Posted on 02/23/2006 9:36:32 AM PST by raccoonradio
HINGHAM, MA-- A candid apology from the head of Building 19 after the discount retail chain ran an ad for "wife beater" T-shirts.
Jerry Ellis is accepting blame for the mistake, saying he let it go by because he was (quote) "either too dumb, too lazy or too distracted."
The ad for sleeveless men's T-shirts appeared in one of Building 19's quirky circulars that promote "good stuff cheap."
The shirts are sometimes referred to in slang as "wife beaters," but in this case the term actually wound up in the flier -- angering many customers and women's groups.
Ellis says he questioned the term but was assured by a male employee that everybody uses it.
Ellis plans to include an apology in the next Building 19 circular.
I worked for Bldg 19, a New England surplus-salvage chain in the early 80s. "Free coffee--Slight Extra Charge For Use Of Company Stomach Pump"
Years ago they ran an ad for guinea pigs (or maybe for guinea pig food) and the artist drew a pic of the animal saying "Hey, Boss! I'm-a gettin' tired of the lasagna!" Bldg. 19 apologized to Italian-Americans (one of my fellow workers, who was Italian-American, was the one who complained.)
They're right, "wife beater" is the current preferred term. There are too many crybabies in the world today.
Building 19's ads are closer to Mad Magazine than what you'd
see from most department stores. No joke, they actually sell
COAL rocks "for bad little boys and girls' stockings"
during Christmas. Any other store do that?
"Suffer a little, save a lot"
http://www.building19.com
>>That same year the fourth branch, Building #19 7/8, was opened on the Lynnway in Lynn.
And I was there from 1981 to 85 (also briefly in Burlington
store). Once a month or so Jerry Ellis would stop by for
a store meeting. He'd buy us free pizza and open up the
soda machines so we could have some free cans. The Lynn
store briefly appears in the Burt Reynolds movie "Starting
Over" as Burt does some shopping there.
I thought when they made those shirts they dipped them in beer and put cigarette burns and oil stains on them. You mean they don't do that? Does that mean the new one I'm wearing is really used? eeeeeekkkkkk!!!!
"Hey, Boss! I'm-a gettin' tired of the lasagna!"
LOL
'Nuff said.
er, "Alec Baldwin on 'The Simpsons'"
Sounds like you need to stop buyiing "genuine wife beater shirts" on ebay. LOL
I'll have you know I don't shop on e-Bay!! If they don't have it at the "nearly new" store, I don't need it!! ;0 )
A wife beater isn't a true wife beater without a spaghetti stain, a few ciggie burns and a PBR.
Seven years ago my best girlfriend told me what a wife beater was about on a camping trip. I LMAO and our friends on shore had no idea what I was laughing about.
For Christmas that year all my girlfriends bought me a pack of men's small, ribbed wife beaters. It was a good joke.
I prefer the Half Mesh Shirt and a Miller.
Yeah, that's a very sexy look. I love the color--it's so bright and cheerful ;)
I feel like I'm walking on Sunshine.
Check out that guy. He's posting to himself.
that pic is EXACTLY whad um talkin bout!
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