A few weeks back, I helped my homeboy move out of his apartment and of course, we rented a U-Haul. Well apparently, my boy rented his truck from the busiest spot in all of Maryland AND given that it was the 31st of October (Halloween), everybody and their mama needed a truck to move from one apartment complex to the next.
$8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit my ass.
Anyway, we took the truck back at about 6:30 pm and the U-Haul locale was JUMPIN’ like the club. I saw a chick who turned out to be a man dressed like a woman dancing to a Beyonce song, which was, like, so cliche. Anyway, as we stand in line for what seems like forever, the clearly overworked ninja employees of the establishment begin loudcapping everybody but nobody in particular about people needing to get out of the store because it was basically closing time and how they weren’t getting paid enough to deal with these snippy motherf*ckers.
Being the college-educated and well-adjusted individuals that me and mi compadre are, we waited our turn and when we got to the front of the line, the phone started ringing. Now you might think this was the store phone. Nope, it was her personal cell phone and much to the surprise of nobody, she answered the phone…WHILE dealing with our order. She proceeds to detail to the person on the other end of the phone how ninjas just KEEP showing up KNOWING that they close at 7pm and how she BETTER have some collard greens and chicken left.
And for anybody who went to Ray’s funeral last weekend, I’m sorry for your loss. I didn’t know Ray personally, but I heard about all of the details from Bertha at the U-Haul on Chillum Road in Hyattsville, Maryland.
You’re welcome.
Anyway, the craptastic service and all around ri-damn-diculousness that I witnessed reminded me of something that I both love and adore…SERVICE AT A BLACK RUN ESTABLISHMENT!
While I love my people dearly, there definitely are some Black Run Establishments (BREz) that be on that bullsh*t. Sometimes…they just suuuuuck.
So quickly, here are 7 sign that you might be at a BRE.
1) Lots of employees but no work getting done
SEE example from up above.
2) Employees make you feel like they’re doing YOU a favor by dealing with you…despite the fact that you’re paying for a service
There’s nothing worse than a motherf*cker treating you like you should thank them for being there and getting paid to do their damn job. I hate ninjas like this. Really. Like really really.
3) Folks are talking on their personal cellphones, about personal business
I don’t know about you, but I don’t even need Bossip or TMZ. All I do is go to my local Popeye’s and I can keep up with all the local and Hollywood gossip when Boomshakalaka and her cousin get to talking about who Ray J is REALLY f*cking. Yay!
4) Hard to tell the employees from the friends of employees
I’ll never understand why folks will go visit their homies at work FOR HOURS. Jesus be an unemployment check.
5) There’s always a lingering threat of violence between…somebody(s)
You ever just notice a palpable anger in the air but can’t tell where it’s coming from or who it’s directed towards but if a fight broke out you wouldn’t be surprised? Yeah, you just might be in a BRE.
6) They play the versions of songs that include Plies and/or curse words
Plies = curse words in my book and neither are allowed on Sunday anywhere NEAR me. Seriously though, perhaps I’m just getting old but I get downright soccermom-ish when I hear a song playing in a store and it’s the dirty version. I just want to shake a stick at people and make them feel bad with vicious rhetoric.
7) You have to check your bag at the door
I think it’s so funny that you have to check your bag in a store where you can literally see the entire store and everybody in it from the front door. Then again, in this time of economic depression, I guess the ninja at the front door checking bags is just happy to have a job. Either way, they don’t do that sh*t at the store NEXT DOOR. And chances are, I’d rather rob them anyway. But I can read. So I won’t.
So good folks of VSB, I KNOW I missed some things. Educate the people, people. How do YOU know you might be at a BRE??
Inquiring minds would like to know.
-VSB P aka THE ARSONIST aka TANGLE JIG P aka GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRL, HE A 3
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{ 58 comments… read them below or add one }
This completely describes Howard University A building ! ..Im paying thousands of dollars to be ran around just to hear ten people say ‘NO’
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Persona {November 9th, 2009 at 2:45 am}
@missmusings, I think that’s an exaggeration. The A Building may be the most annoying line you’ll ever stand in (altho it does teach patience) you do NOT hear people answering personal cell phones, have threats of violence from the staff, hear curse words in songs and etc.
Let’s try to keep it truthful. The A Building SUCKS due to antiquated systems, and, to be honest, a lot more people needing more financial aid than, say, a white school, but not due to angry folks behind the counter. They’re getting paid no matter what and paid WELL.
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maria {November 9th, 2009 at 3:13 am}
@Persona,
This does, however, describe HUH.
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dedrum {November 9th, 2009 at 12:41 pm}
@maria,
That describes HUH to a T!!!!
It has got to be the only hospital in the country where I have to state my name and TITLE to “inspire” paid employees to actually do the job that they’re, well, paid for. (yeah, that x-ray that we ordered 12 hours ago… think somebody could come up and well, do it?)
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iloveketa {November 10th, 2009 at 4:31 pm}
@Persona, girl, what year you graduate? You will hear drama on the celly, maybe not from the staff but from all the other angry very smart black kids standing in the stankin ass line with you. You will hear threats, but mostly from the students @ the staff (and the random fool that steps on there new shoes). And the crazy music, will be blaring from somebodies something.
Loved HU anyway, just like the bREz
#dealwithit or #openyourown
tootles
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:00 am}
@missmusings, I’m guessing that’s more the HBCU experience than it is just unique to Howard. While I give Howard all credit for suckiness (Morehouse alum here), I’m sure that Clark Atanta U could give even the worst run HBCU a run for its money. Hell, my sophomore year, they admitted like a thousand people they didn’t have HOUSING for. And when I say admitted I mean, “come to campus and welcome to CAU. You will live here. We just won’t tell you that “here” doesn’t exist.”
Then of course there’s the great Morris Brown debacle. At least folks at Howard tell you know. the admins at MoBrown ain’t even show up. lol.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 11:09 am}
@Panama Jackson,
“Hell, my sophomore year, they admitted like a thousand people they didn’t have HOUSING for.”
That’s not just black run. I’m pretty sure Temple did that same dumb ish. Like “Surprise! We’re all booked!”.
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InnerDiva {November 9th, 2009 at 11:43 am}
@Me fail english?,
I think you’re only guaranteed housing your first year at Temple. I went to a lovely PWI just up the road from there.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 12:50 pm}
@InnerDiva,
Yeah but I think that became official policy after they hit a snafu. LOL
Deviant {November 9th, 2009 at 11:41 am}
@Panama Jackson,
That happened at Tennesee State my first 2 years there. They had to buy up hotel rooms and apt complexes to house people.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 11:55 am}
@Deviant,
My sister told me something similar happened down at Texas Southern her freshman year.
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Deviant {November 9th, 2009 at 1:00 pm}
@miss t-lee,
the fake TSU
miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 1:09 pm}
@ Deviant,
Hahahah…I don’t get mad…I did not attend…lol
vixen {November 9th, 2009 at 2:50 pm}
@miss t-lee,hahahah Texas Southern in the worst. This list is the decribes them to a T
Including their graduate schools
Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 3:48 pm}
@miss t-lee, so i guess the main point to note here is that you REALLY need to get sh*t in writing first with pictures, a piece of the building you’ll live in, and a sworn affidavit from the bursar’s office that you will have a place to live before you go to ANY college.
Miss Patterson {November 9th, 2009 at 2:37 pm}
@Panama Jackson, why you gotta talk about my school, dog? Sadly, you speak truth…Imagine if you will hundreds of students stranded in the airport on the 6 o’clock news because my their school underestimated their housing availability by oh 1,000 heads. That was the most embarrassing news headline CAU had while I was there. Second to them getting audited by the IRS because Kashinkashay was taking loan applications home and NOT processing them.
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Ms. Smart {November 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am}
@missmusings, Oh the tales I could tell about the A building. I was there a long time ago. This was way back before you could register online. WAAAAAYYYY Back then. This was way back when the bursar was stealing money. How do I know? Cus she attempted to do it to me through my account. Anyhow, being far removed from HU, all those lines taught me and my contemporaries to hustle. I can work my way through any line anywhere. I can figure out who will tell me YES after hearing several NO’s. AND, I know how to get through any phone system to get to a person’s desk. Those lines and people might frustrate you now, but if you graduate, you will go out into the world with life skills that kids coming from super organized colleges don’t. Keep your head up and most importantly, keep every single receipt. You might need them to prove you’re graduation worthy!
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Aceduck, PhD {November 9th, 2009 at 1:46 pm}
@Ms. Smart,
Must we make this argument all the time on here? It’s trite and reeks of overcompensation. HBCU’s are not the only place you can get life skills. And you have zero basis for the claim that you are better prepared than someone who didn’t have to stand in some long a** line to do anything.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 3:49 pm}
@Aceduck, PhD, kind of hit a nerve, huh?
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The One & True GEM... of the Ocean {November 9th, 2009 at 3:57 pm}
@Aceduck, PhD,
well i only have one thing to say to you, Aceduck, PhD, for this comment…
Ph Deez.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 4:42 pm}
@Aceduck, PhD,
lol. That argument is pretty stale tho. Even HBCU alum cant front.
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The One & True GEM... of the Ocean {November 9th, 2009 at 5:06 pm}
@Me fail english?,
ya know, i absolutely agree. ive never actually used this argument or even had to really deal with “lines” while at SC (altho ive dealt with plenty of bad attitudes and other BRE mess).
the positives i gained from my hbcu experience that contribute to why i love my beloved alma mater dont at all include the negative/unflattering/whack sh*t that hbcu’s are known for.
theillest {November 9th, 2009 at 3:00 pm}
@missmusings, – It is soo SIMILAR to the A-building, I try to stay away from the A-building, but as an undergrad it’s very hard to do.
I got cussed out by one of the Student Accounts people, who told me. “I don’t know what you’re doing here, we’re not giving you any money.”
Thanks Howard.
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They serve food at a non food establishment. For example, hair salons serving chicken and rice in the back.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:01 am}
@JumpOnIt, i can’t even front. i think this one is a total coup. like for real, you never know when hunger’s gonna hit you. the dude sellings wings in my barber shop is ALWAYS right on time.
my only beef is that he sweeps up the errant hairs FIRST then goes back to his wing stand and i swear that dude don’t always wash his hands. but hey, its barbershop wings…i dont really question. i just eat.
