Company Blog

CHOMPERS MAINTENANCE

by Adam Zack — April 2, 2025

“Because whether it’s molars or merchandising, decay doesn’t fix itself.”

I Hate the Dentist (But I Go Anyway)

Man, I hate going to the dentist. I’d bet a solid 80% of people feel the same. It’s like a mash-up of waterboarding, construction work, and pure discomfort. Time slows to a crawl—minutes stretch into eternities—and just when you think the end is near, you hear those four dreaded words: “Almost done. Three more minutes.” And yet… I still go every six months. Not because I enjoy it, but because I know that 30 minutes of discomfort now is way better than hours of painful (and expensive) dental construction later. It’s like changing your car’s oil—skip it too long, and you’ll pay the price. Plus, let’s be real: dirty teeth and bad breath are not attractive at all. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Sometimes those routine cleanings reveal a little more—maybe a cracked tooth, or a filling that needs replacing. Maintenance uncovers the stuff that, if ignored, turns into a real mess.

So what does this have to do with the grocery business? Glad you asked. Our stores are a lot like teeth. They need regular maintenance—cleaning, organizing, polishing—so they look and smell great every day. And just like your teeth, they occasionally need major work: repairs, remodels, overhauls. And just like dental surgery, those remodels can be painful and pricey. But if we ignore the signs, things start to rot. Floors get grimy, fixtures get outdated, the smell turns from “fresh bakery” to “what died in aisle five?” And when that happens, customers notice—and they don’t come back.

That’s why upkeep isn’t optional. It’s the cost of doing business the right way. Because whether it’s molars or merchandising, decay doesn’t fix itself. Either we maintain it now, or we rebuild it later—at a much higher cost with less customers than we had.