Items

• 
  2020-11-18

  "Grocery chain apologizes after releasing 'super spread' ad for Thanksgiving"

  For generations that had never experienced a pandemic, the Coronavirus was not the only novel thing to adjust to. New nomenclature became the norm, including "Super spreader". The term was used to describe large groups gathering, especially during the holidays. Any other year, "plan a super spread" would be understood as a spread of food items. But for a population that was being restricted from large gatherings, in 2022, from holidays to Weddings to funerals, the company's attempt at clever advertising came off as tone-deaf and offensive. After backlash, Giant Food Stores formally apologized.
• 
  2022-06-27

  Hand sanitizer at entrance of Foot Locker

  This is hand sanitizer I found while out shopping at Scottsdale Fashion Square. It was not just this store that had it, others did as well. I didn't notice people using it while I was there, but it might have been used more often when things were opening up more and vaccines were not as well-distributed yet.
• 
  2022-06-27

  Social distancing sign at Macy's

  This is a sign I found at the mall. It is telling people to maintain a distance when shopping. This isn't enforced. However, I imagine only a year ago it being a bigger deal than it is now. I was just glad I found this sign, as it is a relic of the time when this was a larger issue.
• 
  2022-06-27

  Sign inside Macy's about germ spread

  This was a sign I found at Macy's while at Scottsdale Fashion Square. This sign tells people to cover their mouth and nose while sneezing, use social distancing, and to avoid things like shaking hands. However, the time I went to Macy's did not have many restrictions in place. Some customers chose to wear masks, but at the point in time I went, it was not high alert.
• 
  2022-06-26

  Custom face masks

  This is an Instagram post from createandimpressla. This company is offering customizable masks, where you can submit and image you like and have it be made into a mask. The picture attached shows just some ways people have customized masks.
• 
  2022-06-15

  China’s shoppers are still on strike and youth unemployment is rising

  This is a news story from CNN by Laura He. This article is on the economic impact of China's zero COVID policy. Retail sales fell 6.7% in May according to China's National Bureau of Statistics. It is slightly lower than the 11. 1% drop in sales from April. Customer spending has fallen in about every category except for food, drink, and petroleum. Youth unemployment is rising in China, as places that would hire young workers were forced to shutdown with lockdowns. The youth unemployment rate rose 18.4% between the 16-24 range in China.
• 
  2022-05-07

  Ashley Hampton Oral History, 2022/05/07

  An ASU graduate student reflects on her career, school, and life throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
• 
  2022-03-24

  Welcome to the Wedding Boom. How Couples are Handling the Busiest Season in 40 Years

  This is a news story about the rising amount of weddings happening in 2022 after some couples have had to put them off. This story by NPR details changing wedding trends along with it. Wedding dress retailers such as David's Bridal say the demand for maternity wedding dresses is at a 10% increase. Wedding site, The Knot, has had a 25% increase. Financial stress in planning these weddings has also increased. Mandy Connor, a wedding planner, notes that one of her clients was hit with a 30% increase in overall cost between the contracted estimate and the final bill. This article does a good job at showing changes in wedding trends based on how retailers are reacting.
• 
  2020-04-14

  Reflections of a Grocery Worker

  This photograph is a selfie photo from my time working at my local grocery store in Wakefield, Rhode Island, USA. I don't have many photos from this period that reflect the pandemic and my memories of it, but this photo represents the early days as the USA first began to adopt masking after the CDC realized that non-symptomatic spread was happening. Experiencing the pandemic through the lens of a grocery store was very interesting. It was a unique perspective for understanding different people's anxieties and doubts around the pandemic. It was also a strenuous place to be during the pandemic, having to constantly adapt to supply chain issues, worker shortages, and the mental strain of working in a likely unsafe environment. About a month into the pandemic I was asked to move from my home department of prepared foods, and help the grocery-stocking staff catch up with the unpredictable shipments coming in. Shortly after that, I was moved over to the front of the store to help keep count of the people in the store and encourage customers to use masks/hand sanitizer. I remember being met with a wide variety of gratitude, skepticism, resistance, and more--even including a lecture on covid as a conspiracy! At times, this role brought me anxiety as I saw news stories of door-people and security guards being killed or harmed for asking visiting customers to wear a mask. In a weird way, when I left my job to attend grad school at UMass Boston, I felt a bit of suvivor's guilt. Whenever I come home to Rhode Island, I hear that the folks at my old store continue to struggle even over a year deeper into the pandemic.
• 
  2020-07-15

  HIST30060: KEEP YOUR distance!

