Eat And Be Run Out
Interesting story in the LA Times, by John M. Glionna, about a store called the Berkeley Bowl? There, the management shows the entitled that they can't have it their way and still shop there, too:
BERKELEY -- As most veteran customers know, it takes a pretty thick skin to successfully navigate the Berkeley Bowl, this strident city's most popular grocery store.Outside, petitioners seeking signatures for ballot measures have come to blows with opinionated residents. In the tiny parking lot, nicknamed the Berkeley Brawl, frustrated motorists have been known to ram one another's cars. At the checkout, people have thrown punches and unripened avocados at suspected line-cutters.
When one shopper was told she couldn't return a bag of granola, she showily dumped its contents on the floor. Culyon Garrison, who works at the customer-service desk, recently had a loaf of bread thrown at him.
The produce emporium -- one of the nation's most renowned retailers of exotic fruits and vegetables -- creates its own bad behavior. Kamikaze shoppers crash down crowded aisles without eye contact or apology for fender-benders. So many customers weren't waiting to pay before digging in that management imposed the ultimate deterrent: Those caught sampling without buying will be banned for life -- no reprieves, no excuses. (Not even "I forgot to take my medication.")
Raphael Breines, who was ejected last year for eating on the premises, said he couldn't decide between two types of apricots, so he sampled both. Security stopped him in the parking lot.
"They treated me like a thief," said the 37-year-old park planner, who was photographed and required to sign a no-trespass agreement. "Technically I was stealing, but I wasn't trying to hide anything. I was just deciding which type of apricot to buy."
Breines, a longtime customer, sent an apology letter, asking to be reinstated. His request was denied.
Store manager Larry Evans says the policy is a fair response to doctors, lawyers and college professors who help themselves to bags of cookies, nuts and vitamins, stick their fingers in pies and guzzle from bottles of sake, assuming the rules don't apply to them.
"There's a sense of entitlement to this town," Evans said. "People think, 'If I want to do it, I'll do it, just try and stop me.' "
Ha! And I just love that they do. Tragic, isn't it, the thought of The Me! Me! Me! Generation going without their imported organic bean sprouts?
And these are the assholes who brought you the Obama candidacy.
Take from that what you will.
brian at September 24, 2008 8:43 AM
Oh, it's not that bad. It's pretty awesome, actually. I've never seen brawls or flying produce. Navigating through Berkeley Bowl is far easier than navigating a car through LA!
Sam - lover of berkeley bowl at September 24, 2008 8:50 AM
Heh. Reminds me of the time I was grocery shopping in the local Stop & Shop, and these 2 kids (obviously brother and sister) in Heelies (those sneakers with the wheels in the heels) were wheeling around the store, crashing into things, and creating a little chaos and mayhem (and just as obviously loving every minute of it). The boy crashed into a little old lady's cart, and I thought she was going to start crying, but she grabbed him by the collar and said to him "knock it off!" Well, he wheeled over to his mommy and started crying, and she stormed over to the lady and said "how dare you discipline my son!" and the little lady just looked at her and cooly said, "well, someone's got to do it." Cracked me up! At the checkout line, I gave her a wink and a thank you. She lit up like a Xmas tree! o_O
Flynne at September 24, 2008 9:00 AM
That is hilarious! Too much freedom and no responsibility slamming into where it's permitted so nonchalantly; this is great.
Flynne, excellent story, that made my day.
Blackjack at September 24, 2008 9:45 AM
Funny thing about Berkeley - like any college town there is a 180 degree difference between the students and the townspeople, so in the case of Berkeley the students are all serious and sensible. It's been that way since I was there in the 70's and every time I go back it's more and more obvious.
Jim at September 24, 2008 9:59 AM
"They treated me like a thief," said the 37-year-old park planner, who was photographed and required to sign a no-trespass agreement. "Technically I was stealing, but I wasn't trying to hide anything. I was just deciding which type of apricot to buy."
My heart bleeds for you my brother! Oppression! Oppression! Who are they who think they own the apricots! DeNile is apparently a river running through Berkeley.
Here's how you figure which one you want doofus, you buy one of each and then taste them.
Sio at September 24, 2008 10:37 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2008/09/24/eat_and_be_run.html#comment-1592823">comment from SioExactly, Sio!
Amy Alkon at September 24, 2008 10:40 AM
But the Chowhound board for SF seemed to think that the piece was exaggerating how many people were rude. Inaccuracy in the LAT? Perish the thought.
Kate at September 24, 2008 12:09 PM
The apricot guy should really have been arrested for shoplifting. I am always amazed at the audacity of some people!
Ann at September 25, 2008 7:33 AM
This post just made my day!
As much as i hate this sorry excuse of a town, now I pity them. What kind of twisted mentality drives people to turn against each other like that?
Toubrouk at September 25, 2008 9:55 AM
"And these are the assholes who brought you the Obama candidacy."
And the two things relate how? Do elitist liberals have the corner of the "overdeveloped sense of entitlement" market?
I'm sure the rednecks that sample the produce at WalMart support McCain wholeheartedly.
I rarely shop there, but almost every time I have, I easily spot someone who either snacks on grapes and such - or their child does it and they don't seem to care.
Unfortunately it runs the whole gamut of financial capability, race, education, and political leanings. The Assholes are everywhere.
Jamie (SMS) at September 25, 2008 12:17 PM
Jamie - it's simple.
The, as you say, redneck, does it because "who cares?".
The elitist does it because "I'm entitled."
The problem with this is simple - those who are the most ardent followers of Obama (and the Democratic party in general) believe that they are superior to we proles.
It is on this basis, and this basis alone that they feel entitled to power. Just ask Vic Fazio.
brian at September 25, 2008 2:51 PM
Reminds me of the story told by the FBI agent working in the Clinton White House. It was the early days, before they culled out some of the nuttier staffers.
The agent watched a male WH staffer fill a dish full of frozen yogurt from the machine. At the register was a scale, as the yogurt was sold by weight. The staffer proceeded to eat nearly all of the yogurt while waiting to pay, and then set the dish on the scale, smirking at the cashier.
I'm sure the staffer felt like he was sticking it to the man; but the WH mess is a privately operated, family-owned business.
Gordon at September 25, 2008 8:37 PM
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