Discontent and Mellow Mood
“It’s like a Stoner’s Paradise, Man”
Jennifer Harzke and Lauren Wold
September 20, 2010
Qualitative Methods Research
Dr. Lee Vigilant
Introduction
Moorhead, Minnesota is home to competing pipe and tobacco shops – Discontent
and Mellow Mood. Discontent is located at 815 Main Ave. Mellow Mood has two Moorhead
locations, the original at 1825 Main Ave and the newly opened expansion at 409 Main Ave.
Although the two establishments sell many of the same products, they are distinctly
different in many ways.
Interest
Our interest in Discontent and Mellow Mood lies in the seemingly taboo and
controversial aspect of such establishments. The stores market themselves as “pipe and
tobacco shops.” Through discussion with friends and fellow classmates, it seems to be a
blatantly obvious fact that many of the products are not used to smoke tobacco at all. These
stores could indeed be referred to as “head shops.” A head shop is slag for an establishment
that specializes in drug paraphernalia. Of course the legal implications of admitting to such
activity would be tremendous and the stores market themselves appropriately. We were
interested in researching these environments because we hoped they could provide insight
into a popular subculture.
Objectives
Our main objective in our research was to unobtrusively observe conduct, behavior,
attitudes, and conversations at Discontent and both Mellow Moods stores. By doing so we
hoped to compare and contrast the competing shops. From this analysis we hope to form
an honest and thorough description of the environments.
Methodology
Our research was conducted between September 13, 2010 and September 19, 2010.
Because we worked as a pair, we were able to obtain more information than if we would
have worked as individuals. We used qualitative descriptions of the workers, customers,
environment, behaviors, and interactions in order to provide a thorough account of the
shops and the people in them. Our goal was to provide such a descriptive account that even
those who have never been to the shops could feel as though they experienced it.
Ethics
Although we felt that physical descriptions of the customers and workers would be
imperative to the validity of our research, we also felt that protecting identities was
essential due to the controversial element of these retail establishments. We tried to
maintain a degree of confidentiality for the observed population by not giving too much
detail of physical description besides gender, possible ethnicity, and a general description
of their “style.”
Terminology
Some of the terminology used throughout our analysis may not be familiar language
for those who have never visited either of the shops. With this in mind, we created a “slang
dictionary” of sorts, to help outsiders better understand the merchandise within these
shops. We used www.urbandictionary.com as a reference in creating this list.
Hookah: an Eastern smoking pipe designed with a long tube passing through an urn of
water that cools the smoke as it is drawn through, intended to smoke a kind of tobacco
called sheesha. Western culture has also adapted the hookah as a means of smoking
marijuana.
K2: an herbal incense containing a synthetic cannabinoid that, when ingested, mimics the
effects of weed. It is currently legal in most states.
Purple haze: a flavor of burnable incense, one of the most popular scents
Water pipe (bong): a smoking device generally consisting of a smoke tube, a suck tube, a
bong (water receptacle), a tobacco/drug holder, and a hand splint. Tobacco and/or a
variety of narcotics (i.e. marijuana, crack, methamphetamine) can be smoked out of a water
pipe.
Pipe: a smoking device used to smoke tobacco and/or marijuana. The part of the pipe
where the tobacco or marijuana is packed is referred to as the bowl. It is common for the
entire pipe to be referred to as a “bowl.”
Dugouts: a small box for holding a one-hitter pipe and a rather small amount of ground
herb, usually marijuana, in separate compartments
As much as we wanted to avoid stereotyping, we made the decision to use labels in
order to categorize certain people into a specific “style.” These labels can be understood
using the following (admittedly broad) definitions.
Emo: a style that originated through the music genres of “Emotional Hardcore” and
“Emocore,” may sport any or all of the following “trends” -- skinny jeans, tight shirts,
straight black hair, bangs swooped over the eyes, big rings, skate shoes. Popular by bands
like Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional could be referred to as “emo.”
Stoner: a style or perhaps even a “lifestyle” that involves copious amounts of marijuana.