  HIST30060: This photo of the back of my work uniform shows how workplaces were affected by the restrictions of the pandemic. Hardware stores were able to stay open to trade customers and for "click and collect" purchases during Melbourne's lockdowns, which meant a change to our normal work routines. Staff were charged with the responsibility of making sure customers wore masks, checked in with the QR codes and practiced social distancing throughout the store. These necessary rules were challenging to enforce sometimes and customers could often be disgruntled and unhappy with these changes. This message on the back of the uniform was in keeping with the atmosphere of working during this period and symbolises our adjustment to "covid normal" practices.
• 
  2021

  HIST30060 Reflections on working in a supermarket during a pandemic

  Some reflections on the pandemic from my experience working in a suburban supermarket in Melbourne. I share some general feelings about how COVID changed the environment within supermarkets, as well as several pandemic-related interactions with customers.
• 
  2021-07-13

  Brian Harvey, Oral History, 2021/07/07

  Brian Harvey, a Managing Director at Deloitte and Touche, discusses the changes the pandemic has caused to his job as an auditor. He provides insights into the various industries he has interacted with over the past year.
• 
  2021-03-17

  A Day at Macy's Inc. During a Worldwide Pandemic

  As my primary source I chose a picture that I took on March 17, 2021 at 8:39pm, it was the end of my shift in my retail job. This picture was taken one year later since they first closed down the city. I work in Macy’s Inc. at Bay Plaza, and the store was closed during the pandemic until the end of June. When the store first reopened, big crowds of people came to the store every single day without caring about the pandemic. It is understandable that all they wanted was to shop, and also get out of their houses to distract themselves. This picture is just a small representation of what retail workers have to deal with during times like this. It got to a point, where it was very frustrating seen so many people at the store walking around trying to shop. Many people did not care about the 6ft social distancing, and others did not want to wear a mask because it was too hot, or they couldn’t breathe. There was a limit of 600 people in the whole store, but in days like this I know for sure that it was more than that. The women shoes department was always full of people, there was always a long line, people were right next to each other, and others were screaming or talking too loudly. People were getting into arguments with each other, many were getting frustrated because they wanted to get a shoe size right away. Others were just sitting on the couch sleeping, you could hear babies crying, and kids running or playing around dropping shoes on the floor. I remember I was in the register during my whole shift taking customer after customer, some were really nice but others very rude. As my job, I have to ask every customer if they want to open a Macy’s credit card with us, but their answer was always, “I can’t afford it, this virus has made me broke” yet, they were still out shopping. On this day, I had a disagreement with a customer because I told her to put her mask on about 3 times, and she just ignored me. She then, approaches me to pay for a shirt, and I told her very kindly once again, “can you please put your mask on? Thank you!”. Her reaction was priceless because she was furious and asked me if it wasn’t enough with the plexiglass that was between us, I felt very frustrated because she didn’t seem to understand how serious this virus is. I told her no, and refuse to ring her out she then, proceeded to another register very furious and still with no mask on. We are not essential workers but working in a retail store during this pandemic has been very overwhelming. The company benefits from all of this because they reach their sales goals every day. When I think about it, we as employees should be happy that there are sales because it means the store won’t close down, and we can keep our jobs. The customers do not seem to have any type of consideration for any of us as retail workers. It upsets me because now more than ever, everyone should be thankful for still being alive after what we just went through this whole year. We need to appreciate each other, and respect one another because we don’t know what everyone is going through. Always be kind to everyone!
• 
  2020-04-10

