Hippie Store Follies (longish)

[Cat]

I think my favorite store I worked at was a hippie store, we had lots of fun things, dirt cheap, and a great discount. Best part was, few rules, just common sense, and no real real SCs, just silly or annoying ones:

Sign Reading:

We had a of bajas for $10 dollars, and a sign saying as much. We also had a sign for out incense (10 for $1) and a sign at the register (Sorry, no checks)

A woman comes in, looks at the bajas, looks at the sign, picked up a baja, and asked about its price. Ok, no worries, maybe she didn't know what a baja was. Then we walks to the incense, reads the sign, and asks about the price. Hmm,,,,whatever. Then comes to the register, reads the sign, and guess what? Starts to write a check. LOL

Narcs
No we do not sell anything illegal, and sorry, your suit gave you away. And kid, no, the ganja flavored lollypop will not get you high

sc

We sold these really cute Jerry Garcia dolls, a woman came in, bought one. As I was putting in the bag, she screams, "NO!!!! I want a BOX!!!" I explained we did not have any. "Well, give me that one! *points to a box containing a breakable item." I tell her she may not have that one, as it's for a different item. "What kind of gift store doesn't boxes??" "Ma'am, we are not a gift store, we are a hippie specialty store." She left, and I was granted permission to yell at the next SC. We never had one

[LoTech]

Is a "baja" a hooded pullover with a belly pocket?

I had to do some googling to even guess that, as my only knowledge of the word "baja" related to the portion of Mexico directly south of California.

My brain WANTED to add the letter 'i' and turn it into 'bajia', but that made even less sense!

[Cat]

Yup!! Which is why I understood her asking about it....though the sign was right on the rack with them, lol. She was nice, just not all there

[Skoobeedu]

I might have missed that one, too. In my neck of the woods, bajas are referred to as drug rugs.

[South Texan]

Narcs
No we do not sell anything illegal, and sorry, your suit gave you away.

When I was in grad school, I LOVED to get into my ultra-conservative, dark gray suit with highly polished wing tips, starched shirt and silk tie, then march into the local head shop with a no-nonsense expression and head directly to the rear counter behind which were the "tobacco" water bongs and related paraphernalia items. There was a big sign over the counter stating that all the items were for tobacco use only and that any questions or suggestions regarding other uses would result in the customer being told to leave immediately. The store also was cash only and did not give any receipts for anything.
I usually would have at least two employees running up behind me shouting, "Sir, can we help you?" while trying to stop me from reaching that counter.
It always freaked them out when I got to the counter and picked out a Freak Brothers comic book, then walked up to the front cash register to buy it. Once, I added on some incense cones to my purchase.
I would do this about once every six months. The employees always reacted the same way. They never recognized me the many times I came in wearing non-business clothing.

[prb]

We have a large headshop in Toronto called The Friendly Stranger. Bongs, hemp clothing, rolling papers. Next time I go to a conference in Toronto and have a suit on, I'm going there to purchase things that are fully legal (bong, papers), to see how they respond to it.

[ArcticChicken]

I might have missed that one, too. In my neck of the woods, bajas are referred to as drug rugs.

They're hoodies around here.

When I was in grad school, I LOVED to get into my ultra-conservative, dark gray suit with highly polished wing tips, starched shirt and silk tie, then march into the local head shop with a no-nonsense expression and head directly to the rear counter behind which were the "tobacco" water bongs and related paraphernalia items.

WIN!

[Cat]

Love the idea about going to head shops dressed in conservative clothes....when I do hit the local hippie shops after work (in my office clothes) I do get odd looks.


The best thing about the "narcs," we didn't even sell glass or paper (mall rules) Kinda like a headshop with out the head. (hmmm......I just went to places I shouldn't have)

[Broomjockey]

Is a "baja" a hooded pullover with a belly pocket?

Heh, those are "Kangaroo jackets" around here.

Also, to everyone talking about dressing up in suits to scare the employees...

That's way too funny. I demand video on Youtube!

[bunnyboy]

I would do this about once every six months. The employees always reacted the same way. They never recognized me the many times I came in wearing non-business clothing.

Heh always reminded me of the strange looks I'd get when I went into some of the local music shops in the area (Seattle home of the Dot-com, Microsoft and usually depressing music....oh and rain, lots of rain.) And remember this was before the whole Punk looking somewhat conservative (collard shirts, ties etc) and Trenchcoats being a big thing for certain groups.

Black slacks, conservatively colored tie, white collared shirt, black trench, dress shoes, short hair (not buzzed, just short)....and the looks when they saw my choices....

those choices of music...

Bad Religion, Bal-Sagoth, Cradle of Filth, and the Cruxshadows....

yeah got looks of "Are you sure" always fun.

[Dips]

When I was in grad school, I LOVED to get into my ultra-conservative, dark gray suit with highly polished wing tips, starched shirt and silk tie,
<snip>
It always freaked them out when I got to the counter and picked out a Freak Brothers comic book, then walked up to the front cash register to buy it.

Heh. We've got a stack of Freak Brothers somewhere around here.

On the same note...

Years ago my college roomate, FG, came up to campus for family weekend (her much younger sister went to the same school as we did) and her family invited me to join them for dinner. After dinner FG and I decided to walk around campus and check out all the changes since we'd graduated. We were dressed in the nice clothes we had worn to dinner. FG owns a comic/anime/fantasy store and had brought along some novelty joke items from their stock. It was basically a plastic sealed bag with baking soda inside and an ampule of vinegar. You crush the bag to break the ampule inside and the resulting chemical reaction produces enough gas to eventually make the bag burst noisily. We were a little giggly and set one off in the middle of the parking lot. We didn't think anybody was around, but security came driving up. We were all ready to admit it was us, but the guard gave two thirty-something, well-dressed women the once over, dismissed us as suspects and drove off before we could say anything.

So we did it again and the same thing happened. They glanced at us, dismissed us and drove off.