Stoners may be seen wearing Sublime and Bob Marley clothing. They are generally
considered happy, peaceful individuals. Famous “stoners” include Dave Matthews, Woody
Harrelson, John Lennon, and Ben Harper.
Hippie: a style that originated in the late 1960s with the flower child, Free Love,
Woodstock attending baby boomers and carried on throughout the following decades.
Hippies may be seen in tie-dye and earth tones, may wear handmade jewelry or purses, and
often promote “peace and love” above other political ideas.
Goth: a style that often consists of heavy dark makeup, pale skin, and dark clothes. Goth
individuals may not criticize popular culture and normative behavior, keep to themselves,
and listen to music like Nine Inch Nails and Sisters of Mercy.
Written Rules
All stores – “Have I.D. ready. Must be 18 to enter.”
- Because the store is marketed as a tobacco shop, it is important that the customers
prove they are of legal age to buy tobacco products.
Discontent – “No cell phones.”
- Because the store contains such controversial items, this rule may be in place in
order
to keep potential “narks” or cops from video taping or recording the
activities that go
on within the store.
Unwritten Rules
1) No incriminating vocabulary – discussing marijuana or even referring to the water
pipes as “bongs” is frowned upon. This rule is in place in order to protect the store’s
credibility as a legal retail establishment.
2) Don’t look for a hookup – the store does not sell marijuana and looking for a dealer
within the store is not allowed. By the employees discouraging this behavior within the
store, they distance themselves from illegal behavior.
3) Don’t come in while highly intoxicated – the shops may promote informality but they
do not want obnoxious troublemakers roaming through the store
4) Don’t browse alone – we noticed that the employees seemed slightly suspicious when
we were alone in the stores. It seemed much more common for people to come in groups,
almost as a sort of social adventure.
Environment
Mellow Mood (1825 Main Ave)
The shop is very small – approximately 10 X 20 feet. Upon entrance, the first
product on display is a candle advertised to “mask odor.” The advertisement did not specify
as to what “odor” they were intended to mask but we came to the logical assumption that
the candles may indeed be used to cover the distinct aroma of marijuana. In the front of the
store are various forms of incense (i.e. K2, fragrance oils), as well as cigars, cigarettos, and
rolling papers. Bordering the store is large glass case filled with bowls of all shapes, sizes,
and colors. Along the far right wall are dugouts, bats, water pipes, and some candles. Along
the western wall are more water pipes. The walls were arguably the most interesting
element of the environment; they were all hand-painted with shades of yellow and red.
Mellow Mood (409 Main Ave)
The new addition is much larger than the original Mellow Mood but contains many
of the same products and gives off the same general laid-back “feel.” The boundary glass
cases were present at this location as well. The large glass storefront faces east. The
windows were painted up, advertising their 50% off sale. The first glass case in the store
was full of dugouts, bats, jars, and safes. The second was full of K2, fragrances like purple
haze and peach, as well as tobacco, cigars, and cigarettos. The rest of the glass cases, lining
the walls, were full of every size and shape bowl imaginable; two bulldog-shaped bowls sat
in front of the cash register. The northernmost wall of the store was covered in glass
cabinets holding the more expensive and larger water pipes and hookahs. On top of the
cabinets were smaller less expensive hookahs. Water pipes sat in the case on the west wall.
One water pipe on the middle shelf at the end of the row was a robin egg blue and looked
more like a teardrop than a bong. In the middle of the store was a large circular display of
incense.
The walls at this location were much more noticeable, though that could be
attributed to the presence of much more light. There was a forest scene painted, using very
light and happy colors. All of the trees and rocks were alive, they had living faces, and the
trees appeared to be walking around. In the southwestern corner there was a cave painted,
each structure in the cave was its own being. Every stalactite and stalagmite had a face, as
well as the supporting rocks each one in place.
