As a kid I was buying some mints and the casher asked if I have bad breath. Retailers do not know who you are buying for or why. Denture cream, condoms, formula, they should just look down and shut up.
The biggest bummer in my neighborhood was when the local Food4Less shut down. I loved that place! There were people in line from EVERY walk of life. A lot of middle class blue collar, lots of seniors and very young people, I was somewhat in the minority as being white collar middle class, but I'd see other people dressed business casual and no one ever made me feel out of place there. The checkout line was fantastic-- everyone was kidding around and cracking wise.
Once, I left an aluminum briefcase, which contained my laptop and confidential clinical notes, in a shopping cart, and didn't realize it until I got back home! Of course, the staff grabbed it and kept it locked in a safe place until I returned, about half an hour later. As soon as I walked through the door, they were smiling and saying, "Bet you were scared of losing this, huh?" I was! It was a very sketchy block.
I would NOT have ridden my bike there, no safe place to lock it and mostly what I bought was heavy items like fire logs and alcohol free beer, which were steeply discounted, so I would have needed a trailer or something to get home.
I always tried to have something nice or funny to say to the checkout folks. My best line was when I miscounted and put 13 items on the conveyor belt in the line for 12-items or less.
I admitted my mistake immediately. "I know, 13 items," I explained, sighing heavily. "My mama tried to raise me right, but I guess I was just born mean."
I got the cashier, and the whole line behind me, howling. Dang, I miss that place!