an essay by me

Why my coworker is wrong, wrong, wrong about Walmart feeling weird, based on this exchange:

Me: “It’s just got a weird feeling to it.”
Coworker: “Really? I don’t think so.”

Ahem. Since there’s really no point, value, or fun in arguing at work, I bring my list to the internet!

1. Grocery stores have a certain feel to them*. Clothing stores have a certain feel to them. Camping supply stores have a certain feel to them. When you mash them all together in one store, none of them are going to feel quite the way your brain expects. Which is weird. (To be fair — possibly this would decrease with more exposure, since your brain would figure out the new megastore feeling and then expect that.)
(*Though I suspect this is regional, given my single visit to a Piggly Wiggly in Alabama. In contrast, the dollar store felt identical to the ones here.)

2. Big box stores are designed to create a sense of separation from “the outside world.” No windows, no clocks, unchanging light regardless of time of day — just because they’re doing it on purpose doesn’t make it not weird-feeling.

3. Pretty much any place that you experience in a way it doesn’t seem to be designed for has a weird feeling. (Like being in a school when it’s closed for the summer, or in a store with all the lights off.) My local Walmart appears to be able to accommodate enormous numbers of people inside it, and yet is nearly deserted every time I’ve been there. Weird!

4. Most retail establishments are designed to catch your attention, so shopping is kind of like spending time with the store constantly shouting ‘hey! hey! hey!’ at you, through a sensory bombardment of sights, smells, and sounds. The more diverse the store offerings, the more conflicting the shouting is, and the harder it is to tune out. Which isn’t technically weird, but it is exhausting, which makes the other weird things stand out more.

In conclusion: Walmart feels weird. Case closed!

Mirrored from The Marci Rating System.