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Say it ain't so, Calandro's (BR). Amid charges of racism, "We messed up big time." - Pg.18
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:33 pm
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:33 pm
quote:
Calandro’s Supermarket is apologizing on Facebook for a June 25 incident in which a customer was accused of shoplifting at the Mid City store and banned for life from the Government Street establishment after bringing her own recycled shopping bag into the store and filling it with groceries.
The incident, which went viral on social media after the woman posted about it, has caused a stir among some Calandro’s customers and raised allegations of racism against the 75-year-old neighborhood institution. The woman, Lani Gholston, is black.
quote:
In her original post, Gholston says she was accused of “putting two pieces of meat in her purse” after bringing a Trader Joe’s shopping bag into the store, which she says she has done countless times before.
“When accosted by ‘security’ I showed him the entire bag of groceries and asked how could I be stealing if I’m in the very back and haven’t even tried to leave and have a whole bag of groceries,” her post reads. “He said I could dump everything or else, or get beat by police.”
quote:
The incident underscores the changing dynamics in Mid City, a neighborhood that is increasingly populated by millennials, progressive and political moderates, and liberals, whose values of tolerance and inclusion appear at odds with a longtime neighborhood institution that critics say has few African American employees in the front of the store and doesn’t accept EBT cards.
In response to Calandro’s online apology today, several critics posted that they appreciate the company’s admission of culpability but they question whether the store is really willing to change.
“Will you allow EBT?” posted one Facebook customer.
“Will you allow people of color to work as cashiers?” asked another.
quote:
Blaise “Trey” Calandro III says the incident has been an important teaching moment for the store and that the family-owned business will do some soul searching and revisit some of its longstanding policies, including whether to accept food stamps.
quote:
Gholston says when she reached the front of the store, she was told she was banned for life. In a subsequent post on June 30, she thanks the nearly 200 followers who responded to her initial post and acknowledged the Calandro family has reached out to her.
“I sincerely hope that from this will spring meaningful opportunities to discuss and engage as we move forward,” she writes.
Reached by phone today, Gholston declined to comment, saying she is still too emotionally distraught to discuss the matter.
Let's see ... she was able to initially discuss it on her Facebook wall but today, not so much. The mental anguish and trauma caused by all of this must have set in.
Full Story - BR Business Report
This post was edited on 7/10/17 at 8:23 pm
60
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:35 pm to Will Cover
I like how they have a sign on the front door that says they don't accept EBT cards.
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:36 pm to ellishughtiger
Plenty of places have this sign around town
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:37 pm to Will Cover
Even though, at that point where she was in her shopping, she wasn't technically stealing- she was. Who brings another store's bag to put groceries in BEFORE they even check out? She knew exactly what to say.
This post was edited on 7/6/17 at 5:38 pm
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:37 pm to Will Cover
I hope they continue to not take EBT cards. It's by far far the best place to shop in BR because of their refusal to take them. Go to wal mart or target.
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:38 pm to Will Cover
Regardless of her race, if it happened the way she described, then that's messed up.
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:38 pm to Will Cover
quote:
doesn’t accept EBT cards
You shouldn't be allowed to use food stamps at higher end grocery stores anyway
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:41 pm to Will Cover
quote:
“He said I could dump everything or else, or get beat by police.”
I'm sure that's exactly what he said
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:42 pm to Will Cover
quote:
“Will you allow people of color to work as cashiers?” asked another.
i swear the last time i was in there i had a black female cashier.
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:43 pm to Will Cover
So now it's racist if you don't accept EBT cards?? The word racism means absolutely nothing nowadays.
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:44 pm to Will Cover
So she bought veggies, cheese and baking soda and THEN went into the meat section? Why not just pay for everything at once? Of course she had intentions of stealing.
