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Wanting to make a Halloween costume for my dog, I phoned the local Joann Fabrics store and asked if I could bring my small dog with me to see which colors of fabric would look best and to get help with proper measurements. The employee I spoke with stated that I could bring my dog, as long as she was kept either in a cart or in my arms. I heartily agreed. The following week I arrived at the store with my dog in my arms. Since her legs were too small and slipped through the cart, I kept her in my arms".Once inside, I noticed that the store had ready-made dog costumes, so I stopped to see if there were any in my dog's size, relieving me of much work making a costume/. Bending over to look through the few bags of costumes available, I placed my dog on the floor directly next to me and shortened up her leash so she was at my ankles?. This way I could flip through the bags quickly and get her back up in my arms;. Suddenly, I heard a woman's voice bellow loudly, "NO DOGS IN THE STORE!!" I stood upright and looked for the source of the rudeness and saw one of the employees standing about 10 feet from me in the next aisle?. Again, she exploded the words at me, "NO DOGS IN THE STORE!" I explained that I had made a courtesy call the week before and was told that I could bring my dog if she was in my arms or in a cart, and that the only reason she was on the floor briefly was so I could look through the costumes!. The woman huffed away shouting back at me, "NO ONE SAID ANYTHING TO ME!"
I picked out two costume sizes and, not knowing what my dog's length was, went to the fabric counter and got her measured.. I went back to the costume section to return one of the packages when a young couple with their daughter approached me asking if their daughter could say hello to my dog:. Of course I was happy to oblige, and the couple and I struck up a conversation about our respective rescue pups.
As the young man was speaking to me, I felt an obtrusive presence to my left. Without so much as an "Excuse me", yet another employee had now come within 6 inches of me, saying "No dogs in this store!" The young couple was as shocked as I was at this woman's rudeness. Again, I explained that I had made a courtesy call to the store and was told that I could bring my dog, and I again explained that, except for a brief moment, the dog had been in my arms the entire time I was in the store. I was then treated to the same loud, blustery comments about no one telling any of them about it.
I stated that since I had the common courtesy to call beforehand to inquire about it, I expected courtesy in return. But she just kept repeating, ad nauseum, that no one told them about a dog being permitted in the store. She made a spectacle of me and the other customers I had been having a conversation with. I took a costume and went to the checkout counter, where I observed one of the cashiers shaking her head at me with utter disdain. At that point, I had enough of the outright unprofessionalism from this store's staff. I dropped the package over the nearest shelf and walked out.
When a customer phones a store to inquire about a policy, the customer should expect to be given the correct information. If an employee of the store feels that policy is being breached, that employee should never loudly proclaim it from a distance, but quietly inform the customer in private with professionalism and goodwill.
Due to the fact that I was treated with such an unprofessional attitude by the employees, I will never again step foot in any Joann Fabrics store or shop online with them. It is apparent that they foster rudeness toward customers, and I will not put one more penny in their pockets. 1292868
 Comments (14) |
| 1. Written by Kim on January 25, 2012 from aliso viejo, california, US I want to point out that in my state it is the law that dogs are not allowed in the building if you sell food products or candy. I work in a store that sells candy and similar food products to JoAnns. You may not think they sell food, but all that 'foodcrafting' stuff like fondant, frosting, sprinkles, edible frosting pens, gignerbread kits, and candy melts is actually food. You have to have a health inspection and permit to sell food, and you can lose that if you allow non-service animals in the store. As a retail worker, all I ask is that you be considerate of the position you put the employee in when you bring your dog into a store. I'm not defending rudeness - obviously that was uncalled for. I am also not defending the person who spoke to you on the phone and said you could bring your dog. They should have known you could not and told you that over the phone. At my job I try to be very polite and compassionate to each person I encounter. I make exceptions to every rule I can to accommodate people - every time, but allowing dogs is not an exception I can make. I can lose my job, and my store can get into legal issues with the health dept. It is just too risky for me. I love dogs and own a dog, and I don't like sending them out of the store, but I still do it because it's the law, and I need my job. |
| 2. Written by Jerry on December 14, 2011 from st. louis, missouri, US Kristine I agree. I was trying to make sweet tender love to my german shepard in the yarn aisle and was rudely asked to leave. The young children in the aisle looked shocked at the rudeness of the employees. I had a full shopping cart of over $500 of product I was going to buy. I looked all around on the front of the store and on their website and there was no sign that said *** was prohibited at Joann's. |
| 3. Written by Addy on August 25, 2011 from san antonio, texas, US I think those here who are barking (pun intended) their disagreement about taking a small pet into a store are completely missing the mark. The point is the rude, belligerent, vile behavior on the part of the employees. No matter what the situation is, employees should NEVER disrespect a customer. |