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Ms. Smart {November 9th, 2009 at 11:09 am}
@JumpOnIt, I don’t see anything wrong with this. I happen to appreciate a fried fish sandwich as I sit under the dryer.
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OrangeStar616 {November 9th, 2009 at 11:22 am}
@Ms. Smart, girl they come thru with the fresh seafood salad, cakes from scratcth(shout to Sharisses dad), fish dinners etc……..LOL
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InnerDiva {November 9th, 2009 at 11:46 am}
@JumpOnIt,
There’s a barber shop on Jamaica Ave in Queens that sells food downstairs…
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“And for anybody who went to Ray’s funeral last weekend, I’m sorry for your loss. I didn’t know Ray personally, but I heard about all of the details from Bertha at the U-Haul on Chillum Road in Hyattsville, Maryland.”
…DEAD. (no pun intended)
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:02 am}
@*GiGi*, THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID!
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1. The male employees address you as Baby.
2. If you show up during business hours and there’s a note on the door saying “Closed will be back in 20min”. …20 min from WHEN!!!?
3 Red Weave… If there’s some RW, yeah No service for YOU..
4. When they laugh and cackle amongst each other, then turn to you with the Mean Mug.
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superwoman {November 9th, 2009 at 1:24 am}
@Dat Chic, A big fat YES to all your points!!!
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Brownbelle {November 9th, 2009 at 2:30 am}
@superwoman,
Also,
- When you’re allowed to run a tab until the end of each month (I worked at a black run pharmacy that did this, and that’s probably one of the reasons why they didn’t shut down when CVS moved in up the street)
- The uniform is barely enforced, if at all.
- You don’t know the price of anything until it’s time to pay for it.
- The window display gets changed approximately once every ten years.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:04 am}
@Brownbelle, – When you’re allowed to run a tab until the end of each month (I worked at a black run pharmacy that did this, and that’s probably one of the reasons why they didn’t shut down when CVS moved in up the street)
a pharmacy with layaway? kind of optimistic aren’t they? hell half the folks taking the drugs to stay a live. lol
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Brownbelle {November 9th, 2009 at 1:49 pm}
@Panama Jackson,
You would think so. Make it worse, we sold snacks and half of our customers were on diabetes/cholesterol/blood pressure meds. They’d be the same one picking up a bag of pork rinds and some moon pies on the way out! The other half were on antipsychotics, though, and crazy people have mad longevity. You haven’t had a rough day until you’ve faced down two bad ass, thieving African children (no offense but they were from Africa, and their mama liked to pretend she couldn’t understand English), the neighborhood bum and a bipolar septuagenarian in the same hour. Oh, yes.
Never a dull moment!
Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am}
@Dat Chic, 2. If you show up during business hours and there’s a note on the door saying “Closed will be back in 20min”. …20 min from WHEN!!!?
how about a police station like this. when i was freshman in college, my car got booted (or something..lol) and me and my boys went to the police station at 3am and the sh*t was CLOSED. the damn police station. zone 1 can kiss my azz 12 ways from thursday, pal.
ATL stand up. f*ckers. then again, it’s ATL so the police is a fairly BRE.
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MizThickaDenThick {November 11th, 2009 at 12:25 am}
@Panama Jackson,
I wouldnt leave my car nowhere in Zone 1…what was yall thinkin?
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kamakula {November 9th, 2009 at 12:03 pm}
@Dat Chic,
That sign always means 20 minutes from when you read it.
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the workers simply refuse to do their job…. years ago, i was at a joburg restaurant with a group of friends. everyone but me asked for a glass of water before we placed our orders – when the waiter returns with their stuff, i said ‘you know what, actually, i WOULD like a glass of water, can you get me one, please?”
would you believe this fool was like “no! i gave you a chance, and you didn’t want it – so forget it! i’m moving on to food and drinks orders now!!”
i COULD NOT believe it! called the manager, who seemed intimidated by this idiotic waiter – in the end, i got my water and a grudging apology…. blacks!! we’re something else…
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:07 am}
@superwoman, would you believe this fool was like “no! i gave you a chance, and you didn’t want it – so forget it! i’m moving on to food and drinks orders now!!”
i’d pay good money to see this happen. this sounds like a scene out of punk’d or something.
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my personal worst…when you’re at a place where you have to fill in a form with your contact details, and the shady troll who’s been eyeing you lustfully the whole time sneakily gets your information, and calls you to ask you out…
this happened to me when i had FINALLY found a place i liked to get my car fixed….some little mechanic i hadn’t even noticed calls me, on some “hi, it’s me, Abram….” i was all “who the hell is Abram????” it took me about 10 minutes to figure out who he was. so i cut the conversation real quick, but he kept phone-stalking me…. at one point, he was like “ok, you don’t have to be my woman – let’s just meet once every 6 months…” CRAZY A$$!!!! “and do what?” i asked… a shifty silence was the response… MY NERVES!!! to be a freak magnet is a problem, guys…..
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SaneN85 {November 9th, 2009 at 2:44 am}
@superwoman, This happened to me at my bank. This ninja started texting me, and then he showed up at my part-time job after seeing my direct deposit come through. Da h*ll?
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:08 am}
@superwoman, it took me about 10 minutes to figure out who he was. so i cut the conversation real quick, but he kept phone-stalking me…
it took you 10 minutes to cut the conversation real quick??
you so slow.
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YGB {November 9th, 2009 at 12:03 pm}
@superwoman,
LOLOL! Something like this happened to a friend of mine. Her mom had passed away and about a month after the funeral she received a letter from one of the undertakers expressing his undying love for her! How shameless!
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Yeah, agree with Missmusings that Howard U has that flavor.
Don’t know if still goes on, but long ago a lot of DC gub’mint offices were run like a mom & pop business. Heck, I used to see some of the clerical staff walk around in bedroom slippers.
On the BRE upside, you can often buy jewelry or electronics from the folk wandering in and selling stuff.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:09 am}
@Kit (Keep It Trill), yeah. that’s why i love barbershops. you can buy a Beretta, a flat screen, or a grill for under 100 bucks on the right day.
never fails.
i outfitted my first apartment by being at my barbershop on the right saturday. roomstore was extra cheap that day.
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“There’s nothing worse than a motherf*cker treating you like you should thank them for being there and getting paid to do their damn job. I hate ninjas like this. Really. Like really really.”
You gonna hate me then, because I’m like this at my very corporate and 2520 job. My boss thanks me for running weekly reports that are clearly in my job description, plus I always act like I’m doing the whole office a favor for every minute after 5:30 I’m still at work.
*Puts powerful Black fist in the air*
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Dat Chic {November 9th, 2009 at 2:25 am}
@Dorian G.,
Umm no cookie, Its your job.
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Dorian G. {November 9th, 2009 at 10:56 am}
@Dat Chic,
My job is to be F.I.N.E. out here and bring swag to this office. Everything over that is gravy and should be accompanied with applause and fanfare.
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Dat Chic {November 9th, 2009 at 11:42 am}
@Dorian G.,
Ummm hate to say it … but that’s the SAME mentality the BRE with the nightmare service have. “I’ll give you a two piece and a biscuit but, the fact I’m giving you correct-”ish” change you should applaud me.”
Clap for emmm..
Doubt you take it that far
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Smiley Face {November 9th, 2009 at 10:32 am}
@Dorian G.,
LMAO *sniggling*…we here b/c my boss asks me for “favors” all the time! Like “Smiley Face can you do me a favor and run the stats on the ****job we did last year, please and thanks?” All the while I’m thinking…dude..don’t you know you’re the boss? lol. But I think that’s b/c his tail just likes black women…smh
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:10 am}
@Smiley Face, he just likes black tail huh?
great magazine by the way.
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WuDaMan {November 9th, 2009 at 10:55 am}
@Dorian G.,
You know I was wondering why I wasn’t like the rest of the 2520s on my job or even the truly African African Amurhicans. I guess I’ma ninja…
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:12 am}
@Dorian G., i actually think at corporate jobs we should be like that. call it getback. lol.
i used to run for you massa. now i walk. and…you’re welcome, f*cker. that’s how we should treat our employers…
…when the economy picks back up.
*sidenote: holy f*ckin hell batman. i just edited my comment and it just popped up and sh*t. i felt like i was playing space invaders or blackout. man, that was trippy. why nobody told me this? why my sentence structure so bad?*
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Dat Chic {November 9th, 2009 at 11:53 am}
@Panama Jackson,
“i actually think at corporate jobs we should be like that. call it getback. lol.”
Damn I expected more from you. (ok I’m exaggerating) The “thank me for doing MY job” mentality is ok as long as its corporate America? wrong..
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Envymenow {November 9th, 2009 at 3:05 pm}
This conversation is rather interesting. I would have to disagree with the notion that you should be rewarded for work that you are being compensated for. In contrast, I do believe that people should say thank you. (Supervisors and bosses included.) Although it is a part of your job, saying thank you is just a common courtesy. Making your boss feel as though they owe you something is not going to get you anything but fired.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 3:52 pm}
@Envymenow, fired schmired. i work for the man. we don’t get fired here. we get…reassigned.
Dorian G. {November 9th, 2009 at 4:08 pm}
@Envymenow,
I think y’all are taking it too seriously. As usual me and P are just here for the lulz.
There is a local restaurant that serves very good bar-b-q, perhaps the best I’ve ever had. But the problem is their service. I stopped in to get a sandwich, and I was the only customer in the store. It still took me thirty minutes to get my food. I have never seem people move so slowly in my life. There was no sense of urgency. And it seems that when they sensed that I was angry, instead of attempting to placate me, after all I was the customer, they moved even slower.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:15 am}
@Max Reddick, if you’re in DC i’d swear you were talking about Ooh’s and Aah’s on U Street.
love the food. slowest service in history. the good thing is at night, say after midnight, all the cook staff is women who wear lingerie while they serve you. and you can always go upstairs for lapdances and lima beans.
