CVS head cashier Helen M. "Nonni" Plummer at the Kingston Emporium store last week.

CVS head cashier reveals story behind 'excellent' catch-phrase

By: Chloe Thompson

Posted: 10/31/07

10/31/07 - Some University of Rhode Island students venture into the CVS in the Kingston Emporium to buy a snack or a last-minute magazine to read during their spare time. But others might go for another reason - to see The "Excellent" Lady.

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.

"I couldn't think of working anywhere else," she said. Plummer added if she could have any other job, she'd be a hospital receptionist, "just to work with the public."

This idea is funny to Plummer, who said she didn't think she'd ever been in the Kingston Emporium CVS before working there.

"I never even knew the Emporium existed," she said.

Of course after working more than a decade near URI, Plummer has had her fair share of stories, which range from sharing close relationships with students, receiving personalized posters from the URI women's basketball team and attending last year's Greek Week talent show after receiving an invitation from a student.

"It was an excellent reception," Plummer said with a smile.

Her great-grandson has even poked fun at Plummer, though the three-and-a-half-year-old may not realize it. Plummer, who takes care of her great-grandson during the weekend, said he frequently tells people to, "Have an 'excellent' day."

"I said, 'you know who he's been hanging around with,'" Plummer joked.

Though the phrase began without much thought, Plummer said she tries to be as considerate to customers as she can be.

"Every day, my prayer is for children," she said. Plummer even once had a book filled with names of students whom she prayed for each night.

"I always run to the front and give them a hug," she said.

Students have been witnesses to Plummer's kindness and said it's not unusual to see her hold conversations with customers or give them compliments.

Senior Chris Bessín said he's wondered about "Have a Excellent" many times, and said every day Plummer seems positive and outgoing.

"One time I was in there, and she found out it was this kid's 21st birthday," he said. "She told her manager she was going on a short break and made a point to sing 'Happy Birthday' to him over the intercom."

About 15 years ago, Plummer received her GED and earned a college-level score on it.

"They told me I had a wasted mind," she said. "I could've been anything in this whole world."

Plummer, who left high school at 17 to get married said, "Back in my era, [getting married] was the thing to do. There was no freedom. Had I had it, things would've been different."

In spite of this, Plummer said she is more than happy to work at CVS with her customers, her CVS family and her key phrase.

"I honestly believe this is a gift from God," she said. "I have so much to say about the students. Even if they're not students or professors, I take care of them."

Students seem fond of Plummer. Freshman Micah Siegel, who is a Rhode Island native, said she's been coming to the Kingston Emporium CVS since middle school.

"I feel like she's always been a part of CVS for me," she said.

Plummer seems to agree. "This is my first home," she said.