Jul 15, 2023
I've been going to Strand Book Store my whole life and I was under the impression that I had several friends there. Yesterday I accidentally spilled coffee from their coffee shop on a table with Strand bookbags. When it's almost 8:00 PM and there's an announcement that they're closing I grab my coffee and my books and rush up front. I wish there was somewhere to put the coffee when you're in line, even though I shouldn't have made the stupid decision to put the coffee where I did. I was still deciding which books to buy and couldn't look at them while still holding my coffee. Because of the muscle relaxer I'm on for a torn meniscus I think my coordination must be very off. I tipped the coffee over after I put it down, while trying to pick it back up. I immediately reported it to the security and told her I was sorry, and she said not to worry about it because it was an accident. I really wanted to talk to a manager to apologize, but I was told to go home, it was an accident, which was very nice! I didn't just run away. When I went to Strand today before I could even apologize again, one of the managers and an employee approached me outside and said that I cost them a lot of money and I'm now banned from Strand. (I didn't name the amount because I don't think it's accurate.) I answered that I'm never coming back, turned around and went home. I was very surprised. A little while later, an employee at CVS pharmacy said that a customer spilled a drink all over the counter earlier and they forgave that person. The employee was shocked at the Strand manager's reaction and said that it was very rude to say that to me... Incidentally, I don't want to make the impression that I didn't screw up in what I did. I was exhausted and I put my coffee down in the wrong place. I just wasn't thinking. And I feel very bad about it.
About two days later...
It's July 17th about 9:00 pm NYC. I just came home from Home Depot on 23rd street after buying two fans for my apartment. While I was shopping for the fans in Home Depot, I asked two employees what would they do if I accidentally spilled a drink on an expensive carpet and ruined it? Would you ban me from the store? And they both said, "Absolutely not." When I told them what happened in the Strand Book Store, they were shocked and one of them said, that I shouldn't even want to go to a place like that. And then a man upfront near the entrance, of Home Depot, I think he was some sort of a manager said that they would never ban anyone from the store for an accident, "We are customer friendly, customers are more important than material objects." I was surprised that he would say something so nice. Every single store employee in Manhattan that I have spoken to about this has said that they understand that customers make mistakes and accidentally spill things and are shocked that I was treated this way by the management at the Strand Book Store...
Paul C,
I very much appreciate all the advice you're given me on getting my stories published about growing up in my family's famous rock club. But I am somewhat confused about the recent reaction I got from one of the store managers and an extremely angry employee while looking at the discount books outside of the Strand. If someone accidentally spills coffee on the Canvas tote bags near the cash register, they ban people from the store? Is that really their policy? For years several Strand employees said, "Hi Dana," as I walked around the store looking for books. I really thought they liked me, and I know that I liked them. I also really liked and respected you and I thought you may have felt the same way about me and that is why you were encouraging me with my story/journal. And I thought management would understand that I made a bad mistake and that I realize I spiled my coffee in one of the worst possible places and forgive me. I am sorry about it! If Strand doesn't have insurance, would you please have someone contact me to let me know the wholesale price of what I accidentally damaged by spilling my cup of coffee from the coffee shop in the Strand.
Thank you, Paul, Mark Dana Kristal read more