December 8, 2010: Ovens
For a while the ovens in the department have been acting up. They are both over 20 years old and their wiring is dangerous. Stop & Shop does not want to invest in new ovens for our store even though we are one of the top selling stores in the entire company.
Usually one oven would break and the other oven would work and then it would switch. Today the ovens decided to both break simultaneously. Needless to say without an oven none of the baking can get done. We put in a call to the company responsible for fixing the ovens, but they said it would take three hours for them to get there and fix everything. It was early and we did not have the time to wait. I tried to figure out the wiring and tried to mix and match the items to see what would happen. I thought that at least help was on the way if I messed up more.
I was shocked several times by live wires, but the end result was one of the ovens working. At least with that we could start the baking. Just another day...
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Veranda Homestead
December 8, 2010: Veranda Homestead
We have many return customers to the store. Some of them are good and others you never want to see again. There is one man from Veranda Homestead, an elderly community, Michael, who often comes in for his cakes. The building was holding it's thirtieth anniversary party and Michael wanted us to carve a cake into a specific design and decorate it: the logo of the company. Michael was the head chef for the home's kitchen. He was one of our best supporters and purchased several dozen cakes with us per year.
Michael wanted the cake carved into what looked like the letter "V" with a leaf over it. Normally we don't go above and beyond the generic designs for customers except on extremely rare occasions and given that we have the time. We had the available time and Michael was a great customer.
He wanted 20 cakes made in this design. We went to work on it and it took the entirety of our shifts (Myself and my boss combined) to get the cakes shaped and decorated. It was a difficult job and the final cost was approximately $800 so it was worth it.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
We have many return customers to the store. Some of them are good and others you never want to see again. There is one man from Veranda Homestead, an elderly community, Michael, who often comes in for his cakes. The building was holding it's thirtieth anniversary party and Michael wanted us to carve a cake into a specific design and decorate it: the logo of the company. Michael was the head chef for the home's kitchen. He was one of our best supporters and purchased several dozen cakes with us per year.
Michael wanted the cake carved into what looked like the letter "V" with a leaf over it. Normally we don't go above and beyond the generic designs for customers except on extremely rare occasions and given that we have the time. We had the available time and Michael was a great customer.
He wanted 20 cakes made in this design. We went to work on it and it took the entirety of our shifts (Myself and my boss combined) to get the cakes shaped and decorated. It was a difficult job and the final cost was approximately $800 so it was worth it.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Keys
December 8, 2010: Keys
My department head was off today and I had forgotten my keys to his desk. I had to do the order using the order book, but I had no way to enter. I tried to call the security department to cut off the lock and let me into the desk, but they were nowhere to be found.
I found a simple solution. Take the scan gun and scan each item on the floor for what we were missing. It was a simple solution to a complex problem. I have to tell my boss about that when he gets back. It seems to have taken less time and will be more effective.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
My department head was off today and I had forgotten my keys to his desk. I had to do the order using the order book, but I had no way to enter. I tried to call the security department to cut off the lock and let me into the desk, but they were nowhere to be found.
I found a simple solution. Take the scan gun and scan each item on the floor for what we were missing. It was a simple solution to a complex problem. I have to tell my boss about that when he gets back. It seems to have taken less time and will be more effective.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Cold Cold Cold
December 7, 2010: Cold Cold Cold
It seems as though the store has forgotten that they have a heating unit. The air conditioning blowers are still blowing in the department and everyone is afraid of getting sick. We have mentioned it to the store manager, but to no avail. The only warm place in the entire store is the restrooms. Can we move the cakes in there so I can get some work done? Just a thought...they don't call them urinal cakes for nothing.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
It seems as though the store has forgotten that they have a heating unit. The air conditioning blowers are still blowing in the department and everyone is afraid of getting sick. We have mentioned it to the store manager, but to no avail. The only warm place in the entire store is the restrooms. Can we move the cakes in there so I can get some work done? Just a thought...they don't call them urinal cakes for nothing.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Cakes Galore
December 7, 2010: Cakes Galore
The full time cake decorator is on vacation and it is up to the remaining people to make the specialty orders that have to be made. This is the most annoying part of the bakery. The cake orders take precise actions for them to be pulled off the right way. We do generic designs such as balloons or roses, simple designs with edible images, and the intricate cake orders with toy kits for children. We have several different sizes and two types of frosting that can be used. Our largest cake, a full sheet, feeds about 60 people and ranges in price from $38 to $44. Next in line is the half sheet: half the size of the full that feeds about 30 people for between $28 to $34. The final is the quarter sheet: quarter the size of a full and feeds 15 people for between $18 to $24.