  Labor Job Survey

  Graduate student Colin Larter from Minnesota State University is seeking participants for a survey focusing on service industry and factory workers to share their experience about their jobs. The survey is completely anonymous, and he is planning to utilize the data he gathers for his thesis. As a former retail worker, he understands the importance of sharing these experiences. This flyer was shared on the Target reddit page, and likely other places on the internet, in hopes that there would be a variety of individuals participating.
• 
  2020-09-22

  Mask Sign at Retail Store

  This image of a sign at a store, posted on Facebook, hit home with the woman who posted, whose daughter works for a retail store and had recently dealt with an extremely aggressive customer. While there is not information regarding where this sign was posted, many small businesses who want to protect their employees are posting similar messages to express their frustration with those refusing to follow mask ordinances and store policies. Stores and restaurants are often private property, meaning that even if states don't require precautions such as masks, businesses are still allowed to have their own requirements before allowing customers to enter.
• 
  2020-12-14

  Working in a pandemic

  This was an email sent out to employees about a coworker that had been infected with Covid-19. This is important because it shows that stores are now required to inform employees when another person that works there is confirmed to be covid positive. However, as this is a personal experience the company did not inform employees that there was a suspected case prior to the confirmation. This shows how money hungry corporations are even in a pandemic. They may say that they had the employee's best interest in mind but their actions speak louder, than a lousy email sent out.
• 
  2020-11-23

  Mask Up Ohio Survey

  Attached is a survey that 3 University of Cincinnati students conducted observing if and how people are wearing masks in public retail businesses.
• 
  2020-10-24

  Defunct Shopping Centers Become Senior Housing Solution

  Due to economic hardships brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, many shopping centers and malls have seen their last shoppers. Many of these structures are now being repurposed for upscale, senior retirement living. The article observes that the over-65 population is “increasing by about 10,000 a day,” which makes such repurposing an inventive and useful idea. Wasik also writes that “the retail-to-housing transformation [has] been accelerated by the pandemic.”
• 
  2020-07-22

  Black Friday for Walmart Employees

  What I have submitted is important to me, because while I have worked retail and understand the important of everyone being able to share Thanksgiving with their families and friends and also the importance of everyone’s safety during the pandemic, I happen to be someone that did not celebrate Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving day. My family was always working and instead of being home alone on the holiday, I went shopping by myself, or if I was lucky, with a friend. I’m beyond ecstatic for retail workers that will finally get to spend the holiday with their families and friends as some have not had the holiday off in over 20 years. Perhaps this year, we as a family, will celebrate on Thanksgiving day for the first time in almost 15 years.
• 
  2020-03-31

  Retail Workers Rushing to Fill Non-Essential Shelves

  When the panic at the grocery stores happened, essentials were the first to go, but shortly after everyone was forced to stay inside, many were looking for a way to fill their time in their homes. People were creating crafts, sewing masks together, exercising, playing board games, you name it. It’s important because while grocery worker employees were overwhelmed with the demand of essential items that were selling before they could even get them off the pallets, nonessential items were flying off the shelves as well, making their regular duties even more difficult to keep up with.
• 
  2020-04-07

  Permission Slip for Essential Workers

  This photo was sent to me from a former coworker that was “served” a “permission slip” as she called it, for being an essential worker during the pandemic while working for Walmart. It’s important because while we would normally think of an essential worker as someone who is in healthcare or emergency services, grocery employees were considered essential for the items they sold that were in serious demand during the panic of the pandemic. All hands on deck is the most appropriate phrase here.
• 
  2020-10-30

  Follow the Yellow Brick Road

  “Do you sell hand sanitizer?” asks nearly every customer that enters the door into the store that I work at. If I’m not busy, I’m usually kind enough to walk them down to the aisle they’re in (Aisle 12, Cleaning and Breakroom!), however, if I can’t take the time to, I tell them to follow the stickers we have on the floor that leads to that section. Sort of like the yellow brick road from The Wizard of Oz led Dorothy and her gang to the Emerald City. Many stores nowadays have social distancing and directional stickers for aisles, but this is the only place that I have seen these types of stickers. This is something that I have come to associate with life during the pandemic; now learning to work during this.
• 
  2020-10-16

  Selling Coffee during the Plague Year

  A journal of a Starbucks employee working during the pandemic. Describes the ways in which the company provided in ways adequate and not. Six weeks of paid stay-at-home that spiraled into depression, and the mounting stress from working with the public, and the pressure to open space for customers to stay in store.
• 
  2020-10-15

  Do You Know I'm Smiling?

