Vons

On or about 4-15-21, I entered the store and heard who would later be identified as "Maria" who is the Manager of The Bakery cussing about management to two of her Hispanic subordinates. She was complaining about being taken into the office for some issue and she called the manager that she was complaining about a "[censored]". I was shocked. The conversation just went on and on and she was so animated that she didn't seem to care that she was at work, in the front of the store and surrounded by a few of us regular customers.

I knew I needed to get proof of this totally unprofessional behavior, so I went directly to the Self Check and got an assistant manager who is Hispanic and has long hair as an identifier. I asked her to step over and she saw Maria at her continued gossip at a loud and rude level. The assistant manager took Maria into a back office as I stood there. Just then, Maria erupted into anger and stormed out of the office saying: "It's not true! I didn't say that!" I told her as she was coming toward me violently that she was lying. She tried to have bodily contact by coming into my personal space which made me step way back to avoid her violent approach of anger. She then turned and almost ran into an elderly woman who was trying to get out of the way with her cart. Maria stormed away saying loud words to herself.

I asked the assistant manager if that was all Maria was going to receive for her horrific behavior. That assistant manager said she would talk to her later. I asked for the store manager immediately and waited until Tanya came out of her office.

I related the information to her which she said her own assistant manager verified. I asked Tanya to run the recorded video to see that what I was reporting was true.

Tanya told me that she and the Director, John Cappel were just transferred from the Albertson store on Pomerado Road for about a month. She told me that there were problems at this Vons that grew under the lax supervision of the former store manager of this Vons. She said that many of the employees there are difficult to deal with and that, "Just between you and me, Maria is one that we've seen as part of this challenge".

She thanked me. I gave her my card and I went on my way. As a customer, I shop there weekly, sometimes twice a week for nearly three hundred dollars plus a week spent at this Vons.

Thinking that this problem wouldn't happen again, I returned to the store a couple of times with no sign of Maria doing her out of control behavior. Then, on 4-26-21 I went in to get some food and Tanya saw me in the self check out. She initiated that she spoke to Maria, and although Maria denied the behavior, Tanya told her that Tanya reviewed the video and had proof of Maria's misbehavior. Then Tanya told me that she told Maria that if I hadn't stepped out of the way avoiding Maria's angry contact that Tanya would be having a "different" conversation with Maria. Tanya told me that she was going to carve off all the rough edges from Maria to make her great.

Perfect.

Then why today did I go into the store to buy several items and as I went through the checkout lane did I have to hear an Asian woman who oversees the self check run over to Maria as she was checking out for her break and laughingly say: "There he is! Tanya calls him..." and then go silent into a whisper into Maria's ear?! Why did I have to hear Maria say out loud and vindictively: "I Know! I know that what she calls him!" This went on for three times until I could finally get my groceries and leave. As I walked out of the doors, I turned around and both women were staring at me. I pointed at them for the camera to see.

Within the hour, I called the store and spoke to Tanya. Tanya denied that she had a "name" for me which they were laughing about. Tanya denied that the women even knew about my earlier complaint until I reminded her that she told me that they were told about me. She said she would take care of it.

It made this very clear to Tanya and I will take this to corporate levels: I should not be treated this way as a customer who pays for their job income. I should not have to deal with the stress of looking for another store to shop at just because the management at this Vons doesn't care to make sure that all of their customers act professionally and courteous to us. I should not have to hear a two-faced, face-saving answer from persons like Tanya after I am still seeing that she allows her employees to get away with mistreating me as a customer. She and John are culpable for these actions.

It is bad enough that we have to be so careful due to covid 19. It is bad enough that we cannot shop like we used to. But I will not tolerate being disrespected by your vons employees! I will not tolerate people like Tanya bad mouthing what it was like working at your sister store Albertson while both vons and Albertson are now under the same brand of ownership! This isn't high school!

Do something. I will not continue to be mistreated here!