Today we had eighteen cake orders that had to be done. Nine of them were full sheets which was going to be extremely challenging. Those take the longest amount of time. My boss and I each took half the pile. Seems a bit odd that out of eighteen cakes I wound up with all the full sheets...
Oh well. Time to get to work.
The first order is a full sheet with multicolored roses in the corners that reads "Happy Birthday Gabriela." Next is a picture cake of a veteran who was turning 85 years old. A picture is made the same way that a regular picture is printed out of a computer. There is a sugar paper that we feed through an Epson printer and it prints the image with Edible Inks. It looks impressive, but when you work in the business it really isn't. After was a Thomas the Tank Engine cake for a child named Bradley. To make this cake I had to use the spray gun: a little metal gun that we load with very hefty food coloring to spray scenery on a cake. I had to draw train tracks and a valley and then place the toys. Two more picture cakes for a set of twins. A Iron Man cake for a teenage gentleman who still has that young boy inside I guess. The rest were all simplistic flower and balloon designs.
It took a lot of time, but it was worth the effort.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
The full time cake decorator is on vacation and it is up to the remaining people to make the specialty orders that have to be made. This is the most annoying part of the bakery. The cake orders take precise actions for them to be pulled off the right way. We do generic designs such as balloons or roses, simple designs with edible images, and the intricate cake orders with toy kits for children. We have several different sizes and two types of frosting that can be used. Our largest cake, a full sheet, feeds about 60 people and ranges in price from $38 to $44. Next in line is the half sheet: half the size of the full that feeds about 30 people for between $28 to $34. The final is the quarter sheet: quarter the size of a full and feeds 15 people for between $18 to $24.
Today we had eighteen cake orders that had to be done. Nine of them were full sheets which was going to be extremely challenging. Those take the longest amount of time. My boss and I each took half the pile. Seems a bit odd that out of eighteen cakes I wound up with all the full sheets...
Oh well. Time to get to work.
The first order is a full sheet with multicolored roses in the corners that reads "Happy Birthday Gabriela." Next is a picture cake of a veteran who was turning 85 years old. A picture is made the same way that a regular picture is printed out of a computer. There is a sugar paper that we feed through an Epson printer and it prints the image with Edible Inks. It looks impressive, but when you work in the business it really isn't. After was a Thomas the Tank Engine cake for a child named Bradley. To make this cake I had to use the spray gun: a little metal gun that we load with very hefty food coloring to spray scenery on a cake. I had to draw train tracks and a valley and then place the toys. Two more picture cakes for a set of twins. A Iron Man cake for a teenage gentleman who still has that young boy inside I guess. The rest were all simplistic flower and balloon designs.
It took a lot of time, but it was worth the effort.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
The Boss is Back
December 6, 2010: The Boss is Back
The store manager has been away for a week on vacation. Needless to say when the boss is away the workers would play, but now that he has come back his usual method is to come back with a force. Even if things were exactly the way they were before he left and it was the way he had liked it he would find some fault to pick on in order to reassure his authority.
Our department was spotless. There were no physical details out of place. What would he possibly have to pick on?
He wanted us to take apart the cake case. He want us to literally unscrew the entire metal frame and get down to the fans that keep the case cool and clean them.
It took forever to take the case apart and it made it difficult to remember where pieces went. It was a difficult task and it took a long time and had no point. He is back.
The store manager has been away for a week on vacation. Needless to say when the boss is away the workers would play, but now that he has come back his usual method is to come back with a force. Even if things were exactly the way they were before he left and it was the way he had liked it he would find some fault to pick on in order to reassure his authority.
Our department was spotless. There were no physical details out of place. What would he possibly have to pick on?
He wanted us to take apart the cake case. He want us to literally unscrew the entire metal frame and get down to the fans that keep the case cool and clean them.
It took forever to take the case apart and it made it difficult to remember where pieces went. It was a difficult task and it took a long time and had no point. He is back.
New Horizons
December 6, 2010: New Horizons
I always loved this job even at the worst times. I liked the people I worked with and I loved the work itself, the time for a change has come. In about a month I am going to be leaving the bakery for a new job at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The position is nothing high ranking, but the money is more than double my current hourly wage at the store. I plan on going full time and working just a day or two at the store for extra income. College is coming to a close and it is time for a change that I will be able to support myself with. I will make this the best last month of work that I possibly can.