Ooh’s and Aah’s…if you ain’t been there, don’t go there…until 2 am.
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sxyscientst {November 10th, 2009 at 11:27 am}
@Panama Jackson, I hope you are lying.
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“Employees make you feel like they’re doing YOU a favor by dealing with you…despite the fact that you’re paying for a service”
I truly HATE that isht. It’s like, you picked this job- deal with it! I especially hate when I get mean mugged by the McDonald’s cashier. You don’t clean floors, you don’t make the food, you just punch in numbers 1-10 and give people change. See, that’s why I’d rather shell out $12 and go to Chick-fil-A because they know good customer service. I don’t know if it’s the biscuits, or the Sundays off, but those people straighten up and fly right when you walk in. “Welcome to Chick-fil-A, how may I help you today?” ON IT!
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:18 am}
@Brownbelle, i actually think its b/c they serve better food. there has to be some correlation between the type of food you serve and the staff you have. think about, every chicken spot, save for chik-fil-a (but they be on some gourmet chicken and wraps and sh*t) has some of the hoodest employees…ever. then again, they’re all in the hood and there ain’t no chik-fil-a in the ghetto.
so never mind. mrs winners are all in the hood so they get employees who don’t read good. who in turn give you the service they feel like giving.
mrs. winners MLK has the best biscuits.ever. though.
not better than Church’s though.
btw, y’all remember the Church’s is run by the KKK campaign from the 90s? and then mc hammer had the commercials? good times.
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Brownbelle {November 9th, 2009 at 1:40 pm}
@Panama Jackson,
Speaking of which, I no longer frequent Mrs. Winner’s. I came in after school with my boyfriend one day and asked for a Sprite, please and the dude says “You must be stuck up.” I just walked out. Make it worse, the MANAGER was the one who took my order. He followed me out to the parking lot to apologize and gave us free food but I haven’t been back since. Why I gotta be stuck up just because I have manners? I’m trying to make YOUR day easier!
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 3:54 pm}
@Brownbelle, i mean…its mrs winners. i dont go there for good service or common sense. i go there for chicken.
plus they’re all in the hood. and we all know that ATL hood ain’t your average hood.
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Miss Patterson {November 9th, 2009 at 3:37 pm}
@Panama Jackson, nothing like Mrs. Winners on a Saturday afternoon. I think there was one on Fair Street right behind Morehouse that had a nice $2.99 two piece drumstick with a biscuit and sweet tea special. mmmhmmm, good!
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 3:57 pm}
@Miss Patterson, naw, it was on Asbhy (or more currently, Joseph Lowery Blvd). ain’t there no mo’ tho. just like the domino’s. rip.
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Miss Patterson {November 9th, 2009 at 7:58 pm}
@Panama Jackson, joseph lowery? what?! da hell?
VeronicaCorningstoneD {November 9th, 2009 at 11:22 am}
@Brownbelle,
SO TRUE! iLove chick fil-a! It’s the only fast-food restuarant where someone will buss your table and ask if you want a refill. amazing.
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cam1ll3 {November 10th, 2009 at 1:48 am}
@VeronicaCorningstoneD,
honestly, if chickfila were a BRE, i’d still patronize it. that sweet tea (crack) is amaaaaaaaazing. best in the game (depending on which one you hit–tallahassee: gov. square mall, md: cap ctr @the blvd and laurel). thank you truett cathy.
mcdonalds is da debbil ya’ll!! come on!!
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lovin' me {November 9th, 2009 at 11:40 am}
@Brownbelle,
Yeah, rabid mcdonald’s employee’s get on my cotton-picking nerves…once, there were about 3 cashiers available and of course the one i pick had the nastiest attitude. i didn’t even get a chance to open my mouth before she had that “don’t even come up here with a difficult order” look on her face. so i just hopped over to the next available cashier leaving her looking stupid and fiddling around trying to figure out how to regain her stank composure.
i mean all i wanted was a #4
no pickles, no onions, easy on the mayo, cut in half with a side of worchestshire sauce mixed with cayenne pepper…dang, can a sister get any love….Reply
dedrum {November 9th, 2009 at 12:52 pm}
@lovin’ me,
I second that!
Confusion/Frustration at a “special order”…
How difficult is “chicken sandwich – plain? Why does it take you 10 minutes to process the order? What part of ‘Fast” in the phrase ‘Fast Food’ are you not getting?
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lovin' me {November 9th, 2009 at 5:42 pm}
@dedrum,
It’s just flat out ridiculous if employees are gettin’ an attitude about “chicken sandwich plain”…I would think it’d make their jobs easier…
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Purplenat {November 10th, 2009 at 4:50 am}
@lovin’ me,
See, what you’re assuming is that these people are gonna give you fresh food… Which, for most fast food places, is ridiculous. The fast doesn’t come from the people, it comes from the fact that you’re eating a day-old burger.
I don’t really go to black establishments to dine, shop or etc. that are like this. I go to organized black establishments.
But, I’ll say this, a sign that I’m dealing with a blacks in customer service is their painful connection to their employers.
Whenever you want to complain to AT&T or any other company, just hope you’re not talking to a black person because they behave as if giving you ANYTHING comes directly out of their paycheck. It’s like, seriously, why are you worried about giving me 10% off my next pizza because you f*ed up my first order? That $2 is not coming out of your paycheck.
If anything, the inability to get black folks to budge on offer discounts for a companies screw up, demonstrates their ability to pench pinch for the boss.
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the taxi line in dc 398-05**, when you call and the clerk picks up the line, but continues finishing her personal convo then finally acknowledges you with a
“HELL-LOW…hold on!” and puts the phone down to keep talkin…wtf?
cashier’s that see the line is wrapped around the next aisle but still walk away from the booth and is like “man i know somebody better get up here” and starts movin hella slow before even tryin to ring someone up? really…
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:21 am}
@maria, lol. i love that service actually…the “i aint ringing up nobody til i get some help” service.
nothing like disgruntled employees to create disgruntled customers who somehow NEVER leave. lol. for the life of me, why anybody would be MAD cuz they walked into a store with one employee and a line of 40 folks and have the nerve to be mad cuz they waiting is beyond me. sometimes i go get food from other places, come back and sit down and eat and watch the fracas.
i call it BET.
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1. YOU need exact change.
-i’m in brooklyn, go to the chicken spot for some food. bill is $16, i pay with a $20. his response…”ooooooh, you don’t got exact change?” i say, give me a $5 back and let’s call it even. him: “it came up to $16…not $15…unless you want me to take out a thigh or..?”
WTF.
2. They have nothing that is advertised on their menu/list of services
- sooooo, you say i could get a color and highlights for $55, but you only doing perms and ponytails today? ooookaaayyyy.
3. no receipts
-just a thank you and gtfo
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:22 am}
@jana.love, you ever been to a Burger King with no burgers?
i have.
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P. {November 10th, 2009 at 12:00 am}
@Panama Jackson,
You ever been to a Popeyes with no chicken? Or a KFC with no chicken? Or a Hardees with no chicken?
I have.
In the same night.
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lovin' me {November 9th, 2009 at 11:23 am}
@jana.love,
#3…..*dead*
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You might be at a BRE if … the refreshments they serve consist of red Kool-Aid and oatmeal pies.
True story. I was looking for an apartment and this is what they had to offer at the leasing office. Of course I partook of the offering, but I left soon thereafter.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 10:49 am}
@SouthernSole,
“You might be at a BRE if … the refreshments they serve consist of red Kool-Aid and oatmeal pies.”
There used to be a BBQ spot here that always had grape kool aid in a pitcher next to the fountain drinks, and the sweet tea.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:23 am}
@SouthernSole, for real for real, i get mad when i go to soul food spots and all they have is sweet tea and lemonade.
you know good and damn well you ‘posed to sell kool-aid too.
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cam1ll3 {November 10th, 2009 at 3:26 am}
@SouthernSole,
hey hey now…we don’t knock the oatmeal pies. were they little debbie’s? anything else is sub par.
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LOL very on point
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:24 am}
@Da Iceman, thank you sir.
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3 words: No liquor license.
At the local catfish/soul food/hole in the wall/ chicken spot, you call an order in, they tell you 15 minutes, and you automatically know that you should wait 30 minutes before you even get in the car to go pick up your food. You get there and guess what? You food STILL isn’t ready…lol
Why do you continue to go back? ‘Cause they food is the junk!!!
No set business hours. Sure they are posted on the door. But why are they closed at 5 when it says on the door that they are open until 8?
I still love my people though.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 11:02 am}
@miss t-lee,
Yoooo! I waited like an hour (not on purpose) to go pick up some chicken by my Pop’s house, got there and it STILL wasnt ready. I waited like 20 more minutes to get back to the crib and the box was missing like 5 pieces!! Now if it was just one or two I would charged it to the game but…oh no, my brutha. Actually the Italians at the pizza shop by them pull that same dumb isht. We dont go there anymore though. Their pizza is NOT the junk.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 11:10 am}
@Me fail english?,
I’m dead at the 5 pieces missing…lol This musta been at that Popeye’s you were telling us about last week.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 11:33 am}
@miss t-lee,
HAHA! All my chicken spots be hood. (Im not too fond of KFC) This was at the country’s last known Chicken Delight. I dont know if you’ve ever had that but I’m pretty sure they could slap customers with batter bags and they’d mostly come back. That is some good asz chicken
!
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 12:04 pm}
@Me fail english?,
hahaha.
MicroMan {November 9th, 2009 at 3:30 pm}
@Me fail english?,
Count before you bounce……..
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:26 am}
@miss t-lee, you know what really sucks? strip clubs with no liquor licenses.
lol.
i’m looking at you Montreix in West End in Atlanta.
but we paid to get in so we stayed. they had good sprite though. and if you mix it with 7up it tastes like Five Alive…which is almost poisonous enough to kill you. like liquor.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 11:53 am}
@Panama Jackson,
LOL!!!! There’s a few of them BYOB type spots here.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 12:05 pm}
@miss t-lee,
How about the 2520-run Hookah bars that dont serve food. You ask the waitress for a menu and she pulls out MAD takeout menus to other places in the area. Um, why dont I just leave this bish, pick up my own turkey sammich and smoke a REAL blunt in peace? Hmph!