Discontent (815 Main Ave)
The main entrance to the store faces north. A second door, which leads directly into
the seasonal Halloween costumes, faces west. The parking lot is located just west of the
building. The side of the building is covered in unique art, comparable to graffiti. Band
posters and fliers for upcoming concerts line the glass front entrance. On the door there is a
sign posted stating that you must be 18+ to enter and that there is no cell phone use
allowed in the store to prevent those under the age of 18 from gaining access to the
products within. The store is divided into three sections. The walls of the front section of
the store are lined with glass cases, which contain an assortment of hookahs, water pipes,
pipes, and dugouts. The middle of the store contains hangers full of “bohemian” style
clothing. The main counter and cash register is located on the southernmost wall of the first
section. Along the west wall right by the hallway is a section of various flavors of incense.
The middle section has various types of piercings displayed within glass cases. On the east
wall there is a plain white door with a gold handle. Behind the door is the clinical area
where they perform piercings. Opposite the door leading into the piercing room there are
multicolored, tie-dyed tapestries for sale. The third section is where the Halloween
costumes are on display. There were a large variety of costumes and accessories.
Observations Before Noon
Mellow Mood (1825 Main Ave)
Employees
The female employee was a short, curvy white woman with long brown hair pulled
into a ponytail and green eyes, framed by brown glasses. She wore a flowing pink and white
dress with a tank top underneath. Although she requested I.D. immediately, she quickly
went back to conversing with customers. It could be argued that she was overly helpful; she
insisted on discussing the products after the other customers left despite our efforts to
remain unobtrusive.
Customers
One individual with pale skin, dreadlocks, and baggy clothes looked around the
store. This person could be described as “androgynous,” as it was hard to distinguish
his/her gender. A second customer with pale skin and long straggly dark hair piled on top
her head followed. The two were discussing a wedding or some formal event. The female
with the dark hair was talking about invitations and the food she was ordering. They were
speaking very informally, suggesting they knew each other before today, and outside the
realm of Mellow Moods. They could easily be described as “hippies.” Their economic status
was somewhat of a mystery but we felt it was safe to assume they were not living at the
poverty level based on the quality of their clothes.
Mellow Mood (409 Main Ave)
Employees
A white male employee stood behind the counter. He had blue-green eyes and
golden hair pulled back into a ponytail. He seemed very warm and welcoming when asking
for I.D. He was very genuine when offering his help.
Customers
Upon arrival at the store, there was a group of three males and one female standing
in the southwest corner looking at the various bowls in the glass cases. Later it was obvious
that the group was actually two separate groups of two that happened to be standing near
each other. The only female customer was on her cell phone, describing a snail shaped
bowl. She told the person on the phone that she would send them pictures. She had dark
hair pulled to the back of her head. She had what appeared to be unnaturally tan skin. She
was about 5’9” tall and wore dark blue jeans. She was most likely a member of the middle
class or upper middle class, based on her clothing. She was with a male friend. He wore
blue flannel shirt and blue jeans. Both seemed to be college students, looking as though
they’d just walked in after a long night of drinking and smoking.
The other two males were dressed in darker clothing. Both wore hooded
sweatshirts and jeans. One was wearing a black cap. Both looked too young to be in the
store. They appeared to be in high school. Either could have easily been labeled a “stoner.”
Their conversation was primarily about which water pipe they liked best. The individuals
in both groups stayed very close to one another and talked very quietly, making it almost
impossible to hear what they were talking about. This could also be interpreted that they
were buying these products for uses other than tobacco use.
Another group of three arrived during our observation. One of the women, probably
in her mid-forties, had curly dark brown hair down to her waist. Her skin and features
were Caucasian but she had a tan on her slightly wrinkled skin, a look that she could only
earn by spending a lot time outdoors over many years. She was carrying an interesting
purple bag with a black design. It had a long strap that she was wearing across her body
and top that flipped over. It looked to be handmade. She looked at the dugouts while the
other two looked at the bowls and water pipes. The male with her was in his early twenties.
His tan skin suggested he might have been of Hispanic (or part Hispanic) descent. He was
wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. The female was more striking than either
the male or older female. She had very pale skin and red hair that was obviously dyed; the
shade could never be attainable naturally. She looked to be very young, 15 or 16, though
you have to be 18 to enter the store. She was wearing flair leg jeans with a pair of Converse
shoes and a plain white t-shirt. She kept her shoulders hunched over as though she were
shy and soft spoken. She always remained within an arm’s reach of the male she came with.
