I am a huge Samsonite fan. The luggage that I brought with me on this trip is a Samsonite and is probably two decades old. The fabric has seen better days, as has its handle. It has been replaced with, you guessed it, another Samsonite luggage.
I am in search of a carry-on, rolling computer bag. My trusty one that I have been using for a decade no longer fits in the overhead compartment on Air Canada's aircraft travelling to and from the States. I need something smaller, but I am perfectly fine using my backpack these days.
I saw this Samsonite store at Eagan Outlet Mall. I had never stepped foot in it. I decided to pay it a visit.
I walked in and a European-designed set of luggage greeted me. The small one looked adorable. I rolled it around and it was incredibly lightweight that required little effort to move it.
A man approached me and asked if I had any questions. I launched into one. I was looking for a computer rolling bag and wondered if he had any.
He had two and led me over to them. One had two wheels and was rather large. The other was smaller with four wheels. I loved the smaller one more.
His counterpart, who is his manager, pointed out some bags that were designed for women and had wheels. He showed one of them and it looked hideous. It looked like a handbag on steroids with two wheels.
What caught my attention were the travel accessories. I liked the Disney tags and got a Minnie Mouse one. I also got a spinner strap that clips on to your luggage and secures your second bag.
The best part of this visit was the conversation. The man asked where I was from. I said Toronto. It was interesting that the woman couldn't tell whether I was Canadian or American. She asked. I said the former.
I have always felt that it's straightforward figuring out that I'm Canadian. I don't talk like a Minnesotan unless I am mimicking it. However, I am so comfortable being in this state because I used to live here. I can see why she couldn't tell.
I let them know that I used to live in Rochester, which made both of them open up. They both live in Rochester. The woman used to live across from where I used to work. The man lived in Owatonna before settling in Rochester. I don't find it weird driving an hour between Rochester and Eagan for work. It's similar to my driving between Markham and Mississauga for work before the pandemic.
Perhaps as I get older, connections with and stories from people make me happy. I enjoyed hearing how she and her then boyfriend drove from Rochester to Niagara Falls for the first time. She loved the charm of that city, but her cheap boyfriend found the food at McDonald's so expensive.
"Are you still with him?" I asked her.
"Unfortunately, yes, depending on your point of view," she said.
We all cracked up!
If you check in on the Yelp app and you spend $200 or more, you get $20 off. That's not bad if you get the largest piece of luggage in the store. Everything was discounted, including the two accessories that I was purchasing.
I paid using a credit card. Their payment kiosk accepts tap, swipe, and chip insertion. I did tap and it works fine.
They both let me know that they expect more roller computer bags down the road. Due to supply chain issues, there is a delay. I was okay with it and thanked them both for showing me what they have.
There is more selection at this store than at the ones that I have frequented in Canada. They were happy to hear it.
The woman told me to stay warm, as the Twin Cities is currently going through a cold snap. The man said that it's probably warmer in Toronto, but the weather right now is comparable to Winnipeg. I let him know that I used to live in Winnipeg. It was where I learned how to plug in my car on cold nights, which made them both laugh and appreciate that I am a fairly well-travelled person.
I appreciated that he used to work at FedEx and knew that Canada has postal codes. I signed up to be on Samsonite's mailing list, so he made sure that he didn't ask me for my ZIP code.
I was pleased with my cool purchases and how friendly both staff members were. I had an enjoyable shopping experience and chat. I'd return again in hopes of finding a decent computer bag with spinner wheels.
(492) read more