Last weekend a cold snap and a case of cabin fever flushed us out of the house and before we knew it we were at Best Buy trying to find a couple movies. Now, I remember up until about 10 years ago Best Buy used to be a pretty cool shopping experience. I used to be particularly fond of rooting through the discount game and music section. I don’t really play video games anymore – and I find buying music online to be a far more enjoyable experience. In fact, I sometimes look at people perusing the CD section with the same fascination I might look at a Betamax machine or one of those calculators from the late 1970s.

We tried to play with the video iPods and iPod Nanos – but for the umpteenth time in several months they were again on screen-lock. This was likely a sales opportunity. To ask for the screen-lock to be taken off would cue a rapport with a sales person who could push you over the fence in the event you were walking it. I purposely smudged the black models with my thumbprint in protest.

Even worse, I noticed that the DVD aisles had been considerably narrowed, presumably in an attempt to squeeze more merchandise into the store. As if the floorspace occupied by the Celine Dion boxsets nearby was so crucial that the New Releases DVD section had to be compromised to accomodate it. And no, I have nothing against Celine Dion. I’m sure her boxsets sell very well in Lubbock.

This narrowed aisle was pretty frustrating considering one man seemed to think that the carts used to transport heavy merchandise like TVs and stereo systems should be used to transport several of his small children, as one might do in a grocery store. Several snarky and loud comments were not enough to persuade the guy not to jacknife his cart in front of the New Releases section for 15 minutes while he talked on his cell phone and looked ever so yearningly at the Knight Rider box sets.

I’m not sure if anyone else has experienced the Incredible Shrinking Aisles of Best Buy, but it has me reconsidering any further weekend visits.

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