Since we started working on the house about two weeks ago, We've been shopping at the Bi-Mart on Woodstock. We liked supporting a local, employee-owned company, and they were well set up for the things we needed. Every few days, we would enter through the main doors (pay attention, this is important) and do our shopping.

Yesterday, we were in the market for a few small waste baskets. We walked through the usual entrance, and were verbally accosted.

Awful woman behind a counter to our right: "Do you have your membership cards on you?"

Us: "Huh?"

AWBACTOR: "You came in the back door, so can I see your cards?"

Us: "We need a membership?"

AWBACTOR: "Since the store has been open."

Us: "We've been shopping here for two weeks!"

AWBACTOR: *shrugs* "You'll need a membership card."

Us: "We could shop somewhere else."

AWBACTOR: "You could get a membership."

Us: "You could bite me."

Okay, Spousal Unit said that last bit, but I was sure as hell thinking it. She sneered at us as if we were criminals who had snuck in the back door. I'll go back and look at those welcoming double-doors that open automatically, but the fact that I have to says that either it's not marked, or it's marked very inadequately. Apparently there's a front door to the right, which I've never even noticed. And membership only? No clue. No signs anywhere. No mention from the cashiers. I guess we were supposed to realize this by osmosis.

Finally, the employee who stopped us was just nasty--which is why we got nasty back. In fact, SU's only regret is that we didn't get meaner by asking for her manager and raising a big ol' stink rather than just being flip and walking away.

It's a shame, because we will never, ever again shop at this local business. If AWBACTOR been the least bit nice to us, we might have signed up for a membership. I don't like membership-only stores, and I don't see the advantage at Bi-Mart, but we might have done it just to support them. As it is, Fred Meyer will do nicely.