BIPOC Folks, be wary of Mason & Greens in Capitol Hill (a cute, sustainable grocery store)

Submitted by butteredfields t3_10phd6e in washingtondc

I love the concept of a plastic-free grocery store that offers bulk-bin grains and buy-it-for-life home goods! Unfortunately, I did not feel comfortable shopping here as a person-of-color.

My experience was soured by one of the staff (an older white-passing woman, perhaps the owner?) who constantly followed me and my group around the store, never letting us out of her sight. She would perch next to us like a hawk, uncomfortably close, stone-faced, surveying every move we made. Not once did she ask if we needed any assistance. I tried to break the ice by making direct eye-contact and smiling, but my efforts were entirely unrequited. She had clearly made up her mind that we were going to shoplift and she was going catch us in the act. How brave.

While I did end up spending around $40 (they carry great products!), I will likely not return. I can’t help but lump this experience in with all the other times I’ve been followed and investigated by white staff in a store located in a wealthy, white neighborhood.

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ladyorthetiger0 t1_j6kzy7e wrote

I saw a recent review on their Google page saying the same thing, and the response from the business is frustrating.

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butteredfields OP t1_j6lbnbn wrote

oh yeah i crossposted on google. although it looks like someone else from my party had the same idea, independently, and wrote their own review

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ladyorthetiger0 t1_j6miqco wrote

The business has now deleted their super cringey response and replaced it with a better one.

But we all saw their original response and the comment they posted here.

All I can say is...yikes.

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dynospectrum7 t1_j6n0jam wrote

What was the original?

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ladyorthetiger0 t1_j6n20un wrote

They basically accused OP of being racist for implying that she was racially profiled. And that the store is owned by a Navajo woman and therefore they're exempt from all accusations of racism.

ETA: I tried really hard to use a 3rd party site to link to the deleted comment, but apparently user-deleted comments can't be recovered by Unddit or Reveddit. The original reply on the Google page was also deleted and replaced.

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missesT1 t1_j6l4pej wrote

I’m happy that this review is now on google too :), looks like it was cross posted

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alizadk t1_j6khze5 wrote

Ugh, that really sucks. I'm so sorry you went through that.

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butteredfields OP t1_j6n8t2h wrote

For the sake of archiving information and holding structural powers accountable to their words, below is Mason & Green’s now-deleted reply to this post (i took a screenshot of the original):

“As the owner of the store, I sincerely apologize for your experience. Our store is built around helping people and the planet, and as such we have no tolerance of racism, period. Our employees do not profile or take any sort of approach like this for loss prevention, we do not believe this achieves anything. As a customer, you may not know that our employees like to make themselves available to answer any questions. We have many products people haven't seen before, and naturally people have questions. We like for the staff to not be pushy. We have employees who are in high school, and some who are retired, from all backgrounds and walks of life, and we wouldn't have it any other way. In your post on Google you mentioned "lower employees." At Mason & Greens we don't call people "lower." You also thought the employee could have been the manager, this is not the case, as the manage is a Navajo woman in her early 20's. Here you assume it is one of the owners, it is not, Anna & I do not fit your description. In a perfect world people would not make assumptions or judgements. People would not be so quick to think a nice gentleman watching birds in a park was up to no good. People would not be so quick to call someone, who some may think is awkward, biased or a racist, when she was just there to help. Again, apologies for your experience, you are more than welcome to get in touch anytime to discuss what's on your mind.”

Edit: Here is the thread in response to this comment: https://www.reddit.com/r/washingtondc/comments/10phd6e/comment/j6kzx0l/?context=3

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Professional-Can1385 t1_j6o6khk wrote

>I sincerely apologize for your experience.

But let me completely invalidate your experience and compare you to the lady who called the cops on a guy for no reason.

A sincere apology would acknowledge your experience and at least give lip service to reassessing store practices. Completely tone deaf and insulting.

Not a place I will shop.

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cainImagining t1_j6nf1da wrote

Ugh, this makes me so sad. I'm sorry. I get cringy gaslighting vibes from the owner's response.
I feel like the response I expect would be more like, "Dang, I know who you're talking about. We'll talk to that person and assess their continued employment. We really want you here, so here's some free stuff for your trouble."

Not "Actually, no, uh, we're super not racist, but also, that couldn't have been us! That lady, who, again, was not an owner but who is definitely employed by us, was just trying to be nice! But I guess you wouldn't know about that. Look who's the racist now!"

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dynospectrum7 t1_j6ovgqz wrote

Damn, really tried to pull the old nyc bird watcher comparison.

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starshine1988 t1_j6pi3qy wrote

That’s a ridiculous response! You’d think a store with these values would know better than to invalidate your experience.

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[deleted] t1_j6kzx0l wrote

[deleted]

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Rhuthbarb t1_j6luxi9 wrote

Yikes. You started strong then you went on the attack and lost all your credibility.

What’s more likely: that a BIPOC recognized profiling they’ve lived with their whole life, or that your “helpful” staffer who wouldn’t make eye contact was misunderstood?

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Leading-Seesaw-8442 t1_j6ltxfk wrote

This is a really disappointing non-apology. I’m even less inclined to shop at your store after seeing how you completely dismissed a legitimate complaint about a racist interaction by accusing a BIPOC customer of being too judgmental. Please learn from this experience and do better.

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romanceordelusion t1_j6lf7ez wrote

That feels naive to say “lower” was written to mean “lesser as a person.” I am lower than my director, I am higher than an intern. What a strange thing to pick apart?

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butteredfields OP t1_j6lan36 wrote

you’ve told me all about the people who didn’t fit the description of the person who harassed me, including the “Navajo woman” who I didn’t realize was relevant to this interaction (is that all she is? a nameless person of color? a token for you to offer as evidence of how not racist you are, perhaps? ✨🌻)

edit: to be clear, i’m not asking you to identify anyone. you were the one offering information about your employees.

edit edit: i was just hoping for an apology and a commitment to do better in the future 🌿 i’m sure this can still be reached 🥰

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Ok-Professional-7343 t1_j6n0385 wrote

Unfortunately, that is what the store wants…they do not want you to return. I don’t know why they picked that site if they didn’t want (black?)customers- maybe somewhere like Chevy Chase would have been better. So they are rude and try to intimidate the clientele that they find undesirable. With the hope that they will never come back to their store. That’s not the way that works, M&G. I think I’m gonna pay them a visit.

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unenlightenedgoblin t1_j6oar7r wrote

White DC leads the nation in ‘talking the talk but not walking the walk.’ Only the Bay Area comes close.

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missesT1 t1_j6l48ip wrote

Well that’s a bummer, I’m sorry they treated you that way

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[deleted] t1_j6l1ouq wrote

[deleted]

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butteredfields OP t1_j6lb4p4 wrote

the cashier was actually super nice when i went! they gave me a recommendation for a queer bookstore around the corner where i found some incredible books 🥰

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