[M TYPE X]

I take it there aren't any Meijer near Redford? Boycott the loser shopkeeper.

[jenijoy]

Originally Posted by kcam213

The owner of the store is not Islamic. Just because he came from the Middle East region, does not mean he follows Mohammad. He is Christian, as is his wife.

They have lived in this country since the 70's or earlier. My husband who is now in his LATE 40'S remember going to this man's store as a kid. He was always kind to him, and always kind to me and my daughter.

You all should be ashamed of yourselves for ASSUMING that this is a cultural or religious issue. STOP ASSUMING!

You are right. I shouldn't assume that he verbally attacked me do to my gender. It is just that I couldn't see any other reason for his behavior. REALLY!

I would never give any person a reason to speak to me that way. I was scared. He made me cry like a baby. I will never forget this incident for as long as I live.

For those of you who feel that he was in the right to treat a person like this, all I can say is how, would you feel?

With that being said, I would like to apologize to those of you who found yourselves offended. I only wanted to make others aware, not anger anyone. I am sorry.

(but I bet he isn't....)

[jenijoy]

Originally Posted by kcam213

I am sure the OP had a similar attitude as you are describing here, and had a major contribution to the "conflict" just as you are describing here.

Why would you intentionally go into the store attempting to aggravate someone you don't even know?

The economy is bad, and I am sure many business are just trying their best to stay afloat. If the merchant's charge make a <$10 purchase not profitable to the store owner, why does anyone have a problem with this.

Use cash, or keep it moving.

I will keep moving. And no, I didn't go into this store looking for a conflict. That is just silly. The economy is no excuse to treat someone like I was treated. I am sorry that this has offended you. And you are probably right that I should have just kept this incident to myself, I just felt so violated.

[jmlowman]

Originally Posted by kcam213

Fine,
if you are speaking of the shop owner requiring a minimum credit card purchase... that is one thing... although there are MANY MANY stores that have similar rules. But all these other stores are not on spotlight... why?

The only reason that merchants do this is that most consumers aren't aware of the prohibition of a minimum charge. If this particular owner has a problem with paying the charge, he should either raise his prices by the percentage he pays to the card issuer or shut up about it and go cash-only. In this economy no one wants to hear his problems.

I've always felt that it was in a merchant's best interests to take credit and debit cards to minimize the amount of cash on hand. I'm sure that robberies aren't uncommon.

[kcam213]

I agree with all statements that the store woner should not have a minimum for charges. I didnt' know this was against the rules for cc companies.
Your suggestion of raising the cost by the percentage he is charge is smart and he should do so.

I was offended by the tone this thread acquired about culture and racism and sexism. I felt compelled to defend the store owner who is not here to defend himself. He might have acted like an azz, -- I wasn't there; but not because he is arab or islamic (which he is not).

Read the posts... people were really taking an ugly tone. This war in the middle east and 9/11 is starting to errode our very values as Americans that we project as noble and admirable. The notion that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. I felt offended as an AMERICAN.

(I guess the patriotism of July 4 is coming out of me.)

[kcam213]

[quote=jenijoy;9443836]I will keep moving. And no, I didn't go into this store looking for a conflict. That is just silly. The economy is no excuse to treat someone like I was treated. I am sorry that this has offended you. And you are probably right that I should have just kept this incident to myself, I just felt so violated.[/QUOTE]

And if he treated you shabbily, you should feel violated... as a customer being mistreated by a store owner. Unless he actually said that you were immoral woman for being unescorted or something along those lines... all that talk about culture and gender was an assumption, not fact.

if I was verbally attack or got into any verbal disagreement with a store owner, I would take my business elsewhere. there are too many stores out here to be mistreated as a paying customer.