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Miss Patterson {November 9th, 2009 at 3:44 pm}
@Panama Jackson, not MONTREIX!!! did you get all your shots?
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The One & True GEM... of the Ocean {November 9th, 2009 at 5:16 pm}
@miss t-lee,
LOL the no set business hours is soooo true.
there’s a place in homewood (pgh) that has the BEST grilled chicken ever. in. life. sooooo delish!! them mofos are NEVER open when i want to eat. i always gotta just happen upon the place and not be hungry, cuz those are the only times they’re open.
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Even though Wally-world is not a BRE, I feel like the one closest to my home on the West side clearly fits under this category.
- The alcohol is located in the FRONT of the store. Right by the registers.
- There is ALWAYS a police car parked right out front…sometimes even a paddy wagon.
- The cashiers at the customer service desk not only take their sweet time to help you, despite the long line but they also get an attitude if you’re returning anything. “Well, why you brangin’ this back? What’s wrong wit’it?”
- The age 50+ cat-daddy type “greeters” use their jobs to holla and/or drool over all the women that come in
- There are people walking around in the parking lot and in the store trying to sell you gold jewelry “That isn’t stolen”.
- The cashiers at the register do not feel the need to speak, make eye contact or even acknowledge your presence. When they do grace you with conversation – they talk about how much they can’t stand it there .
Seriously – is anyone else’s Wal-mart like this?? lol
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 9:46 am}
@RedPlum,
“Even though Wally-world is not a BRE, I feel like the one closest to my home on the West side clearly fits under this category”
Shoooo…my Wal-Mart is absoutely hood tastic. I either go shopping super early, or I drive out to the suburbs and shop there.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:27 am}
@RedPlum, what is this Wal-Mart that you speak of?
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 12:42 pm}
@RedPlum,
Oh, Wal-Mart. I love how the Wal-Mart folks just randomly pick whose receipts they wanna check at the exit. The one that just opened right next to the long-standing Sam’s Club around my house (of course, right outside the city line) already had messed up shelves and haphazard aisles on its second day. WTF…
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“Would you believe this fool was like “no! i gave you a chance, and you didn’t want it – so forget it! i’m moving on to food and drinks orders now!!”
HILARIOUS!!! #iCant
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I won’t generalize because I’ve been to many well-run black establishments and happy that I found a salon where I’m in and out in an hour, but some places that I’ve been do the following:
- Takes forever to get served. I was at a restaurant last month that had more waitresses than tables and it took 30 minutes to get drinks and another hour for food. The waitresses were chillen by the bar gossipping instead of doing their job
- Co-sign on the personal calls and the volume is usually too loud. I learn too much personal info about someone I don’t know.
- A lot of gossip
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:28 am}
@Leila, i stay generalizing.
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One thing I could never stand were places with signs (whether real or homemade) that had misspelled words. Sheba’s in E. Saint Louis, while they had thee BEST hood burgers, always bugged me for saying they sold “FRENCH FREIS” on the sign…
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 10:55 am}
@Beez the (almost) Bee-Day Girl!,
You must HATE Chinese Joints then. I still order “Baorki” (Broccoli) and shop at their “supmarket” (Supermarket).
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:29 am}
@Beez the (almost) Bee-Day Girl!, misspelled stuff doesn’t bothered me so much, that just lets me know they’re more concerned with teh quality of my food than trivial things like education.
as long as my food gud, wee gud.
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The One & True GEM... of the Ocean {November 9th, 2009 at 5:22 pm}
@Panama Jackson,
lmao you are so simple.
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It seems like all the gov’t offices here in Chi-town are run like BRE’s absolutely ridiculous trying to get something accomplished within a decent time frame!
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the gathering of shady dudes out front doing one of these things:
*selling mixtapes demos or items that “fell off the truck”
*mean mugging everyone that dare walk into their sphere of influence thus preventing anyone fearful fo direct contact with said individuals from entering said establishment
*asking you for change even tho they are better dressed than you or wearing a semester’s worth of jewelry
*generally doing nothing but taking up space
when I see these things tho it usually makes me homesick and it also lets me know that store is probly the one I want to go on and that it will be shut down in a few months cause someone got killed out front in a) a dice game dispute+ or b)because the store clerk refused to give someone a cup of ice water cause he refused to put his diamond studded glock back in his pants.**
**this happened at the corner store at Buchanan and DB Todd in North Nashville. Only corner store within walking distace from my shack. After this they opened at 9 am and closed at dark for the rest of the summer.. They used to be 24-7.
+Vance Ave and 3rd (I think..its been awhile) in Downtown Memphis. I used to go there for the good gummi bears. That corner store they showed in Hustle n Flow. They were reopened in a few months under new management which again shut down because of a drug bust.
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You’re at a BRE when…
…you get done eating, try to pay, and they tell you “oh, I’m sorry. The credit card machine is not working. You can leave your driver license and walk to the ATM; it’s one right ’round the corner.”
…you order the lemonade and the waitress says “No, you don’t want the lemonade today” as if to say “if I were you, I wouldn’t get the lemonade today.”
…BET is featured on the in-store television playing the latest booty shaking videos.
…as indicated above, the sign says they close at 8, but you get there at 7 and all the lights are off.
…the TV in the lounge area actually sits atop a floor model TV that doesn’t work. True story.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:32 am}
@Caballeroso, …you get done eating, try to pay, and they tell you “oh, I’m sorry. The credit card machine is not working. You can leave your driver license and walk to the ATM; it’s one right ’round the corner.”
i can big league that one. LOL. at my OWN establishment once. owner was late so we aint have no change for NOBODY paying with cash. it was either pay correct change or with a card. which is REALLY difficult for door fees. lol. folks were waiting for an hour to come in to see the gig cuz we didn’t have any change.
which sucks when the door is like $7.
epic.fail.
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This is why I don’t do business or live in PG County in MD.
Finding good service in that part of MD is so rare that I’m actually surprised each time.
You can usually tell it’s a Black Run Establishment, or a little hood, when you get the receipts without an itemized detail. Just the price like from an old school adding machine.
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Deviant {November 9th, 2009 at 10:25 am}
@sunyblack,
cosign
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Smiley Face {November 9th, 2009 at 10:38 am}
@sunyblack,
Can’t Co-Sign on this…guess it’s where you shop and what type of establishment you patronize *shrugs*
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sunyblack {November 9th, 2009 at 10:44 am}
@Smiley Face,
I’ve only been a few places in PG County, in terms of business. They weren’t necessarily “hood” places, but once over on that side of the bridge, they turned into “hood” establishments.
To the ppl that live in PG, I guess it’s normal to them, but when you don’t it sticks out.
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Smiley Face {November 9th, 2009 at 10:50 am}
@sunyblack,
I’m trying to figure out if that was a backhanded insult…like folk who live in PG are used to bad service…? o_O
At any rate, I’ve lived in DC, PG and MOCO..bad service is not limited to color but in this instance like I said, I guess it’s where you shop. I haven’t shopped in places (black owned/black run) in PG where I receive the ‘black’ treatment so to speak.
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sunyblack {November 9th, 2009 at 10:54 am}
@Smiley Face,
Nah, don’t read too much into it. I simply stated in my original comment about PG County, because in the post he was talking about his experience in Hyattsville, which is in PG. So ummm yeah, you can save the *side eye*
I’ve grown up in the DC area, so I’m well aware of all parts of the area, and I also know that if I go certain places I shouldn’t expect great service.
Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:34 am}
@Smiley Face, I’m trying to figure out if that was a backhanded insult…like folk who live in PG are used to bad service…? o_O
bump that. i’ll say it. lol. i lived in PG for 4 years. been all up and thru PG, from greenbelt to brandywine thru oxon hill (my personal favorite for crappy ass service).
the damn jaspers out largo STILL owes me 3 wings.
Deviant {November 9th, 2009 at 10:47 am}
@Smiley Face,
I think there is something to that. People so used to bad service they think thats the norm and think your complaints are unwarranted.
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Smiley Face {November 9th, 2009 at 10:57 am}
@Deviant,
I’m not saying it doesn’t happen..but where I’ve shopped in PG I’ve received the same treatment as when shopping in MoCo, Georgetown, Pentagon City, etc. At the same time I expect to be treated as well when I patronize black owned/black as when I shop somewhere else.
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Deviant {November 9th, 2009 at 11:05 am}
@Smiley Face,
where in PG are you? Its big yanno.
Smiley Face {November 9th, 2009 at 11:26 am}
@Deviant,
Right now Suitland, previously Bowie, Laurel, Upper Marlboro…that’s why I’m like 0_O really PG in its entirety has bad service…or is it just where you shop? *shrugs*
Deviant {November 9th, 2009 at 11:45 am}
@Smiley Face,
I have recieved bad to horrendous service in every one of those places you named. So bad I try to aviod buying anything in those places.
Smiley Face {November 9th, 2009 at 12:52 pm}
@Deviant,
I get that…my point was that I haven’t and that it depends in which stores you shop.
Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 11:16 am}
@Smiley Face,
Not for nothing, but I’m finding it pretty hard to believe that an entire county gives bad service. That’s like saying, “You know who has shetty service? Boston!” lol
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Smiley Face {November 9th, 2009 at 11:28 am}
@Me fail english?,
Exactly, lol… like Deviant said…PG isn’t that small.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:35 am}
@Me fail english?, whole county sucks. word.life.
lol.
btw, shots.fired.
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Ms. Smart {November 9th, 2009 at 11:45 am}
@sunyblack, You ain’t nevuh lied. PG is a few blocks down the street from me. The Shopper’s in Anne Arundel is completely different than the one in PG–a few blocks away. I don’t know what it is. I know for a fact that some of the people working up here used to work at the one in PG. Yet, here, their attitudes and commitment to customer service is way better.
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sunyblack {November 9th, 2009 at 11:51 am}
@Ms. Smart,
haha you’re so right, I don’t know what it is about PG! I try to avoid PG like the plague, or these days like the Swine Flu.
