This is the most racist store that I've ever encounter. They racially profiled their customers and treat everyone like criminals. Just recently, my cousin and I were visiting this store to purchase some items from which I needed some assistance with. When we first arrived in the aisle, there was a worker who said I'll be right with you. As we waited for several minutes, he abruptly just disappeared. At the time, I felt maybe he was caught up on doing something else. So we asked for help in another department and received the same negative treatment.
And this is where it gets worse. After tirelessly waiting for some help, I began to thoroughly look at an item by opening the package to see if all of the contents were there prior to purchasing it. Then, out of nowhere we were confronted by a white guy who said he was security and a so called manager who said that we were attempting theft on an item. Wow, was I very surprise, and said, excuse me? I told them that we weren't getting any help from your ignoring minded employees whom by the way were all over the store helping everyone else. The security person said we looked like returning customers that were not allow in this store. So asked a simple question to the security person, what are you doing? Screening all nonwhite customers that walk into your store? Because, apparently our skin color and my gay appearance were too suspicious in this stores eyes. My cousin and I felt stunned and we told them that at no time we were attempting to steal anything. My father is a police officer and I have to utmost respect for the law, plus this was our very first time visiting this particular store. I only opened the box to observe the item and I had plenty of cash on hand to buy any item more than this racist employee's will make in a day. We were then asked to leave and never come back to this store. Also, we were apparently photograph or recorded on some type of store file or record too. To this day, we're still wondering if they took our pictures and unknowingly kept them for their own racist filing. We were both shocked by the treatment that we received that day. Being a Gay brown skinned Hispanic with my cousin who is half African American from south for that matter; was indeed the worst store experience that I ever had.
I have documented this incident and sent a formal complaint to their corporate headquarter in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. I've also sent letters to Senator Dick Durbin's, IL State attorney - Lisa Madigan, as well as our local state Rep. Offices to investigate this disgusting matter. I would like to know everything about their Standard operating security policies, their method of racially screening customers, and all records of incidents involving minorities for the past 10 yrs. I can't believe that a big business like Menards can have an implicit biased intent to still treat people like this. I've also started a social media campaign against this store and reached out to Father Pflager's church and other south suburban churches to begin protest during the up and coming holidays. My support on this matter is growing very strong and this is just the beginning of exposing this store's racially disgusting problem. This store screwed with the wrong people and our voices will defiantly be heard! Just by looking at other Yelp posts here, this doesn't appear to be the first time.
Do yourself a big favor and go shop somewhere else like Home Depot or Lowes, or you may expect the same micro aggressive treatment from their bigoted security and employees. read more
