Canned Openers @ the Mall

Date: July 5, 2006

Location: Mall, Skokie, IL

Solo Sarge


I decided to go to the mall after work and try to work the 'can you recommend me cool clothes stores' on some chicas. My first victim was an HB7 asian that I was standing in line next to at the food court. There is some dude standing next to her who I thought might have been talking to her, possibly her boyfriend. I pay for my food, and decide, boyfriend shmoyfriend, I'm gonna open this little honey.

me: Hi, can I get your opinion on something?
HB7 asian: yeah?
me: You look like you know a lot about fashion -
HB7: (gives me this skeptical look, she's wearing a t shirt and jeans and sandals)
me: I have this friend coming in from out of town, he's from Utah, and he's pretty fashion illiterate. He asked me to take him shopping. What stores do you recommend?
HB7: (eyes don't really light up, this routine doesn't really transfer to the mall, seems forced at the mall, maybe it's my wording) Oh I like Abecrombie. (I notice the dude next to her has bleached hair and is decked out in Abecrombie)
me: Oh yeah he needs a suit - any places that sell formal wear you'd recommend?
HB7: blah blah blah (I don't catch much of this, I try to play along and pretend to take mental notes - I do catch 'Benetton' and 'Bloomingdales')

We vibe a little about stores in the mall, I ask if she likes any other malls, she asks me where I'm from, we talk about Skokie and some of the suburbs around there. I can tell by her smirking expression she knows I'm hitting on her. They give us our food. The dude is really her boyfriend, I notice he's carrying her tray. I get boyfriend anxiety, thank her and eject.

Another brick in my castle. I walk away, the boyfriend is looking at me funny. I don't even care anymore. I actually think it's funny when I wind up hitting on some dude's girlfriend in front of him.


Date: July 5, 2006

Location: Mall, Skokie, IL

Solo Sarge


I'm walking into Bloomingdales and there's a 2 set walking in at the same time - HB9 blonde with a half shirt and a kicking body, and her, er, friend who is basically a 4. I open the door for them, they say 'thanks' and give me EC. I open.

me: Hi guys, can I get your opinion on something?
Both: yeah?
me: You guys look like you know a lot about shopping.
(I don't get the enthusiastic looks and smiling like I did at the thrift stores yesterday - but I notice the hottie is giving me EC and checking me out)
me: I have a friend coming into town this week - he's from Utah. He asked me to take him shopping - what stores do you guys recommend that sell men's clothes?
HB and friend: Oh Nordstroms.
me: Is that in this mall?
HB9: yeah it's on the other end of the mall.
me: (tired from walking) oh. What other stores? He needs to buy a suit for a job interview.
friend: There's this store...
me: yeah, Bloomingdale's is a little over his price range.
friend: There's also Marshall Fields.
me: What brands do you guys like?
Both: blah blah (I notice the cosmetic counter lady looking at us)
me: Hey do you guys know any other malls close to here?
HB9: There's not any close, other than Woodfield.
me: Oh Woodfield is far right? You have to get on 94 and go through the toll road.
friend: There's also Oakbrook mall.
me: How do you get there?
both: blah blah blah

I vibe them like this for a few minutes. The HB blonde is so hot. I did not try to close, it was a botched set. I was not thinking: open -> negs -> dhv -> C+F - > comfort and rapport -> isolate -> close. I did not know how to transition from the stupid 'clothing recommendation opener', mainly because I didn't want to neg the friend since she probably already had LSE anyway, and I couldn't pick anything out to neg the HB about. I should have just picked something, anything. I thank them and detach.

Key points:
AA is pretty much gone. I have to focus on the technique now. As with the other set - good EC, good voice, good body language (did a lot of arm gestures with this set, I found it helps keep me from fidgeting or folding my hands and going into a low value position). HB was so hot, goddamnit. I should have continued this set. I'm coming up with a cheat sheet and game plan, I'm giving myself a deadline of tonight to finish it and I'm going to stick with a structure from now on in my approaches.