PHOTO: In response to the many requests from its Frum shoppers, the Lakewood Shoprite has decided to cover its magazines at the check-out counters.
Lakewood Shoprite’s Kosher Experience Manager Ephraim (Freddy) Chase tells TLS the initiative, which was in the works for months, is to accommodate the large chain store’s thousands of Frum (Orthodox Jewish) shoppers – many of whom complained about the inappropriate and provocative magazines prominently displayed at each checkout counter.
“In response to the overwhelming requests from our religious customers shopping in our store, Shoprite has taken the initiative to accommodate the shoppers to ensure they are not inadvertently exposed to inappropriate material,” says Mr. Chase.
About 65% of Lakewood Shoprite’s customers are Frum, Chase says.
In addition, Chase says, the store has changed the music to classical music.
“We’re attempting to create a pleasant atmosphere for the large customer base, while ensuring we don’t offend the other shoppers,” says Chase.
[TLS]
Always trying to be considerate of the Jewish Shoppers !!! We think you are the best!
While I generally try and patronize the Frum stores, it is nice to have a store like Shoprite in town and it is especially nice to see how they look to accommodate our community’s needs. Is there any truth to the rumors that they are looking to move out of Lakewood to Howell? That would be a big blow to our town, I hope it is not true….
All the local fruim stores never had magizens to cover up and to support
Isn’t that cover page (magazine sold here) there already for a few months if not years? Why the sudden post?
Two Words: SELF CONTROL
Comment #2 you are so right.
B’h! Mi k’amcha Yisroel! It always mamish bothered me that these magazines were right by the checkout & were very difficult to avoid. I can now shop without worry. If they can now get rid of the screens at checkout & maybe make a men’s hour from 1:00AM – 2:00AM on a Thursday night, it would mamish be a huge zach.
thank you shop rite!! and to the person who wrote self control- what does that mean, if a man is careful at what he looks at it’s not that he doesn’t have self control and stares at the pictures or opens them, but more that he is standing in line and it’s there in his face!!
A men’s hour…..at a public store…..are you kidding me??????
Oh Boy!! Anything else that can be done??
Thank you very much. Yes it is virtuous to support the frum stores to begin with. Just remember though that ShopRite has more from people working for them than the frum stores! The workers in the frum stores are from a very different nationality….So I am not sure which one actually deserves our support more. Good question, no?
To #2. No, they are not moving to Howell in the end.
There is also nonfrum people who dont Want to see that either
Come on!!! I go shopping every week .I see the magazines in the racks .I choose not to look. There is such a thing as freedom of speech. I respect that!!! You are not the only person shopping in that store.
what next are you going to have Wal Mart, Target and any other store that you shop at cover their magazines, and have the music changed to your liking , you know that there are there so don’t look, not for nothing but when you shop in those stores you see much worse by the way some of the customer’s are dressed, are you going to ask them to cover up so you can’t see them?
Yes, the magazine covers are inappropriate for our community, but so is what goes on in the street outside our homes. There have been many occasions when my husband and sons have had to cross the street to avoid walking behind one of the young veiberlach from our community in body hugging or too short clothing. Before we start worrying about covering magazines in ShopRite, perhaps we should start worrying about covering our wives and daughters properly. (And, it wouldn’t hurt if you men stopped wearing those ridiculous tight pants too. Talk about gross. Yuck.)
I agree wit SELF CONTROL, we live in galus and there is a price 2 pay…
Shop Rite is kind in accommodating the Jewish community. However, we must be fair to all. The Men who clearly lack self control, clearly need to pray just a tad bit more.
Many stores cover those racks already, & I thought shoprite already did as well. DRIVER you bring out some very good points. If we threatened to boycott because of some music they played or product they carried it be as if we are bullying them as some social groups do if they don’t like their stance/political views. The NYPD was booed in a parade by such a group because they don’t agree with their social opinion. I wonder who they call then? Companies are only interested in your money, don’t kid yourself any do for the people.
These comments are too funny!!!
With such a huge percentage of their business coming from the orthodox community I think its high time they changed the name of the store to let’s say Pineapple – a sister store to Pomogranate in Brooklyn…
it’s in your face that’s the whole point of them they are strategically place there so it’s right in front of you while you just stand there and wait on line. Even Gentiles agree that it’s filth and only portraits (moderated)
To #5:
Two MORE words: Yetzer Hora’ah.
To Bubby:
I think they should put a cover over those tight pants you so eloquently describe.
The person who said SELF CONTROL is probably a Women who has no understanding how men are wired, as far as “Self Control” is concerned the Self control of Tznius is to remove the offending material from your presence and avoid it because once you see it it is allready to late the Yetzer Hora allready got your attention there is no Mitzvah to put yourself in a situation of Nisoyon, the Nisoyon of Znus is to avoid it as the Gemara says”Ein Apaetrupus Learoyos”
#15 & #16,
Right On!!
Thank you for cosidering the needs of your main client base. Thats smart and good bussiness acumin! Keep up the good work!!
ShopRite is to be commended for their sincere effort to accomodate the Yeshiva community. While there are other customers who are not bothered by it, since it doesn’t really affect them I believe it is reasonable.
While I shop at the community stores as well, ShopRite really does show their appreciation for our business and we should support them as well (hakoras hatov).
I walk past them all the time and never look unless I want to, so whats the problem????
I completely and wholeheartedly support this endeavor.
Roshei Yeshivos and holy talmidei chachamim don’t only not grocery shop because they need to spend their time learning or doing other various Rabbinic activities; it is also because they want to avoid Pritzus at all costs. If you ever do see a man that possesses Kedusha shopping, notice that his eyes will be aimed downwards through the majority of his time shopping, and I assure you it has naught to do with the layout of the tiles. This is organization doing the right thing whether or not the modern orthodox complain about it. And that’s the beauty of it; you can’t complain about it because then you look dumb. Good job shoprite. And to all those of you who don’t like this, I suggest you make a committee and complain, because you clearly don’t have too many important things to be nervous about; it would be comical.