Side Note: I told my boss that I was planning on drastically cutting down or leaving altogether and he was devastated. It will be hard to leave my first real job, but it is a necessary change. I will keep the updates coming throughout the last month of Lil' Buddy in the bakery.
Until Next Time.
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
I always loved this job even at the worst times. I liked the people I worked with and I loved the work itself, the time for a change has come. In about a month I am going to be leaving the bakery for a new job at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The position is nothing high ranking, but the money is more than double my current hourly wage at the store. I plan on going full time and working just a day or two at the store for extra income. College is coming to a close and it is time for a change that I will be able to support myself with. I will make this the best last month of work that I possibly can.
Side Note: I told my boss that I was planning on drastically cutting down or leaving altogether and he was devastated. It will be hard to leave my first real job, but it is a necessary change. I will keep the updates coming throughout the last month of Lil' Buddy in the bakery.
Until Next Time.
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Back to Normal
December 6, 2010: Back to Normal
I could not stand working in the other store anymore so I requested my hours there be switched back to my own store. They had no choice but to comply and today I am back working with my work family.
I came back to utter chaos. Nobody had taken the time to realize that two of the three full time employees were on vacation during this week so the department was extremely shorthanded. The shelves were empty and the department was backed up with stock. My boss wanted me to work as many hours as necessary to get the place back to normal with him. We each put in a solid fifteen hours to try to get the department not only set up, but set up for the holiday season.
It took a lot of effort, but the department was filled with all our usual goods. We had another kink in the day when the night crew worker called out sick. We had to complete that job along with setting up the holiday displays. That job took a couple hours, but we were able to complete it.
Next came getting on to the turkey trailer and grabbing the holiday product. Going on to the dock where the turkey trailer is is the absolute most disgusting place one could ever want to be. There are several large, brown industrial sized barrels full of meat waste: rotting meat sitting unrefrigerated. It is such a wretched smell. It is absolutely atrocious. The goal was to rush through getting the product and get it back to the department before we passed out from the smell. Goal accomplished.
We set up several tables in the department: four Christmas displays and 1 Hannukah display. The Hanukkah display was put at the end of the Kosher aisle. The four Christmas tables were set up at both store entrances and two tables in the department.
On the tables were: Do it Yourself Gingerbread Houses, frosted sugar cookies, fancy cookie baskets, and several holiday items that we in the bakery had created such as pull apart cupcake designs in the shape of snowflakes, Santa hats, candles, and stockings.
Things were finally all set up.
Until Next Time,
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
I could not stand working in the other store anymore so I requested my hours there be switched back to my own store. They had no choice but to comply and today I am back working with my work family.
I came back to utter chaos. Nobody had taken the time to realize that two of the three full time employees were on vacation during this week so the department was extremely shorthanded. The shelves were empty and the department was backed up with stock. My boss wanted me to work as many hours as necessary to get the place back to normal with him. We each put in a solid fifteen hours to try to get the department not only set up, but set up for the holiday season.
It took a lot of effort, but the department was filled with all our usual goods. We had another kink in the day when the night crew worker called out sick. We had to complete that job along with setting up the holiday displays. That job took a couple hours, but we were able to complete it.
Next came getting on to the turkey trailer and grabbing the holiday product. Going on to the dock where the turkey trailer is is the absolute most disgusting place one could ever want to be. There are several large, brown industrial sized barrels full of meat waste: rotting meat sitting unrefrigerated. It is such a wretched smell. It is absolutely atrocious. The goal was to rush through getting the product and get it back to the department before we passed out from the smell. Goal accomplished.
We set up several tables in the department: four Christmas displays and 1 Hannukah display. The Hanukkah display was put at the end of the Kosher aisle. The four Christmas tables were set up at both store entrances and two tables in the department.
On the tables were: Do it Yourself Gingerbread Houses, frosted sugar cookies, fancy cookie baskets, and several holiday items that we in the bakery had created such as pull apart cupcake designs in the shape of snowflakes, Santa hats, candles, and stockings.
Things were finally all set up.
Until Next Time,
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Thursday, December 2, 2010
New Store
December 3, 2010: New Store
So as mentioned in my previous entry I am currently working at the developing Stop & Shop Supermarket in Billerica temporarily while it is being remodeled. The store is a lot larger than I expected it would be and there are barely any customers coming in. The remodel is completed, but there are still a couple of set up items that need to be taken care of. Usually when there is a grand re-opening customers swarm in order to see if there are any giveaways or anything free. Yet, with Stop & Shop being the store that it is that will never be the case.
