Was it a busy time, or was it slow? If it was slow, they were probably fitting in some needed breaks, especially if they had just been hit with a rush and/or a big delivery.
i wouldn't be irritated by employees talking up front, though it would seem strange for them to be standing around on the floor during breaks. i've never worked anywhere that didn't require you to clock out and leave the floor for breaks. mainly because i couldn't work off the clock, and it would have looked very bad to not help a customer with the statement that "i'm on break."
there really isn't an excuse for having the aisles littered with broken down boxes and packing materials.
since it's a new store, it's very possible that there are still some training issues to overcome. if all of the employees are new to this chain, two weeks might not have been enough time for everyone to be up to speed.
having said that, i would let corporate know. for every one customer who might be willing to give them a chance a month or so down the road, several more never will due to their initial experience.