Hippie Discrimination

After work today I decide that I am going to stop by this new outdoors store down from my apartment. This store has other branches around town, but this particular store is larger and has more selection than the others.

The reason I went in was that I am in the market for a new watch. I am interested in the Suunto watches and this store is one of the few in town that carry them.

So I get in to the store and browse around. They have lots of nice gear but I eventually make my way to the watches. They have a large display of Suunto watches so I look and see the one I'm interested in. It's the Suunto T3. So I wait on a sales associate to assist me. After no one seems to be coming I start to look around the store for another associate. They all seem to enthralled in conversation with each other and some of their friends that appear to be shopping in the store.

I eventually get tired of waiting and determine that I'm not going to do business here. Sadly I've had that same experience in outdoor stores back home. If you go in wearing khaki's and a polo shirt good luck with getting service. However, if you go in with 3 day old stubble, an old t-shirt, and some jeans with a hole in them they will undoubtedly give you a tour of the store.

I don't understand this. I'm not saying they should discriminate against the hippies, but don't write me off because I have a clean shave and a collared shirt on. I'm interested in buying a $200 watch, but no one will even say hello to me. Needless to say I'm not going to be buying a watch from this store.