Where is fresh and easy from

At one store, managers had to work off the clock just to clean up, an employee said. At the Eagle Rock store this week, bare shelves evoked a disaster movie scene.

Many sections were completely stripped, while others had only a handful of items left. Shan Li covered the retail and restaurant industries for the Los Angeles Times. She previously reported on the California economy and the technology sector.

A Texas native, she graduated from the business school at New York University, where she decided journalism was much more interesting than a job on Wall Street. She left The Times in Samantha Masunaga is a business reporter for the Los Angeles Times.

Why economists got it wrong on U. Kellogg files lawsuit against its striking cereal workers. Ships bound for L. All Sections. About Us. B2B Publishing. Business Visionaries. Hot Property. Times Events. Times Store. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options. Above, a store in Hollywood in By Shan Li , Samantha Masunaga. Shan Li. Samantha Masunaga. Follow Us twitter instagram email facebook. More From the Los Angeles Times.

Business Why economists got it wrong on U. Business Kellogg files lawsuit against its striking cereal workers. Business Ships bound for L. Tesco tried tinkering with decor to give the stores a warmer feel, but the damage had been done. This year many of the kitchens were closed. The retreat had started. Tesco was at first determined not to trade on its Britishness, another mistake. US shoppers were astonished to learn its parent was a top British retailer.

Eventually Tesco capitulated and devoted space to British goodies such as Colman's mustard and HP sauce. And the chain did not live up to its unpopular name. It was hard to get quality fresh food there — especially fruit and vegetables — and it was far from easy to shop: the self-pay checkouts for groceries were confusing for Americans so used to service.

Here you can buy just a couple of items and staff are on hand to pack them and you are offered help out to your car they always assume you have driven to the store. Although generations of Americans have been used to serving themselves in supermarkets, many drew the line at checking out their purchases - and it was not the most idiot-proof system, customers often had to plead for help.

It was, in short, a wasted opportunity. This article is more than 8 years old.