I've been there a few times since the covid restrictions and never really felt put off by how it was handled. I know mileage varies from person to person though
I'll be fully vaccinated, soon. My second shot is Sunday, and about 2 weeks after that it's considered done until a booster comes along. I'm still going to wear masks, social distance, and wear gloves if necessary. Just because I'm vaccinated doesn't mean I want to be around diseased people who take chances with their lives (and those of others), besides, they probably scratch their balls and eat with them same fingers. (I like to make fun of people who are disgustingly awful to their fellow man.)
I just recently got into Gundam model kits and I want to try some of the Flame Toys TF kits. Target and Hobby Lobby have a small selection, but I was wondering if anyone knew of some SW Ohio shops that have larger stock or specializes in the Gunpla stuff.
Strongsville Walmart, in the clearance aisle near greeting cards. He was a half transformed mess and I took a few minutes to make the poor thing presentable.
I didn't get into in depth because I run a FB group and I know how hard it can be as a mod sometimes. I've seen in some sighting threads here the mods can get snippy if it isn't a sightings only thing and I didn't want to derail much. First, my wife and I have been shopping at TTF for a little under/over a decade. So we knew what their atmosphere is typically like. I'm not a 'whale' as it were in my purchases but this year has allowed for me to save some money to make larger purchases more often. I also have worked retail for 20 years so I know the gamut of customer types. I try as much as possible to be treated as I would like to be when shopping. As for shopping during Covid I've also been to a variety and sizes of stores in several states all with their particular nuances for requirements. This particular experience stood out heads and tales as negative in comparison to all of them. From the tone of the employees giving the demands and restrictions over all it was entirely unpleasant. Not just for ourselves but for how we noticed the employees interacting with other customers in our brief time in the store as well. We in no way made a scene or ill conversation with the employees and only spoke between ourselves regarding what we saw as far as items. After about 5 minutes I noticed my wife, whom is typically calm and relaxed, was apprehensive and seemed upset. I asked what she thought about just getting the items and leaving and it was clear she just wanted to get out so we left. I had intended to purchase four of the G1 Autobot cassettes I've been looking at for a long time and she was interested in the Paleotrex and possibly a few other recent deluxe scale bots. I know it wasn't much compared to some but I wanted to shop local. After we left we discussed it and decided we would not be going back due to the overbearing and negative nature of the experience. I understand we have/had restrictions in place but they seemed to dial it to eleven compared to other places we've been in both terms of requests and behavior. By comparison a similar sized local business, Toy Hunters of Mansfield, is far more positive and welcoming while having similar requirements. As for my apology to the others I've suggested to go to TTF I'm one that values my name and endorsement of business and products. I personally would not like to have the experience we had nor would I want anyone else to either. As such my apology should anyone have had a similar experience. If you are happy with them that is fine with me. I just didn't feel it was on par with what it had been in the past. If what we experienced and what talk of any potential other requirements take hold (vaccine id's) I can't imaging it will get any better there.
Ah. Now, it makes sense. I completely understand where you're coming from and it bothers me that your wife was made to feel so upset. That had to be unnerving. Just reading it made me feel uncomfortable. I've noticed that the store owners in NEO (both in terms of location and the FB group) tend to be... Very particular in how they handle their business and their customers and have too many fans defending them when a genuine issue is called out. It makes it very difficult to give honest feedback when you're feeling singled out. A poster in the group mentioned a less than stellar experience at another NEO store and when asked to clarify, his post was removed and no answer allowed. So, yeah, I can imagine your experience in the store. As for posting this in the sightings thread, I think it deserves posting because it protects other posters from having the same experience you and your wife had. That's contributing to the community and it needed said. I'm sad you guys had to deal with that. If I walked into a store and felt like that, I wouldn't be walking back into it ever again. That really sucks.
Mayfield Target nothing noteworthy, There's a movie Buzzworthy Bumblebee there and in MoTU a lone Triclops hiding behind He-Man and Skeletors. Mayfield Walmart - Rusted out autobot, Deep Cover, and some others I'm blanking on. I was speed running before work. Sorry. Seven Hills Meijer Two Jazz, One Blur, Kup, Astrotrain, Beastwars Megatron, and a gang of Grimlocks.
Wooster Walmart is fully stocked on Netflix Exclusives, they have the Desseus Drone, Deep Cover, Sparkless Bot, and Cheetor all at $17.88
I hope this is allowed - I have a Hasbro Unicron for sale for Cincinnati pickup for a fellow OH/KY/IN collector in the BST forum.
