The backroom at TJs

[veteran+]

https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail- ... ker-safety

This is what I have spoken about in the past regarding my observations and the experiences of Employees (friends of mine).

Tiny backrooms with boxes (unsafely) stacked high, narrow pathways, blocked exits and all manner of equipment (fire extinguishers, electrical panels, etc.).

Claustrophobic at the very least.

[storewanderer]

This is what happens with small extremely high volume stores that get large truckloads since the stores are so far from the warehouse.

Maybe opening more stores will change this. Less volume so smaller loads?

This situation causes a good bit of shrinkage and spoilage that wouldn't occur with a larger backroom that could be more organized.

The answer is smaller more frequent trucks...

The other answer is larger stores or larger backrooms...

They need to do something.

[ClownLoach]

https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail- ... ker-safety

This is what I have spoken about in the past regarding my observations and the experiences of Employees (friends of mine).

Tiny backrooms with boxes (unsafely) stacked high, narrow pathways, blocked exits and all manner of equipment (fire extinguishers, electrical panels, etc.).

Claustrophobic at the very least.

So the primary issue in this article was forklift training and certification. The improper operation of large mechanical equipment will get you six and seven digit fines like this. It's unacceptable and a sign of a bad manager.

The full back rooms that get multiple trucks per day? Only real fix is what they've been doing and that's opening more stores. Either you have back rooms packed like this while the store is being restocked throughout the day or you have empty shelves and complaints about out of stocks. TJs only has the problem of one large truck in areas where they're stuck with a curfew or dock that can't be used during business hours and usually that problem is dropped onto stores once they're already in place because someone bought a million dollar house and failed to notice the loading dock for TJs or whoever else on the other side of their fence, then they harass City Hall until someone forces the business to change to make up for the home buyers poor decision. I had a store next to a TJs where they received smaller deliveries in box trucks up to 6 times a day.

This is a company that has proven time and time again when they have the opportunity they will pull the trigger on the expense to relocate, knock down walls to expand, open another store etc. And their newer stores are massive to prevent all of these issues. They have one of these problematic stores in Temecula which has been expanded twice as neighbors closed and the back dock is always open and in use. They are opening another store just two miles north and taking an entire OfficeMax box, you could probably put four of the current store inside the new one and they will operate both.

At least TJs is a constant 24/7 machine with heavy staffing, dozens of people working around the clock. There is never a time when there isn't at least one supervisor or manager in the back room with another employee. But there is a lot of logistical maneuvering required in those smaller setups. If you think TJs is bad, you should see the back rooms of many urban Ralphs, Vons, Rite Aid, Ross, TJMaxx/Marshall's, HomeGoods, Michaels, 99, Dollar Tree. The difference is all those stores will have the exact same problems, narrow aisles and a maze to get to the fire exit, blocked panels and more, but Trader Joe's will be the only one with multiple employees including a Manager present in that back room working. If something actually happened the TJs would be the safest place because there would be employees to move things immediately and guide people. The others mentioned would just be a mountain of boxes people would be trying to get around.

So to say they need to do something? They seem to be willing to do a lot and pretty much spare no expense, but if the opportunity is not there to expand, move, take multiple trucks, etc. then they try to do the best they can and perfection is not going to be achieved.

Finally, I have seen very loose definitions of electrical panel blocking which wind up being subject to interpretation. I had a store that occupied a former sporting goods retailer where the electrical panels were literally in the receiving dock. I have no clue what kind of brainless architect chose that spot considering there was ample space in the backroom. However, there were bollards and a full railing across the entire electric panel area with an opening to the side. This left 36 inches open from the panels to the railing. Building and safety inspector said there was zero issue unloading the trucks and putting pallets or other boxes against that railing even though it technically blocked the panels. Later the Fire Dept inspected and wanted to cite for blocking the panels even though there was a full 3 feet of clearance, nothing behind the rail, and open easy access from the side. They said nothing can ever be around the panels on any side. I had to explain that if I couldn't use the space on the rail I basically no longer have a receiving area and cannot unload trucks there. They agreed and changed their mind, but again the definition of blocked panel in their opinion was different from someone else's. So it makes me wonder exactly what the situation entailed in the relatively few locations cited in the article. Frankly I would have expected more citations based on the way they operate.

[pseudo3d]

https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail- ... ker-safety

This is what I have spoken about in the past regarding my observations and the experiences of Employees (friends of mine).

