I admire what Ukrops does for Richmond. It will be a sad day when they are gone, just like it was a sad day when they closed my neighborhood store. I’m hoping they stick around and bring a Joe’s Market downtown.

I admire the Ukrops’ for putting their money where their mouth is. They are amazingly supportive of their community. That is not a little thing. I come from an area where box/chain stores rule and locally owned business can barely stay in business. I think Richmond will lose something irreplaceable if Ukrops is sold. There is still such a thing as a heart in a community, and I come from communities where that no longer exists. Richmonders should be careful what they wish for, they may get it.

I think we should look at why Chic-Fila is closed on Sundays and does not sell alcohol, nation wide I believe?

Like them or hate them, the Ukrops have done nothing wrong here except what so many business leaders do when faced with a lot of chatter about the future of their enterprise: they retreated into public silence instead of engaging with the community, their customers, the news media and employees. There are ways to respond to rumors and media inquiries without really saying anything that might foul up any negotiations that might be underway. The Ukrops simply chose not to do that, I believe to their detriment.

But the real losers in this episode are the employees, whose (well-known) devotion to their company is met with a memo that essentially says get back to work. There are ways to redirect employees’ attention to the work at hand without causing even more unrest and the Ukrops simply didn’t choose those options.

From a PR and communication perspective, the leaders at Ukrop’s blew it. Whether their misstep translates into a real impact on their business remains to be seen.

The first is that Food Lion remodeled most of their stores. From my previous experience in the retail world sales increase when stores are remodeled. Customers see a new face so to speak and non customers are curious to see what the “new” look store is all about.. Believe it or not sales very often increase during the remodel as well.

Secondly, Food Lion has almost twice the number of stores that Ukrop’s has. As a result it is more convenient to more people.

Finally, the fact that Food Lion sells beer and wine is obviously a difference maker. If you removed those sales and compared the two chains undoubtedly Ukrop’s would still be #1.

Ukrop’s decision to not be open on Sunday effectively sends their customers to their competition, Food Lion included. Jim and Bobby Ukrop know that but the decision to remain closed on Sunday is theirs to make. How many retailers do you know that would stick to their beliefs even if it costs them money?

And its part of human nature. I’ve seen the same problem in allegedly “progressive” institutions work its damage, circle round the wagons, keep out the troublemakers and deny deny deny.

I have no idea what to do about it.

Its so common that I find myself surprised now when people are OPEN and even admit to mistakes and take personal responsibility. I have tried being open and admitting mistakes and all it did was get me disposed of. Secrecy has taken over. MBAs are the way they are for good reasons. People are not interested in the truth, they are interested in feeling good. Period. (with *some* exceptions).

So I see why this happens , as the song says “from both sides now”.
I am reminded of Aesops Fable, The Scorpion and The Frog. The Scorpion doesn’t *set out* to do harm … he just DOES. And we all get to play both the scorpion and the frog during our lives. We don’t usually *mean* to. And that is why there is a free press and (allegedly) “Rule Of Law”.

I’d say our entire species or perhaps culture needs a “personality transplant” because ultimately we reward this kind of behavior (but also openly proclaims its bad).

On the other hand, this built in hypocrisy is GREAT THE FOR THE NEWS BUSINESS!
Gossip anyone ? Might be true ! (very often is).

By the way, folks, Bill Farrar is someone you should watch to read. His articles really hit the nail on the head, when he chooses to swing the hammer, that is.

So the bottom line is: Don’t count on the Ukrops, not because they’re evil, but because they are human. So gather your indignation and enjoy the high horse until its your ox getting gored. Then circle your wagons …

Somewhere in the battling memes and stories, the truth may fall out and righteousness might prevail once in a while.
Look carefully for it, it wont shine, it’ll be dirty, in the mud and never quite sure its a diamond until you’ve polished and cut it out of the clump of crud.

Thanks to Bill for alerting us that there is a crystal somewhere in that mud slide …