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The Barnes & Noble where I had a reading for The Restless Sleep is now a Trader Joe’s. I stopped in to look around and when I pulled out my camera someone immediately stopped me.
“You can’t take pictures.”
“Why not?”
“It’s policy.”
“Why?”
I forget what she said exactly, but she didn’t know. I said okay and put my camera away.
I tried to look around and give the store a fair shake, but being welcomed in that way kinda killed it for me. It just made me feel bad.
Then I saw the horribly huge line to check out, it was insane, it went all the way down the aisle. I figured I wouldn’t want to shop in a place with lines like that and left.
I know for sure that you can’t be prevented from taking pictures outdoors, I wonder if they have the right to stop you on their own premises. Ugly. That wouldn’t have happened at a Wegman’s. 😉
Wegs getting press on Stacy’s blog! It would be interesting to know what Trader’s beef was with the picture taking. Maybe a new employee who didn’t know what they were talking about but felt they had to say something regardless of how ignorant it sounded. I think you should go back and try it again, but I guess the moment is gone. Too bad you don’t have a Wegmans opening up also.
That line moves so fast, it really does.
Yeah, but I won’t be going back there. They have lost my business.
And what is Wegmans? I’ve never heard of it!
Wegmans is a regional supermarket chain out of Rochester, NY. Far better fare than what is found in the average metro area market.
The closest they’ve gotten to NY is across the river in NJ.
BTW, it is within the ‘rights’ of a private establishment to prevent photography on their premises.
Alec Baldwin is even doing commercials with his mother for the Syracuse area Wegmans sinc he mentioned one night on the Tonight Show or was it on Letterman that his mother would never move to the west coast to be closer to family since she could never leave Wegmans. I would have to take that into consideration if thinking of a move as well! It has also been consistently very high in the ranking of Fortune’s top 100 places to work for in America among many other awards they’ve received over time. Their food products have even made it into scenes from The Office. And it’s just a “supermarket”. An awesome one at that.
Wow. Now I want to see one.
And yes, it’s their business. They can tell me not to photograph. (And I am free to leave and never return!)
Trader Joe’s finally came to Portland. Took me 4-5 weeks to go in, (parking lot was always too full). Finally went, bought some Brie, got home and it was foul….rotten!
I went back to get my $$$$$ back but will probably not return, even for the cheap wine.
Kind of sad really.
I’ve never been impressed by Trader Joe’s cheeses and hate the long lines. Not my favorite store. As far as the prices go, I’d rather buy less in a pleasanter store. Those long lines can create crazy behavior.