Shopping with your bike

[HKEKfreak]

Not exactly from the trail but, definitely a tale. I have been trying to find some paint to touch up a few chips on an older frame. After talking to Ron at Cycle-fit, I decided to go the route of matching up some fingernail polish to cover the few small blemishes. My first attempt was to go to a female friend’s house with bike in tow and see if she had anything that would match. No luck, she kind of fits the emo bill and most of it was too dark. So my next attempt was to take a picture and head to the store and try to find something close. Again, no dice. Despite 10 megapixels and good lighting, it just wasn't right. So my last resort was to take my bike right into the store and match it up. Bad idea. I chose the store with the bull’s eye logo and headed in the front door with just the frame/fork slung over my shoulder. I didn't make it past the service desk before an employee stopped me and said "bikes are not allowed in the store". I attempted to explain my situation but, the red polo clad staff member held her ground. At this point, a manager joined the conversation and reiterated the policy that bikes were not allowed in the store. I explained that I was carrying the bike, it had no wheels and that it was recently cleaned. Still they refused. At this point I was beyond frustration and side stepped the staff and headed to the cosmetics aisle. I hadn't made it past the last few check-out lanes when the boys in blue (Rent-a cops) stepped in and told me there were two ways out of the store, the front door or in cuffs courtesy of the Fenton PD. After a lengthy conversation, I accepted defeat and headed out the door. Beaten but not broken, I headed to the Thrifty Acres. What I found was the complete opposite of my previous attempt. Not only was the staff willing to let me in but, the cosmetics lady helped me find the perfect Color #369 Ruby Juice paint to cover my chips. I even shopped for a few groceries before going through the self checkout and leaving with a new respect for the 24-hour super store.

I'll be taking by business there from now on.

[jonw9]

Did you ask the Target people that if "No bike were allowed in the store" why there were 2 shelves of cheaply made Mongooses (Mongi?) in the back?

I would have also considered going to an auto parts shop and checked the touch-up rack. I am sure they would not have cared either.

[jalopy jockey]

Did you ask the Target people that if "No bike were allowed in the store" why there were 2 shelves of cheaply made Mongooses (Mongi?) in the back?

I would have also considered going to an auto parts shop and checked the touch-up rack. I am sure they would not have cared either.

Because those barely classify as bikes.

[HKEKfreak]

I did check an Autozone but, they were pretty limited on the colors. I did get the vibe that I could have hauled in a dead body and they could give two *beep* less. Not that I have a dead body.

[jcrazyjj]

As I work at the store with the red bulls-eye on 26 mile rd. I can honestly say that I am not surprised, management is very uptight there.

[kc8swy]

I've taken my bike into Hobby Lobby before (no front wheel) and went through the model paints and the craft paints with success. Not a word. A manager was a lane over when I checked out, he glanced, but not a word. (Kalamazoo location, either Main or Stadium)

[black2003ss]

How dare you interupt the elite shopping experience at Tar'ge!

Did you ask the Target people that if "No bike were allowed in the store" why there were 2 shelves of cheaply made Mongooses (Mongi?) in the back?

They don't have bikes, they have some things with wheels in the toys and sporting goods section...

They were probably afraid he might want to try and swap his frame out with a "bike" already on the rack...

The Fenton KMart would have let you in, my wife used to work there in college and they will let anything in at that store...

[utabintarbo]

The Fenton KMart would have let you in, my wife used to work there in college and they will let anything in at that store...

Well, it's Fenton!

[black2003ss]

So was the Target, in Fenton. Yet, they appear to be too classy to let a man with a bike frame in! I wouldn't even want to venture into the Walmart up there. My wife has had some awesome stories about people at Kmart, I can only imagine the Walmart.

[tate]

I thought it was going to be shoping with the bike....I often take mine to get grocries, bag panniers attached. 2 stores one accross the road from the other, the kroger will let me use my bike like a shoppiong cart, that way I don't overfill the the panniers and have to sling bags by the handle bars. The Tom Thumb will not let me bring the bike in and don't have a bike rack, so I chain it to the cart rack right out side the door.....Pain in the A, but they have better produce.

[Critter7r]

As I work at the store with the red bulls-eye on 26 mile rd. I can honestly say that I am not surprised, management is very uptight there.

Not that it has much to do with biking, but I have also had run-ins with the uptight employees at the Red-Dot-Circle Inn... When attempting to purchase the last of a particular product (poker chips and 2 decks of cards in a Lazy-Suzan that looked sort of like a tiny poker table) that was on the shelf, I was told that I couldn't purchase it because it was the display model. Of a discontinued product. I brought the perfectly useable bar code from the shelf to scan at the register, (and the cashier scanned it before realizing that the game wasn't in a box), and since it wasn't boxed, they wouldn't sell it to me. I was very confused. They even told me that they were going to just throw it away since it was the display. So I asked them to just give it to me since they were going to toss it, but no dice there either.

[gtrowbridge]

As I work at the store with the red bulls-eye on 26 mile rd. I can honestly say that I am not surprised, management is very uptight there.

Not that it has much to do with biking, but I have also had run-ins with the uptight employees at the Red-Dot-Circle Inn... When attempting to purchase the last of a particular product (poker chips and 2 decks of cards in a Lazy-Suzan that looked sort of like a tiny poker table) that was on the shelf, I was told that I couldn't purchase it because it was the display model. Of a discontinued product. I brought the perfectly useable bar code from the shelf to scan at the register, (and the cashier scanned it before realizing that the game wasn't in a box), and since it wasn't boxed, they wouldn't sell it to me. I was very confused. They even told me that they were going to just throw it away since it was the display. So I asked them to just give it to me since they were going to toss it, but no dice there either.

Wow. That is just nuts.
I second the Thrifty Acres.
Not bike related but service related.
I walked into the local Meijer as they were swapping out the summer seasonal stuff looking for a light duty electric leaf blower. Only one they had was the demo hanging up.
Got the department manager and asked her what kinda price break she could give me on it as is.
Got 40% off and walked out the door with it over my shoulder.
She didn't have to deal with it and the store made a sale. Win win.

[iamkickstand]

I wouldn't even want to venture into the Walmart up there. My wife has had some awesome stories about people at Kmart, I can only imagine the Walmart.

why? are you afraid some of the weird and some of the white trash from the outskirts of pontiac or flint are going to meet up in fenton for a famous eddies hot dog followed by a shopping spree across the street at walmart?

My ex-wife worked at the fenton kmart in the cafe for a long time. That joint has some interesting people in it, employees and patrons.