It did not take these three long to make their way over to the middle cabinets on the
wall, where a very large hookah sat with tubes wrapping around the blue base. The older
woman displayed a very light and bubbly personality, laughing and joking. She admired the
hookah, commenting that its price of $400.00 wasn’t bad, then laughing and stating, “Can
you imagine taking a hit off that thing?” She followed this statement with an animation of
her taking a huge gulp of air then coughing her lungs out.
Discontent (815 Main Ave)
Employees
Two employees were present in the store, one female and one male. Both of which
were helping customers on the southern end of the tobacco and pipe section of the store
closest to the cash register. The female was short, around 5’1” or 5’2”, she had blonde and
pink hair. Her skin and features were Caucasian. Her eyes were her most striking feature.
They were large and deep brown in color. She was of moderate build and dressed in a
bohemian fashion.
The male was much taller than his co-worker, around 5’8” in height. He had a
hipster look about him. Skinny jeans, with a black and flannel patched long-sleeve shirt
which he left open to reveal a white undershirt. His hair was short on the sides but there
was a long middle section which he spiked up towards his forehead. He was Caucasian with
Caucasian features, he also had brown eyes though they weren’t as deep as the woman’s.
His eyebrow and mouth had been pierced, both piercings were occupied with a plain
stainless steel hoop.
Customers
There was a line of customers on that morning. The first two at the cash register
were a male and female. Both Caucasian, the male was much taller than his counterpart. He
had brown hair cut short and lanky features. She was built tiny and dressed very bohemian.
Behind her there was an African American male with tiny corn rows braided into his hair.
He was dressed in a golden yellow jacket, a red striped shirt underneath and baggy blue
jeans. He could be described as urban. Behind him there were three patrons we had seen
before, the woman in her mid forties with the younger male and female from Mellow
Moods.
After we arrived two more groups arrived. The first group was made up of two
males. The first male was Caucasian and was very plain, he looked like a college student.
The second male, was also Caucasian, but stood out. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, he
had on a white polo shirt, with khaki shorts and brown flip flops. His ears were pierced and
he was wearing a visor backwards and upside down, he could have easily been labeled a
frat boy. A male and female entered and were yelled at immediately as the male was on his
phone.
Observations During Evening Hours
Mellow Mood (1825 Main Ave)
Employees
There was only one employee present during our observation. He was Caucasian,
approximately 30 years old and wore a plaid white and blue shirt and faded blue jeans. His
long, frizzy red hair was pulled into a loose ponytail. He had red facial hair and glasses.
Although you must be 18 to make purchases, we were not asked to show I.D. The employee
sang along to both a Notorious B.I.G song and Afroman songs during our observation. His
laid-back attitude made it easy to browse the store without feeling rushed or pushed to buy
anything. He made some suggestions as to which incense he liked best, which was “Amber.”
He answered a phone during the observation. He was asking the person on the other
line, “Are you ok? Seriously are you ok?” After a short pause he chuckled and said, “Don’t
fuck with me like that!” Hearing an employee use what is often considered derogatory
language definitely solidified that the environment’s counter-normative style. By counternormative, we mean that the establishment varied greatly from the “norms” and practices
of most other retail establishments. They do not seem overly concerned with the sell-sellsell attitude that has overwhelmed so much of our capitalistic society. The informality of
this Mellow Mood is undeniable; we also noticed this informality at Discontent and the
other Mellow Mood location.
Customers
Two young men were leaving as the observation began. They looked as though they
were in the “stoner” or “emo” crowd and appeared to be barely out of high school. The
smaller of the two was carrying a newly purchased hookah. They spoke softly but as they
got into their vehicle I heard the smaller male say to his friend, “That place is like a stoner’s
paradise, man.” Soon after entering the store, another customer walked in. He was a tall
man, approximately 35 years old, wearing a bucket hat over his dark hair. His skin and
features appeared to match those of Middle Eastern heritage. He made small talk with the
employee about the cold weather and the music playing in the store. The employee
explained that the Afroman station was the best one on Pandora. The customer laughed
and agreed.
