Gilmore Girls: 10 Hidden Details You Never Noticed About Doose’s Market

In October of 2000, Gilmore Girls burst onto the screen on the then WB network. The show was quirky and original, with an instant cult fandom. Over its seven-season original run and again in the Netflix revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Doose’s Market was a mainstay.

Not only was it the place where all the Stars Hollow residents went to get their groceries, but the market was also where so many important things went down. From first kisses to shattering breakups and everything in between, some of the biggest fan-favorite moments happened in the very narrow aisles of the store. However, there were hidden details throughout the store that many people never noticed.

10 Lots Of Empty Spaces

When the shelves of Doose’s are shown, the eye may graze over the fact that there are many empty spaces throughout the store. This is obviously due to sponsors and props, certain placements. There is also likely camera work that had to be considered when placing background props.

Though unnoticed by all but the sharpest-eyed fans, the lack of product on shelves throughout the store bothered those that did see it. Taylor was not the kind of guy who would have allowed the smallest of empty spaces, let alone the ones that the audience can see in the background of many shots.

9 No Organizational System

As for the product that was on the shelf, the fact that there was no organization among the products the Doose’s was selling could have escaped the notice of most viewers but is noticed by those diehard fans on their tenth or so full series watch-through.

Quite aside from again not at all fitting in with the character of the store’s quirky and compulsive owner, Taylor, the fact that toilet paper was next to cookies in some shots or cans in another would be enough in a real store to drive the most laid-back shopper up a wall.

8 Exterior of Front Door Vs. Interior

Another small fact that many never noticed was that the front door of Doose’s often didn’t seem to match outside and in. When the front of the store is captured in shots, the front door is clearly full glass. However, when caught in the background of interior shots, the door often appeared to be a glass frosted window and the bottom half being wooden.

On a side note, the shade on the door would often not match from inside to outside, with it always completely rolled up from exterior views and half pulled down for interior ones. It also changes from black to white a lot.

7 Name Brand Or Off Brand

This entry also pertains to the product on the shelves of Doose’s. Even the smallest of stores in the tiniest towns tend to offer more than one option for a product, but not here. Though often unnoticed, there were not many selections within the store’s product – and it was either off-brand, imaginary companies for filler, or name brand products offered for sale.

Since they were sponsors, they were placed prominently with absolutely no competition, including fake off-brands. Not only was this fact amusing to those fans that did notice, but it is also another fact that doesn’t fit with Taylor’s character at all.

6 Kirk’s Many Positions

No person who remotely likes the show doesn’t love Kirk, portrayed brilliantly by Sean Gunn. Though it took a while for him to find his groove as the show’s weirdo in a town full of quirky citizens, he never really found his place at Doose’s.

Though no one could be surprised to see Kirk working at the store owned by his personal mentor, few people seemed to notice that his position constantly changed. He would be portrayed as an assistant manager or a cashier, depending on whatever the scene called for, with no real consistency.

5 Limited Inventory

Stars Hollow has a restaurant from just about any genre you can think of, which is amazing for such a small town. Being that the residents of Stars Hollow are all so devoted to each other, it seems strange to think that Doose’s Market is the place supplying all those restaurants.

Another thing that often went unnoticed about the product aside from the weird placement and little options was that it was a minimal amount of inventory, not only in the options offered but also in the quantity of the items offered.

4 Ads For Local Product Seem Selective

The outside of Doose’s Market looks like many real-world small mom and pop type businesses, with signs advertising not only the deals offered that day but the local product that the store carries.

Stars Hollow was chock full of many residents who would supply inventory to the store, from the original backyard farmers to Jackson, the resident produce man.  However, the signage that was on the front of the shop advertising local produce seemed very selective. Though often advertising Kirsten’s Eggs, there is never anything advertising Jackson’s produce or anything that every fan knows Kirk grew or raised.

3 No One Ever Seems To Just Shop

In a typical move portrayed on many shows, there is never anyone in the background simply shopping at Doose’s market. If someone is in the store, they are guaranteed to play a role in the scene eventually. No one in Stars Hollow ever seems just to shop.

Though the reasons for this are obvious, such as day rates for extras or background, cramped shooting area, etc., it is just one more tidbit that largely goes unnoticed. Once it is noticed, however, it is obvious in every other scene the audience sees in the market.

2 Only Ever See Men Working There

From Dean to Kirk to Taylor, only men are ever shown working at Doose’s Market. This is a fact that can go unnoticed by many, but when some do notice it, it is really mind-blowing.

Gilmore Girls is all about portraying different forms of strong, independent women. The fact that Doose’s only shows men working is a glaring turnaround to those viewers who do eventually suss it out. With a town full of so many strong and different female characters, a business that never portrays one working there seems more than a little out of place.

1 The Love Center

For a market owned by easily the least liked resident of Stars Hollow, Doose’s serves as the love center for many of the show’s most pivotal relationships. Doose’s is where Rory and Dean share their first kiss, Rory and Jess have their summer fling showdown, and Luke and Lorelai break up.

In those small aisles, so many things happen that will affect the show’s main characters, and the audiences are there for every minute of it. Even Ms. Patty gets in on the act with her infamous plums are better than sex line. With so much that happens to the characters within the walls of Doose’s, it’s easy to understand how so many things can go unnoticed, even over a seven-year run.

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