Husban-dito and I reluctantly ventured to the local Walmart last night to return a mini-bbq grill I bought for last month’s camping trip.
Last night’s visit just reinforced how much I hate Walmart. I hate the little yellow smiley faces on the “Price Rollbacks”. I hate the fact that the check-out and return lines are always 15 people deep. I hate the smell of greasy french fries that permeates the air, wafting from the indoor McDonald’s.
But worst of all? The other shoppers. WHERE do these people come from? Do they bus them in from circus sideshows? Seriously.
In 17 minutes, Husban-dito and I spotted three mullets, one fullet (female mullet), one person wearing bedroom slippers as shoes, two people wearing pajama pants as outerwear, one man in a stained wife beater-style tank shirt, and one fellow in basketball shorts and dress shoes.
Now, I’m not a snobby fashion maven by any stretch but I don’t parade around in undergarments or bedroom slippers outside of my house. I understand that Walmart offers good pricing, but slippers should be left at home.
Is the Walmart Sideshow a nation-wide phenomenon? I know that the Walmart near my parents’ house in Florida is a freak show because when things are dull around the house, Mom and I go there for entertainment.
So, have you ever been to your local Walmart? What’s the Sideshow factor?
I REFUSE to go to Wal*Mart.
My medication dosage is not high enough to deal with that place…
Last time I went there, I was pretty sure I was going to get into a fist fight and/or the police were going to have to drag me out.
Perhaps, with all the money I’d save by shopping there, I could start up a fund to cover my visit to The Looney Bin.
BabyMomma went there and it took her almost an hour to return with a bottle and a movie.
Wal*Mart is about 1.5miles from Casa Mak and I will drive 4+ miles to Target.
I think wal*marts problem is getting what you pay for… them there cashiers ain’t too brite.
Plus, it’s demographically driven… what kind of customer do you think you’d get with $3 tube tops?
At Wegmans last night, (wait, I’m gagging at the visual) a 20-something, chubby, in low-waisted jeans, muffin top sticking out and (wait for it) a belly shirt.
Given the stretchmarks, I’d say she had a couple of kids at home.
i wouldn’t even venture to comment on the sideshow factor at the walmart because i’m sure at some point i have been on someone else’s freak meter while shopping there!
Crap! I thought you said SLIDESHOW!!!! Nothing would be better than a a WalMart slideshow!
I don’t think the prices are that different between Wal*Mart and Target, but the latter has more style, better branding, and treats their employees much better. You can see a scary cross-section of the populace at either.
It is not just nationwide – it is North American wide. Trust me, Canadian Walmarts are just as bad. I had the bright idea to venture to Walmart at Christmas to get some cheap decorations and wrapping paper. Not being able to bear the ‘clientele’ I had the brain wave to sneak in to the 24 hour Walmart by my house at 1:30am after an evening out with friends. Standing in the middle of the toy isle was a small girl, about 2 or 3, with no shoes on, carrying what must have been her mother’s purse, and screaming at the top of her lungs. Myself and another shopper looked around the isles for what could be her parents, but no luck. We had to call in the blue vests for back up. She was eventually re-united but there was still no shoes. Who brings a kid with NO shoes (insert Canadian winter and three feet of snow) to Walmart at 1:30am? I could rant for hours on Walmart … perhaps Walmart undercover photo shoots could be the August homework assignment … That could be funny. I’d love to see the fullet on film!!
Hey Curls…was that you in Wal mart last night?
I am a Target shopper. My mom adores Walmart and the freak show whereby she can with all the tact in the world have a running commentary of everyone and everything she sees…she does not drive therefore I get to visit every other week
My Walmart in Raleigh is a hot mess. As were the ones in Orlando and Miami. I’ve noticed, however, that the smaller the town, the less ghetto the clientele. (Garner, NC was lovely as was Milan, TN) Because wearing your slippers to Walmart, or going braless, or bringing your child in a 2am is G-H-E-T-T-O. Like Jerry Springer bad.
This is the perfect time to call your attention to a Walmart sideshow so outrageous that I wouldn’t have believed it if my fiance hadn’t caught it on video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aBs951hiTY
I recommend putting the mute button on – the music he laid over the visuals is pretty grating.
We have a number of them in Omaha…and they are all the same….just in varying degrees, and different genres, of badness.
Nope, they are like this everywhere. Circus sideshow indeed. I wonder if this is an optical illusion…the moment one steps into a WalMart, they turn into freaks. Once they drive out of the parking lot to go home, their car turns back into a nice, well kept Saab and their hair becomes combed, pajamas become slacks and a button down shirt, and mullets become coifs.
found this and thought of you: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/
hi, i used your image in a post on my blog (http://lovelyentropy.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/things-that-happen-at-walmart-ii/) i found it on google images but i still wanted to make sure that i credited you for it. if you don’t want me to use it please let me know & i’ll take it down!