ACME Markets review: Racial profiling

Dear Acme Corporate Customer Service,

On Tuesday , September 4, 2023 I visited the Acme Supermarket located on High Street, in Mount Holly, New Jersey at approximately 6:30pm. Upon entering the store I needed to go to the lavatory first before shopping or purchasing anything, I noticed a female employee looking at me when came in as I had a bag in my hand and just come from the liquor store next door. As you know in New Jersey shoppers can bring in their own bags or purchase bags now for their shopping. This employee which I found out later was the store manager clearly saw me come into the store with the bag in my hand. As I was coming out of the lavatory, I noticed a man going in the opposite direction of me and as soon as I passed he turned around and was right behind me. I asked him what his problem was and he proceeded to tell me he was security and they thought someone had stolen something. I said well it isn’t me and I showed him my three cans of Budweiser in the bag. He said man just go ahead and walk out the store as I was doing. The store manager then proceeded to keep asking me as I was walking “what’s in the bag”, what’s in the bag? The security guard (not very good at being undetected) was coming towards her I suppose to let her know what I had, however I kept walking out the store without getting what I wanted to buy at this time because now I’m annoyed being accused of stealing. She then said to me as I was exiting, I’ll see you again. She was definitely correct as I went back in the next day to get her name and the general store manager name, unfortunately I hate everything has to be about race or the color of ones’ skin, but this was a clear definite case of racial profiling. If she wanted to she could have looked at the film instead of making an accusation of theft and trying to embarrass yet another Black person. Every person of color is not a criminal or a thief nor should they be preceived as being such. When I requested her name and the general store manager“ name she gave me her name and the general manager name however she refused to supply me with last names. I do not appreciate nor would anyone appreciate being followed and asked “what’s in your bag” when she saw me come into the store with my bag and proceeded to have me followed. Needless to say I’m very glad the police wasn’t called or any further scene involved as I would have had no other choice than to contact a lawyer to sue Acme for discrimination. It’s unacceptable on all levels and totally unnecessary. Better training and less profiling could be used at this particular location and she needs to be better equipped to handle customers.

Regards,

V. Shaun Russell