When you have worked in different chains, managing different managers and produce crews, sometimes it’s the odd or humorous memories that come to mind.
Case in point: I recall doing an overnight reset with produce manager, “Jim,” who shared he was building his own home. That’s amazing, right? I asked him questions, passing the time as we reset the department.
“So, Jim. Building your own home is quite a task. The foundation, Jim — that’s a huge, specialized project. Did you build your own foundation? Your own footings?”
“Uh, no. I had help with that part,” Jim admitted. More time passed.
“What about the framing, Jim? That’s a ton of work to get it all up and square.”
Jim was getting uncomfortable. “No, had a whole crew for that step,” he said.
I’m no builder, but just about every step I mentioned (plumbing, electric, HVAC, drywall, etc.), Jim had it all subcontracted out. Those were some amusing few hours anyway, at least for me. In the end, I think ol’ Jim was only responsible for some of the painting.
It’s a good thing he was capable at his day job — being a produce manager — though, like his subcontractors, I was around to lend a hand too.
I’ve also always been intrigued by the internal jargon that is inherent to produce. We said things like, “turn that apple display,” when we meant to rotate the product. We referred to green onions as grunions, bananas as bones and cucumbers as cukes, among many other informal terms. When we covered the leafy greens crisping task, we called it doing the wash. When de-lidding and air-stacking bananas, we called it breaking down the bones.
Rudy Capra was a standout favorite who also comes to mind — a well-seasoned produce manager in our chain. Known for his strong work ethic, his sense of humor and running a reputable stand, Rudy also had a hard time remembering names. In fact, several busy stores he managed had their share of rotating clerks, filling in from other stores. So, rather than worry about calling people by their names, everyone became Buck, as in, “Hey, Buck. I need you to work the wet rack today” or “Buck! Can you work that cart for me so I can go to lunch?”
I know. He could have used Bud, sport, pal or Mac, but Buck was Rudy’s go-to greeting.
When Rudy became attached to someone, Buck morphed into Buckwheat or just Bucky. We knew we were all right in Rudy’s eyes when he used his personal produce terms of endearment. Rudy wore a loose tie and a wet apron and had a wide toothy smile, unkempt hair and oversized glasses that frequently slipped down his nose. And he rarely stood still.
Rudy rubbed off on others in our chain. He used an overemphasized term — “Are you making smoke?” (That is, are you hustling today? Are you gonna get after it and keep up with demand today as you stock?) — that became a common refrain throughout much of the company.
Rudy’s ongoing rallying cry was simply, “Let’s make smoke, Buck!”
And when a person showed up wearing a new pair of shoes, well it wasn’t long before Rudy noticed and said, “Hey! New smokers!” It was just another reason to emphasize the need for hustle, to get those new shoes moving, and the need for a good performance day in a spirit of camaraderie and teamwork — all In an amusing, however odd, manner.
It was interesting people like Rudy — colorful and fun characters who also had stellar reputations for managing busy, organized and well-run produce departments — that helped me decide early on that I want to have that kind of a reputation at some point; I want to manage a flagship store someday and make a name for myself.
I want to make smoke, too, Buck!
Armand Lobato’s more than 50 years of experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions. He has written a weekly retail column for two decades.
