You can tell

I recently read in our local newspaper that Publix has bought out two Albertsons stores and the Winn Dixie stores in our town. That means that our local grocery shopping choices will consist of... Publix.

Sure, there's a Sav-a-Lot (with generics), Harvey's (which has two locations in town - neither of which are convenient at all), and the Wal-Marts with grocery stores in them - again not really convenient.

September is the takeover date, but already things are changing.

I went shopping this evening. Almost all the bottom shelves were empty. Quite a few of the end-of-aisle displays were nothing but empty shelves.

Even the light was different, like no one was bothering to replace the burned out bulbs anymore.

Out of curiosity, I looked up at the ceiling and there were a few bulbs out, but not really enough to account for the change of atmostphere.

It was quiet. There were people in there doing their shopping, but it was almost as if they were shopping for coffins and urns - not food. And the musak was turned down low.

Depressing. I loved Albertsons. I love Publix, but somehow they've managed to mangle their stores. They change the layouts, narrow the aisles and don't have enough space for more than two closely passing carts at the end of the aisles. And don't get me started on the engineering of their parking lots. Accidents waiting to happen.

I asked one of the checkers what would happen to this store, seeing as there's actually a Publix only two blocks away.

There may be a ray of sunshine after all. Apparently this Albertsons is destined to become an organic foods store. If they can pull that off and do it without messing up the physical store itself, they can count on me as a customer.

If they can't... well, I guess it's gonna mean roadtrips to Harvey's or Wal-Mart.

Sigh.