Retail/Food Employees - What music do you use to convince customers to leave at closing?

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I've heard of a lot of people doing this:

Anal Cunt seems to be the big favorite although a friend of mine said Peaches!

― Jonathan Williams (ex machina), Friday, 6 December 2002 18:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Painkiller works really well.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Friday, 6 December 2002 18:15 (twenty-three years ago)

For a while I was putting on '7' by the Boredoms at closing time, but that never really scares people away.

Alternate answer: I sometimes just turn off the music completely and lock the door. But that probably works better at a record store than other retail places.

The other night I was at a trendy Brooklyn bar/coffee shop/overpriced record store with live DJs and moody lighting. At the end of the night the last DJ let the music fade out and they turned up the lights to indicate that they were closing. Huh--I never thought of that. Maybe I should turn down the lights at closing time. (Then again, that probably encourages shoplifting...)

― DIE90 (dhadis), Friday, 6 December 2002 20:05 (twenty-three years ago)

I used to work at a stationery and fountain pen store and believe it or not Nina Simone sent people flying from the store. Unfortunately during the day I had to play what was on rotation and I can't tell you how many, "Who is this? I really like this!" comments I got about Diana Krall and Keb Mo. Bleeeech.

― Claire (Claire Miccio), Saturday, 7 December 2002 00:48 (twenty-three years ago)

If they just leave the 70s 80s 90s pop station on, I'm usually outta there in 3 seconds, without paying.

― Helltime Producto (Pavlik), Saturday, 7 December 2002 00:53 (twenty-three years ago)

When I was a cashier at (big hardware chain that needs no free advertising from me), we didn't play anything. We had to just stand there until all of the customers decided to leave. Sometimes we were standing at the registers 30-45 minutes after closing time.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo (cindigo), Saturday, 7 December 2002 04:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Boredoms Super AE, track 1, repeat

― James Blount (James Blount), Saturday, 7 December 2002 05:04 (twenty-three years ago)

die90 was that Halcyon?

― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Saturday, 7 December 2002 05:31 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't work in retail currently - actually I don't work at all currently - but I think Kristallnacht by John Zorn would get people on their way.

― JS Williams (js williams), Saturday, 7 December 2002 05:40 (twenty-three years ago)

I used to work at a subshop frequented by the teenagers. On Sunday nights, the CBC had/does a jazz show, and I would put that on. Teens wanted to know why I was listening to classical music.
If y're trying to get the teenagers out (and who isn't) play anything that is on the current top 40. This may backfire.
Bar I used to work at would play Dean Martin to signify "everybody out right the fuck now" but too many people liked it.

― Horace Mann, Saturday, 7 December 2002 05:57 (twenty-three years ago)

anybody ever tried Vera Lynn's 'We'll Meet Again' -- at full blast?
for everybody t'be happy and for the customers go away lucky?

― t\'\'t (t''t), Saturday, 7 December 2002 12:38 (twenty-three years ago)

CD Cellar in Falls Church used to keep a New Kids on the Block remix CD behind the register, with a note to play this if the store needed to be cleared.

― j.lu (j.lu), Saturday, 7 December 2002 15:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Blondie--"Just Go Away"?

― Sean (Sean), Sunday, 8 December 2002 00:24 (twenty-three years ago)

In a slightly different example of this, Dave at Noise Noise Noise specifically torments many people at the late night clearance sales by playing the Frogs' It's Only Right and Natural -- I've seen people in line register 18 different shades of disgust (me, of course, I love it). He got so many complaints that he had to stop.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 8 December 2002 03:51 (twenty-three years ago)

i was forced to leave my favorite record store today because they were playing zany christmas music. i appreciated the zany-ness, but christmas music just drives me nuts

― JasonD (JasonD), Sunday, 8 December 2002 05:22 (twenty-three years ago)

I love that people are still offended by the Frogs!

― James Blount (James Blount), Sunday, 8 December 2002 10:32 (twenty-three years ago)

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