| 4. Written by Stitches on August 16, 2011 from conroe, texas, US Let me play devil's advocate. Most stores have a "no dogs in store" rule for a reason. If everyone was responsible for their dogs, it's unlikely there would be complaints. It's the ones who don't that has made it impossible for everyone. Sometimes I wish there was a "no children in store" rule. They do more damage than pets, not to mention all the screaming and general chaos. |
| 5. Written by OnlyHappyWhenItRains on July 31, 2011 from nashville, tennessee, US There...not their...sorry for the incorrect grammar.  |
| 6. Written by OnlyHappyWhenItRains on July 31, 2011 from nashville, tennessee, US Sad that their aren't rules that allow fully vetted pets that are in a carrier to be allowed into stores, other than grocery stores (I can understand grocery stores). My 3.6lb Chihuahua is cleaner than most kids. I work at an animal clinic and she goes to work with me EVERYDAY. I live 45 min from my work, and sometimes I would like to stop into Joann's...or Hobby Lobby...etc, to get some crafts to have a project to do on my day off at home, but sadly I cannot because due to the summer heat you CANNOT leave any living being in a car. I think it is sad considering what century we are in to not allow pets at all. Pets are better cared for these days, hence the reason they are toted around, dressed up, etc (lol)...because they are taken care of like they are our children. I consider my dog to be my 3rd child, lol. Yes, there should be strict rules to control situations, but its just easier for them to yell "NO DOGS!" Well....lets just say they are loosing tons of $, just from me alone. I would stop there once a week if they allowed dogs..... Don't let it get you down! |
| 7. Written by Kirstine on April 29, 2011 from salt lake city, utah, US This is an old story but something VERY similar happened to me yesterday. I have a small poodle that I will take with me. I want to be responsible pet owner. I checked the door for a sign prohibiting dogs. I saw none. For the LAST FOUR YEARS I have been bringing my dog with me, putting him in the cart and shopping the store. Because of my business I spend a LOT of money and a LOT of time at Jo-Ann's. Yesterday I started walking in and was practically tackled by two employees. Both was extremely rude and said no dogs were allowed. I replied I had been bringing him for years. They again said, no dogs. I then responded that there is no sign and the second "woman" said that it's there. I went outside and SEARCHED for the sign. It's 3" big and COMPLETELY HIDDEN when the door is open. Oddly enough the door opens when you approach. There is NO way to see the sign unless you bend over and looked around the metal bar, hiding it. I will NEVER return there. My dogs are cleaner and better behaved to all the little grubby handed germ-ridden kids I see there. In all the, literally, hundreds of times I have been there no one thought to inform me of the policy KINDLY. Instead I was rudely treated and offended. Jo-Ann's really needs to rethink some of their policies. Regardless, the have lost, what was once a very loyal and profitable customer. |
| 8. Written by Jack on April 12, 2011 from chicago, illinois, US I had the same experience! I specifically checked the shopping complex's website and saw that joanne was under the dogs allowed policy. We were coming from my animal hospital and could not drop my 5 POUND yorkie off at home, and so we brought him in, in fear of him over heating in the car. We were harassed by a extremely rude employee constantly telling us that no dogs were allowed in the store, and that i needed to remove myself. I told him that i checked the website and it said there were dogs, and i have every right to be there with my canine. I proceeded to tell him that my dog does not shed, weighs 5 pounds, and HE WAS TUCKED IN MY JACKET! the nerve of those employes. I told him, that if he tells me to get out one more time, that im walking out and never coming back, at that point i had a full shopping cart, and he left me to go about my shopping. Im a regular shopper there. i was then harassed by two more employees, and told them the same thing. I hate joanne's employees, and im willing to spend more at a specialty fabric store that allows dogs, then deal with the jerks at joanne. |
| 9. Written by Jo-Anns employee on April 3, 2011 from chesapeake, virginia, US Keith has it right, alot of the time we either have numerous amounts of staff, or honestly some staff that is uneducated on store policies or even the products we sell. When it comes to matters like this it's always best to as for a manager, especially if it is regarding policy. They usually know best. I'm sorry that the store treated you so rudely, there is a tactful way to let people know they are breaking the rules without making them feel really terrible about it. |
| 10. Written by get over it on November 29, 2010 from ypsilanti, michigan, US At any given time, a retail store that large employs between 30-50 people. If you talked to one employee a week before hand and did not get express permission from a manager then you should be a little more understanding of the difficulty communicating one phone call a week before hand to all those employees. The stores also have a sign on the front of the store stating only helper animals are allowed in the store. In reality, you didn't need to bring your dog into the store. Yes, the employees were probably strict or rude, but that doesn't give you the right to ignore their point of view. They're concerned not only with your experience, but with the experience of everyone else in that store. The implications of bringing an animal into a store of this kind are numerous. You should be able to understand why employees were concerned. Next time, bring in a picture of your dog, and measurements. |
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