Pruett's Market — Local services in Signal Mountain

Today we stumbled upon this charming little store. The staff was sunshine and the helpfulness personified, except for one shining star... "The Deli Lady." Perhaps a rogue asteroid shower had just rained down on her mood.

We requested some boar's head ham, to which Ms. Hospitality herself chirped, "They're all boar's head!" We, in our infinite human awkwardness, dared to point at the low-sodium option. Suddenly, the atmosphere crackled with a static we could only assume was her internal circuits overloading. Like a scene straight out of Westworld, her smile malfunctioned, replaced with a grimace. She then proceeded to Hulk-smash a package of low-sodium ham onto the counter, generously providing enough to feed a small village. No questions about quantity, no offer of further assistance, not even a flicker of eye contact. Just a swift dismissal, like a fly being swatted away.

We, mere mortals, were left bewildered. Did low-sodium offend her delicate sensibilities? We'll never know. Initially, it was like a bizarre comedy sketch. But in the spirit of galactic empathy, we figured maybe it was a random glitch in the Matrix. Then, as we browsed the aisles, we witnessed Ms. Sunshine engaging in a delightful conversation with another customer. Ah, so it seems we were merely collateral damage in her personal storm.

While this "experience" makes a return visit unlikely, it's not because of Robo-Deli Lady. We were just passing through, basking in the beauty of the state and its people... well, some...

Not sure what exactly is causing the lack of morale, but I have literally never experienced more miserable and dejected employees anywhere. Forget about the fact Pruett's overcharges, I've learned to accept this. I am not sure if it's a general lack of leadership, the fact the workers overworked or simply unmotivated/underpaid, but whether I am trying to order deli meat, get a muffin, or simply ring up my groceries I am consistently met with miserable employees who leave me feeling it is a major struggle for them to perform even basic job functions. Phrases like "you're welcome," or "have a good day" in response to common niceties are virtually non-existent. As great as the concept of what Pruett's can potentially be, the poor attitude shared by staff is enough to cause me to go elsewhere.

More than one occasion, they'll see someone coming and walk off. I've held off on writing this review, because I wanted to be certain mine was not just an isolated experience. I'm now convinced it is a pattern, and not just me. Unfortunately, it appears to be contagious. I just left the store, purchased a bunch of items. After paying and saying 'thank you' to the clerk, she walks away (no "you're welcome") and without asking if I needed a bag. It's these little things that are often overlooked, but it's what separates the 'ducks' from the 'eagles'.

Really hoping they can inspire some motivation and attitude shift, it truly adversely impacts the...

Nice to have a grocery store on the mountain. Okay selection of local goods, Bill the wine guy is great, the pizza is pretty good, and they have a good beer selection. Plus growler fills with rotating beers on tap - that was a great idea.

Unfortunately Pruett's loses its shine when you start noticing the problems.

Prices are frequently mismarked. Potatoes marked as $0.99 per pound will ring up as $1.99 per pound. A bottle of wine marked as $10 will ring up as $16. Always check your receipts at Pruett's.

The younger employees working the cash registers always seem annoyed when they have to stop having their conversation to ring people up. The girl with the pink hair won't even stop her conversation - she'll just ignore you and continue talking her coworkers. As other reviewers have mentioned, the staff at the deli counter have a similar attitude.

If you want a coffee, only order hot drip coffee because they will mess up anything more complicated than that. The coffee shop seems like the dumping ground for brand-new employees. I once saw a customer order a cold brew coffee and the highschool-aged worker said they didn't know how to make that. The cold brew was already made, they just had to pour it into a cup.

If they could get their act together this would be a great store. Until then it's no wonder that the owners of Pruett's keep fighting tooth and nail to prevent another grocery store from opening on...