Mellow Mood (409 Main Ave)
Employees
There were all Caucasian male employees during our observation. Two men behind
the counter appeared to be very average looking college students. They wore plain t-shirts
and jeans and looked as though they were between the ages of 20 and 25. Another male sat
on big pillows behind the counter and played invisible drums along with the music in the
store. He had a long dark beard and disheveled brown hair. At first it was unclear whether
he was an employee or a friend of an employee but it became clear throughout the
observation that he too worked for Mellow Mood.
Customers
One middle aged Caucasian man stood at the counter for the majority of our
observation, asking a variety of questions about the water bongs. He was not in any way a
“stoner” type. He looked like he could be your average soccer dad or teacher. Two
Caucasian women in their early 20s also meandered around the store, commenting on the
various products and smelling incense. Both wore bohemian, hippie clothing. One was
wearing a patchwork skirt and a long brown shirt. The other was wearing a very unique
dress, with big pockets and a big seemingly handmade necklace. Two black males entered
the store and went directly to the front counter. Both men did some sort of friendly
handshake and pat on the back with one of the employees, making it obvious that they
knew each other fairly well.
Discontent (815 Main Ave)
Employees
There were three employees during our observation. All three employees were
Caucasian. The male employee had shaggy dark hair and gauged ears. His clothes were very
plain – no logos or brand names that were noticeable. He seemed to be running over
paperwork or reading a paper for much of our observation. The female employee in the
front of the store had dyed red hair, trendy glasses, and piercings. She wore a tight, longsleeved polka dotted shirt. For most of our observation, she talked with a customer about a
brand of pipes that were no longer sold at Discontent. She expressed her disappointment
stating that, “The new ones just aren’t the same.” The conversation was very informal. It
seemed as though she and the customer were acquaintances or even friends. The female
employee in the back, with the costumes, stood behind a small counter texting, looking up
every now and then to observe the customers. She had long dark hair, pale skin, and heavy
dark eye shadow. Her style could be called “emo.”
Customers
In the front of the store, two Caucasian women in their early 40s browsed through
the clothing and incense. They made comments about how cool the store was and how
they’d never seen anything like it. They complimented the employees on their helpfulness
before leaving. Three athletic looking college-aged girls also looked around the front of the
store. They seemed to be looking for something in particular and left without buying
anything.
In the back of the store, in the Halloween section, a group of three browsed through
costumes. The only male in the group, a heavier set Caucasian man with dark hair and a lip
piercing, commented on how “slutty” all the costumes were. He laughed and added, “Not
that I mind.” The two young women he was with could easily be categorized as “emo” or
“goth.” They spoke and laughed loudly. At one point one of the women put on fairy wings
and chased the other around the store. The group of three was extremely playful, perhaps
to a point that it could be seen as immature or annoying. Another woman, appearing to be
separate from the group, was about 30 years old, Caucasian, and wore a plain blue jacket
and khaki pants. She appeared to be dressed more “professionally” than a lot of the other
customers. She browsed through some of the costumes for a few minutes before exiting out
the side door without a purchase.
The “Feel”
The feel of each of the shops varied greatly. The first Mellow Mood was very small
and dingy. There is a lack of light, and the wood appears to be very aged. The paintings on
the walls made it feel as though you’d just joined Alice down the rabbit hole on your way to
Wonderland.
The second Mellow Mood was much more laid back. With the trees walking around
and reggae music playing over the sound system, everything was peaceful. The employees
were all very laid back. The atmosphere was very open to those who were not experienced
in the subculture but were merely curious. It’s also much less strict as patrons could be on
their phones within the facility. This Mellow Mood also had the largest selection of pipes,
(bowls).
