Store's Refrigeration Woes Kept Meat, Eggs Off Shelves

Customers at Waldbaum’s in East Hampton had a harder time than usual last week if they were looking for hot dogs, hamburgers or bacon.

Sometime on July 23, a compressor burned out, knocking out almost all of Waldbaum’s refrigeration system, according to an employee of the grocery store. Frozen foods, dairy, ice cream, meats and eggs were all affected, and local residents took note.

“Machines break,” said a Mr. Albanese, who did not provide his first name as he left the store. “I had to go somewhere else for my produce.”  

Another shopper, a woman who wished to remain anonymous, reported that, “It’s a gross store, something like this happens every summer: a freezer breaks down; the carts don’t work. The only thing they have going for them is convenience.”

One shopper claimed that Waldbaum’s management had told her that the break down was not an isolated incident, and that other stores in the area had also been affected. 

Neither the management at the East Hampton Waldbaum’s, nor Waldbaum’s corporate headquarters would offer a comment after repeated requests.

A visit to the store on Tuesday afternoon found that most of the refrigeration has been back online since Saturday, though some shelves and display cases remain empty with the now familiar signage:

“A refrigeration failure has affected select areas around our store. We are sorry for any inconvenience at this time and appreciate your patience and cooperation.”

How has the refrigeration failure affected your grocery shopping? Share your thoughts and your alternative suggestions in the comments below.