# Pointe, Centre, Grille, Theatre, Shoppe: KNOCK IT OFF!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 13, 2000, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058 "2000-09-13T18:34:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DavisMcDavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@DavisMcDavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavisMcDavis)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/21 "2000-09-14T16:49:05Z")
I fail to understand the substitution of “que” for the perfectly acceptly letter “K,” as in “Masque” and “cheque” - I mean, it looks a little more French that way, but is it actually a word in French? Anyone know? But worst of all is Shoppe. That’s the stupidest, without a doubt. Absolutely a waste of lettering, unless it’s pronounced “Shoppy.” Along the lines of false pretension, a friend of mine said that on some soap opera (One Life to Live, perhaps?) the “fancy” restaurant that all the people go to is named “Chez Vous,” which I think is hysterical. I don’t actually think it’s supposed to be funny, though… ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/22 "2000-09-14T17:01:13Z")
Obviously none of you have been to: Gross **e \*\* Point** e\*\* Michigan (or the two next to it which add either “Farms” or “woods” afterwards, altough NOT “farm **e** s” or “wood **e** s”) :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/23 "2000-09-14T17:06:35Z")
At work I had to deal with a shopping area (in the Washington, DC suburbs) called **“The Shoppes at Centre Pointe”** – a triple play of superfluous e’s. Made us all want to barf. Can anyone top this with a real place with four or more of these offenses in its name? (neuroman’s “Suzi’s All Nite EZ Drive Thru Olde Tyme Donut Shoppe” notwithstanding… is that a real place? I sure hope not. But I bet it would have really good doughnuts.) ---
**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/24 "2000-09-14T17:12:33Z")
wring-- I personally would give Grosse Pointe some slack because (if I’m not mistaken) it’s a French name (like many places in the Midwest that were explored by the French), and wasn’t given that name simply to give it a false air of sophistication. (“Gross Point” was probably never under consideration as a name.) ---
**Author:** ![wireless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@wireless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wireless)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/25 "2000-09-14T17:15:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wring \* > \*\*Obviously none of you have been to: > > Gross **e \*\* Point** e\*\* Michigan > > :rolleyes: \*\* Actually, this one seems pretty legit to me. It was actually named by the French (or their descendants), I believe, back when there were lots of French in the area. It is a descriptive name meaning, roughly, large point/peak. See [http://www.ci.grosse-pointe-woods.mi.us/history.html](http://www.ci.grosse-pointe-woods.mi.us/history.html) (Hard to believe I’m defending the French!) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/26 "2000-09-14T19:30:11Z")
Haus. To distinguish non-german establishments. In my fair city, we have the: Scan Haus (Swedish furniture) Lithohaus (printing company) Mail Haus (guess which printing company owns that one?) and the Cow Haus… not for cows. It’s a bar! ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/27 "2000-09-14T19:31:30Z")
Haus. To distinguish non-german establishments. In my fair city, we have the: Scan Haus (Swedish furniture) Lithohaus (printing company) Mail Haus (guess which printing company owns that one?) and the Cow Haus… not for cows. It’s a bar! ---
**Author:** ![stofsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@stofsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stofsky)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/28 "2000-09-14T21:27:09Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by wireless \* \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dijon Warlock \* > Yes, but we **DO** have to suffer their other pretention of Tall, Grande and [whatever they call the Large] instead of the straighforward Small, Medium, Large. > > (\*\* [another hijack] I went to Bojangles the other day, ordered a Southern Filet Biscuit, fries, and a small Coke (in this part of the country it’s always a coke, no matter what actual drink you want. They put 4 pounds of sugar in the tea too). The “young lady”–I avoid using “stupid twat”–at the counter said, “We don’t have a small drink. We have Medium, Large, and Jumbo.” Well, I was hungry, so I avoided the obvious “you can’t have a medium unless you have a small” thing, but Jesus Christ on a crutch, Mr. Fast Food Executive, get a grip. That’s just my opinion, but I’m pretty sure I’m right. Stof. [/another hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/29 "2000-09-15T03:08:22Z")
The frightening thing is that those peoples’ votes count. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/30 "2000-09-15T04:09:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Equally annoying to me are “Kuntry Kitchen” and similar pseudo-illiterate cutesy names. [Simpsons] “And now, it’s time for… _Krusty Komedy Klassics_!” “K-K-K?!? Ooooh, that ain’t good!!” [/Simpsons] ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/31 "2000-09-15T12:05:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wireless \* > And don’t even get me started on psedo-foreign names: > Le Restaurant > ACK! What? You haven’t been to The Casa De La Maison House? Wonderful place. Make sure to order the house house house salad. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/32 "2000-09-15T15:02:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by malden \* > At work I had to deal with a shopping area (in the Washington, DC suburbs) called **“The Shoppes at Centre Pointe”** – a triple play of superfluous e’s. Made us all want to barf. You have my sympathies. In England, when people go fishing, do they first stop at “Ye Olde Bayte Shoppe”? The Casa de la Maison House reminds me of The La Brea Tar Pits in L.A. Properly translated, it means “the the tar tar pits.” And Glendale means “valley valley.” ---