Discontent had the greatest diversity in their selection of products. They had
Halloween costumes, piercings, incense, bowls, water pipes, bats, dugouts, beads,
vaporizers, safes, clothes, and so much more! They had a more rigorous set of rules, such as
not talking on cell phones, but clearly listed their reasoning for having such rules. The
merchants at Discontent had heavy metal playing over the loud speaker. Though
Discontent sells products that are considered deviant and “non-conformist,” there still
seemed to be a sense of conformity within the environment. It could have been the heavy
metal, the clerk eyeing those who looked out of place suspiciously, or the vigilance in
enforcing the rules generated this feeling.
Limitations
Time was what we saw as our greatest limitation in this research. Both researchers
visited the shops individually. We compared our results to form our ethnography. Most of
our research was conducted either before noon or between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m.,
which in and of itself is a limitation. These hours do not represent the entire population of
customers or workers. The kind of customers shopping at Mellow Mood or Discontent
during these hours are undoubtedly different from those shopping during their lunch break
or just before close. Our own personal schedules were most definitely a limitation in our
research. Although we were able to gather an adequate amount of information to create
this mini-ethnography, we admit it would require much more information in order to
produce a publishable ethnography of any kind.
Conclusions
The Discontent and Mellow Mood stores in Moorhead, Minnesota served as
wonderful environments for sociological research. Although the three establishments sell
the same types of products, they are not necessarily directed at the same people. We
concluded that Discontent markets itself more towards the “emo” and “punk rock” crowd,
the type of women in fishnets and the men in wear skinny jeans. Both Mellow Mood stores,
on the other hand, seem to target the long boarding, weed loving “stoner” crowd. These are,
of course, generalizations and there is certainly a diverse customer base at each of the
stores. The limited time and consequently limited information we were able to gather in a
week’s time could be much expanded and perfected with more opportunities for
observation. While in these stores, the undeniable informality and counter-normative
elements create a unique environment for analysis.
Jennifer’s Field Notes (Morning)
Mellow Moods I
Very relaxed setting
Attendant requested I.D. immediately
2 customers in store conversing w/ attendant
- One androgynous individual w/pale skin, dreadlocks & baggy clothes
- Second was a female, also pale skin, with long straggly hair on top of head
-- Talking about a wedding or some formal event -- the female with the dark
hair
talking about invitations and food – informal, suggesting they knew
each other
-- Could easily be described as hippies, unsure of economic
standing, no jewelry
Small shop, 10 X 20 maybe
Candles up front that were advertised to “mask odor” – mask what? Marijuana?
Various forms of incense: k2, haze, etc., also cigars, cigarettos, and rolling papers
Around the store are glass cases filled with bowls – all shapes and sizes
Far right wall – dugouts, bats, bongs, some candles
Western wall holds more bongs
The walls – all hand-painted, red and yellow, various characters and scenes
The female employee very friendly and bright
- about 5’3’’ wavy brown hair in a ponytail
- wearing a flowing pink and white dress with a tank top underneath
- bigger built, very busty, brown framed glasses around green eyes
- possibly overly helpful, insisted on talking to me
Mellow Moods II
Male attendant,
- golden brown hair tied back in a ponytail, blue-green eyes, beige skin, warm
- asked for ID and seemed very genuine when offering his help
Much larger setting, roughly the size of our Qualitative Methods classroom
- again the boundary glass cases were present
Large glass storefront facing east, glass painted up, ad for 50% off sale
First glass case full of dugouts, bats, jars, and safes
Second full of k2, haze, and other alternatives plus tobacco, cigars, cigarettos
Rest of the glass cases full of every size and shape bowl imaginable
- directly in front of the cash register were two shaped like little bulldogs
Northernmost wall covered in glass cabinets – more expensive larger bongs,
hookahs
On top of cabinets -- smaller less expensive hookahs
West wall full of bongs of all shapes and sizes
- one that stuck out was on the middle shelf at the end of the row, robin egg
blue
and looked more like a tear drop than an actual bong
Middle of the store – large circular display of incense
Group of 4 customers upon arrival, southwestern corner looking at various bowls
3 were male and 1 was female
Later noticed it was two separate groups of two
Only female was on her cell phone describing snail shaped bowl
- said she’d send them pictures
- dark hair pulled to the back of her head, tanning bed skin, 5’9’’
- wearing dark blue jeans
- appeared to be a ‘partier’
- middle class or upper middle class.
