Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart

Mankato, MN

Reviewed August 18th, 2004

Remember those funky, round sinks they had when you were in kindergarten? It was circular, like a fish pond without the fish. It sprayed water from a dozen little jets like a shower just for your hands, and you operated it by pushing down with your foot on a bar near the floor. There were splash fights and the smell of industrial, pink soap and Elmer's Paste peeling off your hands. The water came in just one temperature: luke warm. Well, the fortress-like Mankato Wal-Mart has one of those except that the sink is shaped like undulating waves, not a fish pond, and there is no bar to push down on near the floor, but a motion detection device that activates when you place your hands underneath the faucet.

Unfortunately, the motion detection apparatus dampens an otherwise modern sink with visual appeal. In order to get the water to flow I had to wave my hands back and forth more vigorously than a grisly accident victim trying to flag down a cop on a lonely, rural stretch of highway. And even then, I was only treated to a three second burst of cold water. Now that I've had plenty of experience with these things, my verdict is this: motion detection is good for toilets, bad for sinks. With toilets, they keep you from having to touch anything and that's great. But when installed in sinks, motion detection devices manage to save management some money, but they deprive you of the ability to adequately wash your hands because they invariably turn off too quickly. And that turns me off.

Other than the sink, the restrooms did not contain much to shout about one way or another. Not too filthy, but not too clean either. Still, a welcome refuge from the dozens of watchful in-store security cameras, reminders of Wal-Mart's god-like presence in every aspect of our humble shopping experiences.

- Justin Teerlinck

RESTROOM RATING: 5
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