Eileen at this store, racially profiled me (the moment I walked in) after tagging her team members to watch me walk through the aisles.
Backstory: I needed to go to Michaels on my lunch break at work (I work remote from my office job on Friday), so I wanted to quickly grab a few items for a concert I'm going to next weekend. I'm 22, 5'3, have colorful short hair, and was wearing colorful summer clothing with a small bag that only could fit my car keys & wallet (zipped up as well), at the time of the harassment and discrimination I experienced at this store. I was gonna pay with two cards. So, before I left my house and was deciding what cards to use for this like $6 purchase, I wanted to try using a debit card from Texas (where I used to live before moving multiple times and settling in CO, it's a credit union based in Austin) I hadn't used in so long, cause it had like $5 on it for about 1.5 years now. I decided to use that and my normal major bank debit card (then brought a back up incase the Texas one wasn't working anymore).
Story: I felt very uncomfortable from the moment I walked in, she approached me and asked if there was anything she could do for me, so I asked if she could show me where the gems were as I'm decorating a hat for a concert I have next week. As this occurred - she explained where they were, while almost guiding me to the main point of the store. At this moment, she flagged down her team members and yelled for them, explaining exactly where I was going. Then, as I went down the aisle, they stared at me the entire time and asked me questions about my day - to which I politely asked how they were and told them I'm just looking for gem... Here is where I began to feel intensely uncomfortable.
When I realized they didn't have what I was exactly looking for, I looked on my phone for which aisle had stars and heart cut outs, as I need them for a makeup look next weekend too. After finding what I was needing, I went to check out. And noticed when I was walking up, they were talking in a huddle (the racist and her concerned manager), so I was kinda weirded out but tried to take no mind. Right as I was walking up, I mentioned I was paying with two cards (very important for after she rings me up). As the racist is telling me to insert my card (also I'm a rewards member and put my number in too), I attempted to use the Texas card, which obviously didn't work because I hadn't used it in forever. So, I asked them to let me try a second pin because I honestly forgot what it was. This is when everything got insane!
The manager runs over to her boss? And the racist who has my debit card demands for my ID, as I'm about to show her, I realize she is being a racist and has the entire time, so I declined and tell her OUT LOUD that I don't think that's appropriate. At this time, I explain to the manager who is running back over, that I just want to try my other pin as that is the only alert on the screen (which they confirmed out loud). So, after they mentioned it didn't work, I went to use the other card I had mentioned before. At this time, I repeated that it was inappropriate to ask for my ID, to which she shakily asked what receipt I wanted and rushed me out the door.
So, Eileen, I hope you read this review, because I'm about to post it again and again to other sites. Yes, the Michaels on Larkridge Retail Center, 16531 Washington St, Thornton, CO 80023. read more