Shocked and Furious

Appearances can be deceiving. This looks like a jack-o-lantern platter that I got at a thrift store for $1.99. It is, but it's also a souvenir of a very negative thrifting experience, something that will remind me to never shop at a particular shop again.

If this post is visible, this means that my email to the overseeing organization has gone unanswered. Services to Enhance Potential (STEP) operates Tried and True Thrift Stores in Wayne and Southgate, MI and employs several adults with disabilities. It's a shop we supported and visited when we could, but not any longer - our last visit was, decidedly, our final one.

On Wednesday, August 24th, my husband and I visited the Tried and True thrift shop in Wayne, MI. On this visit, I didn't fine many items that I wanted, but I had to have the platter pictured here. While we were in the part of the store with the register, we witnessed an employee who appeared to be a manager of some kind berating the other staff. (When we discussed this incident in the car, I found that both my husband and I had determined at this point that we probably wouldn't return.)

A sweet young girl, A-- (name withheld for privacy), checked us out and asked the woman for help with a bag. The woman held open a bag and A-- tried to insert the plate we'd purchased; however, the plate was in a box with an open side and the plate slipped out and fell. The plate wasn't damaged, and we were not upset by this; however, the woman slapped her pretty hard on the shoulder and yelled at her, and I thought the girl was going to cry. We were kind of in shock, or I would have yelled at the manager, but all I could do was assure A-- that there was no harm done and everything was fine.

I beat up myself for awhile afterwards for not yelling at the manager, but later realized that if she would strike an employee in our presence, who knew what she'd do in retaliation after we were gone. Instead, as soon as we got home, I fired off an email to the address listed on their website. I'm writing this post on Friday, but am giving them until Wednesday to respond in some way. Since you're seeing this, they did not respond and I'm going to be taking steps to report this incident to whatever licensing board I can find.