GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Social media can bring people together for any number of reasons— from what we love, to shared grievances.
One grievance in particular, a disdain for self-checkouts at the grocery store, has brought thousands around Grand Rapids together for a common cause.
A Facebook event though, called "Meijer's Self Checkout Employee Holiday Party," meant as a joke, had the potential to become very real.
Joel Oliver created the page getting so much attention over the last 11 days. He has a couple meme pages, Pure Memeigan and KalamazooMemes, dedicated to getting a laugh like this one.
"Like a lot of good ideas, I stole it," Joel explained. "I saw that people were making them for Kroger."
It's meant to honor the honorary Meijer "employees" who have to check out their own groceries. In other words, all of us.
"Self-checkout can be frustrating for a number of reasons," Joel said. "And you know, we could be frustrated and grit our teeth, or we could choose to laugh at it."
The event he created though has an actual time and place: 7 o'clock, Friday night at the Bridge Street Market on Seward in Grand Rapids. Many people who've been there call it the "classy Meijer."
The event even said food and drink will be provided.
What was meant as a joke became so much more.
"It's really taken off. It's got a life of its own," Joel added.
It's become a community of people behind their phones or computers, sharing in the lighthearted hate, connecting now over laughs, memes, and even AI created pictures.
Joel remarked, "You know, people need a laugh. Life can be kind of stressful, especially around the holidays. And I thought it was something to bring folks together."
While the hundreds of comments online are one thing, with so much interest, the law of averages would suggest someone's gonna show up. Joel didn't go but a few people actually did.
A source said Meijer brought in additional security, just in case. It turns out it wasn't needed as really only a few people went and mentioned the party to Meijer staff.
"I keep joking that anybody that's at the Bridge Street Market at that time is in attendance."
Joel does plan on doing good with the attention and will potentially turn another event like this next year into more than just laughs. He said may create a toy drive centered around the same idea, which he also saw someone else do.
We'll keep you updated.