She was with a male
- blue flannel shirt and blue jeans, also of the partying scene
- both appeared to be college students
- looked as if they’d had a long night of drinking and smoking
Other two males dressed in darker clothing, wearing hoodies and jeans
- one wearing a black cap
- both looked too young to be in there, high school aged
- could have been labeled potheads very easily
- conversation revolved around which bowl they liked best
The individuals in both groups stayed very close to one another and talked
very
quietly to one another – hard to hear what they were talking about.
- Also suggests they were not buying these products to use for their
intended purposes
Another group of three arrived
- Older woman, mid forties, curly dark hair down to her waist,
carrying an
interesting purple bag with a black design, skin and features
Caucasian
with a hint of that tan, her skin wrinkled, weathered
look of leather
- Looked at the dugouts and alternatives, other two told her they were
going to go look at the bowls and bongs
- Male with her was in his early twenties, tan skin suggesting he was
of
mixed descent, possibly Hispanic, wearing a gray hoodie, blue
jeans
- Female with them was striking in appearance, red hair -- obviously
dyed,
very young (15 or 16) but must be 18 to enter, flair leg jeans and a
pair
of converse, plain t-shirt, shoulders hunched over – shy, soft
spoken,
very pale.
- The 3 looking at blue hookah, older woman had very light
personality,
$400.00 wasn’t
thing?” –cough cough—
laughing and joking. She commented that the price of
bad, “Can you imagine taking a hit off that
Discontent
Two employees – both helping a customer close to the register
Male: approximately 5’8’’, hipster looking, skinny jeans, flannel long sleeved
shirt, short hair on the sides but longer in the middle – spiked up in the
middle of
his forehead, Caucasian features and skin, brown eyes, pieced
eyebrow and lip
Female: short, 5’1’’ or 5’2’’, blonde hair dyed pink, striking brown eyes,
moderate build and dressed in bohemian fashion
Line of customers
2 Caucasians, one male and one female, male much taller than the female
Male: dark hair, lanky features
Female: tiny build, very bohemian clothing
1 African American customer, tiny corn row braids, golden yellow jacket and
a red striped shirt underneath, baggy jeans – “urban”
3 patrons we had seen before – the older female and younger male and
female
from Mellow Mood II
2 males arrived
1 Caucasian, very average college student
Another Caucasian, “frat boy” type with backwards upside down visor,
blonde, blue eyes, white polo, khakis, ears pierced
1 male and 1 female together
Male got into trouble for being on the phone
Caucasian, dressed plainly
Lauren’s Field Notes (Evening)
Discontent
Three sections
First – glass cases full of bongs, pipes, hookahs, etc.
Middle – purses, bags, piercing area in a small room
Back – Halloween costumes and accessories
3 employees – all white
Male: scraggly, gauged ears  busy
Female I: dyed red hair, piercings
Female II: uninterested, pale, “emo”
Customers
2 older women, “mom” type  “what a cool store”
3 athletic girls browsing
3 immature younger people (2 girls, 1 guy) commented on “slutty” costumes
Mellow Mood I
1 employee
30ish years old, red frizzy hair in ponytail, facial hair, glasses, blue plaid,
jeans
Sang along to Afroman and Notorious B.I.G loved Amber incense
Conversation on the phone, said “fuck”
Customers
2 young guys bought a hookah
“That place is like a stoner’s paradise, man” as they were leaving
1 man, 35ish years old, alone, bucket hat, Middle Eastern perhaps
Made small talk, Pandora “Afroman station is the best”
Mellow Mood II
2 male employees
Very average looking guys for Moorhead, jeans and t-shirts
Another male playing invisible drums
maybe employee, then for sure employee
Customers
1 man – soccer dad type, asking questions at front desk
2 young white females – around 20, hippie types
One with patchwork skirt, other with big pocket dress, handmade
jewelry
2 black males came in  handshake as if they knew the employees