Ocean State Job Lot — Local services in Meriden

Let’s see. I am holding the receipt. The ink is a low-grade, smudging carbon, but the numbers are correct. The return policy is clearly posted, which I appreciate. Order, above all, is the principle that separates us from the chaos of the natural world.

This is the Ocean State Job Lot in Meriden.

My initial assessment was… favorable. The façade is a predictable, almost soothing shade of industrial beige. The parking lot is adequately paved, with no significant fissures. I drive a BMW, and I noted with approval the absence of shopping carts in the vicinity of my vehicle. Inside, the fluorescent lighting is harsh and unforgiving, which is correct. It exposes everything. There are no illusions here. The prices are… exceptional. I purchased a 300-foot spool of nautical-grade rope for $8.99. A container of industrial-strength solvent, $4.50. A three-pack of ribbed tank tops, $7.00. The value proposition is irrefutable. It’s a sound fiscal strategy.

However.

The implementation is a lesson in entropy. A study in screaming, howling disarray. It is not merely messy; it is a deliberate and aggressive assault on the very concept of taxonomy. I watched a man in a torn Hartford Whalers jersey try to find light bulbs. He was directed to an aisle where the bulbs were stacked next to a pallet of coconut water and a pyramid of off-brand salsa. There is no logic. There is no flow. It is a vortex of misallocated inventory.

I found myself standing in the "Seasonal" section, which currently features inflatable pools and bags of rock salt. A child’s plastic shovel had been abandoned in a bin of work gloves. The juxtaposition was jarring. I had to make a conscious effort to control my breathing. In. Out. The Muzak was playing a tinny rendition of "Walk Like an Egyptian," and I could feel a single bead of sweat trace a path down my perfectly moisturized temple.

The checkout line was a lesson in human inefficiency. The woman ahead of me was debating the price of a scented candle with a cashier who had the vacant, glassy-eyed stare of a grazing animal. I stood there, my knuckles white on the handle of my shopping basket, imagining the precise, geometric arrangement this merchandise would assume in my own home. I would organize it. I would impose a system.

So, my review. The asset is solid. The pricing is impeccable. But the store is a festering, chaotic wound in the commercial landscape of Meriden. I will return next week. The savings are simply too significant to ignore. But I will be prepared. I will have a list. I will have a map. And I will carry with me the quiet, humming certainty that I am, if only for the duration of this transaction, the sole arbiter of order in a world of...

I've always managed to find what I need as well as what I want at Ocean State Job Lot, without any problems or help from the staff. I get the things I need at a great price! Saving money and taking advantage of this store's 24/7/365 sales and deals is a treat -one that allows me to splurge and pamper myself... Because not only do I bring home everything I needed to get, there's always a few something or others I just "Had to have!!!" such as a package of cookies, or chocolate or almost anything edible - which necessitates the purchase of libations as well. I'm being one hundred percent honest and truthful regarding my loyalty and my choice to shop at Ocean State Job Lot. I'm a girl who doesn't like to shop - ever! However I love this place and it's employees so much that I make sure to check it out 2-3/wk! I'm there on a regular basis for any and all of my needs ... If I need food, or a friendly smile, or perhaps a candle and some flowers? The calming, whiff of lavender scented bubble bath and the coordinating lavender/vanilla bath and shower gel followed by the luxurious super moisturizing and fantastically scented lavender vanilla relaxing body cream .... Though Ocean State Job Lot had me hooked at " samples" and "Freshly prepared free food " 😂😳😍 It was so good to see so many people smiling and content... as one of if not the number one fan of this store, loyal customer extroardinare and expert of immediate gratification... 'which just means I know what feels good for the body, and I know what soothes the soul... Retail therapy and the good mojo derived from a bunch of people that have been nice and smile!! My advise for you is to immediately as well as...

It was my first visit to the Meriden Ocean State Job Lot on East Main Street to pick up bird feed for the wild birds struggling in the icy weather. The manager cheerfully pointed me in the right direction, helping me find a large selection of seeds. I was delighted.

After picking up four bags, I stood in line behind a white couple who were chatting merrily with the cashier. As I waited, I struck up a conversation with an elderly white woman behind me.

When it was my turn, the cashier looked at me coldly. I am an Asian woman. The first thing she asked was whether I was registered there—presumably to determine if I qualified for a discount. I said, "No," and added cheerfully that my birds would be delighted with the feed. She looked away and said nothing.

I could feel that she did not want to engage with me. She refused to make eye contact and handed me my receipt without a word. Then, as the next customer stepped up, I heard her greet them cheerfully: "How are you doing today?"

I registered this as racism.

Cashier number 68357. I will probably never shop...