I went to this local bakery this morning to pick up a simple loaf of bread and waited 8 minutes at the counter without service or acknowledgement of my presence. I was the only one at the counter. One employee was making coffee, intent on...watching it as dribbled out of the espresso machine his back to the counter area. A second employee, who was at the counter when I came in, went behind the pastry counter to put some goodies in a box. She peered up at me a couple of times through the case but didn't acknowledge my presence. The owner was in the back corner talking to two staff. She also looked directly at me a couple of times without acknowledging my presence.
I had an appointment across the street and I had to leave without being served. I went back an hour and a bit later to let them know that I was disappointed by the earlier lack of service or acknowledgement. The staff member basically told me tough luck, if we were busy we couldn't serve you. I told her that I could at least have been acknowledged in the time I waited. A "Good Morning, be with you in just a moment" would have sufficed.
I have to wonder what they would have done had there been more than just little ol' me at the front counter! This is not the first time this kind of thing has happened here. I have gone in to meet friends for coffee or lunch and found all the tables dirty.
Obviously I won't be patronizing that business again and I will tell my friends why. Just because you are the only local bakery doesn't mean that you can ignore customers you may not know!
I posted my concerns on Facebook, and rather than addressing them the owner has informed me I am no longer welcome in her shop. Fine with me, as my post had already stated that I would no longer patronize them.More