Absolutely awful experience.
My group of five stopped into Big Trees Market while on vacation to grab groceries, drinks, and supplies for our trip. We also had one bottle of alcohol in our cart. While shopping, we briefly ran into a couple we know from our hometown who also happened to be vacationing in Arnold. We exchanged a quick hello, went our separate ways, and each continued shopping.
At checkout, the cashier, CJ (the woman with the pixie haircut and pins), asked every single person in our group for ID. We happily handed over all five valid IDs. Instead of completing the transaction, she looked across the store, asked another cashier if the couple we had spoken to had been ID'd, and announced, "I saw them together."
We repeatedly explained that they were not with us. They weren't part of our purchase, weren't paying with us, and had absolutely nothing to do with our transaction. She refused to listen.
The couple even tried to explain the situation themselves. The man offered to show his ID, and they both made it clear they were shopping separately. The woman didn't have her ID because she wasn't buying alcohol and wasn't involved in our purchase. None of that mattered.
The most disappointing part wasn't even the refusal to sell the alcohol--it was the way we were treated. Instead of handling the situation professionally, she raised her voice, argued with us across the checkout area, and turned what should have been a simple transaction into a public spectacle. When the woman from the other couple calmly tried to explain that we weren't together and asked CJ not to be so rude, CJ snapped back, saying, "We're not doing this today," while continuing to raise her voice. It was unnecessarily confrontational and incredibly embarrassing for everyone involved.
Then, after making a scene, she casually told us she could still ring up the rest of our groceries. At that point, why would we give our business to a store that had just treated us like that? We left everything behind and took our money elsewhere.
I fully understand that employees have to follow California liquor laws. Nobody was asking her to break the rules. What was unacceptable was the attitude, the assumptions, the complete unwillingness to listen, and the lack of basic customer service. There is a huge difference between enforcing policy and treating customers with respect.
After leaving, we noticed other reviews mentioning similar experiences, which makes this seem less like a one-time misunderstanding and more like a pattern. That's concerning.
Arnold is a vacation town. Visitors come here to enjoy themselves, support local businesses, and have a good time--not to be publicly embarrassed over a single bottle of alcohol after every member of their actual group provided valid identification.
This was, without question, one of the worst customer service experiences I've had at any grocery store. We won't be returning, and I certainly wouldn't recommend this place to anyone expecting to be treated with basic courtesy and respect. read more