In April 2020, during a global pandemic, Friday Sock Co. took a risk and hired someone very out of the box. No experience, no resume, no excel skills, not even a pulse; Curbie the Curbside Wonder (yes that is his real name you can check his driver's license).
Despite our skepticism of hiring someone that brought so little to the table, he has blown us away with his sense of humour, kindness, and most of all his work ethic. Rain or shine he made the grueling journey across our almost 5-meter wide parking lot to deliver socks to our customers. He sometimes did this up to 10 times a day, with only a three day weekend to recharge. In between orders, he would sit around the office staring in silence, greatly improving office morale during the pandemic.
After a little over 11 weeks of this intense workload and crazy schedule he decided it was time for him to retire, and with pandemic restrictions lifting we sadly agreed to let him go. We thought it would be the last we'd see of him, but last week he rolled up to the office and demanded to be rehired. I don't know if you have ever been confronted by a 15-inch shopping basket on wheels, but we had no choice but to find a position of him. It's pretty much the only thing that would stop him "beep beeping."
With that being said we are excited to announce our new customer service executive, Curbie the Customer Service Wonder! (Yes he did legally change his name you can check his passport). To celebrate him rejoining Team Friday, I sat down with him to find out more about where his past, what he has been up to since leaving Friday, and what he hopes to accomplish now that he's back.
What have you been up to since you left Friday Sock Co.?
I have been living it up in Kelowna baby, it was the perfect place for a sun-loving basket like me! I bought a boat and everyday me and my buddies would get out on that wakeboard, there's really nothing like it. In my spare time, I worked as a sommelier and picked peaches.
What did you do before working at Friday? I don't know much about your past.
I grew up in a Walmart actually, my mom was a shopping basket and my dad was a remote-controlled monster truck. They fell in love in the frozen pizza aisle and moved to auto parts when they found out I was on the way.
Growing up they told me I either had to choose life as a shopping basket or life as a toy vehicle. But I said no, and one day I rolled right out of that Walmart. I didn't know where I was going or what I was going to do but I knew I would find my place in the world. I spent a few months backpacking around Europe and working as a bartender. It was amazing, but after a beautiful Italian woman named Elena broke my heart, I decided it was time to move on.
So I moved to New York, got a degree in finance, and started working on Wall Street. At first, it seemed like a dream; a penthouse apartment, designer suits, and surrounded by beautiful people. But after a few years, I realized I didn't even recognize myself anymore. Who was this half shopping basket half toy monster truck in the Prada suit looking back at me in the mirror? I decided I needed to return to my humble beginnings, so I hit the road and drove across the midwest, stopping at every Walmart along the way. I eventually headed north and found myself in Calgary. As I cruised down 28th Ave, I saw something in the distance so beautiful I thought it was a mirage. It was the Friday Sock Co. sign, I ripped into the parking lot and the rest they say is history.
Why did you want to come back to work at Friday?
I can't lie to you, living in Kelowna is expensive. And since I have about 1000 years until I decompose I thought I should work for a least a few.
And free socks! Just because I don't have feet doesn't mean I don't like to look good.
What was your favourite part about delivering curb-side orders?
The fame! I was an Instagram star! Oh, and meeting all the great people.
What do you hope to accomplish now that you're back at Friday?
Ever since I was a little basket I've always wanted to be the employee of the month. I didn't care where or how, I just wanted my photo up on that wall. When I started working at Friday in April and I found out the employee of the month also gets a mug and parking spot I couldn't believe it. Sadly I didn't get it the first time around, but now I'm back and more determined than ever.
What are you going to do to finally get employee of the month this time around?
I am going to be a customer service machine, a wonder if you will. 24 hours a day 7 days a week, I will be at my desk answering questions and helping customers. I will be there like a light in the night guiding people towards the answers they seek.
Oh and I was thinking about starting Frozen Yogurt Friday's? People love frozen yogurt.
We are so excited to have Curbie back to help with customer service and wish him the best of luck in his endeavour to be the employee of the month! You will find him at the bottom right corner of our website.