Manny, Moe, Jack & Sycamore

[elSicomoro]

As mentioned in the Liberation thread, I started a new assignment on Monday at Pep Boys Corporate Offices in Philadelphia.

(For those of you not in the know, Pep Boys is a car care/auto supply chain with 800 locations in the United States. They don't have them in St. Louis, but I was familiar with them through their commercials that would be shown on national TV. You may know them too, through some of their slogans:

Pep Boys. Everything but gas.

Pep Boys. Cars like us, people love us.

Pep Boys. We're car people.

The official name of the company is "The Pep Boys - Manny, Moe, & Jack"...and you can learn more about them here.)

So, you would think that, being a large corporation of 21,000 people with 800 corporate employees, that the corporate headquarters would be some pretty office building out in the suburbs...maybe in an office park of sorts. Or, they may hold several floors of a large building in Center City Philadelphia.

If you ever drive up Roosevelt Blvd. (US 1) north from the Schuylkill Expwy. (I-76), you will see the Pep Boys headquarters on the right hand side, just north of the Schuylkill. It is a factory-like, dilapidated building, with the Pep Boys name on an old water tower...located at Allegheny and Hunting Park Aves. in a fairly decent-looking part of North Philadelphia.

And so, some observations:

1) There are 3 human-sized statues of Manny, Moe and Jack (learn about them in the above link) that sit in front of the building. They stare at me when I step off the bus every morning...they're taunting me...only I can hear them.

2) The offices have an "old" feeling to them: fixtures, equipment, etc. (For example, they are just now converting to Windows 2000...from Windows 95. I believe I have an IBM that is just a step up from a PS/2.)

3) I only see daylight when I go out for a smoke. We are in one of those offices that was created cubicle-style...artificial walls and such. No windows to the outside world...it kinda spooks me out a bit.

4) There is a smoking room INSIDE the building...you don't see them much anymore. Unfortunately, it will be closed officially next Wednesday. And truth be told, I like being outside while smoking...better ventilation.

5) They have a full-service cafeteria, featuring reasonable prices and Starbucks coffee. Nice.

6) I have internet access, but truth be told, I'm too busy to use it. Not to mention, I don't know the company's policy on using it...and I'm not about to test it.

7) Hard core security. My suspicion is that they had people trying to get things from the company on a 5-finger discount. When you come in, you will go through a wrought-iron gate, then you will be monitored by two pissed-off looking security guards, then pass through a security gate. When you leave, you will again go through a security gate and have your bag searched.

At this point, I'm not going to say whether I like the job or not...I've only been there 3 days, and I don't want to pass early judgement. It's a job, it's temporary, and it's cool, baby!

But Manny, Moe & Jack...I've got my eye on them...I don't like them one fucking bit.