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:45 pm to Will Cover
quote:
Dear Friends,
On June 25, one of our customers posted on social media about treatment she received at our Mid-City store. We have investigated this incident, taken employee statements, watched security camera footage, and have now concluded that there is no excuse for how we handled this incident. We have apologized directly to that customer, and we are apologizing now to the entire Baton Rouge community. The way our organization - staff and management - responded does not reflect our values. We especially treasure the diversity of the Mid-City community, and we want all our customers to feel welcome. We have addressed this incident with our staff and we have already begun making changes to ensure that nothing like this ever occurs again.
I personally appreciate this customer, along with others in our community, for bringing this to our attention because it gives us a chance to rectify it with her and to take a serious look at ourselves and determine where we need to improve. One of the things that we have learned from being in business for 76 years is that there is always something to learn. We pledge that we are redoubling our efforts to ensure that every Calandro’s customer is treated with the utmost dignity and respect. We are excited about the changes that are occurring in Mid-City and we pride ourselves in being a part of those changes in all the best ways.
Sincerely,
Blaise Calandro, Jr.
President/CEO/Owner
Calandro's Supermarket
quote:
Will you allow people of color to work as cashiers?
quote:
Allowing food stamps would convince me that you really share my values and want customers to feel welcome.
quote:
Well said but it is late, Not fatally late. I will give y'all another chance. Accepting EBT cards would go a long way to show that you do respect the entire community
quote:
Thank you for addressing these concerns. I am curious, were cashiers encouraged to remind customers like me that you don't accept food stamps or do they take it upon themselves to point this out? I enjoyed shopping with you years ago, but a safe environment is important to me. Please know I have an open mind and will be listening.
quote:
Or if you don't accept EBT, tell us why not?
quote:
Really want to know the answer to this one before I can shop there again. I live two blocks from your mid city location. Happy to travel further for overpriced, mediocre produce if this isn't answered. Were any of the employees involved terminated or punished? We need more info. This kind of half way apology just keeps the story going and makes people angrier. With good cause.
quote:
When you say you are committed to treating every customer with dignity and respect do you also include customers on food stamps?
I live a couple of blocks away from a Calandros. I want to support you. I want to be excited about your store, but I always feel uncomfortable shopping there. Knowing that if I was poor, I wouldn't be welcomed doesn't feel right to me.
Let's be frank, the stereotype is that black people are on food stamps (we know that the majority of food stamp recipients are white). Not accepting food stamps is a not so subtle cue to your employees that black people aren't welcomed at your store.
Do you plan to address these systemic ways Calandros discriminates/excludes, or do you merely plan to address grievances individual by individual?
I don't mean to sound flippant or hyperbolic. I want to do my shopping exclusively at a local store. I want to support you. But until I know that I'd be just as welcome if I was black, I'm not going to be able to.
quote:
Why don't you mention racism in your statement?
Apparently someone was threatened?
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:46 pm to Will Cover
A quick perusal of the facebook post indicates the usual agitators at work.
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:47 pm to Will Cover
quote:
In response to Calandro’s online apology today, several critics posted that they appreciate the company’s admission of culpability but they question whether the store is really willing to change.
“Will you allow EBT?” posted one Facebook customer.
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:48 pm to tduecen
That last "review" person looks very familiar. Was she a contestant on a game show? Did she win a prize and then just give it away?
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:49 pm to Will Cover
Calandros will lose more business than they gain if they accept EBT. Their shoppers hate that crap and the riff-raff that uses EBT (and it's not about race, is about class).
This post was edited on 7/6/17 at 5:50 pm
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:49 pm to Will Cover
You trying to replace Tangerine as the all time leader in race related posts?
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:49 pm to Will Cover
I went to law school with Lani.
#teamlani
#teamlani
Posted on 7/6/17 at 5:51 pm to tduecen
quote:
Let's be frank, the stereotype is that black people are on food stamps (we know that the majority of food stamp recipients are white). Not accepting food stamps is a not so subtle cue to your employees that black people aren't welcomed at your store.
I just peed myself laughing
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