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shhwhisper {November 9th, 2009 at 11:37 pm}
@sunyblack,
I have to cosign that. I grew up in PG County. Sadly, the recession sucks so I’m moving back there from Alexandria. Oh how I’ll miss all that smiling customer service and being able to find things other than the basics in the grocery store.
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*They have an armed security guy( not an actual guard but just some dude in the fake cop outfit) at the door, who greets you saying “How YOU doing ???” and not in “Hello, are you ?”
* The store music is provided by a boom box on the shelf, yes playing the dirty version of all the songs, so loud you feel like you are about to have a stroke or seizure.
*All the clothing has so many security tags on it, you can’t actually try them on.
* They do a counterfeit check on all the bills, including the 1’s, 5’s and 10’s
Sad to say I could go on and on and on…
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 10:35 am}
@PrincessCutc,
“*All the clothing has so many security tags on it, you can’t actually try them on. ”
Dont forget the places that only let you try on one boot. The mate is hidden elsewhere in the store.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:36 am}
@PrincessCutc, * They do a counterfeit check on all the bills, including the 1’s, 5’s and 10’s
you know…they have to though. counterfeit cats from the hood only swap dough in hood areas. or strip clubs.
i think all strippers should be allowed to examine the bills as they receive them. of course, it would slow down the service but hey, strippers got a right to not get burned, money or std wise.
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I dont know of too many black run establishments. The only ones I can think of offhand were run by people I knew personally and I thought they were well-managed. Up here, it’s mostly Arabs, Indians and Dominicans that run stores in the hood. There’s some Koreans/Chinese too. That said I’ll give some HRE (Hood-Run Establishments) signs:
-Kids. Just mad kids for no reason. Sometimes they’re working in the back.
-Visible sticky traps
-Instead of a security system, just some old guy sitting atop a ladder to watch for anyone stealing
-Frequently changing floor patterns
-People taking lunch breaks at the counter, in plain view of the customers
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 10:33 am}
Forgot the most obvious one.
-Poor inventory. This could mean an IHOP that ran out of pancakes or bodegas that generally have nothing on the shelves.
Ok, ok. Forgot another one…
-Dusty isht on the shelves.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 10:44 am}
@Me fail english?,
“-Instead of a security system, just some old guy sitting atop a ladder to watch for anyone stealing”
I’ve never seen this before but it sounds funny as heyll!!!
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 11:21 am}
@miss t-lee,
Girl when you come up to NYC Ima take you to see this isht live and direct. They’re usually in the Jamaica Ave./Knickerbocker/Gun Hill Rd type spots (like how 125st used to be). And the store layouts usually be cramped as hell so the ladder legs be all in the way. Trippin ninjas up. Turrble!
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InnerDiva {November 9th, 2009 at 11:59 am}
@Me fail english?,
As well as Utica Ave. The man on the ladder at Pretty Girl makes nice conversation though.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 12:01 pm}
@InnerDiva,
LMAO!!! I was thinking about my latest experience at Pretty Girl on the Ave. He’s a cool ladder guy too.
P.S. They got some Forever 21 skinny jeans that usually cost $30 for like $12.50!
miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 12:11 pm}
@Me fail english?,
Yes…please do. I have to see this isht in person.
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 12:35 pm}
@miss t-lee,
Ditto! *dead* @ there being a live (as in a breathing human being) security camera*
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:38 am}
@Me fail english?, i was initially going to reference Hood Run Establishments.
but where’s the controversy in that? where there’s race ninjas will run.
lol.
t-shirt?
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pm}
@Me fail english?,
“-Kids. Just mad kids for no reason. Sometimes they’re working in the back.”
And if it’s an Arab HRE, there will only be two or three (at the most) at a time. Just about every establishment has a piece of paper taped the the door that says, “No more than 3 child at a time” or some mess. I used to love to eff with ‘em when I turned 18, they thought I was still a kid (babyface! and what) and I flashed my new ID like, “Grown snitches!!! Now gimme some Newports* and 1.00 on 7-5-6, midday straight, 50/50 ”
*I’ont even smoke.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 12:35 pm}
@Cheekie,
LMAO! This reminds me of when Bart Simpson got a credit card under the name Santos J. Halper. HAHAHAH!
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 12:47 pm}
@Me fail english?,
LMFAO. Remember when he was trying to order something with Homer’s credit card and he said he was gonna pay with a “*pause*…Vysa.” lmfao. Visa FAIL.
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…no returns for a refund. You get in-store credits only.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 11:22 am}
@Caballeroso,
…and only within 7 days.
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Caballeroso {November 9th, 2009 at 12:12 pm}
@Me fail english?,
cosign!!
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 12:24 pm}
@Caballeroso,
Preach. I be hella salty because Lord knows I’m only in there to get a disposable arse club shirt. Talmbout store credit like I’m about to be a loyal customer and go there every paycheck. Whatever. I’ll get more disposable club shirts.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 12:34 pm}
@Cheekie,
Good look on the disposable club shirt…good to know I’m not alone…lol
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 12:46 pm}
@miss t-lee,
Girl, yes. Those come in so much handy. Why should I pay a respectable price for a shirt I’mma bout the sweat the hell out from dancing all night? lol
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It might be a BREz if…
1. The business charges a $2-$5 “merchant fee” when you want to use your debit card. Why? I’m already patronizing your business so why give me the shaft and have me pay to spend my own money?
2. The chick at the counter does that head pat thing instead of digging in and scratiching her weave.
3. The chick at the counter does dig in and scratch her weave, looks at whatever she pulled out and then flicks it waaaaay across the counter…..at a food establishment!
4. The men working in the kitchen peep through that narrow rectangular window where they put the orders and leer at you or try to get your number.
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Ivyette {November 9th, 2009 at 10:56 am}
@Ivyette,
That should be s-c-r-a-t-c-h-i-n-g and not “scratiching her weave.”
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 11:03 am}
@Ivyette,
“1. The business charges a $2-$5 “merchant fee” when you want to use your debit card. Why? I’m already patronizing your business so why give me the shaft and have me pay to spend my own money?”
Let’s not forget the kats that tell you how much you gotta spend in order to be able to use your debit/credit card. Like a mandatory minimum charge of $7…now that ish will make me just turn around and walk out.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:39 am}
@miss t-lee, now that’s just good business. cuz you know y’all ninjas are generally too lazy to leave and then you forget and come back again anyway.
plus, those fees are expensive to use debit card machines and stuff for businesses. why you think no hood spot takes AMEX. it costs too much.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 11:49 am}
@Panama Jackson,
You do have a point…but hey, I ain’t gotta patronize your spot though.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 11:59 am}
@miss t-lee,
Word. It makes arithmetic sense. But in the long run, I’d rather not feel like Im getting nickel-and-dimed. To the Target!
Smiley Face {November 9th, 2009 at 12:40 pm}
@Panama Jackson, LOL..y’all are better than me b/c I let them know up front in a minute that Visa/Mastercard prohibits merchants from doing that…you best believe I was on the phone to Visa when I fist saw the sign, somebody didn’t read the fine print. If you don’t like the fees, then don’t use the card, but don’t charge me b/c I’m purchasing something under $15…nope no sir
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WestIndianArchie {November 9th, 2009 at 1:47 pm}
@miss t-lee,
Minimum amounts violate most credit card service contracts actually. You can call mastercard/visa and let them know.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 2:22 pm}
@WestIndianArchie,
Thanks to you and Smiley Face I will be throwing this out the next time someone tries to enforce their minimum limit.
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Sula {November 9th, 2009 at 2:58 pm}
@miss t-lee,
Let’s not forget the kats that tell you how much you gotta spend in order to be able to use your debit/credit card.
All the Korean and Vietnamese run establishments down my way go by this rule. Most of them don’t even accept cards, it’s cash or you use the $4.50-fee having ATM right in the store. *smh*
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the one thing I cant stand is that a lot of BRE have the expectation that because they are black we should understand and lower our expectations. I signed up for a natural hair mag that was suppose to ship every quarter…
I went six months without one, there was no notice, no reason why. Well apparently somebody blasted the mag on amazon and the owner was mad and sent an email to customers telling us about her illness, personal issues and how its so hard for black business owners etc etc.
Look scarface told you all you have is your balls and your word and as a woman you dont have balls. So if you said every quarter there should have been a magazine every quater or at least a notice of why there would not be one and what you were going to do to compensate customers.. not just expect us to understand, thats some bull shyt.
And last but not least bad a.s.s. customer service. Look Idont start no s hyt but when I spend my money? I expect to be treated like a customer, popping your lips and rolling your eyes and snatching money out of my hands or throwing my change on the counter will get us in a verbal altercation real quick. Get it together people, for real
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 10:58 am}
@shay_d_lady,
“I signed up for a natural hair mag that was suppose to ship every quarter…
I went six months without one, there was no notice, no reason why”
I remember some ladies talking about this on a hair board. Did ya’ll ever get it sorted out?
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:42 am}
@shay_d_lady, the one thing I cant stand is that a lot of BRE have the expectation that because they are black we should understand and lower our expectations.
similar but different…i was in miami in 2006 for a wedding and the rehearsal dinner was in this restaurant on south beach called like Taps or something. anyway, as i’m eating my food, a roach the size of toledo crawls up the wall and pretty much shocked the sh*t out of me (mostly cuz he said, “whatup ni**a, can i have a fry?”). i tell the hostess who just takes off her shoe, kills the roach, and is like, “what do you expect, it’s miami?”
still not sure how i feel about her “conflict resolution” technique, but what could i say…she was right.
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I don’t know if it’s just me, but the lighting in BRE is always a little….off. Like, why are your florescents glowing kinda greenish brown that makes everyone in here look like they got the Swine? And if it’s not sickly looking, it’s just a little too dim for comfort..
Also, they all have their own hours. Not just closing early because they feel like it, there’s a store down the street from my apartment that is NEVER regularly open. And then when they do decide to open the store, at 11:36 on a Tuesday, they have the nerve to stand outside looking like ‘dang, why isn’t anyone coming into our store?’ Ninjas please have a consistent work schedule and you might get some customers. dang!
