So I go into Pioneer last night, Saturday. Different manager than usual. So just to keep the game interesting, I walk up to him as I'm leaving with a couple items and I say "hey, you and Associated around the corner on Flatbush have the same owners?" Beat one. Beat two. "No. Who told you that?" "Lotsa people. Seems it's true. Why would say otherwise?" This is not Hector by the way. Another guy. One you see on Hector's night off. He looks up at the money window. Looks back at me. Shrugs. I say "why don't you guys just tell the truth? Why would you deceive your loyal customers? It's not like we care. I for one am not going to stop shopping here because you're owned by the same people. I just don't like being lied to, and it's a matter of public record that you're owned by the same company. Actually, I don't think any of your customers would appreciate being lied to." One of the cashiers is hiding a laugh. Now the manager is turning red. I ask if I can talk to someone upstairs. He says no, they're busy. I look up. I swear to god, the guy is picking his nose, looking the other way, probably not hearing a word we're saying.
Should I just let it go? I mean...what's going on?
12 comments:
I assume it has something to do with the parent companies. I believe both Associated and Pioneer are more like an association of independently owned stores (like IGA or Ice or True Value) that use their group affiliation for economies in purchasing. They may have noncompete clauses that don't really allow them to operate under other banners.
Do NOT let this go. Interest is sparked and now I MUST KNOW.
Q's going to end up in one of those blue-plastic export barrels they sell at the Associoneer filled with concrete at the bottom of the Gowanus.
What difference does it make?
My point exactly, Anon. I'm totally flabbergasted. I told 'em I don't care. And yet he went on lying. I said you can change your vote and I still don't care.
There are other stories that have been coming out over the past few months. Stories of mistreatment of employees. Stories of blatant mislabeling. Rampant price mistakes. Tons of outdated products. A really weird court case involving $75,000 in cash gone missing. I'm telling you, it's weird, that's all.
I guess Anon, you're just not very curious.
Pretty sure Christopher has the right answer - most franchises/associations don't allow the same owner to have competing franchises. Hence the lies.
Okay fine. So then I ask ya'll this. Should I care? Forgetting that the parent companies must be imbeciles not to know that those two aren't owned by the same person - given that it's millions upon millions of gross revenue every year. Should it concern me that these guys are at the most basic level interested in running a business based on a foundation of total deceit? Or is that not something people care much about anymore? And is it okay to tell your employees to lie to their customers about the most basic fact of operation - who the owner is?
I guess I live in some weird alternate reality where that is not acceptable. Sure they're corporations, but they're local corporations, tri-staters. Ah well. If know one cares I won't...
I don't know. Curious enough to ask you what difference it makes. I wasn't aware of any of that other stuff which sounds much more interesting. If its true, and its part of a larger pattern of odd behavior then it is jut weird. Why would they even bother? Why not just open two stores with the same franchise? Maybe the rules don't allow for multiple stores within a minimum distance of each other. Or maybe if you have multiple locations the fee structure is different. Though you would expect them to go down not up. Either way, yeah, weird.
The ownership of the two supermarkets is part of a tangled web of holding companies.
Through PropertyShark.com it's easy to cut through the maze to find the ultimate holding company that controls the other holding companies that make up a lower layer of ownership.
As I stated, the last stop for both stores is AFS Holdings, out at 1800 Rockaway Boulevard in Hewlett. But before getting there, you'll find another holding company -- Royal Farms, 400 Madison Ave, Manhattan.
Who knows what motivates the employees to lie or pretend the two businesses are unrelated? Given the high turnover in many supermarket positions, there's no reason to think employees are bound by some oath of omerta when the subject of who owns the joint comes up.
Moreover, a lot of people seem to enjoy the moment when they can allude to possessing information so sensitive they're sure you're of such a feeble constitution that revealing it to you would shatter your brittle self.
Jack Nicholson -- You Can't Handle The Truth -- that kind of drama, right there in the check-out line while you're fumbling to pay for all those sale items and the people behind you are feeling tension rising within themselves.
As for the two supermarkets, who's to say there's a prohibition against one holding company owning both businesses?
Riese Restaurants, a holding company, operates many competing franchises all over NY City.
I am intrigued as well.
curiouser and curiouser....
3 letters: NSA
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