Fresh Market Loves disabled people

[Sunshine]

I stopped at Fresh Market after surfing today, so legs were rubbery. I haven't ever seen scooters there. So today I asked if they had motorized scooters.

The clerk said No. they only have one plain wheelchair which looked rickety and they keep it out of sight too.

So I asked, "Don't you want handicapped people to shop here?"

The bored 25 year old lazily said, "yes we do."

So I emailed corporate and asked what their usual policy is about providing motorized scooters.

That might account for why so far I have never seen sick looking or broken down looking people at Fresh Market. Granted I only go for ten minutes twice a month so maybe it's just like that then....

They all look so perky in their pastels, perfectly coiffed hair, manicures . there I am in my ratty after surf frizzed out hair and zinc on face, and tattered cover up.

[Virginia]

Good for writing corporate. Will be interesting to see what they say. I have a Fresh Market near me and I don't recall seeing a motorized scooter at that one, however I do not go very often.

There is also a Whole Foods about 5 minutes from me and I don't recall seeing one there. I will pay special attention next time I go in to see if I see one at either place.

A lot of the people in Fresh Market here is about what you described, but actually Whole Foods is seen as a little more upscale.

[agate]

I haven't shopped at either of these stores but I can easily believe that they don't exactly want disabled people. We look (and usually are) less prosperous.

Even medical providers pull this. They will say "Oh sure--you're welcome here with your wheelchair" but you find out that there are quite a few strings attached, and you're actually a second-class citizen.

One dentist I went to gave me this welcoming speech, and when I got there the van driver was told that actually disabled people were seen in a separate building, next door to the main building.

This turned out to be Victorian house with a rickety ramp, and the dentists themselves might or might not come over there to see the patients. None did in my case.

I had X rays there. Or maybe I should say "X rays." The method was really primitive, with the wall shaking every time the technician took a picture. Also, when I tried to get the X rays because I was transferring to another dentist, the office couldn't find them.

And I had a teeth cleaning. They had no equipment--and so the hygienist wiped my teeth with gauze but there was no water for rinsing.

Another dentist I went to for a while saw disabled patients only on Monday mornings and we couldn't use the main entrance (steps). The only other entrance was the rear entrance, on an alley, and the door was always locked.

The van driver had to leave his van, go to the front entrance, ask the office to open the door, and go back and wait for the door to be opened. Van drivers aren't supposed to leave their vans unattended.

This situation made visits to this dentist very difficult.

My current dentist has several steps at the front entrance, no ramp. The rear entrance is the only one I can use--two steps but they're almost feasible for a skilled van driver, and again, the door is locked, but at least the place is so small that if the driver knocks on the rear door, someone will hear and come to open it.

I hope you get a reply from Fresh Market, BBS. They should be glad you're even thinking of spending your money there.

[Virginia]

Agate, I thought this was against the law for places not to have better access for disabled. I learn all the time on here. It makes me feel like I am "less than" just reading about it. I course mean "less than able bodied" persons.

[Howie]

I shop at Food Lion here in a small town, and they have numerous motorized carts. And on each cart, it says "For in store use only". But when I do my payday shopping, I have so much, I would have to make several trips to carry groceries from the store to the car.

So I just ask them, would it be okay to take the motorized cart out to my car to unload it, and they have no problem with that. I've been going there many years, and they all know me well, and they are all very nice people.

I'll be going there as long as I can still do it myself.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

When a place of business makes access to persons with disabilities difficult, that is a discrimination. I would think that would include the provision of motorized scooters for store use.

agate ~ Two steps or twelve steps, it doesn't matter. There should be zero steps! I'm so very sorry that you have been treated so terribly by the dentists you've been forced to see.

Many years ago, we were referred to a dentist in a seedy area, and we reluctantly wheeled my sons in to the tiny lobby in this decrepit strip mall. I took one look at this place, which was filthy, and we turned around and left. We had to fight the System for a referral to a reputable dentist in a safe neighborhood.

It is detestable to be treated with such lack of respect. There are laws in place to protect people with disabling conditions from this kind of discrimination. But, if we don't let our voices be heard, nothing will change.

Sadly, given the blight on the horizon for our government, things will change. We'll have even less rights and avenues of due process.

Love & Light,

Rose

[agate]

Agate, I thought this was against the law for places not to have better access for disabled. I learn all the time on here. It makes me feel like I am "less than" just reading about it. I course mean "less than able bodied" persons.

Virginia, I believe that the ADA exempts places of business with fewer than 25 employees, and these dentists didn't have 25 employees.

[Catdancer]

I live in rural Wisconsin. My nearest town has around 2500 people year round. We have two dentist offices in town, both in buildings that are completely accessible-- no steps, automatic doors,modern equipment. They will even allow me to be treated right in my wheelchair if necessary. Appointments are made just like anyone else --I call, pick a time available, and go, usually within a week or 10 days of my call. With doctors, there are three clinics in town, all buildings are accessible. But none have exAm tables that lower enough to transfer to, nor stand or Hoyer lifts to move someone from chair to table, so if I need to be dealing with (sorry, Howie) vaginal issues, or my catheter, I have to go to the local hospital as an outpatient.

Grocery shopping: there's only one grocery store in town. They have two motorized carts available, which also can be used to take groceries to your car. Better yet, they have a drive through service: you get your groceries, check out, leave them with clerk, who will take them to a side door, meet you there (you get in your car, drive around to the side), and load your groceries into your car for free. One day a week you can call ahead and they'll assign a "personal shopper" to you, who will reach stuff for you from shelves. On Wednesday, seniors get an automatic 10% discount. So all told, pretty good for a tiny town. I even had one clerk offer to follow me home to unload! .

[Sunshine]

Being a child of the 60's I have a fantasy of getting disabled people together to picket Fresh Market. like Obama said though, I have a pen and I am going to use it... I will let you know what corporate responds to my email from yesterday.

Being a small business owner I can tell you it costs more to build an accessible office. In my town, though, it's required for many types of small businesses, so mine is accessible except it has no automatic door. But its small enough that customers can call and we open door for them.

[Sunshine]

And agate, that is so reprehensible.

[SalpalSally]

Shame on them.!

[Howie]

That's okay Cat, my grandmother was a pianist.

[Cat Dancer]

That's okay Cat, my grandmother was a pianist.

???????????

[Howie]

Say pianist 3 times fast as you can.

[Cat Dancer]

Sorry... missing the joke there...well, I get the saying it three times thing...just don't get how it relates to what I posted?