There are new digital ovens in the bakery that are hard to get accustomed to. I am use to one with a turning dial that beeps at such a loud frequency as to not be ignored. This one shuts off the product at the end of the time so that it does not burn. The surfaces are all new and all stainless steel. Everything looks great.
The cake case is substantially larger than the one at my store, but they only have one variety of each cake whereas we have several that we offer.
The great thing about working in a new store: though having to keep a professional appearance and reputation should anyone try to give orders or mistreat me I have every right not to listen considering this was not my base store and I was doing a favor. It is very liberating to have no rules or regulations.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
So as mentioned in my previous entry I am currently working at the developing Stop & Shop Supermarket in Billerica temporarily while it is being remodeled. The store is a lot larger than I expected it would be and there are barely any customers coming in. The remodel is completed, but there are still a couple of set up items that need to be taken care of. Usually when there is a grand re-opening customers swarm in order to see if there are any giveaways or anything free. Yet, with Stop & Shop being the store that it is that will never be the case.
There are new digital ovens in the bakery that are hard to get accustomed to. I am use to one with a turning dial that beeps at such a loud frequency as to not be ignored. This one shuts off the product at the end of the time so that it does not burn. The surfaces are all new and all stainless steel. Everything looks great.
The cake case is substantially larger than the one at my store, but they only have one variety of each cake whereas we have several that we offer.
The great thing about working in a new store: though having to keep a professional appearance and reputation should anyone try to give orders or mistreat me I have every right not to listen considering this was not my base store and I was doing a favor. It is very liberating to have no rules or regulations.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Temporary Transfer
December 3, 2010: Temporary Transfer
So I was told several days ago that I was going to be sent to a new store. I am currently in that store in Billerica until December 15. The store is undergoing a massive remodel and they needed help doing the baking and setting up the machines.
It is, in a way, infuriating to see such a poorly selling store getting all these new machines when a store as successful as ours has 20 year old ovens, proofers, and bread slicers. Maybe it's just jealousy but these should be ours!
Until Next Time..from Billerica
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
So I was told several days ago that I was going to be sent to a new store. I am currently in that store in Billerica until December 15. The store is undergoing a massive remodel and they needed help doing the baking and setting up the machines.
It is, in a way, infuriating to see such a poorly selling store getting all these new machines when a store as successful as ours has 20 year old ovens, proofers, and bread slicers. Maybe it's just jealousy but these should be ours!
Until Next Time..from Billerica
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
No Space
December 3, 2010: No Space
The worst part of the holiday season is attempting to fit the allocation supplies into the freezers. Considering we are such a large seller of product it almost seems ridiculous how little space we are given. Stores with a much smaller amount of product get almost triple our freezer space. So the balance between all the product that arrives and the space given to store it is not proportionate.
Christmas comes sooner and sooner each year it seems. The tell tale sign are the hundreds of pieces of product that come in with big red and green labels on them. This year was a bit more than expected. Ten total pallets as compared to our usual 2. There were 2 pallets regular product, 1 pallet Hanukkah product, and 7 pallets of Christmas product. There was completely no place to put anything.
It came down to what myself and my boss could do. We called up a company to rent a portable freezer: pretty much an 18 wheel truck that is a freezer that they leave behind at the store. Usually it is just used for turkeys and meats, but we needed it for this product. We called, had it dropped off, and then loaded the product directly on to it.
Still not enough space...6 pallets fit on. There were 4 more to go. We were able to get our usual 2 into our freezer, but then we had to have the last 2 sent to a different store completely for storage. Never have I seen this much product come into the store. HERE COME THE HOLIDAYS!
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
The worst part of the holiday season is attempting to fit the allocation supplies into the freezers. Considering we are such a large seller of product it almost seems ridiculous how little space we are given. Stores with a much smaller amount of product get almost triple our freezer space. So the balance between all the product that arrives and the space given to store it is not proportionate.
Christmas comes sooner and sooner each year it seems. The tell tale sign are the hundreds of pieces of product that come in with big red and green labels on them. This year was a bit more than expected. Ten total pallets as compared to our usual 2. There were 2 pallets regular product, 1 pallet Hanukkah product, and 7 pallets of Christmas product. There was completely no place to put anything.
It came down to what myself and my boss could do. We called up a company to rent a portable freezer: pretty much an 18 wheel truck that is a freezer that they leave behind at the store. Usually it is just used for turkeys and meats, but we needed it for this product. We called, had it dropped off, and then loaded the product directly on to it.
