Corporate Office

RE: Salmon Creek Ace Hardware Manager Disability and Racial Discrimination/Harassment 9-8-2020 Hello, A couple of weeks ago my wife drove her electric wheelchair from our home in Salmon Creek, WA to our local Ace Hardware store (13009 NE Highway 99 Ste 101, Vancouver, WA 98686) get a part to fix her broken wheelchair. She was met just inside the front door by Alex, a manager, and blocked her way further into the store because she had forgotten her Covid 19 face mask at home. She asked if they had courtesy masks, "No, but you can buy one for $10." She wanted to see them but he demanded she immediately leave the store, but the one way entrance door would not open and he would not let her pass saying, "You have to leave now!" Of course my late middle aged disabled wife was very distraught as Alex would not listen to reason - she could not go that way as the door was locked from inside - as he loomed over her demanding she leave immediately. Finally, after some ridiculous back and forth between Alex and my wife, the cashier near the doors went outside and opened it from there so she could escape this very tall white male intimidatingly loomed over my very disabled and increasingly distraught black wife. When I met her after work she told me the story, saying after the rude encounter with Alex she went next door to Safeway and they gave her a courtesy mask – what a way to get repeat business, helping a disabled person make her difficult way through this life. Kudos to Safeway! Fast forward to September 8, 2020. She and I went in to find the part for her broken chair (she was afraid to go alone) which we did. My secondary intiention was to see if Alex was there and check him out if possible, after all, my wife was still scared of him and that is very unusual for her. She is not intimidated easily and she is usually very soft spoken, sweet, and kind - even to rude people. While we shopped for something else alone in an isolated isle, I pulled my mask down so my wife could hear me. Alex came by and said something I didn't hear as I am near totally deaf in my right ear and I can't see his lips to read them as he was wearing a mask. He said something again and as a deaf man unable to clearly hear I just said, "Thank you" and kept shopping. My wife told him I needed to read his lips to understand him as I am deaf. He then went from low volume to shouting very loudly (with his lips still covered by his face mask) "You leave my store now. I'm calling the police." Although I heard him I decided to continue my role play (as we practice) to see if he would accommodate a deaf person. I asked my wife, "What did he say?" She uncovered her lips and said, "You have to cover your face, he's calling the police." So I covered my face. Alex, to his credit, finally quit yelling but stared at me for quite an uncomfortable time. While checking out our purchases I went to him and started to say there are exemptions while speaking to the deaf – Governor Inslee allows for uncovering the lips so deaf people can hear. Beside not trying to accommodate a deaf person he clearly indicated he wanted nothing to do with my attempt to help him understand how to treat deaf people. So I paid and left. I am a former private detective, agency owner, and state licensed trainer so my skill sets in observing people and drawing out points of interest is at the professional level. My role playing (we call it pretense in the detective field) yesterday was to investigate Alex's attitude and whether he was lacking training to accommodate disabilities (or if indeed he was just racist as my wife suggested). Let me explain, I am a white man over 55, my wife is black over 55. We role played Alex to see if he would act up again and sadly he did. We were so upset after we left the store we realized we forgot to pay for the parts we put on the chair while in the store. We went back and were met at the door by the cashier who blocked our entrance asking, "Do you have a question about price?" Now wait a minute. That sounds like a very odd question to ask a returning customer, were they blocking us from re-entering? I explained and we were allowed to enter all the way to pay for the products I’d added to her wheelchair. My analysis: Alex is either very insensitive to disabilities, lacking people skills, or possibly racist. Why else would he go so quickly from "He's deaf and needs to read your lips" to LEAVE MY STORE NOW! I'M CALLING THE POLICE without any attempt at accommodating a disabled person? To me, this looks like a little of all three personal problems exhibited to the extent any sense of customer service skills are not only lacking, they are virtually missing. This is not my first encounter with Alex. I am a Facilities Manager for a large conglomerate and on the side I work as a handyman for two different residential/commercial businesses. I frequent Salmon Creek Ace Hardware for supplies for all three jobs and personal needs. I have learned to avoid Alex as his hardware and tool knowledge are essentially a waste of my time as a professional and his reply skills to his skill set deficiency is off-putting. Additionally, we've spent thousands of dollars at this store. But you know, Alex makes us so uncomfortable we will not go back to this store again as long as we know he works there. Home Depot and Lowe's serve customers better than that and are only 5 minutes difference to travel. I’ve always preferred Ace but this is just too much. At the very least, Alex needs some training. How can a person be promoted to manage and have such a dismissive attitude to a woman in a wheelchair and a middle aged deaf man? We are quite upset. An apology to my wife would be very much appreciated. She has multiple problems and is nearly continually in pain. That man added to her discomfort on two occasions now. Again. We are very displeased.

I Have no problems with ace hardware store, but I think the way they’re employee treated A police man was wrong and he should pay for the consequences of his actions and be fired. I do not want him to unnecessarily suffer, but you are responsible for your own actions.