When I was a teen, I remember driving with my dad past a shopping center that was being renovated on Powder Mill Rd. in Beltsville. The old pizza place had changed ownership and the center had a different mix of tenants. I exclaimed to my father- “I don’t like change.” He replied, “I know you don’t.”
As an adult, my feelings about change have changed- I am now usually energized by it, excited for what the future holds.
Pertaining to MOM’s, I have noticed that whenever there is any change, there are always some who truly do not like it.
When we expanded our College Park store, we added 42% more shelf space and widened our aisles from 5 1/2′ to 7′. Some people hated it, exclaiming that we were “all about the dollar and I no longer support MOM’s”. They didn’t like the layout because they felt “trapped”, even though our longest aisle was about the same size of a typical grocery store’s aisles. We even heard complaints that now the aisles were too wide.
As we get ready to move our Rockville store and offices, I am already hearing discontent from some customers- “I like the old place. Bigger is not always better.” “I worry that you’re going to lose the personable service when you move.” “I’m sad that you’re moving.”
Seth Godin, a marketing guru who we follow here at MOM’s, once said that “Fear is feeling failure in advance.” I think some of us are wired to have lots of anxiety about change. People who know me well can attest that I am on the other side of the spectrum- that I don’t worry enough about things, that maybe I’m even reckless at times.
For me, it’s almost always “Full Steam Ahead.” That’s the way I am wired.
Scott's Compost Pile 
More is not *always* better, but it looks like in this case the customer will get more and that more is better. I’m sure I will have some trouble adjusting to the new layout, but I expect it to be well worth it. I’m assuming the same great staff members we have grown to really appreciate will still be on hand. Hope the move goes smoothly.
Change merely for it’s own sake is usually a mistake. Change that “improves” something can be a perceived thing. Not everything that is “old” needs to be changed. If something works well as it is, it is best not to monkey around with it. The kinds of changes I’m expecting to see in the new Mom’s Rockville store I consider to be long needed. As the old “Star Trek” TV series used to say, “Space, the final frontier…”
I shop at the College Park Moms and the changes felt strange at first, but after a few visits – it is still My Moms and everyone there is as nice and helpful as ever. I actually like the new lay out and flow of the store. Thank you for all that you do and the other businesses and community that you support.
“vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.” – brene brown, (TED)
The comments and insight are appreciated. Thanks, all!