
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