Hello,
I am not much of a blogger. As a mother of two kids under 5, it's just been so difficult to find time, amongst all of the countless other tasks to do, to write an effective blog, or just to blog, period! Since I'm also working diligently to start a business, it's even more difficult. However, I felt the need to write about an experience I had yesterday at a business in Toronto, Ontario Canada.
Now I live at least an hour and a bit, from Toronto, so it has to be worth the drive, gas (as we all know, not cheap these days!) and any headaches for me to go there. I am on medication and feeling queezy so I didn't even feel like leaving my house to drive in the rain. So here's the deal. I needed to go for a brow wax. Yeah, who drives over an hour for a brow wax? Well, there's always a sucker, it seems. I guess it was my yesterday.
A couple of months ago I was searching online and came across The Brow House in Toronto. I was impressed with the fact that they do your eyebrows according to the way that YOU want them, or so that was one of their claims. So that alone drew me in. With them, you have to pre-pay for at least 3 visits, which costed me at least $75 upfront. I know, $75 for 3 brow waxes? They must be nuts!!! and, in my opinion they are! But I must be even more nuts for paying it!!! I managed to get through two visits. The young lady that did my brows did such a great job, I can honestly say that I thought I'd finally found the person that will make my brows look spectacular.
So yesterday was my appointment for the 3rd initial wax job. I made sure I left early, but on the way my kids got hungry and after all, it was lunch time. I couldn't just drive straight there without feeding my kids, although I have to aadmit, I was going to, hoping that a snack would hold them over until after my appointment. No go, we stopped and had so quickly that it's a wonder we didn't all choke on our food. I was already stressed knowing that I had but a bit less than a half hour to get to my appt. If anyone that drives in Toronto knows, the DVP is notoriously congested. After getting through that, when I finally made it to the shop on Queen St. E, I hustled to quickly park and cross the street without me and my children getting killed. There are some crazy and impatient drivers in Toronto without a doubt. Luckily, one kind driver allowed us to safely cross and other drivers followed suit.
When I got inside, after trying to get my energetic kids to sit patiently, I was asked if I had an appt. before I even approached the desk. I said yes, my name is ....to see blah, blah, blah. The assault immediately began. The receptionist said, "Your 11 minutes late. We won't be able to take you." I was stunned. I apologized, said I'd be willing to wait, and then I got a dirtly look and a roll of the eyes from her. Then the owner, who happened to be there working on a client proceeded to attempt to humiliate me by going through her policies regarding lateness. When she asked where I live and I told her, she cared even less knowing that I drove more than 1 hour just to get to this cursed appointment. I let her say her peace, in her shop full of racist, uppity white women, who were all snickering at me as if I were a criminal. Yes, I said it!!! I''m a black woman and you know what folks? This sh*t is still happening everywhere, even in a multi-cultural and ethnically diverse city such as Toronto! I was so ashamed to suddenly be a Torontonian. I may currently live somewhere else, but have lived in Toronto since I came to Canada from South America 30+ years ago.
I was so frustrated between trying to quiet my kids and keep them seated, that I said that I'd like my money back please (since I'd already pre-paid a couple of months ago). Then they refused at first, and after a couple of minutes, gave in to that. So they weren't willing to let someone else do the work. Oh, and through all of this, the young lady that did my brows pretended to make herself busy by sweeping and couldn't even look me in the eyes. I went over to her and told her how disgusted I was and that I wouldn't be returning. She did nothing but mouth the words, "I'm sorry". So that was it. If this were that show "What Would You Do?" she'd be the one that turns her back on a bad situation. You know, the person that's not part of the solution, but a big part of the problem. It was shameful and pitiful. All of this for being 11 minutes late and black too, apparently. Of course they would adamantly deny race was at all an issue, but trust me, from where I was standing, it was. My apology and offer to wait for others didn't matter and that's how I know it was both personal and racial. Not only should a customer not ever be treated this way, but this is no way to treat any person. But a mother of 2 willing to drive this far for a waxing, that did nothing wrong but arrive 11 minutes late and support this business, deserves a little more respect. No, it isn't right to be late, so be punctual, but it also is not right to treat people worse than the dirt on the ground outside. Even my kids, as young as they are, knew what they'd witnessed wasn't right.
As a woman that's working on starting a business, I am taking all of my negative experiences with businesses and learning from them. It blows my mind that there are some businesses out there in existence that just don't deserve to be. That are taking money, time, and positive vibrations from us. I say call them out. Let the world know people! Beware of this business if you wish to have any waxing or plucking done, anyone!!! It just isn't worth it to support a business with no ethics that only care about that almighty dollar.
Until next time all...Sending Love and Light.
