observations and opinions

- I am always amused when customers describe something they have or want and it basically co-ordinates with what they are wearing.  Like "Our living room is sort of blue with a beige couch and a sage green rug.  And we have bright teal blue accents" and the lady will be wearing a khaki shirt, green pants, a jean jacket and turquoise jewelry.  That example is pretty basic.  It is even funnier when the colors are bolder and more specific and they incorporate patterns.

- Parents that refuse to mind their children are a nuisance.  There were two moms shopping together the other day and one of them had a toddler.  They let that baby tear up the store.  They also did not want to be bothered and made that clear by being cold and bitchy after I greeted them with a 'hello.'  I was watching them from across the store.  When other people, shoppers or employees, were near them, they would mildly watch the toddler, though they never asked him not to touch things or to "stay with mommy."  When no one was around, they just let him go.  At one point he ran away and was completely out of their sight, though I was watching because we don't need an injured baby and broken merchandise.  These weren't trashy methhead parents.  I know judging parents based on the minutes they are in the store might seem harsh, but why wouldn't they watch their kid?  It is not a playground.  He was grabbing things that were not meant for play.  And you know what?  Most parents manage to watch their kids.

- It's awesome when customers walk through the store, looking at merchandise, and loudly state to anyone within 25 feet that they could find the items cheaper elsewhere, and often they will name that other location.  Initially I was annoyed by these people because I didn't know why they even wasted time coming in if they were just going to bad mouth everything and ruin the experience for other people.  Now I just feel sorry for them because they can't control the volume of their voice and it appears that they just discovered the internet.  How embarrassing.

- Sometimes you take a community education class and you meet people and then later they come into your store as a customer and they are jerks.  You might try some small talk, appreciate the community you are creating, but they are on some power trip and want to keep you in your place.  Sometimes you have to give up and let them be assholes, but you don't have to tell them to "have a nice day."

- Here is an incomplete list of things that customers ask for occasionally.  These things would best be found in thrift or antique stores.  You might think, "if people are asking for them, why wouldn't you sell them?"  There are many boring answers to that.  Here is the list:

garlic roasters
cutting board for loaves of bread with slots in the bottom
bread cages to hold bread while you cut it
microwave bacon cookers
decorative copper pots
fancy glass lidded candy dish