USA: “Line Dudes” flip queuing right into a enterprise mannequin

Robert Samuel sits in a blue and yellow tent outdoors the 260 Pattern Sale retailer in New York Metropolis. A pattern sale by the style model L’Agence can be held right here at 11:00am. He’s the primary in an ever-growing queue. #LINEDUDES is written on the cap he can be sporting. His firm’s merchandise are “Identical Ole Line Dudes,” which loosely interprets to “the identical previous ‘snake guys’.”

He based an organization twelve years in the past. The idea is straightforward: clients pay him or his workers to face in a queue for them – typically even for days. In return, clients are on the entrance of the road at concert events, get a desk in a stylish restaurant or may be the primary to purchase at a sale.

Robert Samuel is ready about two hours for his buyer at this time to open the store. In comparison with different orders, that is not lengthy, says Samuel: “The longest ready time for an occasion in New York was for the musical Hamilton.

We waited as much as 4 days for our customers to see the present with the unique Broadway collection earlier than it ended.

Robert Samuel, founding father of the “Identical Ole Line Dudes”

Nonetheless, he additionally takes turns along with his colleagues throughout such ready instances. It’s not an issue to depart the road for a second to go to the bathroom or one thing to eat. The linemen speak to the folks round them, preserve lists and take footage to safe the place.

She is at the moment within the capital for every week. Shortly earlier than 11:00 am, she arrives in entrance of the store and provides Robert Samuel a protracted hug as a greeting. They’ve been working collectively for twelve years. “Robert could be very skilled and presents this service very effectively,” she enthuses. When she is in New York Metropolis, she would ebook him or his colleagues at the least as soon as every week. Robert Samuel often expenses $25 an hour – however pattern gross sales begin at $65. For Evee it is value it:

I do not need to waste my time ready in line. And I all the time need to be within the first line.

Evee, love the “Identical Ole Line Dudes”

Many individuals get to pay cash for this extra. Robert Samuel, then again, thinks it is honest: “If you consider the issues we pay folks for, all of the providers: we pay folks to take care of our canine, we pay folks to babysit to take care of our youngsters.” For Samuel, that is all the identical because the service he presents. “Why cannot we pay folks to face in line and maintain the road for them?”

Robert Samuel and Eve did the identical. In good spirits, she is now standing on the entrance of the queue with Cola Zero in a single hand and a cigarillo within the different. Evee does not even wait ten minutes for the store to open. With relaxation and leisure, she may be one of many first to purchase on the sale – already confused.

“They’re all rock stars,” Eve says. However she does not simply imply the male employees. Robert Samuel and his staff name themselves “Line Dudes”, however he clarifies: “It was ‘Line Dude’ as a result of it was simply me at first – but it surely’s not we discriminate in opposition to anybody. ‘Line Dudettes’ are much like them too. need to name your self.”