After struggling for more than a year to keep products on its shelves, the owners of the former Ted’s Red Apple Market received a large order of items late last week, and say they have plans to continue to restock, adding more goods on a steady basis over the next several weeks.
Starting last Saturday, Dec. 21, store owners/operators, Rick and Shawn Bridgeman, included notes tucked into customer’s grocery bags announcing their change to independent grocer status, along with a change in wholesalers.
Their message said, part, “Please be patient with us during this time of change. Now that we are an independent, we have the ability to shop different wholesalers to find the best values for our customers.
“Watch for our weekly store ads running Monday through Saturday each week starting December 30th.
“If there is a product you are looking for that we don’t have, please let one of our managers know so that we can stock it for you. Thank you for your patronage.”
After several months of increasing shortages and rearranging departments, the store had a brief ‘restart’ last summer. However, since then, supplies on the shelves have continued to dwindle steadily, resulting in an estimated 50% or more current drop in product availability, especially in the packaged and canned foods areas that the business previously received through their Red Apple Group wholesale affiliation.
Social media forum
Some customers became so frustrated with the lack of grocery store products availability locally, they banded together and created a Facebook Page that launched Dec. 18 titled “Ted’s Red Apple Revival.”
Choosing to remain anonymous at that time, the page creators opened their discussion forum site regarding the store with messages that said, in part: “This is a grass roots movement to bring attention to the food crisis that our community faces, as well as to open up dialogue for solutions.
“Due to the nature of this discussion it is impossible to control all the content. We do not support or condone allegations of illegal activity against or about individuals and this does not reflect the intention of this group. Please be respectful and courteous to one another.
“This website is not run by the current owners of Ted’s Red Apple. This is a movement that seeks to change the direction of current management of the store or move forward toward a new owner that can.
“Owning a grocery store in our community is a privilege that can and will be expunged through public boycott. A store that carries perishables will not stay open once this happens. Join our cause, share this website, increase awareness. The citizens of Westport, Grayland and Ocosta will not stand idle any longer and watch while their family is taken for granted by a local grocery monopoly.”
Responses to web page
‘Likes’ for the Ted’s Red Apple Revival webpage reached more than 500 within a week. The site is filled with complaints — not only about lack of product availability, but also customer service, fresh food quality and day-to-day management of the store.
Some say the prices are too high, while others agree with Josie O’Donnell, who said in one post,” I wouldn’t even mind paying higher prices if there was anything on the shelves to buy.”
Others point out the plight of those who live in the Westport area that have no transportation to either The Local Store in Grayland or to Aberdeen to shop.
There are a number of ‘calls to action’ presented by those who comment on the Page, among them picketing the store, encouraging community members to boycott the business and asking the City of Westport to intervene.
Owner responds
Store co-owner Shawn Bridgeman, in business here for more than 10 years, responded to complaints and negative comments on the Facebook page with a message posted on Dec. 20. She said, in part, “I am one of the owners of Ted’s and the accusations you are stating on Facebook about Ted’s are not factual. We do not have to pay cash for our deliveries, nor have we had vendors refuse to deliver to us, and we do not refuse or give drivers hassles to get their checks. They deliver — we pay at the time of delivery — our choice not theirs.
“I welcome you to come into the store and talk to me or my husband, who are both there working diligently trying to keep our business open during these trying times. We value our customers and do not need you to be trashing us on a social media.
“Instead of trying to run the business out, maybe you should be putting positive energy out to try to help save it, not trying to destroy it. We have been experiencing some difficulties with products because we have changed wholesalers and there are some items that we were having a hard time finding a wholesale source for.
“We spent a lot of money to redo the store this summer and had it full afterwards, but when the sales dropped, we had to drop the amount spent on inventory, and then began looking for a better wholesaler to help us keep the costs down and bring more product in.
“I myself have been working 12-14 hours a day trying to save our store and find the customers better product and pricing. I have a lot of employees who need Ted’s to stay open, as well as our customers who need our store alive and well. I look forward to chatting with you in person to find a positive resolution — not a bash session.
“Thank you for listening to my side of the story,” Bridgeman said.
Others are expressing their support for the struggling business on the web and encouraging those who comment to keep their messages positive and supportive. Amber Stately posted the following: “Thank you for all you do. I have always appreciated Ted’s at all hours of the day and night! Thanks again and keep doing what you are doing,” she said.
City involvement request
Web page originators announced on Dec. 19 that they have requested permission to speak at the next Westport City Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 30, planning to be at City Council chambers at 7:30 p.m. Their announcement post said, in part, “The city needs to allow competition or the store needs to be sold to someone that is capable of maintaining it. We are asking for local citizens to boycott the store in order to speed up what is inevitable at this point. This affects not only residents, but also local businesses. When a person spends their paycheck to drive 40+ miles to buy food, there is very little left to shop locally. Tourism will halt, people will not come back to a 4th of July that has no briquettes, no meat or basic food.”
We would like to express our concerns and our desires for the city to look at the lack of grocery shopping opportunities, the negative impact this is having on our residents, as well as our local economy, and the potential impact it has on the upcoming tourist season. In addition to addressing the problem, exploring possible solutions to this issue is also warranted.”
City not in control
Regardless of how much this group desires that the City of Westport get involved in the situation, by law, municipalities do not have control over how any private business enterprise operates beyond assuring that businesses comply with all applicable City ordinances and regulations related to the legality of business activities, appropriate municipal licensing and adherence to municipal building and zoning codes.
Chain stores not banned
In the mistaken belief that chain store operations are not allowed by ordinance within city limits, a number of the Facebook comments demand that the City of Westport “allow competition” from chain stores that might be interested in opening businesses here.
Westport City Clerk-Treasurer Margo Tackett addressed that issue on the web page Dec. 20, by posting the following: “No chain stores or businesses (locating in Westport) are against City regulations. It seems the most common reason that they don’t locate here is the population — not enough for their big dollar overhead.”
KING5 coverage
After receiving communications from locals who are upset with the market’s operation and checking out the webpage, KING5 news reporter Drew Mikkelsen traveled to Westport Monday afternoon, Dec. 23.
Despite advance announcements of the 1 p.m. interview time and repeated encouragement to show up to make their complaints known on the Ted’s Red Apple Revival webpage, no crowd formed at the appointed time.
In a just-under two-minute segment on the 6:30 p.m. edition of the news program, Mikkelsen interviewed owner Shawn Bridgeman, Joy Davidson, one of the site’s organizers, and Linda Griggs. Bridgeman told the reporter that store shelves are emptier for two reasons: Stocking less during the non-tourist season and being in the middle of changing wholesalers. She also revealed that the week-long protest had resulted in an 18% drop in sales.
Davidson expressed surprise upon learning that. “Actually I’m kind of stunned. To know we’ve done that, that’s alright by me,” Davidson told the reporter.
Bridgeman disagreed. “These people boycotting us and badmouthing us isn’t helping anybody in the community,” she said.
