Calgary Co-op

I am really bordering on giving this co-​op a 2.5 but I just really can’t bring myself to do that based on the ignorance of one employee, Arlette.
I really love coming to this grocery store, its laid out really well, clean and organized and most of the staff are very pleasant.
I came here one Thursday evening after realizing I didn’t have any bacon or sausages for my weekend home-​made, grand-​slam breakie that puts any Denny’s or Cora’s franchise to shame, if I do say so myself. Not wanting to fight with the herds at Superstore I came here for some light grocery shopping.
The place is nice and quiet, pleasant and almost every time I am here I find what I need, except for this past Thursday. My regular sausages were out of stock, and apparently they were on sale, the butcher who was just on his way out told me that and shared that if I go to the Customer Service desk, they will honour that price in the form of a «Rain Cheque.» I thought these were an urban myth, I didn’t think these even existed! I had my bacon so I was good and decided to check out.
I go to one counter, the closest to the service desk and the cashier spits out, «I am closed» I say «thats fine, can I just leave my basket here while I ask a question at customer service?» She seems offended, and grunts. Then as I walk over to the counter she slides my basket all the way down to the end of the till and starts organizing bags. Whatever, I didn’t say anything, I could still see my basket.
I proceed to the service desk and this haggard miserable wench creeps her head over and says «YES?» Its name was Arlette. I politely ask about this rain cheque urban myth and she begrudgingly pulls out a little pad that needed to be filled out. She asks me to find the item in the flyer, I tell her I don’t get flyers and that I don’t know what their sale price is and that the butcher told me this as he left. She rolls her eyes and starts to vigorously flip through the flyer, she says she doesn’t know what he is talking about and just looks at me over her glasses. On the front cover, I kid you not, was a picture of the sausages, I point that out to her, she seems offended and starts to messily fill in the form.
She asks how many packages I need and I jokingly say, «well gee, I don’t know, how about one whole box, that should cover it, don’t cha think?» She shakes her head, at this point, I am pissed at her and go back and grab my little basket of groceries as the other asshat left her till and ask her if I can check out my 4 items at her counter. I would like to point out that it was dead and there was no one behind me. She gets more aggravated and starts grabbing my items and checks them and I pay. I ask her for the rain cheque and she is all «I already gave it to you!» I am infuriated now and say in a very condescending voice that made her shut her trap, «How the hell could I have the rain cheque when I went back to get the basket that you just checked out, either you are incompetent or just ignorant, so which is it?» She looks over and the voucher is under the flyer and basically threw it at me with the receipt for my stuff.
I get to my car and with out a word of a lie, swear on everything holy, the battle-​axe wrote in the blank for quantity, «ONE BOX» I CAN’T MAKE THIS SHIT UP, what kind of mental defective needs 24 packs of sausages?!

Today was my first visit to this Co-​op. It’s a bit different looking that most others in town. The ceilings are high and the lighting makes it seem warmer, not the cold harsh flourescent lighting you get at most retail stores. I noticed that in the far back corner where the dairy is, they have windows way up high which was an unusual but welcome surprise as the natural light is fantastic.
That being said, the store offers everything you want or need in terms of grocery items. It even has a nice seating area by the deli where you can purchase sandwiches and coffee. Most locations don’t have that.
There are 4 self check outs which are always a fav of mine. This location wasn’t too busy during the afternoon I was here so no line up for me!
There’s a liquor store right beside the grocery store too.

Meh is exactly how I would describe this place. 2 stars. The produce is hardly ever fresh, the shelves are never stocked with what I need (empty shelves, c’mon Co-​op!) and every single worker seems to be in a brooding silent trance looking like they were wishing they were elsewhere for sure. I find it kind of pricey and I should have taken this opportunity last night when I needed a few things to go check out the Superstore I read about on here (Thanks Unilocal) located in Harvest Hills (I think?) as I hear they are a lot cheaper.
The dollar in my opinion just does not stretch at Co-​op and I am always willing the shelves to carry different brands I want/​need.
I live right down the road from here so I know that I MAY be back but I dunno… I happen to love grocery shopping but I want to feel good about what I am buying as well as feel appreciated for choosing that store. As we all know, there is a lot of choice in Calgary for groceries.
Bottom line — TOO EXPENSIVE even with the Calgary Co-​op membership. I find having the membership does not make that much of a difference re savings.