This week is my 20th in my new job and I'm now attuned to delivery days and what to do. Every now and then there's a glitch; like today when ferry sailings were cancelled and our fresh bread and milk delivery didn't take place. Locals take it in their stride but some visitors are surprised when the milk cabinet is empty or the egg shelf is bare.
Wednesday is dry goods delivery day along with bread and milk. The forklift first delivers ferry bins of crated bread and milk, then brings pallets stacked high with boxes with plastic wrapping to keep it all intact. Add a few pallets of beer, wine, coal and potting mix and soon we have a garage full of stock and spend the rest of the day restocking the shelves.
When the first ferry bin arrives (about 10.45am) most of the staff head out to the garage to help. The bread generally comes first, followed by the milk and these are unloaded and put out in the shop before the main pallets arrive.
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Ferry bin with empty bread racks. The Tip-Top bag is how we get our
ice-cream from the refrigerated trucks at Bluff to the Ship to Shore
4 Square on Stewart Island |
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Milk crates in the right hand bin; the bins will be picked up by the forklift
when they are full |
The boxes on the pallet are lifted off and stacked in the garage; generally we can offload a pallet before the forklift returns with the next. If we get behind then we have further to carry the boxes and, if it's raining, the stock also gets wetter. Although the pallets are wrapped in plastic, they can get wet in rough seas or when it's raining; not quite so easy lifting soggy cardboard boxes - especially ones with glass bottles in!
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| The 'box wall' after Wednesday's dry goods delivery |
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| Another view of the 'wall' - all the boxes will be unpacked by day's end |
Phase 2 starts when the forklift has delivered its last load: one by one the boxes will be opened, carried to the appropriate shelf in the shop and unpacked. Not quite so easy when the shop is full of customers and the narrow aisles cluttered with staff, boxes and stepladders to reach the high shelves. No night fill here and I reckon we should sell tickets as it's quite fascinating to watch the shelves being filled. This is where we check the dates of all stock and reorganise shelves and price labels to make the new stock fit in. Any surplus is put in the storeroom until there's space on the shelf.
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| Pallets of beer waiting to be put away |
Some boxes have yellow labels; these are 'repacks' which contain a mixture of goods - it's a bit like opening Christmas presents as you don't know what's inside. It's a good workout and combined with great teamwork it's an enjoyable time in my working week.
