Not Thinking Outside The Box Store

(It is during my first couple of months at my job. I am doing a product demo in the health & beauty section of a box store, before they had upgraded it to a super store, so it isn’t that big. A Canadian couple look around, confused, and ask me for help.)

Man: “Excuse me, where in here is [Department Store]?”

Me: *thinking I have misread him* “Pardon?”

Man: “Can you tell me where the [Department Store] is located in here?”

Me: “Uh… sir, there’s no [Department Store] here.”

Woman: “But, why not?”

Me: “This isn’t a mall. [Box Store] is a store all on it’s own. You’ll want the mall that’s up the highway.”

(I try to give them directions.)

Man: *walks off, speaking to his wife* “But this store is so big! How was I to know?”