i got kicked out of Whole Foods!

Ok not sure wha the last post was.Gf might be offended. so Any way NTH, I would gladly send extra flips if you want them .I always keep extras cause I hate shoes!
gOD LOVES HIS BAREFOOT CHILDREN!!
oOps caps lock

 

...

 

Actually, that post was a prime example of:







Easiest way to deal with it: put the user on your ignore list, or report it (or even both).

BTW, the matter of being kicked out of WF has been discussed on another barefoot-themed online message board, where a member has sent a letter to their corporate office... so far, I haven't heard about any reply.

One nice thing about living in continental Europe: I never had to deal with such hassles in supermarkets and shops so far.
*knocking on wood*

wiggling happy customer's toes,

~*Ganesha*~

 

Yesterday I went to pick up our skis after they were tuned. There's a Whole Foods in the same shopping center. I drove past slowly and didn't see any "No Shoes/No Service" sign. When the weather warms I'll have to give them a visit - barefoot of course!

 

This is so unfair!! I'd go back to the same store barefoot wearing a very long dress or some wide bell bottom jeans.

 

A little update on this one:

A reply from WF has arrived.

According to the member of that other message board, the reply from WF on her letter was in the friendly tone of "thanks for writing to us, we've considered the points you made, but...". They were not convinced by the various pro-barefoot arguments or the debunking of myths and suggested, that if she and her kids want to shop there, they could wear beach sandals (i.e. flip-flops). They made it quite clear, that they would continue and uphold their "shoes required" policy.

So, even though they might not have put up signs in all their stores, that puts them onto the list of "having a corporate anti-barefoot policy".

Oh well, another one...

wiggling toes, which have not been attacked corporately as yet,

~*Ganesha*~

 

Hmmm, this is an old thread to revive. Anyhow, in my posting above from December I vowed to stop in Whole Foods when the weather got a bit more barefoot friendly. I went today - barefoot, shorts, t-shirt. I wandered past a few employees, up and down a few aisles, chatted with the checkout clerk. No problems! I guess it just goes to show that there's no consistency in the way footwear policies are enforced even within the same chain. To me, groceries seem to be about the most barefoot-friendly places to go - right up there with coffee shops. Sorry some people had issues at Whole Foods.

 

have you tried getting a doctor's note?

i'm not sure if it's actually ACCURATE- but i heard that if you have a note from a doctor requesting that you be allowed to go without shoes for health reasons (back, neck, feet, whatever) and you go into a place like whole foods which has a "rule" about footwear (since there are no laws for customers prohibiting bare feet and any "rule" made against bare feet is the decision of the PRIVATE company) you can show them the note and they have to let you continue on barefoot. something about the Americans with Disabilities Act, that if your doctor said you have to go barefoot, and it is not in conflict with law (which it is not), then they have to let you do it or they are being prejudiced against you for a health condition, and you can sue.

i don't know. maybe the Barefoot Living website has more info.

BUT- i got a note from a lady i saw a few times for psychological evaluation, she's just a counselor, but she wrote it out on a prescription pad that says, "please allow barefootbuckley to go without shoes for health reasons" and don't you know it's held up in a grocery store? most places i go to don't care, and i'd rather boycott than start a scene, but it's a good way to scare off peons acting outside of their authority. i'm sure if i actually got kicked out despite the note and sued it wouldn't hold up in court, but it never hurts to have around.

you might also try wearing barefoot sandals- some people don't take notice enough to realize you're barefoot.

 

Funny you mention that. Actually, I've just made some barefoot sandals that I plan on testing. On-line, the only ones I could find are quite feminine (colored beads and jewels). The only "male" barefoot sandals I could find had huge friggin' seashells. Okay for a quick beach event, but probably wouldn't pass the test in the general public. I thought about it and came up with a very simple approach that I'm fairly happy with. I'll share it if it works.

My personal preference is the "pure" barefoot approach (no offense intended, just my own hang-up). No barefoot sandals, etc.

 

Have you had to display your note very often? I think its great that a member of the medical community actually wrote that up for you. I've seen people with back conditions sporting just socks on their feet in stores. I guess they didn't want a headache from management for shopping barefoot. Good for you for choosing to boycott a store then make a scene if they give you a hard time. Are there any type of stores you won't attempt to go barefoot in? I try to limit my barefoot shopping to convenient type stores. Fortunately, I've only been denied service from a Store 24 once.

 

there is no whole foods where i live currently but i walked into the one where i used to live once barefoot. a person who worked there walked up to me put their hand on my shoulder and asked me to leave because they said it was unsanitary. i actually had a pair of flipflops in my purse so i put them on and walked past them to do my shopping.

 

Just curious where it is you used to live?? Personally I've found groceries to be very barefoot friendly in Colorado. The only issue I've ever had was with one check-out clerk. When I asked her why I needed shoes she quickly backed down. I've probably gone to a couple dozen locations of multiple grocery chains without any issues. I shop barefoot all the time.

 

raleigh, nc

 

i like the shoes you have on in your sig....what make are they?

 

Never a problem going barefoot in the local food co-op. Been doing so for 20 years as well as many other shoppers in the summertime.

 

Yeah, right... I would've asked if he disinfected that hand before touching your shoulder.

I'm sure, the answer would have been "No..." - and then you could have told him, that a bare hand carries more germs from sneezing or coughing into it and exchanging those germs with those of other people by touching doorknobs, hand rails etc.

Wiggling uncontagious toes,

~*Ganesha*~

 

Perhaps it's a cultural thing, but I would have politely asked him to kindly remove his hand before continuing with his statement. Contact like this is unwarranted and in some cultures, the height of insult. I then would have asked to speak with management, who would be first advised of their employee's inappropriate familiarity with my person, and second questioned about their company policy and (if present) it's potential discriminatory nature.

**WOHOO!*** POST 333! I *love* cool numbers like this!

 

haha XD
I agree with you

and WHY the hell would bare feet be unsanitary? Thats just stupid! People with shoes on carry junk under the soles as well! and if the problem would be footfungus or warts that would be just as idiotic, for you can practically catch that anywhere :S thats like telling people to wear gloves before touching a can of food- and since when do you actually touch the food with your feet before buying it or putting it back ??

 

i have already stressed this, but i dont shop in places where they issue me orders and also think that whining about shoe police is pointless unless one is not willing to boycott the antibarefoot stores.

but if you want to do a yippie! thing and deliver a verbal karate hit tell them that you are catholic and barefoot because of a vote made to the holy virgin (papists do such sort of things, one aunt of mine once took a long journey on her bare feet to ask mary for a miracle) then terrify the director announcing that you are going to tell the press (first page in the local newspaper: «Whole foods denies access to the Catholic» :nopity. have fun.

 

One must always read the signage. Rules are rules, unfortunately, but we must follow them—barefoot or otherwise.

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