I go to this small/medium size neighborhood supermarket and everytime I go to the deli area the owner/manager/big guy is sitting there at his desk with a butt smoldering in an ashtray. There is no separating wall and his position is behind the deli meat case with the people that get you your order.

Now first off it's illegal to smoke in a public place in MA. Second I don't like the idea of breathing smoke while working my deli order and lastly there's the sanitary concerns of smoke residue etc around food and second hand smoke exposure for the employees.

They have a suggestion box into which several times I have dropped notes saying that the smoking was inappropriate and it has not stopped. I have talked to one of the people in the deli and voiced my concerns and they stated many people have complained but he won't stop.

So, would you call the board of health on these guys? My goal is not to get them in trouble but just to get this one person to stop smoking around my food.

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- Jack D.




New tasteless sig coming soon!

I'd just go somewhere else and avoid the trouble, if that isn't convenient then YES I'd turn the turkey in. He's not doing you any favors.

Dave

Go elsewhere.

I'd go elsewhere but this is a pretty rural area and the other alternative is a full blown supermarket several miles away. Sometimes it's a lot more convenient to go down the street to the smaller grocery store for those small fill in items.

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- Jack D.




New tasteless sig coming soon!

. . .only if you like your deli meat "smoked". ..yuck!

<I go to this small/medium size neighborhood supermarket and everytime I go to the deli area the owner/manager/big guy is sitting there at his desk with a butt smoldering in an ashtray.

He's probably the owner...
In which case, who do you think reads those suggestions in the box?

Your course of action is up to you...

However, as revolting as I find that habit, I seriously doubt there is any actual health issue with the FOOD there because of it.
Sure, many of us find it disgusting... but unless he's smoking WHILE cutting the meat, it's not a health concern. To the other employees maybe...

I just would avoid shopping in that department.

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Paul F.
-----
A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

--

--
Eureka, CA

If it would be obvious that you turned them in you would not want them to prepare your food.

That IS an excellent point troywellbuilt....

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Paul F.
-----
A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

--

--
Eureka, CA

Paul and Troybuilt, there's an anonymous tip line I could call if I wanted to go that route... Also he doesn't actually work the deli and the employees don't like the smoke either.

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- Jack D.




New tasteless sig coming soon!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/2005 01:35PM by Jack D..

If you have a little time and an accomplice as well as a straight face I would go for a little theater.

Assuming he is a owner or manager go in with a big list of deli goods for your "party"

Yep - I'm gonna need about 20 lbs of the roast beef ... yeah the good stuff - how much is that ?
Ok - also going to need some of that ham and of course some turkey too. What kind of deal can you give me? Great.
Lets see, I also need some of that sharp cheddar, and oh yeah ... baby Swiss too...

At this point while he is salivating at the sizeable order have your accomplice
walk up and interrupt and ask what you're doing.

<you> I'm putting in the order for the party

<accomplice> No we're not getting it here, were getting it at xxxxxxx
Everything here always smells like smoke

Turn and walk (fade to black .... curtain falls)




I have too much time on my hands I guess

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EXCELLENT! That is bound to get at least a Tony nomination, non?

If it was up to me, I don't think I'd report him. I would shop elsewhere or just put up with it.

If I did feel compelled to do something, I'd sooner organize a casual sort of boycott among my friends and neighbors, than involve bureaucracy.

If you really like going there and you want to continue doing so, bust them anonymously. As mentioned, you can't do it with them knowing it was you. You can't even approach them about it in a nice way, person to person (at least not these days). You'll be doing everyone a favor (yourself, employees, the smoking moron, customers, etc.). Who knows, maybe the guy will try and quit. The other point being that the guy is blatantly breaking the law and in total disregard. It's not a little thing that isn't sure to affect those around him. It is and it will.

I'd eat a big bowl of baked beans and then go to his deli and fart non-stop. When he asks why you're stinking up his joint, point and say, "HA! Now YOU know how I feel!"

ROTFL .... Lux Interior!

Kap

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SoCal for now.

Go elswhere. He's probably also ignoring the "wash your hands" sign in the restroom and who knows what else.

good point, wickedsteve

Grow a pair and tell him to his face. Cowards hide behind anonymous tip lines.

Call the health dept and ask if there is an ordinance that covers this. There probably IS. Then armed with the factual information give the guy one warning. If that does no good then definitely turn him in.

It will accomplish nothing to just walk away. Chances are he is NOT the owner and after a couple of visits from the health department he won't be around anymore. Health Departments can be very powerful in the food business.

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Bill
Flagler Beach, FL 32136

Carpe Vino!

Fermentation may have been a greater discovery than fire.
— David Rains Wallace

morlock Wrote:
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> Grow a pair and tell him to his face. Cowards hide
> behind anonymous tip lines.

Thanks morlock, I'm moving your suggestion to the top of my list because yours is the kind of constructive input I value most. Should I bring a gun incase he hits me with a salami?

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- Jack D.




New tasteless sig coming soon!

Just bring a bigger salami...

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Paul F.
-----
A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

--

--
Eureka, CA

In a heartbeat!

