Louisville Magazine is Louisville's city magazine, covering Louisville people, lifestyles, politics, sports, restaurants, entertainment and homes. Includes a monthly calendar of events.
Issue link: https://loumag.epubxp.com/i/696273
LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 7.16 61 PEOPLE'S CHOICE LATIN AMERICAN/ MEXICAN RESTAURANT Havana Rumba El Mundo El Nopal MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT The Grape Leaf Shiraz Safer PIZZA Tony Boombozz Bearno's Wick's SUSHI Sapporo Oishii Sakura Blue FOOD TRUCK Longshot Lobsta Holy Molé Hi-Five Doughnuts BRUNCH Wild Eggs The Bristol Bar and Grille North End Cafe HAMBURGER > $10 Mussel & Burger Bar Grind Sidebar HAMBURGER < $10 Home Run Burgers W.W. Cousins Five Guys O Critic's Choice O PAUL WHEATLEY It's an ad. Just pre-recorded vocals pushing meat from tinny speakers hidden in the fuorescent ether. But Paul Wheatley's shopper announcements at the ValuMarket in Mid City Mall hit like quarters plunk-plunk-plunking into a piggy bank or the plastic crinkle of a popsicle shedding its packaging. They're just so darn joyful. Any frequent shopper of this ValuMarket knows the chipper tick of Wheatley's cadence, each word delivered like a lively little skip in the park — "Thank you for shopping YOUR Val-yoooou meat department!" That meat department is where the 53-year-old has worked for 26 years. He started writing and recording the sale announcements simply because, he says, "I was the only one that would do them back in the day." Aside from Wheatley's charming lilt that playfully tumbles from low to high and back to low, I appreciate the storytelling. Here's a classic: "Are you tired of the daily grind? Here at the Valu meat department, we love the daily grind. All our ground-beef products are fresh-ground daily here in the store for maximum freshness AND quality." Or here's one he rotates in come winter: "With a slight nip in the air…the Valu meat department has delicious roast, plenty of stew meat and bones for soup! Don't forget chili! Always a favorite on cool evenings." Wheatley says he's no good live, but hand him the black phone he records into and a script, and he's a dandy companion in the aisles. — Anne Marshall BEST "AT T E N T I O N , S H O P P E RS ! "