This was an all day project when I was Assistant Manager at the vitamin store. I deep cleaned, retagged, and restocked the drink cooler. It had been neglected, and looked a lot better when I was done. As I got further into that job and up until the location closed at the end of that year, I found many things that weren’t right. There was a backstock of product collecting dust in the store room, I found a box of promotional tags we should have been using, there were several outdated store policies, and social media was not being utilized. Prior management had also exhibited bizarre behavior that turned a lot of clientele away. I got asked numerous times if Covid was the reason we closed. I told customers it was a corporate decision. But I believe the store was doomed when I took my position. When I was hired, it was the beginning of the end.

What I have learned is nothing just falls apart. Something can go through years of disregard before it breaks. And you can fix small things and say it is better. But unless you are willing to open your eyes and put in the work to clean up old damage, it will eventually crumble right in front of you.