I am not much of a blogger. As a mother of two kids under 5, it's just been so difficult to find time, amongst all of the countless other tasks to do, to write an effective blog, or just to blog, period! Since I'm also working diligently to start a business, it's even more difficult. However, I felt the need to write about an experience I had yesterday at a business in Toronto, Ontario Canada.
Now I live at least an hour and a bit, from Toronto, so it has to be worth the drive, gas (as we all know, not cheap these days!) and any headaches for me to go there. I am on medication and feeling queezy so I didn't even feel like leaving my house to drive in the rain. So here's the deal. I needed to go for a brow wax. Yeah, who drives over an hour for a brow wax? Well, there's always a sucker, it seems. I guess it was my yesterday.
A couple of months ago I was searching online and came across The Brow House in Toronto. I was impressed with the fact that they do your eyebrows according to the way that YOU want them, or so that was one of their claims. So that alone drew me in. With them, you have to pre-pay for at least 3 visits, which costed me at least $75 upfront. I know, $75 for 3 brow waxes? They must be nuts!!! and, in my opinion they are! But I must be even more nuts for paying it!!! I managed to get through two visits. The young lady that did my brows did such a great job, I can honestly say that I thought I'd finally found the person that will make my brows look spectacular.
So yesterday was my appointment for the 3rd initial wax job. I made sure I left early, but on the way my kids got hungry and after all, it was lunch time. I couldn't just drive straight there without feeding my kids, although I have to aadmit, I was going to, hoping that a snack would hold them over until after my appointment. No go, we stopped and had so quickly that it's a wonder we didn't all choke on our food. I was already stressed knowing that I had but a bit less than a half hour to get to my appt. If anyone that drives in Toronto knows, the DVP is notoriously congested. After getting through that, when I finally made it to the shop on Queen St. E, I hustled to quickly park and cross the street without me and my children getting killed. There are some crazy and impatient drivers in Toronto without a doubt. Luckily, one kind driver allowed us to safely cross and other drivers followed suit.
When I got inside, after trying to get my energetic kids to sit patiently, I was asked if I had an appt. before I even approached the desk. I said yes, my name is ....to see blah, blah, blah. The assault immediately began. The receptionist said, "Your 11 minutes late. We won't be able to take you." I was stunned. I apologized, said I'd be willing to wait, and then I got a dirtly look and a roll of the eyes from her. Then the owner, who happened to be there working on a client proceeded to attempt to humiliate me by going through her policies regarding lateness. When she asked where I live and I told her, she cared even less knowing that I drove more than 1 hour just to get to this cursed appointment. I let her say her peace, in her shop full of racist, uppity white women, who were all snickering at me as if I were a criminal. Yes, I said it!!! I''m a black woman and you know what folks? This sh*t is still happening everywhere, even in a multi-cultural and ethnically diverse city such as Toronto! I was so ashamed to suddenly be a Torontonian. I may currently live somewhere else, but have lived in Toronto since I came to Canada from South America 30+ years ago.
I was so frustrated between trying to quiet my kids and keep them seated, that I said that I'd like my money back please (since I'd already pre-paid a couple of months ago). Then they refused at first, and after a couple of minutes, gave in to that. So they weren't willing to let someone else do the work. Oh, and through all of this, the young lady that did my brows pretended to make herself busy by sweeping and couldn't even look me in the eyes. I went over to her and told her how disgusted I was and that I wouldn't be returning. She did nothing but mouth the words, "I'm sorry". So that was it. If this were that show "What Would You Do?" she'd be the one that turns her back on a bad situation. You know, the person that's not part of the solution, but a big part of the problem. It was shameful and pitiful. All of this for being 11 minutes late and black too, apparently. Of course they would adamantly deny race was at all an issue, but trust me, from where I was standing, it was. My apology and offer to wait for others didn't matter and that's how I know it was both personal and racial. Not only should a customer not ever be treated this way, but this is no way to treat any person. But a mother of 2 willing to drive this far for a waxing, that did nothing wrong but arrive 11 minutes late and support this business, deserves a little more respect. No, it isn't right to be late, so be punctual, but it also is not right to treat people worse than the dirt on the ground outside. Even my kids, as young as they are, knew what they'd witnessed wasn't right.
As a woman that's working on starting a business, I am taking all of my negative experiences with businesses and learning from them. It blows my mind that there are some businesses out there in existence that just don't deserve to be. That are taking money, time, and positive vibrations from us. I say call them out. Let the world know people! Beware of this business if you wish to have any waxing or plucking done, anyone!!! It just isn't worth it to support a business with no ethics that only care about that almighty dollar.
Until next time all...Sending Love and Light.
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