Still not enough space...6 pallets fit on. There were 4 more to go. We were able to get our usual 2 into our freezer, but then we had to have the last 2 sent to a different store completely for storage. Never have I seen this much product come into the store. HERE COME THE HOLIDAYS!
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
The Big Visit
December 3, 2010: The Big Visit
So due to our massive sales during Thanksgiving the corporate office has decided to pay a visit to the store to congratulate us on our great week. The president of the company and several of his peons were set to visit the store this afternoon. Everyone was scrambling to make the store presentable and beautiful.
Our department was completely clean. We just have one bad habit of playing trash can basketball when we are too lazy to walk over and throw something away. Just as I was taking a shot (which went in) who came down the aisle but the president of the company and his lackeys. I figured I would get a talking to, but all they did was come over to the department and say "Nice shot!" They went on to praise the work we had done and praise the sales we had made.
"I know it was a difficult week for you all, but your effort truly shows. You are one of the few bakeries in the entire company that does not bring store sales percentages down. You are always beating the sales you had from last year and that is impressive. I congratulate you all for a great year and thank you for your service." - President of the company
It was nice to finally get some praise and recognition. In this job we usually go day in and day out working so hard and just getting crap at the end of the day. It may not be a white collar position, but we do our best work for this company.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
So due to our massive sales during Thanksgiving the corporate office has decided to pay a visit to the store to congratulate us on our great week. The president of the company and several of his peons were set to visit the store this afternoon. Everyone was scrambling to make the store presentable and beautiful.
Our department was completely clean. We just have one bad habit of playing trash can basketball when we are too lazy to walk over and throw something away. Just as I was taking a shot (which went in) who came down the aisle but the president of the company and his lackeys. I figured I would get a talking to, but all they did was come over to the department and say "Nice shot!" They went on to praise the work we had done and praise the sales we had made.
"I know it was a difficult week for you all, but your effort truly shows. You are one of the few bakeries in the entire company that does not bring store sales percentages down. You are always beating the sales you had from last year and that is impressive. I congratulate you all for a great year and thank you for your service." - President of the company
It was nice to finally get some praise and recognition. In this job we usually go day in and day out working so hard and just getting crap at the end of the day. It may not be a white collar position, but we do our best work for this company.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Thanksgiving Sales
December 2, 2010: Thanksgiving Sales
The Thanksgiving holiday has come and gone. One of the most hectic times for the bakery and one of the largest sales days of the entire year. After people have filled their stomachs with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and one or several of our pies it is time for the numbers to come in for bakery. How did we do for sales?
On an average week the bakery pulls in approximately $25,000. Last Thanksgiving we sold approximately $37,000 for the week. The bakery workers waited with bated breath as the numbers came in: $41,265 for the week: the greatest sales week that the department has ever had and high enough for the largest sales week in the entire company. It just goes to show the heart and dedication of the workers in the department. Every worker put in over 50 hours of work over the last week including the part timers. The department sold over 8,000 pies overall and thousands of other baked goods.
Needless to say it was an amazing week for the department. Very very tiring, but the numbers in the end were far worth the effort.
Until next time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
The Thanksgiving holiday has come and gone. One of the most hectic times for the bakery and one of the largest sales days of the entire year. After people have filled their stomachs with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and one or several of our pies it is time for the numbers to come in for bakery. How did we do for sales?
On an average week the bakery pulls in approximately $25,000. Last Thanksgiving we sold approximately $37,000 for the week. The bakery workers waited with bated breath as the numbers came in: $41,265 for the week: the greatest sales week that the department has ever had and high enough for the largest sales week in the entire company. It just goes to show the heart and dedication of the workers in the department. Every worker put in over 50 hours of work over the last week including the part timers. The department sold over 8,000 pies overall and thousands of other baked goods.
Needless to say it was an amazing week for the department. Very very tiring, but the numbers in the end were far worth the effort.
Until next time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Thanksgiving
November 25, 2010: Thanksgiving
It is in this time of year that we should set aside the time to thank those in our lives who make it special. Just a brief post to say thank you to all the friends and family who have made me who I am today and made each day worthwhile. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.
Until Next Time.
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
It is in this time of year that we should set aside the time to thank those in our lives who make it special. Just a brief post to say thank you to all the friends and family who have made me who I am today and made each day worthwhile. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.
Until Next Time.
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
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