ethnic hair care
April 21, 2010
Alert reader Adam Lisonbee, upon seeing my post about the terrible signage at Smith’s Marketplace in Lehi, Utah, and because of my antipathy toward said marketplace in general, sent me this picture from the same:
This Smiths sits between Lehi, Highland, and Alpine, Utah.
Combined demographic data of those three cities:
95.7%, 97.5%, and 97.4%. White, that is.
Do you think they need a sign as big as a house that screams “Ethnic Hair Care”?
Maybe you would make the argument that people in those three cities might find so few ethnic hair care products, or ethnic ANYTHING, that they need this sign.
But do they need it more than I needed the word “tampon” on aisle 15?
dug 
April 21, 2010 at 3:45 pm
are there ethnic feminine hygiene products?
April 21, 2010 at 3:46 pm
well, hair is hair, right? wait, do i want to . . .
April 21, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Very insightful. As a parent of part of the 4.3% of the Ethnic population in Lehi (are there really that many?), I can confirm, YES – it is important for such a big sign. It makes up for the lack of ethnic product at every other store in the area.
April 21, 2010 at 4:41 pm
you are supposed to use the hair care products on the black and pink wigs they are selling on the aisle in the background.
April 21, 2010 at 4:43 pm
My question is what do they do in Utah County about the people who lack hair? I would guess that the percentages are 50%, 50% and 50%. Do they have an extra large Sun screen sign?
April 21, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Big signs for niche products, no signs for common products: Smiths is the bizarro store.
April 21, 2010 at 7:54 pm
my wife would beg to differ. She is as white as they come, but would likely revel in finding the ethnic hair care products more readily!
April 21, 2010 at 9:32 pm
The primary reason I noticed the ethnic section, was that I was hunting for some quality beard care products. And of course, they had nothing. I settled for some generic pomade, and so far, I am underwhelmed.
Not included in the picture are the 4-5 shelves filled with stuff for “tight curls”. There really are a TON of products. And now that Dug has gone public with this, I expect an outraged Al Sharpton to call for a boycott of the Highland Smith’s.
April 21, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Is this where Brad Keyes picks up his hair care products?
April 22, 2010 at 9:04 am
You mean Brad’s ethnic? The way he rides I always assumed he was from a different planet.
April 22, 2010 at 9:09 am
The next isle over they should put a white hair care
sign. I think segregation is back….
April 22, 2010 at 8:59 pm
I might be out of touch but what is that pink stuff for? Is that the name of the company or does it really turn your hair pink? If so, is that really ethnic?
April 23, 2010 at 5:15 pm
I would be willing to bet a dollar the “ethnic hair products” sign is actually smaller than the sign that should have said Tampons or feminine hygiene.
Since we are talking segregation I should bring up that “Feminine” hygiene products is definitely not politically correct.