This probably wasn't in the news, but when I was in Cocoa Beach, FL back in June on vacation, I saw this. I was finishing my shopping for food at the Publix basically across the street from the C.B. Pier, and in walked an early 20-something wearing just her thong bottom and more or less modest triangle top -- nothing more. She walked through the entire store with her companions, nobody saying anything to her or bothering her, then she checked out and went back to the car with her companions. What an attitude she had to do that without worrying about what anybody would say...

She displayed courage and self-confidence. It helps to be seen as part of a group. If one group of friends accept you then to others you are not a problem, not a crazy lone wolf.

Oddly enough, when I googled "thong publix cocoa beach", it brought up this page from "Waking Up in Cocoa Beach" from August:

Link or

https://www.facebook.com/groups/320378801630023/posts/2947047148963162/

The picture is of a man wearing a thong:

Link or

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4499841913625114&set=p.4499841913625114&type=3

I would guess she wasn't barefoot in Publix? Publix has been known to enforce that rule- for sanitary reasons of course , though I've seen more than a few girls bareloot in Publix (what customers are walking on the food?) but at the same time there are numerous dogs in each store despite 4 ft signs saying NO DOGS. Wearing small suits as a group of girls helps them get a pass...don't think that would apply to guys in a group- maybe to group of guys and girls?

What possible sanitary reason might there be about being barefoot? And if there were one, why doesn't any health department in the US have a rule against it? (They don't.)

This is just a recurring myth from the 1960s when shop-owners were trying to keep "dirty hippies" out.

BTW, the "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service" sign is modeled after another sign of those times: "No Negroes, No Mexicans, No Dogs." Really.

If you work in the 'Yacht' industry it is normal for many of the Billionaires to require their crew to remove their shoes in the boat, to go barefoot, so is not to mark up the teak decks and fancy floorings.

Quite normal for the rule to be shoes on shore, barefoot on the boat. Bare feet are no more of a problem than bare hands, just wash them.

The tread on the bottom of your shoes is likely to track in sand, grit, gravel or dog shit. So crews on fancy yachts go barefoot, or wear special boat shoes when onboard that are not worn off the boat.

One reason stores may require shoes is that they are trying to limit their liability if(when) there is broken glass from a dropped bottle or jar. With many products going to plastic containers in order to save weight ,reduce transport breakage, and cut costs, this may help to reduce accidents.

Yes no barefeet was a way to keep poor black people out of a store in the 1800's. The broken glass issue is a real one but far fewer broken glass jars and bottles than 20+ years ago.