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Aloha, Ken


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Which is worse (really) -

The smoke (and maybe ashes) near your food ----that you see
Or
The rats crawling all over it after-hours ----that you don't see

????????????





Everything is relative.


And, yes, somkers should go outside.
Or, have a designated room. (but, outside, especially in the rain and cold) are an extra incentive to quit.

WHiiP Wrote:
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> Call the health dept and ask if there is an
> ordinance that covers this. There probably IS.

Yeah there is, in MA it's illegal to smoke in any store, restaurant, bar or other public place. There are also specific sanitary requirements in places that handle, prepare and serve food.

I want to add that this place is not a dump. It's a nice clean fully stocked little supermarket with very reasonable prices. I enjoy shopping there except for this one problem.

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- Jack D.




New tasteless sig coming soon!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/2005 04:38PM by Jack D..

I think you've gotten a lot of good advice above.

If it were I, I would actually try speaking to him directly first (the suggestion box-- you just do not know for sure that he's reading them), and gently ask him about it. He may actually be nice about it; but in case he gets belligerent, ask to speak to his supervisor, if he has one. If he doesn't have one, make it clear to him that he's doing himself a disservice by this behavior (as well as breaking the law), in that you will take your business elsewhere, as well as telling all your friends to do so too. If that doesn't sway him, then you have really nothing to lose, and you might as well just shop elsewhere-- and then it's up to you whether you want to report him.

Jack D. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah there is, in MA it's illegal to smoke in any
> store, restaurant, bar or other public place.
> There are also specific sanitary requirements in
> places that handle, prepare and serve food.
>
> I want to add that this place is not a dump. It's
> a nice clean fully stocked little supermarket with
> very reasonable prices. I enjoy shopping there
> except for this one problem.
>
> - Jack D.

Also, in Ma, public spaces includes many outdoor public spaces.
And, if it hasn't already, this is to be expanded to private businesses.

Really surprised the Civil Libertarians that are crying foul over the Patriot Act aren't all over this.

bill b, that's because there are differences between a confined and non-confined public space. In a restaurant, if you allow smoking, it isn't possible not to breathe the smoke. Versus an outdoor public space, where there is some ventilation...

The problem (for me, at least) becomes when you have a business which says "no smoking", and then all the people who smoke end up congregating in an area just outside the entrance... some places claim "no smoking on the grounds", but just where do their grounds end, and public sidewalks begin?

tecnically, the ashes are just carbon left over after incineration, and have been burned at a high core heat.

Sanitarily speaking, it means nothing.

Does that make it a tasty edition? No.

BUT.... even though it didn't apply to me or the op I was running 11 years ago, I did have to go through a county health department course before being granted an inspection, and this was covered.

So instead, I think what I would do is bring a small bottle of "deer scent" and pour it around the deli.

If a buck doesn't bust into the store to "get some" - at least those with more sensitive noses will wonder why the place smells like a skunk.

I just had to click when I saw that the Poo had posted. And, as usual, I was not disappointed. I say again, JP, did you finish the VW last night?

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

Actually I don't hink "ventilation" has anything to do with it Peter.
No Smoking on all T-stations and platforms. Enclosed or not.
All gov't puplic transportation properties. Indoor and outdoor.
Public funded outdoor ampitheatres.
Etc.

I'm not sure, but I think there is even No Smoking in the Parking Garages at Logan.


Only fair for the non-smokers if you ask me.
"If you want to smoke just get away from everyone else that doesn't want to smell the stink."

Now, if we could only apply these same rules to teen and pre-teen (and even not so teen ) girls who splash on a gallon of perfume at a time.

bill b, I think the prohibition for T platforms is fair, because a lot of them are underground and enclosed, from a ventilation perspective. For the other spots you mentioned, it's true, there is an element of "not having to smell the stink" -- but please remember that you don't HAVE to smoke, you CHOOSE to smoke-- whereas the other people who are there have no choice if others choose to smoke.

To make an analogy, if I go to a public place, and start yelling at the top of my lungs, depending on where I am, I might be asked to leave. If many people start yelling at the tops of their lungs, they will be asked to leave. I don't have to be yelling; that's a choice I'm making, which is causing a disturbance and/or annoyance to other people. (I was tempted to use another analogy, rather than yelling, like passing gas... but you get the idea.)

And this is something which isn't even really a health issue, as is the case for smoking...

What you'd be doing is imposing your will on his. Regardless of the law, if customers were upset over his smoking they'd've made it known.

Tell him you won't buy anything from that area of the store because of his smoking and be done with it.

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"Who's more foolish - the fool or the fool that follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi

RgrF Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What you'd be doing is imposing your will on his.
> Regardless of the law, if customers were upset
> over his smoking they'd've made it known.
>
> Tell him you won't buy anything from that area of
> the store because of his smoking and be done with
> it.
>
>

RgrF, the state of MA has already imposed their will on him with the no smoking ban. As I understand it the store employees and several other customers have talked to him to no avail. From my point of view I see it as HE is imposing his will on others by refusing to comply with the law.

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- Jack D.




New tasteless sig coming soon!