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OrangeStar616 {November 9th, 2009 at 11:27 am}
@Captain Morgan, got that good green Matrix tint huh? LMAO
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oh and I went to a local hot wing spot that had a 10 wing for 5.00 special the drummies not whole wings…you know these ninjas charged you for ranch or blue cheese? and then they would ask if you want the celery and carrots, and charge you for that shyt?
Get the F!ck outta here…..
Also you know its a BRE if you have a problem with your product, order,etc and you take it back and they try to argue you about what you really ordered or why its supposed to be like that?
Naw son, Im certain that this red shyt running out of my burger indicates its not done…..
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getting charged for extra condiments when you know they have a crate of bbq sauce packets in the back. I cant eat a 5 piece strip with 1 pack of bbq sauce. They know this. Thats why extra packs are 15 cents each. bastards. This Popeyes in Clinton, MD does that. They charge you for ketchup packets and they give you like 2 napkins. eff them they anger me. The Popeyes in Falls Church gives me a plethora of Bbq…and their chicken is never cold and I only have to wait like 3 minutes. The Clinton one always has me sittin in the drive thru for a half hour for something that should always be on standby. I’m angry now…and hungry.
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Welcome to the DMV where customer service is about as good as the public school systems. Okay…low blow, but they are related.
I would sympathize totally with you, but you were in Hyattsville…
Here’s what I usually notice about black owned businesses. Now I do support them if their customer service is on point and they show a strong work ethic (although they will have to compete with Koreans…after a year over there, them mofos are workers!).
1. I concur about the personal phone calls, perhaps the biggest pet peeve of mine. Preciate it if I don’t have to hear your drama while fetching my size 12.
2. Don’t be surprised if you see merchandise from another store with the discount tag still on it marked up conveniently for re-sale. Cmon…”help a brotha out.”
3. Don’t be surprised if you walk into the store and it takes them 10 minutes to acknowledge you. This is when I walk out because that means they don’t want my money. OH well.
4. Bushanda should know about what she is selling instead of “Ownknow…it looks cute.”
5. No, I will not pay $45 for a t-shirt just because it says “Slikoto Fashola” in custom embroidery. Who the F is Slikoto Fashola?
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:45 am}
@CPT Callamity, now you know Slikoto Fasholo is some hood t-shirt line started by one of the cats who slintered off of DDTP when they shut down in SE.
every dude in DC had a t-shirt line with a lot of glitter on it at some point in the 90s.
i never really understood the glitter-phase amongst dudes in DC. seriously, between the glitter, rhinestones, and HOBO headbands phase, DC had a REAL suspect 5 year period. throw on some drop socks and a lot of dudes in DC were looking like Richard Simmon’s glittered out body doubles with their slim fit pants.
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Smiley Face {November 9th, 2009 at 12:43 pm}
@Panama Jackson,
BWAHAHAHAHAA!!!! Yeah…y’all were bright for a few years, lol
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CPT Callamity {November 9th, 2009 at 3:53 pm}
@Panama Jackson,
I know how much you Burg heads love to take potshots at D.C. but eh…
I’m not aware of a “glitter phase.” Rhinestones was like 89. Now I said embroidered shirts, not glitter.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 4:03 pm}
@CPT Callamity, i’m not from pittsburgh. lol. and i been living in and around DC MORE than long enough to remember the glitter on the headbands and madness DEFINITELY had some shirts with glitter on them. HOBO did too. shooters and alldaz and them only had the colorful joints. but glitter was running rampant in the early to mid 90s.
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CPT Callamity {November 9th, 2009 at 5:05 pm}
@Panama Jackson,
I’m not guilty of the “glitter phase.” The only infraction that I will own up to will be the Glow in the Dark t-shirts by Da Link Went Wear. I did have a couple of Madness shirts but that is about as far into local design as a I went. Those stores never stayed open long enough for me to become a patron…except the Madness Connection. Them bamaz were open until 2 am on Georgia!
OrangeStar616 {November 9th, 2009 at 4:44 pm}
@CPT Callamity, I memba the glitter phase LOL, I didn’t wear local designers tho then, every now and then I might do some Mchunu now..actually MADNESS started the local designer movement circa somewhere 86/87/88
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P. {November 10th, 2009 at 12:15 am}
@Panama Jackson,
I grew up during this period. It’s the sole reason why to this day I still think PG ninjas are the most bammafied dudes alive, no matter what they wear now
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 12:24 pm}
@CPT Callamity,
“4. Bushanda should know about what she is selling instead of “Ownknow…it looks cute.”
How about Hector at theMc Donald’s by my job:
Me: Can I get a Southern Style Chicken Sandwich?
Hector: Ju wan grill?
Me (tryna be a smartass) : Do they ever some grilled?
Hector: *blank Stare* Ju wan grill?
Me (defeated): Fried please.
That isht shouldnt be happening.
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Sula {November 9th, 2009 at 3:07 pm}
@Me fail english?,
Hector: Ju wan grill?
iQuit you! Oh my god, I am suffocating.
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CPT Callamity {November 9th, 2009 at 3:58 pm}
@Me fail english?,
Hector and Consuela are funny at McD’s but I’m more insulted by Re’Johntay at Burger King finishing up here conversation with the fry cook on how Dar’shell left his baby muva for her and how she is going to look fuh-lye this evening when she goes to see CCB play.
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The One & True GEM... of the Ocean {November 9th, 2009 at 4:00 pm}
@CPT Callamity,
*dead*
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 4:48 pm}
@CPT Callamity,
lol@ “fuh-lye”
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 4:05 pm}
@Me fail english?, that was hilarious. and no, you weren’t winning that argument for sh*t.
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Oh the tales I could tell about the A building. I was there a long time ago. This was way back before you could register online. WAAAAAYYYY Back then. This was way back when the bursar was stealing money. How do I know? Cus she attempted to do it to me through my account. Anyhow, being far removed from HU, all those lines taught me and my contemporaries to hustle. I can work my way through any line anywhere. I can figure out who will tell me YES after hearing several NO’s. AND, I know how to get through any phone system to get to a person’s desk. Those lines and people might frustrate you now, but if you graduate, you will go out into the world with life skills that kids coming from super organized colleges don’t. Keep your head up and most importantly, keep every single receipt. You might need them to prove you’re graduation worthy!
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LMAO gotta love black folks chile..I’d only like to add any
DC government ran facility and I love my city but young o_O.. these places cover everything on your list and then some LOL!!!!
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1. i hate that u-haul. i got a truck from there when i moved to tennessee. the absolute worst. i dealt with basically the same issues.
2. there are some black owned businesses that actual give off the appearance of an actual business. they are far and few in between. one time i went to the most ghetto black owned dental practice. that was my first and last time ever. i try to support but i can only go so far.
3. talk about checking bags at the door. i remember i was home for x-mas break one year in college and i was christmas shopping. now mind you i had a handful of bags so obviously i was shopping and i was buying items. as i walked into last stop they tried to make me check all my bags. i looked at the lady like she was crazy, turned around and walked out the store.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:47 am}
@Tunde, one time i went to the most ghetto black owned dental practice. that was my first and last time ever. i try to support but i can only go so far.
lol…i keep trynna tell folks that Eddie’s Gold Teeth Emporium is not a dentist office. they make and sell fronts.
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Cayenne {November 9th, 2009 at 5:00 pm}
@Panama Jackson,
LOL!!!!!!!! Wow that kilt me!
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…it’s 98 degrees outside and they don’t have the A/C on, instead, they’ve got an industrial sized fan in the back door and an oscillating fan at the counter with every other row of lights off. FAIL!
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***few more***
1. if its a restaurant, the women working there will usually all have unproportionately fat asses, regardless of their age, height, or weight. seriously, if there are any women out there who’d like a bit more junk in their trunks, just work part-time at a soul food restaurant and in a couple months you’ll go from amerie to free
2. bring cash, because there’s still a chance they might not use debit cards, and you dont wanna use the bootleg atm there with the 5.50 service fee
3. there might be a time when you’re the only person in the entire establishment, like everybody else disappeared in thin air on some “left behind” type sh*t. this is why you should always bring a gameboy
4. you see the “rest in peace, tyreke” t-shirts from last summer on the discount rake
5. one of the cities urban radio stations might just pop up there, for no reason, and broadcast from there for the entire day. i still have no idea what purpose this serves
6. they prominently feature known crackheads in their tv and radio ads (maybe this is just a pittsburgh thing)
7. sometimes you’ll see sh*t in there thats much, much, much cheaper than its supposed to be, just because no one there has realized how valuable it really is yet. seriously, there was a spot in the burgh 7 or 8 years ago where you could buy authentic evisu jeans for like 45 bucks, because all the consumers were still on the iceberg and rocawear kick
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 11:50 am}
@The Champ, 7. sometimes you’ll see sh*t in there thats much, much, much cheaper than its supposed to be, just because no one there has realized how valuable it really is yet. seriously, there was a spot in the burgh 7 or 8 years ago where you could buy authentic evisu jeans for like 45 bucks, because all the consumers were still on the iceberg and rocawear kick
this also works in reverse. i remember for quite some time after Cash Money hit dudes WAY overpaying for Dickies when all of us from down south and out west wore that sh*t cuz it was cheap. you could take 100 bucks to walmart (i guess i do know walmart) and buy like 7 pairs of khakis, a sweatshirt, and some overalls and still have enough money to buy some food from the bootleg walmart food stand.
then i go to hood shots and see dudes spending 40 bucks fro a button up dickies khaki workshirt. get the f*ck out of here.
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Cayenne {November 9th, 2009 at 5:04 pm}
@Panama Jackson,
The scrubs are like 9.99. Also they are the most unsexy items ever on earth.
The End.
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pgh muse {November 9th, 2009 at 2:11 pm}
@The Champ,
6. they prominently feature known crackheads in their tv and radio ads (maybe this is just a pittsburgh thing)
hahahaha! I just seen Tommy from the Ace Athletic commercials like literally 15 minutes ago. He looks like he’s been to rehab
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Brownbelle {November 9th, 2009 at 2:19 pm}
@The Champ,
One more!
- There’s a bell over the door that rings when a customer comes in, so the employees know when to come out the back room and do some work.
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L {November 9th, 2009 at 9:50 pm}
@Brownbelle, LOL!
