Start new job Monday-Told boss today......

Oday, I told you I was leaving the car business. Well, I told the owner today. He did not receive it very well. He wished me well but said he thought he had invested a lot of money in me over time and thought I should stay. As I said, this is not something I wanted to do but economics forced the issue.

New job,,,,,,,,,,,,now DO NOT laugh, please,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Before I got into the automobile business I worked for Safeway Stores for 16 years, the last six in management. Well, I am going back into the grocery business with Tom Thumb (owned by Safeway) here in Texas. They offered me a better position than I left with in 1981. They seem to think that my past management experience in both grocery and high-end (BMW, Audi, and Ferrari/Maserati) automobiles means something to them. I am going into one of their "Flagship" stores in Las Colinas, Texas next door to the Four Seasons Resort where the Byron Nelson Golf Tournament is played. I start next Monday in another store for two weeks reorientation to the grocery business and then on to the Las Colinas store. This will be so different for me. I love cars and the car business. Maybe this will afford me the luxury of stepping back and taking a good look at the auto business from a whole different perspective.

I will still continue to post to F/C as I am a certifiable "car nut" and have been around a lot of neat cars and people over time. Keep in touch "ya'll".
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Okay guys, there will be no "grazing" on the produce aisle. I appreciate all the kinds words.

Two weeks orientation training before going to the "Big" store. I am trying to forget all the things I did not like about the grocery business when I got into cars. "Focus on the positives, focus on the positives, focus on the postitives". I am "positive" I will miss the car business.

Jim,

Thanks for the words of support. I was going to work thru Saturday and give them a few days to find someone else but....."I am really disappointed in you. Do you know how much money I have spent in your training alone? Do you realize just how hard it is going to be to find someone to take your place?"

Well, duh, "Do you realize I have exhausted all my savings, my 401K and even my sons college fund to try to stay here to help get this place going? Do you realize you have only paid me $6,000 in 4 1/2 months (before taxes and insurance"? "Do you realize you have been paying me just a fraction above minimum wage? Do you not realize you need to advertise to bring people in thru the front door"? "Do you realize I love the car business and would do almost anything to stay in it, and I have done that here".

Like I said, this is not something I wanted to do but I can no longer afford to work here. And, people always have to eat............................................

 

I wouldn't count that out. I have been negotiating for 24 years now so I suspect the first day in the store a cashier will call me to the front and the customer will look at me and say, "too much, too much, the store down the street is willing to do it for 1% over cost, give me double coupon credit and have a courtesy clerk take it home for me and put it up". I will probably dream of that in my sleep................or have a nightmare about it. Aghhhh, the customer from hell follows me from the dealership to the store... Help!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Funny, I worked in a local grocery store back in high school too and used to get caught "grazing" regularly. I thought I would never go back to it but I seem to have come full circle. At least now I am going back in "in charge" and not one of the "carryout please, cleanup on aisle 14, and please bring in the carts from the parking lot" guys. I can be the one on the intercom having it done................Power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually I will probably be right out helping the poor guys get it done.........Old habits are hard to break......

 

Jim, let me know which day you are coming over on and I will have the "free sample" ladies stock up double on that day..............:>)

 

Writerguy just said "When?????????????????" "I'm in...."

Turning in the computer now. Have to do everything else from home...........

Audiguy...Out!!!!!!!!!!