There's a supermarket strike on in L.A. In truth, only one chain — Von's — is being struck but the other two large chains (Ralph's and Albertson's) have locked out all union employees in a gesture of solidarity and/or retaliation. So we have picket lines up at most of the major markets. I would never cross a picket line in any case but in this one, the union seems uncommonly in the right. Either way, it doesn't affect me that much. I do a lot of my shopping at Gelson's, which signed an interim agreement with the union, and at the Whole Foods Market and sometimes at Trader Joe's.
Based on my experience this afternoon at Trader Joe's, I may be going there more often. I usually regard marketing as an annoying chore but today, it was unusually fun. The Trader Joe's (at Sepulveda and Palms) was crowded but not uncomfortably so. In almost every aisle, they were passing out free samples of something yummy, plus every shopper got a free half-gallon container of organic orange juice. This, we heard, was because a screw-up in distribution had left them hopelessly overstocked with the stuff, so they decided to give it away. The lady in charge of handing it out was actually chasing down shoppers who didn't have o.j. in their baskets and forcing free juice on them.
Because of the strike elsewhere, a lot of new customers were venturing into Trader Joe's. There were posters up to welcome the newbies and to explain to them about how Trader Joe's doesn't stock most of the brand names they're used to seeing at Ralph's. Nevertheless, there were many sales in progress along with all the freebees. Everything I wanted to purchase was in-stock and reasonably priced.
But the main thing you couldn't help but notice — and it certainly qualifies as a positive for some shoppers — was that the place was full of great-looking women wearing almost no clothing. It was as if they'd advertised deep discounts for anyone who could pass for a super-model and was willing to shop near-naked. I saw about as much of the young lady ahead of me in the checkout line as I did of my first three girl friends, combined. Appropriately, at the exit, there was a man collecting signatures on a petition to get the City Council to reverse its ban on lap-dancing, only he wasn't selling it as that. I actually witnessed the following exchange…
PETITIONER: Excuse me, would you like to sign —
WOMAN SHOPPER: (eagerly) Is this to recall Arnold? Where do I sign?
PETITIONER: No, it's to reverse a City Council action that places undue restrictions on night clubs. It's harming the income of a lot of single mothers.
WOMAN SHOPPER: (as she signs) Okay, but are you sure you don't have one to recall the governor?
The main thing that struck me about the store was the friendly atmosphere I encountered. Free food and scantily-clad women will do that. It even dawned on me that the guy with the petition might be wasting his time. If Trader Joe's is always going to be like that, who needs lap-dancing?