Barefoot Shopping: A Run-in at Costco
Monday, July 12, 2010 at 9:54PM Today just felt like a barefoot kind of day. After a morning of local errands, it was time for a trip to the city, 2 hours driving and 5 hours shopping all in bare feet.
First stop, Montana's Cookhouse for youngest son's birthday lunch. They either didn't see my bare feet, although I walked up to staff a couple of times as well as walked passed them to take my boys to the bathroom a couple of times, or they didn't have a problem with them. Among some of our stops were a print shop for new inbetweenmytoes.com business cards, a comic book shop for a webkinz sale, a local running store for a race belt and update on their FiveFingers (gave out first business card), and WalMart. At WalMart, I went to put on my KSOs, but my daughter gave me a hard time because she was ready to go barefoot as well. We both went completely unshod for almost an hour while shopping for curtains, food, and a birthday gift for a 4-year-old.
Later, my wife and I slipped into Costco without a problem. A few sideways glances was all the attention that my feet got until after I ran to the parking lot to check up on the kids. Upon returning, the 'bouncer' at the front door let me know that bare feet were not allowed. Upon questioning the unposted rule, she had a manager come to the front to let me know that it was policy. I let her know that I just wanted to go to the checkout to help my wife, who was 8 months pregnant, to push a large cart to our vehicle. She apologized and stated that if I stood on glass and was cut, I could sue them, so she would not let me passed. I'd hate to see what happens when one of their flats drops from off the top shelf and lands on someones pointed head. Perhaps we should all have to wear hard hats in Costco as well.
I couldn't let it go at that, so after taking my wife to the truck and unloading the cart I went back in to talk to the manager again. A different manager came calling, and he was more than willing to get a written copy of the policies that included customers needing footwear. Unfortunately, he returned empty handed stating that they had no policies available for customers. He gave me a blanket statement of, "Well, it's against the health and safety act." I asked for a copy of that, and he recommended I go looking on the internet. It looks like I have some researching to do.
As I was driving home, barefoot, I thought that it may be a good idea to check regulations or legislation about other barefoot activities such as operating a motor vehicle. There seems to be stigma attached to going barefoot. I believe myths and media hold the majority of the blame, ignorance the rest. In most cases, I bet there is no policy or 'act' limiting a person's choice of footwear or rather no footwear. Demanding proof or, better yet, having proof tucked into a back pocket may be the way to battle bare feet discrimination. All I need is some direction and a little time for reading. Any ideas?
Reader Comments (13)
I was doing some reading through the Primal Foot Alliance (http://www.primalfootalliance.org/) and they say that the majority of states don't actually have health regulations on the books dictating footwear. I believe they have a few links to start checking into your own states as well.
I did some research and found that Maine had no such laws ... although I wasn't able to determine (read: too lazy to call various towns) if there were local ordinances in effect that regulated footwear in various locales.
Unfortunately, if they say it's a 'store policy' there isn't much you can do ... other than be a pain 'demanding' to see things in writing and whatnot.
Thanks for the recommendation. Off to primalfootalliance.org I go...
I don't mind being a little 'pain' once in a while, although the undue stress probably isn't worth it ;-)
Very true!
If you stress yourself out...you're undoing half the good of going barefoot! I tend to just keep a pair of classics or Sanuks handy to toss on if someone starts giving me a hard time, though I will push back a bit first - can't let them think they're gonna win that easily!
Perhaps a pair of hospital slip covers would do the trick. They would even fit in my pocket :-) I did have a pair of KSOs in the truck, but for some reason I just didn't want to back down. Curse that stubborn streak.
I think I might start clipping my KSOs onto my belt loop with a small carabiner, keep 'em handy for Costco runs.
just keep a pair of injinji socks with you. you could also get a cheap pair of yoga toe socks that have rubber treads on the bottom. i got a pair from target for like $6. i was in the nike store today and a lady working there said she thought it was cool that i was just wearing socks, i was in my ZEMS, and i told her they were shoes. i showed her the rubber soles and asked if they had a policy against only wearing socks. she said no and wished nike made shoes like mine so she could wear them at work! score one for me.
I had the same experience at Costco. The manager of my local store was actually quite nice and asked if I knew about the policy first thing. I said that I wasn't aware of it, and he said he would go get me one. He returned with a membership booklet, and showed me the relevant section, which does state that one of the stipulations of being a member of Costco is that proper attire is required because of the danger (and they call out footwear specifically). I did ask him about the silliness of requiring footwear, yet we're in just as much, if not more, danger from the very heavy stacks of objects falling on our head. He agreed that it's a bit unusual, but that they don't set policy only enforce it. Since it's a membership organization, I really didn't have much choice but to agree to put my flip flops on. And he suggested that I contact corporate if I wanted to address the policy directly, but I don't shop there often enough to warrant causing a stink over it.
Thanks, Matthew. I'm glad you found someone more willing to find answers for you than I dealt with. I'll have to read my membership booklet more closely next time... wait, was I supposed to read that thing? :-)
I have had it confirmed by Corporate at Walmart that there are no regulatins regarding barefeet at any of thier stores nationwide that the Health Board also has no regulations for retail, suppermarket or restaurant in all states. What is usually happening is that undertrained managers use OSHA regulations which apply only to employees. Any corporation can restrict barefeet, but most do not.
i would like to be totally barefoot all the time as well. I made myself a pair of huaraches from the website invisibleshoe.com and just modified the "lacing" a bit with a cord lock so they are easy to carry around and slip on in those rare instances. I have not yet had the nerve to step out barefoot as often as I would like (although, when I lived in San Diego I often found myself barefoot around town).
I still don't get the stigma with being barefoot. Some seem to think it's gross or something. Really? How is the bottom of my foot on the floor any more gross than the bottom of your shoe? Who knows what is stuck in between the treads on your shoe!
a simple google and wikipedia search can take you to a link where they have documents from all states explaining that it is in no health and safety act. it is simply store policy, but most of these stores don't actually have a real policy or even a sign for that matter. good luck on changing the stigma. i had an experience in trader joes that was pretty similar.
http://www.barefooters.org/health-dept/