Chch sandwich board back on the shelf

A slice of Christchurch's long-running sandwich saga is up for grabs.

Embattled shoe-store owner Ben McEwin has given up all hope of sandwich-board success and is now selling his sign on Trade Me.

He first made headlines a week ago after two of his employees quit within days of each other, having suffered public abuse as sandwich-board wearers in central Christchurch.

A Christchurch 16-year-old, photographed by The Press staring at McEwin and the board, then snared the job.

Subsequent communication issues sent his career plans awry. Shane Sampson-Arps failed to turn up for his second day at work last Friday, and for a meeting scheduled for 10.30am yesterday to discuss shifts and punctuality with his boss.

Sampson-Arps said he turned up at 7.30am, which he thought was the time of the meeting, although the South City Mall, which houses Embrace Shoes, does not open until 9am.

McEwin said he was now selling the sandwich board online and engaging in other promotions.

He started the auction last night with a $1 opening price and no reserve. He had no idea how high bidding would go during the week-long auction, but he would donate 20 per cent of the winning bid to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"It's totally original, with one owner and one week old. Hardly been used," said McEwin of the board, which he bought for $180.

He was still surprised a sandwich board could attract criticism and abuse from some people.

"Basically, I've lost. It's obviously something that's a wee bit difficult for people to do in Christchurch," he said.

The store's new promotion would take a different form, with all to be revealed in central Christchurch on Thursday.

Sampson-Arps could yet be involved, McEwin said, if the two were able to sit down and discuss his position.

Sampson-Arps said last night he was open to the idea.

- © Fairfax NZ News