Barefoot-Friendly (Non-Hostile)

How about creating a list of stores where people can shop barefoot without fear of corporate aggravation? Yes, stores vary, even in chains, but maybe there are some generally reliable places?

Best Buy
Acme
Sears
Pep Boys
7-11
Wawa

 

Are these stores actually okay with it, or have you just been able to do it?

I had luck in Wal-Mart, Newgen

 

Being able to do it is pretty much equal to their being OK with it. Once in a while, you can find formal statements from one company or another, but the absence of "hostility" on the store floor tends to mean bare feet are OK. Of course, the company can be OK, but the particular personnel behave otherwise. You takes off your shoes, you takes your chances.

 

we already do have this thread...

http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=277939&f=403

 

In the UK, EVERY store is barefoot friendly!

 

DOLLAR GENERAL! I have a great story of this that happened earlier today. I went on a roadtrip to do some barefoot shopping and I went to a dollar general. When I stepped in, I looked at the lady. She was a middle aged woman, and while I hate to stereotype people, she looked like the type who may have done some barefoot shopping herself at some point. Not to be demeaning AT ALL but she had the 'trailer park / retro chick' look going on (which I totally dig!) Sensing this, I asked her if it was alright if I did my shopping barefoot. She got a big smile and said 'sure I have absolutely no problem with bare feet' or something along those lines. Since she was so barefoot friendly, I thought about talking with her some more at the checkout, but I saw a ring on her finger and.... anyways, it was another great barefoot shopping trip!

 

Places I've gone barefoot without an issue,...

King Soopers (Kroger) grocery stores (I've gone to a couple dozen probably)
Walgreens (I've gone to several)
Starbucks (I've visited about 30)
Subway (6 or so)
Post Offices
City/county government buildings
Convenience stores
Safeway grocery stores (I've gone to many without issue, but had one very bad experience)

 

Another good place is financial institutions (banks, credit unions, etc.). I've been to several without incident. I believe they're required to serve you. Refusing you service would be denying you access to your money which I believe is illegal (not folklore, but seriously ILLEGAL). My favorite was going to a Fidelity Investments office. Everyone was in their stuffy suit and acting quite professional and politically correct. I came walking in barefoot in shorts and a polo shirt and started moving sums of money around. It was a scream! I can hold my own in a conversation with those folks which I think really shocks them given my attire.

 

I can vouch for financial institutions being barefoot friendly. I belong to two credit unions and I've been in both of them barefoot without incident. I also used to have an account with a U.S. Bank branch inside a Vons grocery store. I mentioned in another thread that the bank tellers usually weren't able to see my feet from their vantage point, and the grocery store is barefoot friendly anyway.

I would have gotten a real kick seeing you in the office while conversing with the Fidelity Investments staff. I agree---that would have been a scream! :cheers2:

 

Hi Boogabaah!

I wanna keep the love here

When I found this forum ("Barefoot"), I was googling for barefoot friendly businesses. I wanted to know where I could go barefoot and not be subjected to a big hassle. I was relatively new to the practice and didn't want to start off with a string of negative experiences. This particular thread would have been ideal information - places that in general seem to accept or tolerate bare feet.

I've always thought of the "1001 Places to Go Barefoot" thread as being a place to post novel places you've gone barefoot - maybe just a one-off type thing. Anyhow, I'm all for reducing the number of threads as some of the "classics" get buried, but I guess I see these threads ("Barefoot-Friendly" and "1001 Places to Go Barefoot") as having different objectives.

Just my 2-cents! :cheers2:

 

It's a big country (however narrow-minded). There have to be SOME "islands" that are not neurotic about---GASP---bare feet. Going about one's business barefoot is truly "value-added" in my experience. This thread helps tip off others who want to try it.

 

I've also had success at airports - barefoot the whole time (from the front door to boarding the plane, from the plane to the front door, between connecting flights). The only negative I had was when a gate attendant for a USAir flight stopped me as I was boarding and told me I had to have shoes - she said it was some safety thing.

Anyhow, I often travel with a backpack and have my flip-flops sticking out of a side pouch. I don't want to risk missing a flight while I argue about footwear. People probably either don't care that I'm barefoot or figure I just slipped off my flip-flops and put them in my backpack because my feet were tired. In either event, I get my bare soles on the floors!

The airports I've gone through barefoot include the following.

• Philadelphia
• Washington Dulles
• Greensboro, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• St. Louis
• Louisville, KY
• Houston - Bush
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• New Orleans
• Denver

I have some upcoming flights to expand the list. Unfortunately the weather's starting to cool. I'm a fair-weather barefooter, so the opportunities are going to be less frequent.

 

Add the following airports to the list.

• Houston (Hobby)
• Indianapolis

I don't know - I seem to be able to go barefoot most anywhere. The hard part is getting up the nerve to try someplace different for the first time. Once I get past that, I quickly realize my fears were unfounded.

 

That is so awesome what you said about all stores being ok with bare feet in UK. I live in USA where we are supposed to have more freedoms than any other country, but we are not free to be barefoot in alot of public businesses. I was once a door guard for a K-Mart, and I was told one of my jobs was not to let anyone in the store who was barefoot.