Spring Break
CVS head cashier reveals story behind 'excellent' catch-phrase
Chloe Thompson
Issue date: 10/31/07 Section: News
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Dubbed by some students as "The Excellent Lady," CVS head cashier Helen M. "Nonni" Plummer said her reasoning behind her key phrase, "Have a excellent," is simple.
"It's intended to be whatever they want it to be," the full-time employee said. "It can be an excellent life, an excellent day ... This is what it boils down to. That's where the 'day' went."
"I try to make [customers] feel that CVS cares for them," Plummer continued. "I work for CVS and I represent CVS and that's what I want portrayed."
Plummer said she finds it humorous that the URI population has "put [her] up on a pedestal," going as far as making a Facebook.com group titled, "You Have An Excellent...?" which has more than 300 members.
The 62-year-old has worked at the CVS in the Emporium for nearly 12 years and is fully aware of the mystery that surrounds her.
"Yes, they call me 'The Excellent Lady,' said Plummer, who has been recognized even while taking the RIPTA bus. "There are times when people will come in and they'll have a bad day ... I always make sure to say, 'You have an excellent.'"
While Plummer enjoys cheering her customers up, she said they do the same for her, and students say they're amazed by her 24/7 jolliness.
"There was one day, you could tell she was sad," freshman Deanna Golab said. "But she still said it. She still told me to 'have a excellent.'"
Plummer said she doesn't like to bring her problems to work and tries to remain positive about any situation.
"Someone once said to me, 'You have 30 good times for every bad time,'" Plummer said. "I really listen to that."
Plummer began working at CVS after working at the Bess Eaton Donuts in the Emporium, where Quiznos is now, where her daughter was a manager. Though she said she joined the ranks of CVS initially to get a change of scenery from the doughnut shop, "The students have made me change my mind."
Plummer, who walks to work every day from her home, said there's nowhere else she'd rather be than at CVS.
