March 2021 by Patricia K.
On Saturday, March 6, I went to Merle Norman located within June's Hallmark Shop at Pleasant Ridge Shopping Ctr in Little Rock, Ar. I arrived within 10 minutes of their opening time. Upon entering the store I was greeted by a nice young lady and I asked her if she could help me with some Merle Norman products. She said she couldn't but would get someone to help me. (She was evidently a new employee.) She disappeared to the back of the store and promptly returned to tell me that someone would be with me. I said, "Ok, I'll browse" About 6-8 minutes later, a woman from the back of the store came walking very briskly toward me. She said "Do you want some Merle?" and kept walking toward the front of the store where the Merle Norman counter is located. I nodded affirmatively. While walking briskly, she called back to me "What do you want?" I didn't answer because I was trying to get to the counter to open my purse and get the empty bottle of products that I wanted replaced. As the woman neared the counter, she again asked very impatiently, "What do you want?" I was aware at that point that she was annoyed that I was there. I replied that "Well, give me a chance to open my purse and get the products out that I want replaced." She glared at me for about 5 seconds while I was trying to remove the bottles of product I wanted replaced. In a moment or two, she again said "Do you know what you want?" By that time, I was getting bothered by her attitude, so I replied that she needs to give me time to get the product on the counter because I don't know the name of the products but I have the empty bottles. She glared at me again and said "Well, I am asking you to leave." I was taken aback by her asking me to leave, but I said "Well, I will take my business elsewhere." She again said, "I want you to leave the store." I gathered my purse and walked toward the exit door, totally shocked by what had transpired. Then, as I got almost to the front door, she yelled back to me "Leave and don't come back." I then yelled back to her, "Don't worry, I won't be back -- You are really having a bad day." (The store had only been open 8 minutes.) I have done business with Merle Norman for at least 20 years and with June's Hallmark Store for the past 10 years. I know some of the sales staff and have always had good shopping experiences there. I don't know who this woman was or what her position is with the store, but she is certainly not suited to working with retail customers. I have never been asked to leave a store, nor have I ever been treated so rudely. I am sad for the store owner, because this woman caused the store a loss of at least an $80.00 sale.
