For the first time in over a year, I was denied access to a retail store. It was Sam's Club and one that I've barefooted many many times before. The old lady that turned me away was someone I had never seen there before. Rather than argue with her, I just sat in my car while my wife shopped. We had just come from Lowes Hardware and Walmart where I was bf. Although a temporary setback, it nonetheless tarnished a perfect record. I was looking forward to feeling the cold floors near the refrigerated section. Instead, all I got was hot asphalt on the way to my car. This won't discourage me from trying again. I will prevail!
A full year with out being denied at retail stores is a record in my book. I'm sure you will prevail, hope you can go another full year shopping without being turned away. What part of the country are you in?
i was in a coffehouse in a railwaystation, and i got asked to leave cuz i didnt have shirt on,, i asked about that dude sitting there, in wintercloths in middle of summer, that was stinking pee, cus he was sleeping outside alltime, and was drunk, and dirty... The answer was: : HE HAVE HES SHIRT ON.......dude......
well, it's just my opinion but I think you did the wrong thing. If they wont let you in as you are then they shouldn't get your bucks, period. I usually dont care if i need or want their stuff or if 'they' sell at lower prices, 'they' are attempting to issue me orders and this is *not* acceptable. Usually I tell them that they are not going to see me around again neither shod nor barefoot and then I leave. But of course it's just plain my point of view.
I think you're spot on here, jagerhans. Not only would they not get my money, I'd be sure to let the top management know that I'd do my level best to ensure that everyone I know, personally and in a multitude of professional and service organizations, would be strongly encouraged to patronize the competition. You'd be surprised at the reactions you can get from even large corporations when they realize that they're the potential target of a well-organized, subtle and far-reaching campaign designed to promote their competition. Far more effective than any negative campaign could ever be...
It happened again! Same store, same 'ol Bitty. This time, I slipped by her on the way in but I'm sure she saw me. After 10 minutes, I started getting told by multiple employees that I need to wear shoes in the store. Finally, a manager came up to me and said I needed to wear shoes due to health and safety reasons. I asked what health reasons in particular. He said that the chemicals they use to clean the floor could be harmful if absorbed thru the skin. I said "you must not clean these floors very often" as I look down at my dirty soles. I then told him I'm more afraid of what I'm going to catch off of the filthy cart handle than what he cleans his floors with. I told him I understand what he is saying but I was going to finish my shopping first. As I was walking out, I could see the 'ol bitty glaring at me from the entrance. I've bf'd this store more than 2 dozen times without hassle. Only since this hag started working there did I start having problems.
Glad you stood your ground and were not asked to leave. The cart handle point was a good comeback. What is it with those busy-body old ladies anyway, don't they have anything more important to focus their bitterness at.
It happened again, this time in Target. I've been in this store more than 3 dozen times with no problems. Today, I stopped by there at lunch to get some things and while I was looking at something, a female clerk came up to me and said "I'm going to have to ask you to find some shoes". To which I replied "OK". She said "you're not allowed in the store without shoes". Then she walked off. I continued shopping and checked out. I don't know if it's just coincidence or if I have a giant sign that tells everyone that I'm BF. I've BF'd more than 50 stores a total of 400+ times in the last 12 months without a single comment. Just in the last month I've had 3 comments at 2 different stores. Has my luck ran out?
Were you wearing shorts or pants? I believe it's easier to get away with barefooting in stores with a pair of jeans that will cover parts of your feet.
I think the odds are catching up to you. I don't know if it's a luck thing or just the numbers. You have had 50 stores and 400 visits with no comments so the percentage isn't bad at all.
I have a great idea. What if when they say "you must wear shoes in this store", you say "OK, I will", then walk straight over to their shoe department, find a pair that fits, and then do your shopping, and drop off the shoes at the checkout counter (without buying them of course). Then thank them for the use of their shoes... Hey, they have special carts for the handicapped to encourage them to shop in their store, don't they? So why not shoes for the barefoot? Of course that kills the point of being barefoot, but it sure makes them think twice before making such demands of their customers to just shop in the store!
Well, that might be one way to create very dumb faces on part of the store clerks. Or you might get mentioned in a funny little article in your local newspaper or in a news report of your local/regional TV channel. More likely, however, would be that the store will call in their shoe police (security guards) to throw you out and (worst-case scenario) to ban you from shopping there for at least a whole year. It all depends on the development of the store personnel's sense of humor. This reminds me of the oversized felt slippers used in some museums and castles, so that people could slip in wearing their shoes and not ruining parquet or valuable marble floors. Easiest would be to wear barefoot sandals (mainly just leather thongs slung around one toe and over the instep, creating an illusion of wearing some sort of shoes). For the humor aspect, try to find a pair of bright red high-heels in your size, and put them on in sight of the store greeter, and then ask "You think wearing these is safer than being barefoot....?" Maybe they will see the hilarity of their claim about the chemicals on the store floor... Or ask them, if any customer wearing flip-flops had complained about the rubber things dissolving from the chemicals... If you have any other competing store nearby (which is not as podophobic), best would be to visit the place one last time, telling them that you don't intend to shop there anymore, but take your money elsewhere, where customers are welcome for buying things, not regarding their choice of footwear or outfit. I do all my grocery shopping barefoot, and did not get turned away or thrown out, even as I was wearing a tie-dye skirt instead of pants. I think, I must be living in barefoot paradise, as I haven't been turned away from any store, including the Saturn megastore where I bought my laptop 'puter in my barefeet. wiggling toes in encouragement, ~*Ganesha*~
The UK is also a barefoot paradise, i've never had any problems in shops or anywhere. "Podophobia" appears to be a US disease! Incidentally, i've just had my best ever comment;- i was out hiking in the local nature reserve when a little boy said "mummy, that man's got his shoes off, can i take mine off?" and she said "no, he's got tough feet, you haven't". Well, if he wears shoes all the time, they will stay soft. I didn't say anything.
i gotta tell you, i live in the Chicago area and i have not seen 1 barefoot person all summer and summer's almost over, but then it's been years since i've seen any, very sad.
I know, why don't you just wear shoes? Just kidding. I usually wear shoes to be honest, I don't want rough soles, but whenever I have gone barefoot I have never had a funny look or been told off? Might be a U.S thing?
99% of the time I'm wearing jeans or casual slacks including this time. I was in a grocery store over the weekend with shorts on and didn't even get a look.
