They really are trying to corner every market........
July 15, 2005 — From lingerie to lawn mowers, Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer prides itself on offering its customers truly one-stop shopping. Now, customers at a Roanoke, Va., Wal-Mart can peruse the aisles for something extra: a date. read more... http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=940058&page=1
I think they got this idea from stores in Germany. IIRC there was a department store there that was trying this out once or twice a week to increase sales. It appeared on the BBC site either late last year, or early this year.
Well, considering that I don't go out to 'dating' places a store is about the only chance I'd have. That or work, and work's not a smart thing to do. However, I would never knowingly go on singles night. I'm already pathetic, I don't need to advertise that fact.
Maegan
in Tampa, FL - USA Member
Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 | 03:29 AM
This is SO 1980s!
<quote>We could happily conclude our history of the shopping cart there, but that would leave out all the sex. Modern shoppers have found new uses for this now seemingly mundane grocery conveyance — it has at least in some parts of the U.S. become a component in a specialized way to indicate via non-verbal signals potential sexual availablity.
In some parts of the United States, hanging a bunch of bananas through the wires of one's shopping cart has at times been a way for a male shopper to indicate his desire to meet up with women in the market for a bit of hanky-panky. Similarly, the presence of a pineapple in a woman's cart is said to indicate an interest in meeting a bananas-fostered man. (But of course none of this works if everyone is not on the same page of the playbook; the signals won't be picked up on if the other players aren't also in the know. A tie left hanging on a doorknob is, after all, just an out-of-place cravat unless one's roommate is clued in on its meaning.)
In the 1980s, some upscale supermarkets in the more urbane settings began featuring "Singles Nights" when the unattached could openly check out the available talent while obstensibly doing their weekly reprovisioning. Canny marketers began by offering specials on those nights on single-sized portion foods such as yogurt and small packages of cheese, gave away door prizes such as dinners and trips, and hired local disc jockeys to play records while shoppers competed in dance contests in the paper goods aisle (no breakage that way). Once these nights were established and well-attended, disc jockeys were discontinued, but top 40 music took the place of Muzak on the P.A. system. Name tags were provided to all to facilitate the getting-to-know-you process.
Singles who attended on those nights were surprisingly particular about what they placed in their carts, often choosing not to pick up what they needed but instead selecting items they thought would speak well of them. One lad made sure he was wheeling around matzos and dog food because he wanted to attract a Jewish woman, and even though he didn't own a dog, he wanted to project an image of being warm and loving. A group of four young ladies filled their communal cart with potato chips and soda, hoping to convey the message they were into partying.
"Meet" markets have since apparently gone out of vogue, but that is not to say that the produce section of any given grocery store does not remain a popular spot for cruising for new friends. A puzzled look over a canteloupe can often elicit helpful information that one should sniff it, not thump it, to test for ripeness, and those openers have been known to lead to the altar (or other pieces of furniture). Likewise, holding up a ripe avocado and asking, "Do you have any idea how to turn this into guacamole?" has enticed more than one damsel to reveal her cooking secrets (and maybe her Victoria's). </quote>
From Snopes - Turning Cart Wheels.
X Member
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 | 06:34 AM
I assume you really looked into this Maegan....Anything else we should know about you....???? J/K.....One thing I enjoy about going to the market is the fact that there are sooooo many hot women where I live, and I enjoy checking them out. But I don't believe I ever asked one out, all though I have started conv. with some, but they were married, but I probably still had a shot, cause I mean, where are the husbands....why aren't they there???? My G/F and I ALWAYS do the shopping together.....
Maegan
in Tampa, FL - USA Member
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 | 09:57 AM
I hate for my husband to come shopping with me. Our bill is usually twice as high. I tend to stick to our list, get what I need, if I see that pasta sauce is on sale, I might pick up a few extra jars...but he gets all kinds of stuff. Extra snacks, and junk food...coke...
So it's just easier to leave him at home, or better yet, go while he's still at work. So I can put everything away without him getting into it!
Maegan
in Tampa, FL - USA Member
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 | 09:58 AM
Oh, and just for the record, I had read this story previously on snopes.com, and knew it sounded familiar when I read the WalMart story.
Jockamo
in Toronto
Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 | 05:22 AM
There's a loblaws in downtown Toronto that was rated the 2nd best place in Ontario to hook up...
