Uprooted

The empty lot where Pick 'n Save South used to be.

A couple weeks ago my roots were torn out of the ground. The original Pick ‘n Save South building was demolished. A new one is going up next door, but it will not be the same – and not just because it is a new building. The employees of the torn down building had to go through an interview process to keep their jobs. Many of them will not be there when the doors reopen. I don’t know if I’ll ever go back.

I worked in the Pick ‘n Save deli throughout high school & college, my mom, Mary, managed the front-end, my step-dad, Dan, worked in the corporate offices, my sister, Becky, worked in the deli with me, my step-sister, Heather, worked in the salad bar, my step-brother, Josh, worked in dairy frozen with my brothers, Cody & J.P. That’s all of us. All Eight R’s. You can say it was a family thing. Only we didn’t own the place. But then again, we kinda did.

My family wove an interconnected group of friends while working there. Everyone knew everyone. And they still do.

I was in high school when it all began. It was the perfect social mixer. As our group grew we took pride in how many different schools we represented through our lettermen jackets.

Many lessons were learned & memories were made during those years. We worked hard. (Well, most of us.) We loved to dance. We loved sports. Girls & boys dated. And some of us even married our Pick ‘n Save sweethearts. Jarrod is a former bagger, you know.

Do you have any favorite memories of Pick ‘n Savers? Or places from your past that shaped you into who you are today? Please share.