I have been living in the downtown area now for one year now. The closet convenience store to my apartment that sells ct lottery is this store. I have in my own experiences with various employees ( who happen to be all related), treated in a demeaning manner 75% of the time ( reason unknown to me). I am disabled so it is hard for me to go to the other stores further up the road. I have been yelled at that I’m not fast enough getting my money out when there’s only one customer behind me, I have been told I’m in the way with my walker when using it even though I had moved it out of the way so people can get by and I’ve been told on multiple occasions that the lottery machine is not working, so I walk out and see them service other customers lottery numbers after they told me the machine was broken. I was given a vehicle by my daughter so that I could drive to the 24 hour store on Atlantic St. as to avoid having to go to this store and suffer the anxiety and blatant discrimination that I receive when I go. Unfortunately, I do not have the vehicle anymore so because of my disability feel forced to go here to purchase my numbers, cigarettes and whatever other items I might need. Tonight because I directed a young man to a different store to go to because his milk he bought there was spoiled and the owner ( he claimed to be the owner) wouldn’t refund or give a new 1/2 gallon to him, I thought to help him out and obviously shouldn’t have because the “owner” had gotten belligerent with me, starting yelling at me not to tell his customers of their other options in the area etc.. to the point of I came out of character and ended up yelling back at him and was band from the store forever. Funny thing is it’s his lose every time I go to that store they are getting $20+ out of me and tonight would’ve been $60. I have been patronizing the store everyday for the past six months do to my disability with hesitation never knowing if they are going to be abusive to me or not. I’m not sure if it’s just me that this happens to, but I warn caution to anyone who is disabled, do to my experiences and I have lived in Stamford my whole life, had 3 family businesses and worked for the State of CT civil servant. I have never treated anyone with such disrespect and disregard especially disabled individuals. I myself have given extra help to accommodate people with disabilities as I know life in general is extra hard for them. Regardless of what your person opinion is of any individual when it comes to business and dealing with the public it doesn’t matter what the circumstances the customer should always be right and it’s not as if I was complaining about anything in the first place. To sum it up this man banned a customer that spends at the least $20 a day in his store and the most upwards of $60+ for a $4, 1/2 gallon of milk? Hmmm, that is not good business and I felt that people should know what I’ve been going through at this store over the past year because of it. Will I let Karma take care of this maybe, I’m deciding now if the ADA needs to be notified and the BBB! If anyone else has experienced the same treatment I would like to here from you please. The name is convenience and it is up until you walk inside and get treated as though you are less than human, therefore it is not a convenience it is walking into a demeaning and unpleasant store. ~NIcole
convenience store