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Humble_One {November 9th, 2009 at 4:32 pm}
@The Champ,
“1. if its a restaurant, the women working there will usually all have unproportionately fat asses, regardless of their age, height, or weight. seriously, if there are any women out there who’d like a bit more junk in their trunks, just work part-time at a soul food restaurant and in a couple months you’ll go from amerie to free”
I thought I was the only one that noticed this. Fast food joints are the same. There is a McDonalds here in Detroit where all the chics are packing on one shift. All of them are busting out their dickies.
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my mom is the queen of dealing with the BRE. why? because she can out-crazy them any day of the week, that’s why.
Example 1: many years ago, mom and me were at a local BRE Subway in the A and I wanted a six-inch sub. The cashier’s response? “We don’t got the six inch bread, we only got the 12 inch” mom: “can’t you cut the 12 in in half?” cashier: “ionknow, you could ax the manager”
mom: “I could ask the manager?! Let me see your fcuking manager! *manager wearliy appears* YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT MY CHILD CAN’T HAVE A DAMN TWELVE INCH SUB BECAUSE YOUR EMPLOYEE DONT WANNA CUT THE GOTDAMN BREAD? WHAT KIND OF FCKING ESTABLISHMENT ARE Y’ALL RUNNING AROUND HERE? ALL THIS BACK AND FORTH AND MEANWHILE MY BABY IS STARVING! I DONT FU-
manager: ma’am please calm down. shonquishia, ring up their order, while I make the food. it’ll be no charge, ma’am.
years later there was another altercation at a West End McDonald’s drive-thru that ended with my mother snacking on free fries while someone hand delivered her food. the woman is crazy/amazing I tell you.
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Cayenne {November 9th, 2009 at 5:07 pm}
@VeronicaCorningstoneD,
*Dead* @ ALL THIS BACK AND FORTH AND MEANWHILE MY BABY IS STARVING!
TOO funny!
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Purplenat {November 10th, 2009 at 5:21 am}
@VeronicaCorningstoneD,
lmao… she musta been new or something. they don’t make six-inch bread special… hahahaha
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While I agree with 1-6, 7 is more an identifier of the people who frequent the establishment, not who own the establishment. When the store has all black customers, you have to check your bag at the door. To test this theory, go to any hair store. We rarely own them, but have to leave our bags at the front. Likewise for the “everything” store where you can buy everything from furniture to a wig or a bag of chips.
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Ms. Smart {November 9th, 2009 at 12:53 pm}
@Somebody’s Daughter, I used to believe this too. But the stores in the burbs don’t do this. I have a few of them around me. Not only do they not ask you to check your bag but they allow you to open stuff and smell it, etc.
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Somebody's Daughter {November 9th, 2009 at 1:10 pm}
@Ms. Smart,
I agree wholly. Truly, I think the whole post addresses black-owned businesses in the hood–not necessarily those in middle-class or upper-class neighborhoods.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 4:07 pm}
@Somebody’s Daughter, that’s shonuff a right one…but with so many attempts to divide and conquer us as a people, i figurd i’d just make one big ass blanket statement and call it a day.
for unity’s sake.
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“Boomshakalaka”
No you DIDN’T just call her that!! It reminds me of a Family Guy episode (like me fail english can attest, everything does) when wheelchair police guy (his name escapes me) was in the Special Olympics and ol’ dude with the Stephen Hawking voice was like, “I’ll kick your a*s like Boomshakalaka Boomshakalakalakalaka….boom”. *dead* It’s all in the delivery.
“1) Lots of employees but no work getting done”
Family Dollar is notorious (no Chris Wallace) for this sh*t. One of their fine establishments around my sister’s crib blew up or something and they built a brand new shiny one. It opened around the first of the month (re-read that so it can marinate…the first of the dayum month). They had 50-lehm employees in there and only ONE cash register open. The checkout line was longer than Sarah Jessica Parker’s face. So, we all stood in line waiting forever and roasting the managers for being so silly to only have one register open (one was most likely broke…the only open one was not accepting debit cards or whatnot). What, were you born today, Family Dollar?! You know niccas would be swarming the store to see the shiny newness, let alone the fact that it’s THE FIRST OF THE MOTHERLOVIN’ MONTH. Woosah and all that jazz.
“2) Employees make you feel like they’re doing YOU a favor by dealing with you…despite the fact that you’re paying for a service”
When I left the theater (saw This is It…MJ rocks my socks as always) this past week, I witnessed the end of a huge argument between a teen chick and a box office lady. It was apparently something about the box office turning the teen away because she didn’t have her student ID (which is the only reason why I assumed she was a teen…she looked 35…oh, and well her date looked like Plies when he was 13). I guess she would’ve gotten a student discount. Anywho, the teen chick cussed the box office lady out and said something about her “[taking] her job too seriously”. It was hilarious…partly because the teen chick was decked out in a Louis Vuitton headscarf with the sides of her undone-probably-time-for-a-touchup hair sticking out.
A blatant BRE offender that has most likely already been mentioned because of its blatant-ness:
“Hello. Welcome to Kentucky Fried Chicken. We are currently out of the wings, breasts, thighs, legs of the chicken. Yes, fried, grilled, and barbeque. We only have 1 1/2 biscuits left. We will gladly sell the 1/2 of biscuit for a discounted price. 1/4th off the regular price. Monday special. Word to Oprah.”*
*This isn’t what has been said verbatim, but it’s what I hear everytime I pull up in the drive-thru and they say, “Umm, sowwy, we ain’t got no mo’ chickin”.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 12:30 pm}
@Cheekie,
“when wheelchair police guy (his name escapes me) was in the Special Olympics and ol’ dude with the Stephen Hawking voice was like, “I’ll kick your a*s like Boomshakalaka Boomshakalakalakalaka….boom”. *dead* It’s all in the delivery.”
LMAO! I thought of this too!
And I think they dont trust too many people on the registers, thats why they only open one up! Everytime I get my hair done it’s like this. Gotta wait ten years til the one chick that can handle the money is done weaving.
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I got a sign that shows that you WORK for a BRE:
They didn’t submit the information for the direct deposit in time = You ain’t get paid today, negroid!
Yess, this happened to me…accounting firm.
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Ms. Smart {November 9th, 2009 at 12:57 pm}
@K to the…, This can also happen if the person responsible for payroll is Black and the people are scared to fire her ass.
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K to the... {November 9th, 2009 at 1:43 pm}
@Ms. Smart,
Oh this was one of the PARTNERS of the firm that effed up! Needless to say, I was gone in a year and four months!
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 4:04 pm}
@K to the…,
Dayum, not even a paper check? Just point blank…no funds?
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Whenever I have to deal with foolishness, there are only two voices I use. The first is the syrupy sweet I’m dealing with a little child voice.
K: Oh wow? You don’t carry that item anymore? But I see it right there behind you. Yes, if you just turn around, and look to your left, yes, left is the direction in which I’m pointing, ah, you see it now? Gooood boy!
The second is the sarcastic one, usually if the first failed.
K: So, let me get this straight. I called you and asked if you had X. You, the very person I’m talking to, said to me, hmm, let me check. You then came back to the phone and told me you just saw it and I should come down. I told you that I live 2 hours away and nobody else had it. You said, yeah sure, see you in a couple. Then I get here, and you want to tell me it’s not here?
True story (and it didn’t involve a BRE). A few years ago, I was helping my girlfriend at the time look for a car. I found a used car, great vehicle history, low mileage, good condition, only problem 1.5 hours away. Nobody else around had this car in the color and options that she wanted. I was getting tired of tracking down these elusive vehicles for her. I call the outfit, tell them I’m 1.5 hours away, do they have this car. Oh yeah, we do. Two hours later, I’m there. The car is not.
First, I get told by some salesman that there was an accident last week. Someone hit it and it’s no longer available. I’m pissed off. I go into the office, get the secretary, and tell her she better get the guy I talked to on the phone RIGHT NOW. Manager comes up, sounds exactly like the guy I spoke to, pretends he never talked to me, tells me, oh, that car was sold last week. I’m like, but your man just told me it got hit by a car. Oh, yeah, it was hit by a car.
At that moment, my girl starts pulling at my arm to drag me out of the place before I got us arrested in the middle of nowhere 1.5 hours outside Syracuse.
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kamakula {November 9th, 2009 at 12:35 pm}
Oh, and as soon as I walk outside, and I’m again looking at their lot. A fenced in lot mind you, that has a sidewalk – like a moat protecting it, and a non trivial driveway to get in, I start thinking, how the fjuck did the car get hit by somebody from the street? Of all excuses, why did they try to sell me that one.
As you can see, to this day, more than 4 years later, I’m still pissed that car salesman will try to bait and switch me. . .with a car that they didn’t even have, despite me telling them that it would take me 1.5 hours to get to their lot. What did they think would happen?
Boss, it’s a 50/50 shot. He’d either be really pissed off or he’d say, “well, since i’m here, I might as well buy something else that you guys have”. Either way, we can’t lose.
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Sula {November 9th, 2009 at 3:27 pm}
@kamakula,
True story (and it didn’t involve a BRE). A few years ago, I was helping my girlfriend at the time look for a car. I found a used car, great vehicle history, low mileage, good condition, only problem 1.5 hours away. Nobody else around had this car in the color and options that she wanted. I was getting tired of tracking down these elusive vehicles for her. I call the outfit, tell them I’m 1.5 hours away, do they have this car. Oh yeah, we do. Two hours later, I’m there. The car is not.
Oh my god, something very similar happened to me!! And it was not a BRE. So I was looking for a used car and didn’t want to hassle too much so I decided to go with Carmax. I perused the website for weeks and weeks and finally found the car I wanted… at a Carmax a good hour and a half away. I call them, they tell me the car is there I should come along. I grab my bf at the time (who had to go to work from there) so we can test it and do all the stuff men like to do to cars. We get there, we test drive the car, we do everything and so far I’m excited I am getting my car. We work out a loan, interest rate, yadda yadda and all that jazz. At this point, I’ve handed over my down payment, signed all the papers and we’re jsut waiting on the insurance folks to send a fax. Boyfriend, confident that everything is going fine, leaves for work.
