Hannaford — Local services in Damariscotta

This store sucks bilge water. The "new, improved" version can't even clear the low bar it set with their older iteration. With the recent "up-dating", they have vastly reduced their customer's choices, choosing instead to favor 39 facings of 'store brand' products for every one facing of competing brands. Their meat counter is a joke for a store of this size. They no longer offer the locally baked bread they used to carry, or if they do, I couldn't find it. Organic produce, what little they have, is almost invisible and ridiculously expensive. But you know what? I'm glad because I now buy my meat from the local butcher, seafood from my local fishmonger, and my organic produce and other organic products from the local co-op. As for the remainder of my shopping, I'll be doing that at their smaller, less chaotic, locally owned rival down the street. The much higher quality of products and much better variety at the alternate stores more than makes up for the slight hassle of multiple stops and prices that are minimally more expensive (or not). And I get to interact with more local folks while thumbing my nose at the faceless corporate gristmill that is dehumanizing all of us consumers. Also -- the close-up video cameras at the self-checkouts are very creepy. In fact, the entire store has a very dystopian vibe.

One star is actually...

Pharmacy workers are not very helpful and are rude. Stood in line at least 15- 20 minutes while 3 workers were laughing and chatting away, only 1 window working while 2 additional people walked up to it to collect prescriptions, even though I was in line waiting. Couple more people joined my line still no attention. I spoke up to the group that was still chit chatting and finally someone offered to help me. Then was told not all of the prescription was ready it would be a few more minutes. So I stepped to the side so they could help the next in line , I explained I would pick up couple of things in the store and come back and was told they were closing in 8 minutes for lunch. Sure enough they were closing as I approached. My daughter in law went almost 4 hours later, came home without the additional meds that still wasn't put up. Disgraceful, I'm 76 and had never been treated in such a disrespectful manner. Hannaford should review their workers and review the tapes to the pharmacy area, awful lot of workers in their don't look like their doing their job if they still after many hours later can't get the orders put up. I heard someone say it took couple of days to get their...

All in all the store is fine as far as grocery stores go. I did experience something at the deli that MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO ADDRESS! I was there and there were 2 employees behind the counter, it was not busy and they were doing cleaning, mopping, scrubbing etc.

That's great however when the woman served me she kept the same plastic gloves on that she had on while cleaning in the back. What's the purpose of the gloves then? Each slice of meat or cheese is then handled as it comes off the slicer.

Management do your job and see that this doesn't happen. Employees should wash hands and then put on new gloves if they are doing cleaning or whatever else in the back before serving.

Needless to say I did not purchase.

UPDATE 8 months later... decided to try again as Ive been getting the pre sliced deli items figuring maybe its less risky. And guy comes out of the back area where I can clearly see him washing and carrying stuff around, wearing the gloves of course. I order and he keeps the same gloves on as he handles the deli meat. I just walked away. Hannaford TRAIN YOUR PEOPLE...