I was headed to the gym a couple of days ago when I decided to pop by the new J.Crew store for a minute.  I was super shocked when the one at the mall closed a few months ago.  That place was always packed with people.  I was just as surprised after flipping through the store’s latest catalog I received in the mail this month.  It stated in teeny, tiny, microscopic print - the kind you need those plastic drug store glasses to read - that I should visit the new location which just opened in my area.  I was all like, what?  A new J.Crew location just opened in my area?  How could I not know that?

My heart started beating a little faster when I saw it for myself.  The catalog was right!  There is a new J.Crew location and here it stands in all its brand new building glory.  I swear I heard singing.  OK, I did hear singing.  I can’t get the song ‘Happy Birthday to You’ out of my head.  My two year old toddler has been singing the catchy tune for weeks and weeks and weeks.  It’s kind of cute the first 200 times you hear it but now let’s just say I’ve been trying to teach the little dude a new ditty. 

I all but skipped into the store in my gym clothes:  sweat pants, t-shirt, ball cap and tennis shoes.  I touch the t-shirts with ruffles – a store employee walks by.  I twirl a pretty necklace between my fingers – a store employee walks by.  I take a turn at the dresses and wonder if I will finally fit the size I want to wear – another store employee walks by.  I’m getting a little peeved.  No one has even said hello or asked if I was looking for something in particular, yet all around me I’m hearing employees chirp greetings at other customers.  I start picking up items to try on.  I think to myself this surely will get some one to run over.  Nope.  I carry a couple of t-shirts, a dress, and a pair of flip flops to the dressing room and let myself in - another employee walks by. 

After trying on everything, I decide I want everything.  I walk to the cash wrap with my items and wait and wait and wait.  I’m getting more and more and more irritated.  I grab a store employee who is about to again just walk by and ask to speak with a manager.  She says she can ring me up. I reply no one will be ringing me up today.  I repeat my original request.  The store employee huffs off.

When the manager arrives, I tell her my tale.  She doesn’t really seem to care.  She doesn’t offer an apology.  She barely even looks at me.  I realize I’m dressed in gym garb, but believe me when I say that I’ve shopped in worse.  At least there is no baby barf on my shoulder and I’m wearing make-up.  Am I so repulsive that my money is no good here?  Not those exact words, but a something fairly similar spewed out my mouth.  The manager’s mouth dropped to the floor and that’s exactly where I left it and the clothes I wanted to purchase.

I’m totally bummed about the whole thing.  J.Crew is my go to store whenever I need something new.  I’m not sure what I’m going to do now.  I guess I’ve got the J.Crew blues.  Hey, maybe that’s the new little ditty I should teach my son.