Boycott Bloomingdale’s
My mom lives in Miami Lakes, FL.
As yet another hurricane took aim at the state we discussed preparations, the home stores open last minute for hurricane supplies, lines at the grocery stores and gas stations. I mentioned that CNN was reporting that some of the home centers would be closing at noon on Saturday. While that was technically correct- from where the reporter was- stores had apparently taken a ‘bulls eye’ approach. The further the store was expected to be from landfall of the eyewall (which is the only way landfall is counted based upon what I have seen) the later the store was expected to be open, some as late as 4 PM. Local coverage in Miami had restaurants open where people could get away, grab a bite while they were out doing their running around, and presumably to help reduce food spoilage should the power go out. Restaurant owners were on air saying they were treating it like any other rainy day but if the winds got too high, they would close and go home.
Malls were just closed, or mostly. At one mall, an open air shopping center with an extremely large multi-level fish pond that cascades from the ends of the mall to the center called, appropriately, The Falls, the movie theater was open. According to mom, this was fine, since as she put it, some people didn’t have that much to do based upon where they live, or whether or not they have pulled down the window coverings from the last three storms. There is also the sense of exhaustion from nature’s abuse of the state and even as far back as the Great Depression people have used movies as their escape.
But when the ‘ticker’ scrolled across the bottom of the tv screen showing that Bloomingdale’s at the Falls was also open mom got upset. If you aren’t familiar with Bloomingdale’s, suffice it to say they have nothing to do with hurricane preparedness, food, or the escapism of movies- unless you count the potential high one could get by walking through the cosmetic department and its sometimes overwhelming perfume counter. Her point? They were uneccesarily putting their employees at risk for a few retail dollars. Well, Bloomingdale’s, mom isn’t going to shop there anymore. She may go as far as to cut up her card, including it in a letter of explaination telling you why she’s not going to be in your stores any more. I know she will be telling everyone she comes into contact with that she won’t be shopping there any more and why.
I hope you’re happy.
