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TO : MS Anita Elliott, Senior Vice President

MR. Gregory Sparks, Executive Vice President, Store Operations

MS Elliott & Mr. Sparks:

This evening I had the unpleasant and unfortunate experience to have entered your store on Independence Blvd (store 11951, I believe) and to encounter two of your African-American employees who clearly have not a brain to share between the two of them when it comes to logic and reason.

I was advised by "Candice" that she was, in fact, the manager of this store. Apparently her hire was not based on any ability to use common sense. Really poor choice to place in a management capacity. Frankly, what I am about to tell you is. I believe, a reflection of this woman's character and not, in fact, a desire to adhere adamantly to store policies, a further admonition that she was hired in any position of authority.

Even sadder, I got the feeling that she and her employee, Sonya, were quite enjoying my discomfiture perhaps because I'm white or elderly. I would venture to say the major demographic of customers in this particular store is African-American. I felt a definite "anti-something" vibe as this transaction progressed; whether it was racial or age-related I couldn't say for certain. I particularly regret to say that as a civil rights worker in the 60s and 70s who recognizes prejudice when I see it, even when I can't parse it exactly to tell what it is that these--children to me--had against me as an elderly white woman. But the subtle antagonism was there.

Here is exactly what transpired:

At about 8:15 PM this evening, September 4, 2014, I stopped in the store to purchase a box of e-cigarette cartridges after stopping at the WalMart next door for prescriptions and to do some quick grocery shopping. "Candice" was at the register, and she got the cartridges from the display and then said she needed to see my ID. I had left my wallet on the coffee table and had only my card holder with me--debit/credit. MEDICARE membership ID, SILVER SNEAKERS gym membership card, etc. No driver's license on me.

I joked with them that it was pretty evident that I wasn't anywhere near 21 years old, so I didn't think there was a real problem there.

I am 66 years old. It's evident to any sighted and thinking person that I will never ever see 40 again, much less 21.

She said, " Store policy is to require a picture ID," grinning fatuously.

I said, "seriously?" And I looked through my card carrier on the outside chance that I might have put my driver's license in it. But unfortunately, it was right where I'd left it -- in my wallet on the coffee table a t home. I offered to show her my MEDICARE insurance card, (which name would have matched all the other cards I carried--about 8 or so), my SILVER SNEAKERS gym membership card, but she insisted I had to have a driver's license.

Well aside from appearing *** and utterly without a logical brain cell, Candice continued to appear quite delighted to be able to refuse to sell me the cartridges--her nasty grin never left her face during our entire interaction. As I said, she delivered that statement with a large, satisfied grin stretching across her face. Not an "I'm sorry" or expressing any regret whatsoever. As a matter of fact, she seemed to be enjoying it immensely that I was upset and, yes, I admit it, angry at both the ridiculous adherence to a policy not to sell to minors which clearly did not apply to the situation at hand.

If you even care at all about what happened next, you can call me. Otherwise I will assume that her management style is of the trickle-down variety.

There are a lot of people of ALL races and ages in this changing economy of ours

who are finding themselves in financial straits and turning to the smaller box vendors to help make ends meet. If you are hiring personnel who cannot relate to this varied customer base as it changes and your company insists on hiring people who cannot make reasonable judgment calls in situations such as these, then your DG stores AND your soon to be acquired Family Dollar Stores will miss out on a lot of revenue from people like me.

Your regional manager, Ken Chisholm, has made FOUR mistakes in my opinion. Hiring this woman as a manager was one; hiring her employee Sonya was the second; not doing everything he could to retain the Asian gentleman who was the excellent manager of the store at Sharon Amity and Albemarle Rd. in Charlotte was the third; and finally, NOT explaining to all his managers that there are exceptions to EVERY rule involving customer service when common sense overrides the logic behind the rule.

"*** is as *** does" as Forrest Gump said, and I'm beginning to wonder who hired Mr Chisholm.

Barbara Fann

Reason of review: Poor customer service.

Monetary Loss: $1.

Preferred solution: Let the company propose a solution.

Location: Stallings, North Carolina

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Guest

What a racist pig you are. Any sensible employee would check for a valid ID if it is store policy, which is true in most stores.

Maybe next time have your nursing home stick it in your high water pants for you since you are unable to do what everyone else does on a daily basis.

I've never gone without my license, it's just common sense!! ;)

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-866005

Racist pig? lol.

I suspect you can't read very well. Please note that I was a working affiliate of the Black Panthers back in the day...and I'm white :) You have no idea what fighting against racism was back in that time frame. That's easily discernible.

AGE-ism seems to leak from YOUR words, btw.

I stated the facts as I experienced them. You weren't there. You don't know what transpired. Just because you don't think such behavior was racist or age-ist don't make it so, dear.

;> Racism goes both ways. Age-ism, too, for that matter.

As for other stores requiring a senior citizen to be carded for tobacco products? I challenge you to give one single example. Just one.

other.

store.

As a matter of fact, I went into a store just today and got the product I went for without a problem OR showing my ID. All I had to do was pay for them, thank the woman and say have a nice day :)

Now THAT's customer service with a serving of common sense.

Now you have a nice day, y'hear?

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-866509

Just to let anyone who reads this know that I am an assistant manager at a dollar general for 1.5 years and it is our corporate policy to card every single person every single time for both tobacco and alcohol purchases. I have the privilege to card a 93 year young woman 3x a week every week.

Every time I purchase a pack of cigarettes for myself I must show my id to my cashiers. It's our policy and we can lose our jobs if we are caught not carding anyone at anytime!

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