Tiny backrooms with boxes (unsafely) stacked high, narrow pathways, blocked exits and all manner of equipment (fire extinguishers, electrical panels, etc.).

Claustrophobic at the very least.

It sounds a bit like the sorry condition of the Randalls I worked in Houston. But that store was over 60 years old and had all sorts of space and deferred maintenance issues. For a building that actually has modern loading docks and a store footprint that should work, that's no excuse.

[ClownLoach]

https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail- ... ker-safety

This is what I have spoken about in the past regarding my observations and the experiences of Employees (friends of mine).

Tiny backrooms with boxes (unsafely) stacked high, narrow pathways, blocked exits and all manner of equipment (fire extinguishers, electrical panels, etc.).

Claustrophobic at the very least.

It sounds a bit like the sorry condition of the Randalls I worked in Houston. But that store was over 60 years old and had all sorts of space and deferred maintenance issues. For a building that actually has modern loading docks and a store footprint that should work, that's no excuse.

Most of the stores we are talking about were opened decades before they became so popular. Few have full loading docks and such. Many just have a regular door in the alley. Their popularity has necessitated more freight, more deliveries and that's why they're so aggressively replacing these older stores. But as someone who has spent decades working real estate deals I can tell you it isn't always easy to move a store, expand it etc. If there isn't room you have to wait. And realistically, nothing is going to happen because these stores are actually staffed and supervised 24/7 unlike the dozens of chains I named that have these conditions 24/7 instead of momentarily like TJs. They are pushing into larger buildings now so this should no longer be a issue. They won't open in the smaller locations that used to be more than adequate. But why should they close because they are too successful?

So everyone thinks this would be better if the freight just blocked the actual store aisles, where customers are constantly present and where there is a great need to be able to immediately evacuate?

[veteran+]

As a former operator of small and uber large stores, urban and suburban, I have not seen stores like this in the backroom.

A temporary disaster, okay. But a status quo condition like what I saw first hand is crazy. I have terminated managers that had back rooms like that (if in that condition often).

My point was OSHA standards vs TJ's back rooms, forklift training included.

[mbz321]

Funny that this comes up as I happened to be driving around the back of a shopping center with a Trader Joe's last week and I noticed on their loading dock area they had a TJ's branded pop-up canopy with boxes of merchandise (or perhaps and hopefully, store supplies) being stored underneath!

[storewanderer]

Funny that this comes up as I happened to be driving around the back of a shopping center with a Trader Joe's last week and I noticed on their loading dock area they had a TJ's branded pop-up canopy with boxes of merchandise (or perhaps and hopefully, store supplies) being stored underneath!

Was it really a lot of stuff or a small enough amount it could be supplies? They don't get much as far as supplies go other than bags, receipt paper, light cleaning products, and such.

All the packaging, heavy cleaning supplies, and such that other stores get as "supplies" - since Trader Joe's stuff all comes in prepack, they don't get stuff like bakery containers, giant containers of cleaning chemicals to sanitize fresh departments, meat trays, etc.

[ClownLoach]

Funny that this comes up as I happened to be driving around the back of a shopping center with a Trader Joe's last week and I noticed on their loading dock area they had a TJ's branded pop-up canopy with boxes of merchandise (or perhaps and hopefully, store supplies) being stored underneath!

Was it really a lot of stuff or a small enough amount it could be supplies? They don't get much as far as supplies go other than bags, receipt paper, light cleaning products, and such.

All the packaging, heavy cleaning supplies, and such that other stores get as "supplies" - since Trader Joe's stuff all comes in prepack, they don't get stuff like bakery containers, giant containers of cleaning chemicals to sanitize fresh departments, meat trays, etc.

Probably merchandise. These are the type of stores they're trying to get relocated and opening additional stores to bleed off. Most of them get trucks overnight and unload on the sidewalk out front then bring the pallets inside through the front door and stock. The problem is the stores now do so much business that they still need multiple smaller deliveries through the day. In those stores ambient is the daytime delivery.

And if you think TJs is unusual, I raise you the Walmart in San Clemente. Entire days freight is unloaded into the alley all afternoon and evening on pallets. Dock is only used for the refrigerated trailer. Everything else is in the alley for hours and guarded by employees at each end sitting in lawn chairs.

[veteran+]

Funny that this comes up as I happened to be driving around the back of a shopping center with a Trader Joe's last week and I noticed on their loading dock area they had a TJ's branded pop-up canopy with boxes of merchandise (or perhaps and hopefully, store supplies) being stored underneath!

Common practice from what I have seen.