Love: Roanoke Wal-Mart Style. Good lord. I can only imagine what sort of knuckledraggers would show up for singles night at the Wal-Mart in Roanoke:

You're single. It's Friday night and you're wondering where to meet other unattached individuals. You don't want to go to a bar.

You've heard of people finding love in the produce aisle of the grocery store, but does that really happen?

It could - at Wal-Mart.

The Wal-Mart on U.S. 220 in Roanoke has introduced Singles Shopping, an opportunity for singles to meet while stocking up on milk, underwear, snacks and small appliances. The concept started at Wal-Marts in Germany.
....
From 6 to 9 p.m. every Friday, singles can cruise Wal-Mart in search of a soul mate. To ease the tension, red bows are attached to singles' shopping carts to denote their availability.

Another way to break the ice is with "flirt points" set up in various sections of the store. The points highlight items singles might buy - from CDs and DVDs to chocolate and candles.
....
Cory Hoyt, a Boones Mill resident who was shopping at the 220 Wal-Mart on Thursday, said his mother told him about the attraction for singles.

"Something like this might be interesting," he said.

Hoyt, 27, said he doesn't have much of a social life because of a hectic work schedule.

"I am not a big party guy," Hoyt said. "I used to do karaoke, but I don't go to bars much now."

My sister said it's too bad that they don't have pictures to accompany the article. I agree.

Back in April when a Wal-Mart in Germany announced plans to start the singles nights, I said this:

Once it hits in the states, I think a good assignment would be to go to Wal-Mart and add extra items to the flirting points--Magnum brand condoms, KY jelly, rubber gloves, dog collars, and adult diapers to name a few.

An alternative operation would be to get a red ribbon, load a shopping cart full with these items, all the while videotaping the experience.

At first, I thought that if I were to do this that I would need to switch my wedding ring to my other hand. But why do that? Why not just say that I'm a swinger? All the more fun.

Unfortunately, I don't have any trips to Roanoke planned for the near future.

(thanks to the YLH Legal Counsel for alerting me to this story)