**Author:** ![ponch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@ponch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ponch)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/33 "2000-09-15T15:06:49Z")
Olde Georgetowne ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/34 "2000-09-15T15:26:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dijon Warlock \* > Yes, but we **DO** have to suffer their other pretention of Tall, Grande and [whatever they call the Large] instead of the straighforward Small, Medium, Large. > > [another hijack] > I went to Bojangles the other day, ordered a Southern Filet Biscuit, fries, and a small Coke (in this part of the country it’s always a coke, no matter what actual drink you want. They put 4 pounds of sugar in the tea too). The “young lady”–I avoid using “stupid twat”–at the counter said, “We don’t have a small drink. We have Medium, Large, and Jumbo.” %&#%&@#_#_@\*!!! I used to think Denis Leary was kidding. I walk into the Starbucks in Chapters over by Square One about a month ago and I ask the serving wench for a regular coffee. Honest to God, this happened. “We don’t have that size,” she says. I’m looking at the coffee sizes. There are four sizes of cups stacked right next to the cash, not counting the clear plastic cups they put the ice coffees in. My mind is telling me one must be regular. It was surreal; it was as if she was speaking Martian. I point at what appears to be the regular coffee. “Uh, I want, uh, like, a regular size, like, a medium, you know.” That was the best I could do. She says, “Our sizes are blah blah blah blah blah.” Two of them were “Tall” and “grandé” and I don’t remember the others. I say, “Uh, whichever means `medium’.” She starts in with “We don’t have that…” I interrupt, “Miss, I’m sure you’ve been to a Mcdonald’s or a movie theatre. If you have four drink sizes the internationally accepted terms for them are small, medium, large, and extra large. If you have three sizes there’s no extra large. If someone asks for a medium they mean the second largest drink. I’m sure you knew what I meant, so serve me my medium coffee, okay?” I got my coffee, but with lots of baditude. The other thing that drives me nuts about Starbucks [HIJACK] is that now when they serve you a Mucho Grande Coffee or whatever the Christ it is they say “Cheers!” It’s a breakfast drink. You don’t say “Bon Appetit!” when you hand someone a NutriGrain bar.[/HIJACK] [SUPERHIJACK] And has anyone ever notice nowadays that when you have to sign a bank slip or a credit card receipt they ask for your autograph? It’s a SIGNATURE, not an autograph. You’re not collecting it beause I’m a celebrity. [/SUPERHIJACK] ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/35 "2000-09-16T00:00:26Z")
I went to Burger King the other day for breakfast. I wanted a number 2 combo, but with a large drink. Thus, I ordered a “large-size” combo. Counter-lady tells me, “Ok, but our large drink comes in a medium cup.” Hello? What’s wrong with the large cup that you can’t use it for a large combo? Why not call it a medium combo? Large drink in a medium cup, my ass. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/36 "2000-09-16T00:20:48Z")
Well, since this threade has turned into a lovely but nonethelesse entertaining messe of hijackes, here’s mine: [hijacke] > [@](#): > > That’s just my opinion, but I’m pretty sure I’m right. stofsky, do you minde if I steal thatte for my sig? Or my siggue, if you prefer. [/hijacke] ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/37 "2000-09-16T05:42:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by divemaster \* > \*\*I went to Burger King the other day for breakfast. I wanted a number 2 combo, but with a large drink. Thus, I ordered a “large-size” combo. > > Counter-lady tells me, “Ok, but our large drink comes in a medium cup.” > > Hello? What’s wrong with the large cup that you can’t use it for a large combo? Why not call it a medium combo? > > Large drink in a medium cup, my ass. :rolleyes: \*\* I don’t get it. You got a large size drink in a medium container? Did they make you put your mouth under the dispenser to pour in what wouldn’t fit into the cup? ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/38 "2000-09-16T21:09:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Equally annoying to me are “Kuntry Kitchen” and similar pseudo-illiterate cutesy names Those bother me too, but I think I would make an exception for “Kuntry Kitchen”. Out of curiosity, if nothing else 😃 ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/39 "2000-09-16T23:17:19Z")
i did see the Dave Barry column that mentioned that tax for redundant or pointless e’s but i think it should be $75,000 per e. so "ye olde \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ shoppe would have to pay an extra $225,000 in taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058/40 "2000-09-17T00:27:22Z")
Here in Savannah, there’s a place called “L’il Chick”. It’s a hole-in-the wall fast food chicken place (no inside dining) and it’s run by a guy who ALWAYS wears one of the those “Johnny Rebel” caps with the Rebel flag on the brim and he has one of those “mountain man from the Oakridge Boys” beards. When he came to my sales office and told me who he was with, I said “What?” He says, “You know, L’il. It’s short for ‘little’. Where are you from, anyway?” I said, "I’ve lived here my entire life and have NEVER used the word ‘L’il’ although I knew it from “L’il Abner”. Also, on the OP, there was a local beauty shop called, “Ye Olde Beauty Shoppee”. Yes, it had TWO e’s on the end. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointe-centre-grille-theatre-shoppe-knock-it-off/33058.md?page=1)