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By: VAN GOWER
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Everyone has spotted a hot hunk or gorgeous girl at the supermarket, but some people are too shy to strike up a conversation.
Now Whole Foods Market on Ponce de Leon Avenue is ready to help break the ice.
On July 27, the chain’s Midtown store kicks off a monthly gay-inclusive singles night designed to encourage mixing and mingling, says Darrah Horgan, marketing specialist at Whole Foods Midtown.
“A lot of singles know the supermarket is the place to see and be seen,” Horgan says. “We wanted to capitalize on that and try something different than what your typical grocery store would do.”
Cooking demonstrations are planned throughout the store, with meal ideas perfectly suited to a romantic dinner for two. Other noshes including sliced passion fruit, cheeses and cooked peppers believed to have aphrodisiac properties are on the menu for attendees. The store’s bakery also serves chocolate and dessert items to cap off that intimate meal in decadent style.
In the store’s café, attendees can pay a minimal cover charge and indulge in wine tastings while soaking up the sounds of local jazz guitarist Trey Wright.
A tarot card reader is also scheduled to be on hand, and drawings for prizes that include dinner for two at Dish, a manicure/pedicure treatment and movie gift certificates are on tap.
WHOLE FOODS OFFERS DOMESTIC partner benefits to gay employees, and sexual orientation and gender identity are included in the company’s non-discrimination statement, according to Cheryl Galway, Whole Foods marketing director for the South.
Those policies, the chain’s community involvement and the upcoming singles night make gay employee Stevie Caldwell proud to work for the company.
“I don’t think it’s typical for a big company like this to be so accepting and embracing of the different sexual orientations and different lifestyles that people can bring to the table,” says Caldwell, who works at the Midtown store.
“But Whole Foods does a great job of participating in events like Pride,” she adds.
Whole Foods distributed food samples at the Pride Run last month, and store employees volunteered to help carry the AIDS fund-raiser rainbow flag in the Pride parade, Caldwell says.
Whole Foods’ specializes in natural and organic groceries, but that’s not the only draw for customers, according to Horgan.
“We have some really good looking people who shop in this store,” she says. “Just walking around during the lunch hours and seeing the after-work crowds, you just think ‘Wow!’”
JIM SULLIVAN, AUTHOR OF “BOYFRIEND 101: A Gay Guy’s Guide to Dating, Romance, and Finding True Love,” praises Whole Foods’ Singles Night and says its meet-and-greet vibe fits a growing trend of social opportunities for gay men and lesbians beyond the bar scene.
“They’re acknowledging that gay people are very much a part of their customer base, and they’re coming out as a progressive store and inviting people to another level of social interaction,” Sullivan says.
In addition to grocery stores and singles nights, Sullivan says gay singles are increasingly exploring community organizations including spiritual groups, sports and outdoors groups, social dancing and local gay centers. Online matchmaking services and personal profiles emphasizing courtship over cruising are other options.
A casual, friendly demeanor and courage are the keys to dating success, he adds.
“Don’t let shyness prevent you from going. When you risk it and take chances, there are more opportunities for meeting people,” Sullivan says. “Just put yourself out there and start a conversation. … [The point] is to show up.”
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