Beans Maroc: I checked your figures because they didn't add up having worked in retail myself.  Here's what I think: there are some employees at Kroger's making $18 or $19 an hour.  But the starting wage at that chain is around $8 or $9 an hour.  I would guess that the majority of people working at that store make under $12.00 an hour. I'm sure after annual raises and 20 years at the same place you would get there but that's a lot of years not making much over minimum wage.  No one who walks in makes $19 an hour...just sayin'