Turns out female manager kicks out women because she was talking to someone the manager had a crush on -- allegedly.
What kind of weirdo does that.
Overview::: I was deeply disappointment and emotional distress regarding my degrading treatment at Monte Cristo on Saturday, February 21, between approximately 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
I have been a loyal patron of Monte Cristo since its grand opening. Over the years, I have consistently supported your establishment and have never witnessed police being called on a patron, nor have I ever seen someone asked to leave without explanation.
Until this incident, I had always felt welcomed and valued in your space.
That evening, I arrived as I had many times before, made my usual rounds, greeting familiar faces, and was kindly given a complimentary drink at the bar. I then sat to enjoy the live band, cheering and discussing the music selections with another patron. While explaining something about pitch, I leaned closer so he could hear me over the music.
Suddenly, I heard Liz (female, short, manager) say that I was being "aggressive." I stood and calmly said "excuse me" to understand who was speaking to me, only to be told again that I was being aggressive. As a 5'11" Black woman, I am acutely aware of the harmful stereotype that labels Black women, particularly tall Black women, as inherently aggressive. Consciously attempting to counter that perception, I folded my arms and asked who she was. Only then did she identify herself as the manager.
I asked how I was being aggressive and whether there may have been a cultural misunderstanding in interpreting an animated conversation about music. Rather than clarifying or de-escalating, she immediately escalated the situation and told me to leave, or she would call the police to have me removed.
I then asked for her full name. She refused to provide her last name. After the incident, I called the establishment to follow up and again requested her last name. The employee who answered the phone--an individual with dreadlocks--hung up on me and then turned the phone off. That conduct only compounded the unprofessionalism of the entire experience.
Within moments of the manager's threat, law enforcement was involved.
I was not drunk. Had I been intoxicated or disorderly, the responding officer would have arrested me. That did not occur. Instead, I was accosted by police and pushed out of an establishment I have supported for years, labeled "aggressive" without explanation. The humiliation of having police called on me in a public setting was deeply embarrassing and degradingly painful. It was shocking, humiliating, and profoundly hurtful. Especially when that is so rare, and there is no evidence of violence and I've nor more friends have never witnessed anyone having the police called on them. .
The optics being labeled "aggressive" and having the police called despite exhibiting no violent or disruptive behavior--are extremely troubling. Historically and socially, such actions carry serious weight and consequence. That reality cannot be ignored. This was not simply a customer service issue; it reflects a deeply concerning bias in perception and response.
I have since spoken with multiple friends and fellow patrons who were present that evening. Many expressed confusion about why I was asked to leave and observed that the manager's tone and approach appeared unnecessarily confrontational and escalated.
From a customer service standpoint, this situation was mishandled at every level:
* A manager should introduce herself professionally before confronting a patron.
* A patron should be discreetly pulled aside, not publicly accused.
* Clarification and de-escalation should precede threats.
* Police should be a last resort--not a first response to a conversation about music.
* Management should be transparent when asked for identification.
Your manager's conduct demonstrated a lack of basic customer service skills and a concerning absence of sensitivity and cultural competency training. In today's climate, optics, bias awareness, and de-escalation skills are not optional; they are essential. read more