Important to note that most people that leave reviews here have been personally wronged and/or mistreated (or had a positive experience) at a place of business. This review is something that did not happen to me personally, but instead something I witnessed personally from start to finish as I stood as a bystander in line. Nothing is taken out of context. I am a repeat paying customer of this location. I am in my 40's, a professional, a former small business owner, and someone who has worked with the public in commerce and in communications my entire life. I find my tolerance for rudeness greatly diminished in these times of national struggle...so here we go.
Scene: Afternoon. A half dozen people in store, nothing crazy, and everyone calm and following posted guidelines. Middle aged female customer enters with mask, and a prepaid outgoing package. Young White Kid working counter--whom I've witnessed berate people in the past, but chalked it up to a bad day (not an excuse). Middle Aged Woman calmly approaches front (not cutting anyone off) and motions to drop package in the area where USPS, and other UPS facilities normally collect prepaid drop-offs. Young White Kid looks at her rudely when she asks politely if she can drop-off. (Editor's note: this would actually save time and be of much greater efficiency in keeping lines inside the store to a minimum, rather than have people line-up for the mere act of handing off a package/facilitating greater and unnecessary personal contact...so don't play the "this is bc of COVID" card.)
"No!" is Young White Kid's aggressive tone of response that would be completely out of line toward any customer, in any instance, much less this one. The Middle Aged Woman, noticeably taken aback, laughs uncomfortably, which further provokes the YWK. "If you're going to laugh, you can leave, right now." What follows is an exchange of the YWK trying to bait the lady into a verbal altercation. At no point is she rude, nor does she raise her voice. She remains calm, but obviously feels like she's in the Twilight Zone. Finally she asks his name. He refuses/ignores her and instead asks if she wants to talk to a manager. She responds: "I'm not trying to fight you young man, I'm just trying to mail a package." This entire time he is ignoring the customer at his station. She asks his name again (they wear name tags, but she is at back of line at this point), and he spins to the back to call a "Manager" while making the point to anyone listening "looks like we got a Karen here boys." If there is a hell filled with REAL "Karen's" (people who make unnecessary scenes) then I hope this kid is headed there. He unprofessionally asks someone in the back to come out and says "a customer is being rude" as a matter of explanation.
Enter Young Asian Kid, who immediately storms out from the back office, and not once asks the lady what the situation is. Instead, brandishing his phone camera and yelling at her to "Get Out!" "I've taken your picture and I'm calling the cops if you don't leave."
Yes, if you're still paying attention, this is all fairly unreal! But it happened. The lady retreats out of the store, at which point the Older Asian Man appears and shakes his head, not knowing anything of the situation, and obviously lost as to what has transpired in the last 2 minutes. Young Asian Kid, and YWK, go back to doing whatever they are doing. YAK tells YWK that he has called the cops, so "nobody should be any more trouble."
Me: 2nd in line...feeling extreme guilt for not interjecting--not that it would have helped--or at least whipped out my own phone to record. It all happened so fast. You know, the whole "that escalated quickly" meme in a nutshell. Other customers in store look uncomfortable and very much thinking "WTF".
I really wish the lady would have stayed, but I hope she reads this, and at very least combs through the rest of these reviews and forwards them to the Boulder BBB.
As to the villains mentioned...those kids (young adults in their 20s would be too gracious) are the worst possible representations of a public-facing business (or any other business.) It falls upon adults to set an example. OAM apparently not an example. It's fine to take your job seriously. In these times, it must be stressful to wear a mask all day and be paid an hourly wage, but it's the job you've chosen, and are fortunate to have. Man up. COVID is no excuse, having a bad day is no excuse. Treat people with common decency or find a different career where you can scowl at inanimate objects all day. Perhaps a warehouse of boxes--although I would still feel sorry for the boxes--and inevitably a co-worker would likely "accidentally" run you over with a forklift. "Whoops, damn shame."
P.S. seems like there are enough people on here with similar reviews that when things get back to normal there should be a community event of catharsis to celebrate. read more