Looking For Love in All the Wal Places

I suppose my dreams of meeting my soulmate at Wal-Mart have been dashed. Read on:

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Wal-Mart Nixes Flirts

ASSOCIATED PRESS

July 24, 2005

ROANOKE, Va. -- Wal-Mart has ditched a program that helped single shoppers find love in the discount store's aisles.

Officials at Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., ordered their Roanoke store to put an end to Singles Shopping, the only program of its kind at Wal-Mart's U.S. stores.

Taking a cue from Wal-Marts in Germany, the month-old program encouraged customers on Friday evenings to pick up a red bow they could place on their carts as an invitation to other singles. "Flirt points" were set up in sections of the store.

A Wal-Mart spokesman declined to comment on the reason for the cancellation. Customer Dale Firebaugh, who showed up Friday hoping to meet his match, said employees told him people had complained.

"I'm disappointed," said Firebaugh, 63. "Where can someone over 40 who doesn't smoke or drink or go to bars meet someone?"