No One Wants Our Money

Husband and I experienced Retail Fail yesterday.

We've been in need of a new stove for a number of years now, and because Husband got his first bonus at work recently, we decided to apply some of it to replacing our pathetic appliance. He found one he liked at Home Depot and this weekend we were going to go out and take a look at the floor model, some skinny blinds for our kitchen windows, and the hardwood flooring sample that Husband liked. Bonus: we'd probably run into some Father's Day sales or discounts. While we were out, we figured we would swing by the Verizon Wireless store to see about a new phone for him (his current one won't hold a charge anymore) and maybe adjusting our plan to better fit our usage. And hey, whaddya know, Babies R Us is having a 20% sale on in-store bedding sets so we'd try to pick that up, and there's also a 20% off coupon in the Sunday ads, so we'd see about getting the glider I like as well if it's in stock. We were even prepared to spend the big bucks this extravaganza was going to cost.

We went first to a nearby Verizon Wireless store, but the parking lot was empty - which made sense, as the sign on the door said they were closed on Sunday. Seemed silly to us, but as long as it works for the franchiser... Besides, there's another we knew of on the way back from BRU.

Next we went to BRU in search of the bedding set and glider. We got back to the gliders section... and no one was there, except one expectant father chilling in a floor model while his wife was going baby crazy somewhere in the store. Okay, well let's go get the bedding set and maybe a staffer will be on hand when we get back. We got over to the bedding set area and I thought I was having a hard time figuring out where the pattern we liked was (it's reasonably bright in its royal blues and lime greens)... until I realized that the big open space on one of the shelves is where they used to stock that pattern. They were all sold out. Miffed, and knowing that the glider was not likely to be in stock in the back anyway (and not willing to pay the $75 to have it shipped), we walked out empty-handed. (FYI: the same glider is available through Amazon for FREE SUPER SAVER SHIPPING!! I love you, Amazon.)

We stopped by the other Verizon Wireless store on the way home. There on the door were the posted hours and, lo and behold, they were open from 12 - 7 on Sundays. As it was 3:00 when we arrived, we figured we were in luck. We marched up to the door, ready to do some business and -- the door won't open. No really, it won't open. Lights are on in the store. Husband and I both checked our watches and our cell phones to make sure everything was in agreement in terms of time. We looked around for an alternate entrance. We were well within the posted hours. But the door was locked, and no one seemed in a rush to get to the front of the store to open it. No one seemed to be in the store at all. Confused, we again left, twice defeated.

Home Depot couldn't fail us. In we went, first to the window coverings section to look at the blinds... but I forgot to measure how tall the windows were. Okay, my fault for being unprepared (bad Girl Scout!), but it was an "as long as we're here" errand, so no big deal. Off we went to the flooring area, but despite parading up and down three aisles, they didn't seem to be carrying the hardwoods Husband liked. Again, not too big a deal. Let's go over to Appliance Land and see about getting a new stove. Husband had wisely brought our measurements along so we were all set. But oh dear. Our house was built in the early 90s, and perhaps you've noticed that kitchen dimensions have changed in the past few years. We found exactly one gas stove that fit our width requirements - which are strictly limited by the flanking counters. However, it was too deep. Our current stove was 25.25" deep - we could probably go up to 26. That one stove with the right width was 27.75" deep, meaning almost a 3" jut out from the edge of the counters. Unacceptable.

Curses. Foiled at every turn. It seems that no one wants our money, even when we're ready to spend!