Wal-Mart Rejects Visit From Santa
by Tim Manni
Barry Goldberg is an “out-of-work” mortgage executive who was in the mood to share the Christmas spirit, until the world’s largest retailer told him his good deeds were not appreciated. When Goldberg spent $1300 on $10 Wal-Mart gift cards, dressed up like Santa Claus and began handing out the gifts in front of Wal-Mart’s main entrance, the store told him “that he was interrupting the flow of foot traffic in the store’s vestibule:”
“The next thing I knew, they turned to me and said, ‘You have to leave the store. You can’t do this here. You’re soliciting,’” Goldberg said. “I said, ‘I’m not soliciting anything. I’m giving.’”
In a statement to Eyewitness News, Wal-Mart states,” While we appreciate the customer’s patronage, we understand that he was interrupting the flow of foot traffic in the store’s vestibule.”
How does this Christmas caper end? Wal-Mart’s competitor Target contacted Santa (Mr. Goldberg) and swapped out his remaining Wal-Mart gift cards for Target’s, and began handing them out in front of their store.
(Story courtesy of The Consumerist)
