Confidence Pays

This past Thursday, my mom and I went to eat at the new Perkin's Restaurant here in town. Perkin's has always been one of my favorite restaurants to go to, but usually the only time we've been to one is when we were on our way to Wisconsin, because there had never been one here. I know I used to love their pies and a few times, I even begged my parents to buy one of their pies to take home on our way back. And finally, we have one here.

I am sure everyone has felt uncomfortable in a new setting at one time or another. Whether it's being a student at a new school and not knowing anyone, or being a new hire at an established employer and not knowing anyone there. I know I've experienced those same feelings many different times and it takes getting adjusted to your surroundings and feeling comfortable where you're at. I could tell the waiter we had at Perkin's was pretty nervous at what he was doing. He was pretty young, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was still in high school and was just working there for the summer. He probably has only been at being a waiter for a week if not less than that. My mom and I could detect that he felt uneasy at what he was doing; how he talked to us, how he walked around the restaurant looking lost and trying to find something to do, how he didn't really communicate much with the other waiters and waitresses on the floor. Maybe he wasn't like this at all and it could be just how we perceived it, but to us, that is how it looked.

He even screwed up my order. I had asked for a chicken BBQ supreme sandwhich and I ended up getting a hamburger patty instead of a chicken patty. Everything else about the order was right except for getting the hamburger. I guess the clue that I was getting a hamburger was when after I gave my order he asked, "the burger?" And not thinking twice about it, I replied, "yes." Well geez, I DID say the chicken BBQ supreme sandwhich. Unless you could substitute the chicken for hamburger - I don't really know. But, my mom and I didn't want to make him feel any more embarassed than he already looked, so we just let it slide. I thought it was a pretty good sandwhich regardless of the mix-up.

He even asked my mom if she wanted another iced tea, which she did. Wouldn't you know, a waitress just happened to come along with a pitcher of iced tea and asked my mom if she wanted a refill. My mom said sure, but after the waitress was gone, she said, "I hope he doesn't come with the refill." Well sure enough, he did. So he had to bring it back and my mom and I were left to feeling pretty badly for this kid. We wanted him to be confident in his job and he just did not seem like that confident of a person. We had hoped that leaving him a generous tip would lift up his spirits and make him become more confident in his abilities. We sure hope it worked.

As I said, he couldn't have been on the job for very long and I am sure he will improve and gain some confidence the more he works. But starting out, it can be frustrating for anyone. I remember when I first learned how to operate a cash register at a grocery store, whenever fruits or vegetables came through, you had to look through a book if you didn't happen to know the code that you could punch in. Plus, there were countless ways in which a customer could pay for their groceries and it was so easy hitting a wrong button on the machine. During the first week, one evening I worked, I was $30.00 off on my drawer. I can't remember the exact details anymore, but I know I did something that I shouldn't have done. I think I charged up an extra $30.00 that I shouldn't have and it came up unaccounted for. Nothing was ever stolen from me, but it was just an error on my part. And you know what? I was never that much off on my drawer ever again. See, just like me, it took some confidence in my abilities and soon after, I excelled as a cashiere at that grocery store. It can happen to anyone, as well.

New Development

Even though I knew it was coming before the official announcement was made yesterday - you never what ends up being a rumor and what becomes true. Lowe's, the major home improvement retail store, will be building an outlet here in Marquette. It will be built across the highway from our other home improvement retailer, Menards. The building itself will be 139,000 square feet large, and I have no idea if that includes a lumber yard or garden center (but I don't believe it does - those will be separate). Needless to say, this will provide a major shot in the arm for the area as it will provide for new jobs and an increase to the tax base. In my opinion, Menards really is not doing an adequate job providing affordable buidling supplies to the area. I also believe their customer service is very poor. With a major competitor just across the road from them, I think this will help them to be more competent and they won't take advantage and over price their materials like they can now. Otherwise you know what people will do then. Head across the highway to Lowe's.

Over the years as I've lived here in Marquette or nearby, I've heard many different rumors regarding retail stores and restaurants potentially locating here. Five or six years ago, Home Depot was supposed to build a store right where Lowe's will be building. Even our local newspaper included a big write-up on the front page. But that never materialized. In today's paper in the article that mentions the new Lowe's store, Home Depot was brought up again as having interest in the past at building a store behind the Westwood Mall. Since it seems that Lowe's will definitely be locating here, Home Depot seems to be the odd man out. I just can't imagine having all three major home improvement retailers here in a town of 20,000 people. But then again, we did have a K-Mart, Target, and Wal-Mart for awhile before K-Mart closed.

About three years ago, I heard the rumor about Costco buying Super One (a grocery store) and the Superior Lanes (a bowling alley) and building a store on that parcel of land. That never materialized. Another rumor involved the popular restaurant the Olive Garden locating in Negaunee Township across from the old airport where the new casino will be built eventually (they've been saying that for the past five years now, though). There's also been talk about a Dairy Queen (which would be awesome), Old Navy, and an Arby's coming to town over the years, but those have never materialized. And yes, even a Sam's Club was mentioned as possibly locating here at one time. But the problem with a Sam's is that they are usually located directly next to Wal-Mart. Our Wal-Mart (which is always crazy busy) is land-locked on both sides of it. Menards happens to sit next to Wal-Mart and if it should happen to close, you better believe that Wal-Mart will look very closely at building a Sam's there.

The latest "rumor" flying around involves Walgreen's building a store here. But that one will pay a price if it goes where it's been rumored to go. Shunk's Furniture and JT's Shaft would be bulldozed in favor of a Walgreen's. Those two businesses are long time establishments of the area and it would be a shame to see them go. Walgreen's is a very popular drug store (in case you're unaware) and would also affect Shopko quite heavily because their pharmacy is very popular. Shopko would be directly next to the new Walgreen's, if it should happen to go there. It could very well be the final nail in the coffin for Shopko which has been hurt by Wal-Mart and Target here. And that would truly be a shame for me, because Shopko is probably the store I shop at the most, and I know I'll really miss it (and it happens to be two blocks away!!!).

The one thing I am truly happy to know is that Perkin's will finally be here in town. It's probably one of my favorite sit-down style restaurants and it's going in where Timbercreek used to be (actually, the Timbercreek building is being completely renovated into a Perkin's). Perkin's is a restaurant we always seemed to go to on our family vacations and trips to Wisconsin. They always have great food and finally we'll have one in Marquette.