The other day as i was going to meet a friend for discipleship at good ole’ HyVee, i was so distracted with the task at hand (of course that is nothing new). i parked where i usually park (so i don’t forget where i parked) and walked into the store. Oh my goodness! Where did the little kiddie Merry Go Round go? It was gone! i became so emotional. i know… stupid right? But i can even hear the music in my head as i type. All three of my kids loved this thing… they begged to ride it EVERY SINGLE TIME that we came to HyVee. It was part of our routine. We would park in our spot, walk up to the entrance and talk about how excited we were to ride the Merry Go Round when we were done shopping if they were well behaved. We would then walk in and probably see Carol who by the way, has been working there like forever and she would greet us and then we would go over to dry cleaning and they would let us pick a HyVee quarter to use before we left to put in to the Merry Go Round… as time went by all you had to do is push the button to make it work.. My girls loved getting that HyVee quarter! It was such a great memory. All three kids loved it and even as they got to big to ride i loved hearing the music when i came to shop. It was such a joy to see the cute little faces have so much fun on that thing.
Really when i think of it, HyVee on 291 has been the center of a lot of things in the Koontz household.. i think i am there almost every other day for something. A family has to eat right? i know most of the faces and some of the names that work there. One day before our son was born the girls and i had to go to the store and it was a Saturday morning… ugh… i hate to go to the store on Saturdays. The girls started to chatter in the back seat saying they were excited to get to ride in THE BARBIE CART! i explained that it was Saturday morning and lots of people would be there and there might not be a Barbie cart to use… so Frankye said to her little sister Tommye… Lets pray and ask Jesus to give us the Barbie cart today… They began to prayed their little hearts out with their eyes closed so very tight and their hands folded tight saying Dear Jesus… please let us have a Barbie cart today… please, please…a big cart a big cart over and over.
Suddenly i was worried. God are you going to come through? How will i explain to them that there is no cart? What if He didn’t answer their sweet little prayers. i learned a great lesson that day… oh to have faith like a child. We got into the store and NO BIG CARTS and no Barbie carts for sure… Mommy, where are the Big Carts? Where are they? i started to try to explain but the girls say… look mommy.. a gal just finished her shopping and her kids jumped out of the Barbie cart and she said, “ it looks like you have need of our cart”! Praise the Lord… He sees even the wants of my little girls and me… faith like a child. The girls clapped and were so excited and we bowed our heads right there in the middle of the store and thanked God for providing a Barbie Cart! Such a great memory.
Really many more… i thought i would list some of them for you.
Top 10 list but not in any order.
- Really… there are so many helpful smiles in every isle. i can always find someone to help me when i need something… even though i think i have the store memorized.
- There is always someone trying to make things go smoothly like opening another line so more shoppers can get done quickly… i sooo very much appreciate that.
- They notice me and say hello and they pay attention when i am not. Over the course of the years i have left my purse in the cart three times and all three times a worker noticed and ran it to me or picked it up and put it in Customer Service waiting for me when i called panicked… One time i left my ipad… thank you again…i must really be an airhead… When you forget your debit card or wallet… no one makes you feel stupid. They probably see this happen everyday but they always would hold my groceries for me in a cool place till i came back to pay. Can you see a reoccurring theme in my life… forgetfulness.. ugh!
- The cart guys are awesome… i am not sure his name but he has been working at HyVee forever… i know he is way more than a cart guy but he is always serving others… several times he has been outside in the bitter cold rounding up carts or carrying groceries out for someone or loading their car… He has taken my cart for me several times so i didn’t have to walk to the cart park.
- The people that pass out samples are the sweetest ladies and gentlemen. i can see their faces as i type. Always so friendly and willing to talk to you. They are like grandmas to the store. i like that!
- HyVee hires all types of people…. Young, Old… all of them seem to be hard workers. My daughter Tommye might be filling out an application soon… hope she gets a job there.
- When i needed to make some extra money. i worked night stock to pay for our family vacation to Disney. i loved my job. i got to meet a lot of interested people and i was treated so well. No wonder i see the same faces working every time i shop. i feel like they have watched me and my kiddos grow up. It is a happy place to work.
- HyVee stocks my husbands great All Purpose Seasoning Fat Pat’s… it is awesome and goes good on just about anything you can think of even cottage cheese! It is stocked in the Health Food area on 291 and in the Meat department on Ward.
- I so appreciate the generosity of HyVee to our schools for donations all the time. They have also given much to our church Abundant Life Baptist on many occasions. This store has made an impact on our community in so many ways and ways we may never even know.
- The free rides on the Merry Go Round, Big Carts, free cookies and balloons for kids. The free samples. The free Smiles
Now my oldest is getting to graduate from LSHS and of course i am sentimental but so much life happens when you shop at the same place for so many years that it has made me take a look and think this truly is my favorite store… thank you HyVee for so many great memories in the past and i am sure more to come in the future.
Just wanted to give a shout out to Hy Vee for placing value on people!
I hope to hear that The Merry Go Round can be either fixed or replaced. So many wonderful memories to be had at our HyVee on 291 Lees Summit
No comments:
Post a Comment