  I pride myself on being a friendly southerner, mainly while out shopping or eating at restaurants. I know retail and food service employees have very difficult jobs, so I always try to be friendly, understanding and tip well. One of the ways I’ve always tried to appear friendly is by smiling. But now with the COVID-19 pandemic, masks are required pretty much everywhere. Essential workers are overworked, and now my face, covered with a mask from the nose down is hiding my smile. They cannot tell how friendly I appear; now I just have to try and say loudly(so they can understand me from behind the mask), that I don’t mind how long I had to wait, I understand they are busy, and it’s okay. I usually try to ease their concern with a nice smile. I never realized how much not being able to smile at people would impact me. I’ve never felt more pressure to “smile with my eyes” or “smize” as Tyra Banks would famously tell the models on the America’s Next Top Model television show. Life’s hard for smilers, no one can see our beautiful expressions with masks on.
• 
  2020-03-01

  COVID and RETAIL

  It shows a fresh perspective of someone working in retail during a pandemic.
• 
  2020-10-08

  Essential Worker

  The object that I have uploaded reflects several aspects regarding the pandemic as it presents an implication as to the spread of Covid-19 throughout the United States, methods regarding the prevention of the transmission of Covid-19, as well as the efforts of companies, in this case Dollar General, to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. On its own, as the mask of a Dollar General Employee from Sevierville, Tennessee, the object brings with it the implication that, in the event that evidence for Covid-19’s spread within East Tennessee is lost, there was at least a concern within the Dollar General corporation regarding the spread of Covid-19 into the East Tennessee area. The object, as a photograph of a mask, also provides information about the ideas circulating at this time to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, such as the donning of a mask to cover the mouth and nose. The object also informs regarding the efforts of retail corporations, in this instance Dollar General, to curb the spread of the pandemic through their establishments and across the nation, such as providing official masks for their employees to utilize. The uploaded object is important to me because it is a reminder of the various reactions, primarily from customers, to the spread of the pandemic within a retail-based environment. Among these reactions has been the bulk purchasing of certain products once they are restocked, specifically Lysol and alcohol but toilet paper and hand sanitizer were also frequently bought in the early months of the pandemic, as well as the influx of various hand sanitizer and face mask based products to be purchased. Aside from what items are frequently purchased, the customers of the store also react frequently to the implementation of face masks within the store as many comment on their lack of comfort while a minority speak positively about their benefit in preventing the spread of Covid-19, though the majority of customers make no comment at all regarding face masks.
• 
  2020-10-09

  covid, religion & public life reflection assignment

  I wrote almost four times the required wordcount as a general reflection on this time period in my life & what it's been like balancing work problems and academics and bad mental health this year and these past couple months for this round of classes. I had some tension I needed to get off my chest, apparently, but I survived this first half of the fall. It is draining to be faced with at least a handful of people every day who radiate contempt for your safety or the dozens who behave carelessly, repeatedly, carelessly or the few who make obstacles of themselves to prove a point. It is draining to not be alone all year and yet pretend, by and large, that all is mostly well, all year
• 
  2020-06-01

  Precautions at Retail Shops Related to Covid-19

  This image shows what precautions retail stores are taking relating to the corona virus. Though I found this picture on the internet, I have also experienced going to the stores and seeing how they have changed because of Covid-19. For example, when I walked into the store, the employees were keeping track of how many people were in the store at a time and limiting the max occupancy. After waiting in line outside, they provided hand sanitizer before I could enter. There was a sign similar to the one in the picture that explained what they were doing to protect their customers, such as requiring masks and marking places to stand throughout the store to make sure I was social distancing. This image outlines the extremities of the pandemic and how stores are taking measures to ensure their customers are safe.