Thread shopping in a blackout

[Carol]

My mom and I went to Hobby Lobby last week (she needed some DMC Cebelia for the tablecloth she's working on) and while we were there, the power went out. All the lights went out, and it was pitch black. I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. Mom and I had to "feel" for each other since we couldn't even see each other. And we were in the very rear of the store. There was only one emergency light I could see, and it was over in the middle of the store and lit up only a very small area.

 

The staff was great, tho: They walked around the store and gathered people in groups. The only light they had was from their cellphones. Then they formed caravans of carts and guided us out of the building. They kept everyone calm, told jokes...they were just great.

 

(Then, the very next morning, I was at the supermarket, and there was a fire one aisle over. Lots and lots of smoke. Everyone was moved to the back of the store, but I thought, "Oh, no. What is it lately with me and stores?" so I just ran my cart thru the smoke to the front of the store, where they were completely unaware and still checking people out, so I got in line. The checkout clerk asked me what was going on "over there," and I told her there was a fire in the frozen food section. She just shrugged and said, "Oh,' like it was no big deal, checked me out, and I got outta there.)

[CraftyShannon]

Isn't it scary when stores have those blackouts? A clerk from Wal-Mart told once they had had one the day before. Apparently, it was a huge deal. They had to go around collecting all the food from customer's carts that needed to be frozen or kept cold, and they wouldn't allow any customers to leave the store until the power came back on. That would scare me if I was forced to stay in a situation like that.

 

I'm really surprised these larger stores don't have generators or at least some way of providing light. At the very least, some flashlights would be practical. I used to carry a small one in my purse just for times like that, but I got lazy.

 

I can't believe she'd ignore a fire. If it were me, I wouldn't have waited in line for my groceries, but thankfully things turned out okay.

[chenille4]

May be she was trying not to cause a panic. I work in a restaurant, and at the last employee meeting, we talked about what to do if there was a fire. They told us to make sure that no one started panicking. Maybe she was just taking it a little too far.

[Carol]

Isn't it scary when stores have those blackouts? ...I'm really surprised these larger stores don't have generators or at least some way of providing light. ... If it were me, I wouldn't have waited in line for my groceries, but thankfully things turned out okay.

 

Hobby Lobby had only one emergency light; it certainly wasn't enough to light up the store. It wasn't even enough to help us see to get out. Thankfully, the employees guided everyone out of the store. But they couldn't check us out (no power for the cash registers), so we had to pack our items in bags, put our names on them, and come back later. My mom, who lives 150 miles away, couldn't do that, so I persuaded the clerk to just take cash so Mom could take her crochet thread with her.

 

As for the fire, there was nobody in line, so I just swooped in to the checkout, paid for my 6 items or whatever, and swooped out. The very next day, DH and I were in the store. He wanted to see where the fire was, so I took him over there, and there was absolutely NO evidence there'd been a fire! Everything had been cleaned up, repaired and painted already. I don't think he believes me that there had been smoldering Little Debbie Snack Cake boxes all over the floor and smoke rolling out of the bottom of a freezer!

[CLLinda]

I am glad that the Hobby Lobby people knew what to do and kept everyone calm. When in a panic, people can do crazy things and can get hurt. I am glad everything turned out alright.

 

I have been on the other side of the story. We had a lighting fixture on the outside of the bank catch fire where I worked and the customers just wanted to get their checks cashed and really didn't care if we (bank employees) got out safely. It happened on a Friday evening.

 

I guess the coin can go either way.

 

[pinkroses]

That is very scary; been there and done that.

 

Try being in Wally Mart and having to leave because of a Bomb threat. Yep. That was awful scary. Thank goodness nothing happened. pinkoses

[cbear713]

I used to work at our local Wal-Mart and to be truthful we were never trained what to do in an emergency There was once a tornado spotted in our area and only the employees in the break room knew, everyone else in the store was still working and shopping none the wiser! They really should have a plan and make sure all of the employees know what to do. At least it seems like your Hobby Lobby does!

[lhasaapsolady]

Wow what a time you had. Glad you got out of both stores fine.

[Nikkidear]

I think it's a trend...In the last month I had to evacuate 1 wal-mart due to bomb threat, one due to power outage, and a michaels due to power outage.

[CraftyShannon]

I've never been in a store with a bomb threat. Sounds scary. I was in Michael's the day before Valentine's Day and a teenage girl was in line buying some helium balloons for her boyfriend. She wasn't paying attention and let the balloons hit the display screens they hang wreaths on above the registers. The sound of the the balloons popping was very loud.

 

This was during the time the media was telling stories of drive by shootings at stores. The way some of the customers in the back of the store acted created a bit of hysteria. Some were screaming and a few even ran to the back of the store. Those of us in line as well as the workers had to assure them that everything was safe and alert them to what really happened. Just from seeing that, I can't imagine how bad people would be in a real emergency.

[SaxDragon]

I was grocery shopping once during a thunderstorm that blew the power to the store. The only emergency lighting is in the back (freezer and dry good storage). The cashiers each have a small flashlight, and the stock boys raided the flashlight/battery display and went on what seemed to be a well trained customer hunt :-) Someone gave a fairly loud annoncement for everybody to stay where the are and wait for a clerk to reach you. They found two women stuffing hamburger meat into their purses, and a guy who jumped the customer service counter and was trying to access the back offices (office personnel locked the doors as soon as the power failed). Took probaby less than two minutes total to round us all up :-)

 

Speaking of storms, I recently saw a group of city workers gathered under the only tree in a large parking lot, still holding their shovels, durring a thunderstorm. I guess they don't golf, and don't know any better ...

[Nikkidear]

I can't believe it. I was just evacuated from a walmart again! This time another bomb threat. When I said, "wow, that's the 2nd time in a month." The cashier said, "This is the 3rd time today!"

[Carol]

Sounds like it's more dangerous to be in large stores than in airplanes these days... Next thing you know, we'll have to take off our shoes and go thru security to go buy yarn...

[CLLinda]

I guess Bomb threats are pretty common at Walmart. My mom said it happened to her last week. She lives in Paris, TN.