Facing

So many times I have faced the aisles. Facing shares a common goal between supermarkets: the organization of product on the shelves in a manner that seems to please management. We defined facing, at Donelan's supermarket, as moving the product towards the edge of the shelf, with the intent of the shelves looking full. After working in the grocery department of a supermarket, you begin to appreciate nicely faced isles. I still experience a bit of gratification looking down an aisle, with my point of view close to one side, seeing a vast expanse of carefully arranged product.

During normal hours it seems very futile. As soon as you face one aisle, it seems only a matter of time before a customer takes some of the product off the shelf that you have just faced. There seem to me a lot of things that the average person does not take away from the experience of facing. I walked away with this concept: "Everything is falling apart."

No matter how long you toil, it seems to me, you must make only one pass on either side of the aisle because a customer will come by. It seems non-trivial to maintain the faced state across every aisle of the store. It seems to me that you do the best you can during normal hours, because you can only approach perfection..never attain it. It seems to me, to keep your sanity, to not feel "stressed out", you have to let go. You have to know, not fear, that a customer will come and destroy the perfection you have attempted to create. You have to apprehend that perfection does not exist, it seems to me something we impose unnaturally on systems like products on a shelf.

note: Some refer to "facing" as "blocking".

Fa"cing (?), n.

1.

A covering in front, for ornament or other purpose; an exterior covering or sheathing; as, the facing of an earthen slope, sea wall, etc. , to strengthen it or to protect or adorn the exposed surface.

2.

A lining placed near the edge of a garment for ornament or protection.

3. Arch.

The finishing of any face of a wall with material different from that of which it is chiefly composed, or the coating or material so used.

4. Founding

A powdered substance, as charcoal, bituminous coal, ect., applied to the face of a mold, or mixed with the sand that forms it, to give a fine smooth surface to the casting.

5. Mil. (a) pl.

The collar and cuffs of a military coat; -- commonly of a color different from that of the coat.

The movement of soldiers by turning on their heels to the right, left, or about; -- chiefly in the pl.

Facing brick, front or pressed brick.

© Webster 1913.