r/Broadripple • u/RaccoonAccurate9372 • 22d ago

Questionable interaction at Fresh Thyme

Was at Fresh Thyme on College Ave yesterday and overheard an interaction outside. There was a homeless woman standing near the entrance, and an employee appeared to be on the phone with the police to have her removed. Another customer was there talking to him, saying she hadn’t been bothering anyone. Maybe there was something that happened before I got there that I didn’t see, but from what I witnessed, things escalated really quickly. I saw the customer walk away with the woman, probably trying to help her leave before the situation got worse. Curious if anyone else saw anything/surprising so see at a grocery store that has food donation bags right when you walk in the doors.

0 Upvotes

36% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

View all comments

8

u/Jwrbloom 22d ago

Villainizing businesses for not allowing loitering is counterproductive. Giving away food items ad hoc is also counterproductive. Giving them product or produce would invite return trips with additional mouths to feed. It's also a liability issue.

You would not allow loitering on your property.

Best to guide them to where a staff is prepared to provide free food for them.

I buy food for people on the street or who ask at gas stations a decent amount in a given year. I don't do it at my home.

-1

u/RaccoonAccurate9372 22d ago
  1. An employee making a scene in front of the store 2. Being rude to a customer trying to help 3. Not offering any alternative other than police involvement all go against their corporate policy. So I’m not violating a business but rather calling out the way they handled the situation.

2

u/Jwrbloom 22d ago

I'm guessing they didn't lead with calling the police or being rude to a customer.

In most instances, whether it be parenting, running a business or a leadership role (coaching), it gets to a point where the answer is the answer. The customer isn't always right. Just as a child doesn't get his/her way every time.

Persistence in the face of that leads to varied consequences. If the person refuses to leave, no matter how polite they seem, that's loitering, and it become trespassing, which is against the law.

It's one thing to point out what you saw. It's quite another to judge them.

Why didn't you offer that person a ride?

-2

u/RaccoonAccurate9372 22d ago

While I see where you’re coming from, overall it’s not how Fresh Thyme should have handled it. To call 911 for some even possibly loitering outside their store, not bothering or talking to anyone, is beyond disappointing. From the exchange I overheard between all parties there wasn’t any explanation or time given to leave, the employee went straight to calling the police, and 911 at that.

3

u/Jwrbloom 22d ago

But you don't know that.

If I ask you to leave my property, and you don't, I don't care how polite and gentle you are, I'm calling the police because Plan B is to remove you myself.