Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2010 11:09:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: Paul Rakee
Subject: Habitat’s Transitioned Blarney: The Power and Gory
REMEMBERING the FALLEN and THE MISSING IN ACTION: Recently, some of us faithful customers visiting Pittsboro’s Habitat Stores noticed many smiling faces were missing- only to find out that they had be Transitioned into other positions. “Called upon to step outside previous roles”- In a rambling, sugar coated, almost repulsive letter, Home Store Director, Suzanne Stevens attempted to “explain away” the transitioned “changes”-
Howard Alston, who we all love and appreciate his bright smile and good humor, has been “called on to step outside his previous role” (couldn’t you just throw up over the wording?) Actually, he was demoted to take a less visible position in another store. (see later on in this letter how this forms a Habitat pattern) Others, Including hard worker Lorry, have be “transitioned” to “maximize potential and achieve a higher level of success”- Folks, the blarney just keeps on a’comming. It is not explained why employees with less expericence have been promoted to positions which they seemingly know very little.
Now those of us who have been going to Habitat from day one, see and know a different picture- and our memory is pretty good too. Let’s just for a moment take two former Habitat employees:
Gary Simpson once worked for Habitat- He started out at the old Home Store Too when it was on Salisbury Street- He was a good salesman and he got the messy place organized and it brought in money. When time came to pack up and move that huge amount of stuff to the new building, guess who had to organize and do it? Gary- I saw Gary sometimes on weak and tired trying to meet the deadline for getting it all out of that building, he could hardly walk, sweating like a pig. Then, he was in charge of the second Home Store Too- but, those favorite “transitioned” changes, to maximize potential- just flat out fired Gary. Gone, kapoot- out of sight, out of Habitat’s Mind. Folks, time to do more Transitioned transtionalizing.
Now we come to Jeff Fogg- Everyone remembers good ol’ friendly Jeff- Wore shorts even in the depths of winter. I remember Jeff working like a man on fire to get the first new Habitat Store open. And he did, and did it well. Midway thru it all, he had the guts and determination to start Habitat Too, on Salisbury Street- What a jumbled up situation that was to sort out, but he did it. Then, once he got all that going, he needed to get the new, Habitat Store open- and so he did. Now, folks, follow this carefully- If you are good at what you do at Habitat, you are most likely going to be transitioned- And guess what? After Jeff got it all going, he was transitioned back to the Home Store Too junk mess.(o.k. here we now see the pattern) And gradually, without many of us realizing it, he was transitioned out of a position- O.K. He was FIRED. He had maximized his potential to the point that he was no longer wanted.
And yet, some Habitat executives, have let it be known in public, that they just don’t like “certain” customers that frequent their store. I might add that they are doing a fine job of keeping those “disliked” customers and others away.
Yep folks, It is the Power and Gory that keeps our Habitat going. Maximizing the potential of Power and calling on Gory to step outside its previous roll, to achieve a higher level of success at tampering with people’s lives.
Paul Rakee