The last papers come through… THEN, those crazies tell me they can’t find the deed of the car… WHAT IN M*THERF*CKIN HELL YOU MEAN?
They gave me some horsesh*t story about how it was in some accident and then the papers have not cleared yet….etc…etc… I WAS PISSED OFF! Here I am, stranded 90 minutes away from my place WITH no mean of transportation to go back. I was so mad, I became numb…
Since I didn’t want to deal with it any longer… I just got a car off the parking lot that somewhat filled the requirements. I really was p/o that day. My bf wanted to go back the next day to “have a word” with the sales guy… Most infuriating experience ever. Ugh!
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Completely off topic, but PJack did you hear that your boy Michael Eric Dyson has a book about Nas coming out?
Hmmmm
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Ms. Smart {November 9th, 2009 at 1:00 pm}
@miss t-lee, Or did anyone hear Kat Williams was arrested for…
BURGLARY!?
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 1:19 pm}
@Ms. Smart,
Yep…I just saw his fantastic mugshot on TMZ. Wowwwww.
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 1:13 pm}
@miss t-lee,
NOoooOOOOOoooooOOOOoo!
For a brief moment, I was interested…then I clicked the vid where MED expounds on the violent ferocity of intellectualism of this brotha who rose up and aint froze up…. *blech*
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 2:34 pm}
@Me fail english?,
I haven’t seen the vid, I just read a release about the book though. I may skim through it @ B&N.
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 1:34 pm}
@miss t-lee,
Since we’re doing the “did you hear” ish…did ya’ll see the current pic of Sammy Sosa? Melanin FAIL.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 2:29 pm}
@Cheekie,
OMG! I just saw that.
It’s just wrong on like 20 different levels.
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OrangeStar616 {November 9th, 2009 at 3:06 pm}
@miss t-lee, he look phucked up SMH…
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 3:12 pm}
@OrangeStar616 & miss t-lee,
I know! That picture is one of those moments when all you can say is, “o_O”.
miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 3:23 pm}
@OrangeStar616 & Cheekie ,
Yeah I seriously had no words…now he wants to blame it on the “lighting”.
Uh huh…yeah…good luck with that Sosa. What’s up with them contacts?
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 3:43 pm}
@Cheekie,
Holy hydroquinone, batman!! That was WAY more extreme than I was expecting. I thought the site doctored the pic further for effect. But every site is showing him like that.
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 4:02 pm}
@Me fail english?,
I just read the explanation, too. Um, yeah…wow?
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Cayenne {November 9th, 2009 at 6:25 pm}
@Me fail english?,
WOWZA! Thats worst then the african ladies on 125th!
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 4:11 pm}
@miss t-lee, I did hear about that. though it just seems like a collection of people’s opinoins on Illmatic and how it helped shape hiphop and stuff…but the fact that Dyson wrote it means I’ll read it and hate myself in the morning. truthfully, i almost wonder what the point of this book will be. like, as much as i love hiphop, dyson takes things into a whole new sphere of discussion that tends to remove most of the actual firepower from the discussions…basically he’s too damn wordy and over intellectualizes it all. he’ll say some dumb shit like, “it aint hard to tell” is really a metaphor for life from his project window…it aint hard to tell its cold outside but through the selfactualiztion of the transatlantic anthropomorphization, nas was able to illict a sort of loquacious, and non-circumlocutious means for describign the world outside. it wasn’t hard to tell that he excelled because brothers in teh hood did not.
i hate dyson.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 4:28 pm}
@Panama Jackson,
LOL! That’s exactly why I wanted to hear your take on it. Everything will be overanalyzed to death.
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OrangeStar616 {November 9th, 2009 at 5:05 pm}
@miss t-lee, that type sh*t is for those that AIN’T hip hop
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 5:10 pm}
@OrangeStar616,
You already know. (no 112)
Peej, this post is hilarious. you had me at “which was, like, so cliche”. LOL.
i feel the same way about BREz. i wanna support my beautiful black folk, i really do, but sometimes they colored negro azzes make it so daggone difficult!!! when you talked about them actin like they doin YOU a favor, you hit the nail on the head!!! like, this is YOUR job and YOUR business to do so, can you please act accordingly and cut the attitude?? sheesh.
unfortunately “black owned” is often synonymous with “trifling muhfuggas that decided to start a lil bizness”. ugh. i get tired of smiling and saying please and thank you to some ungrateful, unhappy workers. yet i still support them. lol, *smh*, & *shrugs*.
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 4:12 pm}
@Gem of the Ocean, i do too.
i can’t stay away from the hood spots. service is horrible but the food is on point.
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Miss Patterson {November 9th, 2009 at 4:13 pm}
@Gem of the Ocean, you know what I love? BREs that a bear a name that doesn’t quite fit the ambiance. example- our hair shop. I hope ain’t nobody reading this but you….but let’s be real shouldn’t a “Day Spa” have at least one foot spa or some amenities that resemble pampering? Shouldn’t there be cucumber water at the door and aromatherapy? Not a half naked manikin displaying knock off spanks. And shouldn’t their customers be able to get their eyebrows and/or lip waxed in private? I feel bad for some chicks. And shouldn’t a day spa offer to wax other parts as well? I’m just saying…I love dem dough. They hook it up.
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The One & True GEM... of the Ocean {November 9th, 2009 at 5:49 pm}
@Miss Patterson,
lmao i asked those very questions to myself EVERY time i go there. every.time. and i shall ask them again tmrw when i get colored, trimmed, and pressed lol
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Everytime I read a post like this, all I can think is BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
Black owned and run establishment that doesn’t suck.
Alas though, my West Indian heritage would be unbecoming of any personal service oriented industry.
“oh you want some curried goat? what else? rice and peas? we nuh hav dat, come back after tree and i’ll see if I can get Trevor to cook something.”
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Sula {November 9th, 2009 at 3:33 pm}
@WestIndianArchie,
Black owned and run establishment that doesn’t suck.
There is this soulfood restaurant in Houston that racks up A TON of business that way. The food is good AND the service is up to par. I mean it became the hipster spot for after-the club hangouts in no time!
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Me fail english? {November 9th, 2009 at 4:56 pm}
@WestIndianArchie,
Slightly unrelated: I refuse to patronize the Wendy’s on Utica and Maple. Hearing the word “sandwich” pronounced with a “g” effs up my appetite.
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When they ask YOU to do think for them that they are paid to do.
“Can you put this ketchup over there for me? I’ll be right back in a minute”
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Panama Jackson {November 9th, 2009 at 4:13 pm}
@TrueMan, LMAO. That would be truly hilarious.
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I cam e in late, but any of y’all ever been to the West End Popeyes when they ran out of chicken? Like how do you run out of CHICKEN when you’re a Popeyes? Pies or Coleslaw, I understand. But Chicken? Whot the f$%^ is your supply chain manager?
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OrangeStar616 {November 9th, 2009 at 4:54 pm}
@Brandon St. Randy, that was the funniest sh*t when KFC and Popeyes ran out of chicken chile, daym that sh*t had me LLS!!!!!
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Cheekie {November 9th, 2009 at 4:57 pm}
@Brandon St. Randy,
This happens at Popeyes in the Chi (or a hood suburb). And the KFC thing was Oprah’s fault. lol
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Humble_One {November 9th, 2009 at 5:01 pm}
@Cheekie,
This happens in Detroit too. Either that or you have to wait 15 minutes for spciy chicken or 15 minutes for some more breast to come up.
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Shoutout to the BreakfastKlub in Houston. It is a BRE,but is low on the nonsense.
Granted you’ll see and hear people from all walks of life, and those who have come from,work at or own sketchy BREs,but it’s a great place.Over all.
I’d like to add things that “mainstream” culture don’t think go together as a trademark of BREs. Like Chicken and Waffles. Or Chicken and Honey.Shrimp and Honey…I didn’t know people ate Chicken with Honey until I went to Bobo’s in OKC.
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miss t-lee {November 9th, 2009 at 5:24 pm}
@Kayle,
The Breakfast Klub goes hard.
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Sula {November 9th, 2009 at 5:44 pm}
@Kayle,
Shoutout to the BreakfastKlub in Houston. It is a BRE,but is low on the nonsense.
Yup! That’s the establishment I was referencing above!
ps: meanwhile, I didn’t realize how many of Houstonians were on the site. It’s a good look.
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When someone in the building doesn’t have on the required uniform. I have witnessed this at a fast food restaurant…
I went to Burger King and this dude had on a blue tall-tee, sum black Dickie pants && a Mountain Dew race-car jacket. I thought he was a regular customer that just happened to be behind the counter for sum odd reason… but then I heard someone yell “Hey RayQuan!! How much longer on dem fries??” And race-car jacket [RayQuan] replied “Bout 3 mo’ minutes”…
That was my first and last time eating there. I know it was Burger King & I could “Have It My Way” but that pushed my limit on how I wanted it.
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Just to let you know, 5, 6, and 7 apply for beauty supply stores and nail shops run by Koreans in the Detroit area.
And if you act up, they will not hesitate to check you.
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We call the McDonald’s by my campus, CrackDonald’s…dunno exactly how they received their nickname. Well, one day, with (questionable) provocation the man at the cash register hopped over the counter and just whupped on a student ordering food.
Also, I kid you not, after 2 am they have been known to have security guards standing at the entrance asking people for IDs to enter the CrackDonald’s.
And smh at the workers who always boldly holla. “Do you want me with that sandwich?” Seriously? Don’t mean to be elitist but shouldn’t my Penn hoodie be an indicator that we are not on the same page?
I get so mad when I see the McDonald’s signs in the El, celebrating 360 Black and all the black-owned McDonald’s in Philly.
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I immediately thought of a traumatizing similar experience I had at a Uhaul when reading your post and when you said it was in Maryland, I knew it had to be the same place. Been there. I actually asked someone how it was that a place like that could still be operating. Turns out, all U hauls are individually owned so the owner must not give a shyt hence the brazen attitudes of the employees. Its such a shame. I left out of there feeling so disheartened with my people. I’ll never go back.
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What makes it so bad is that as soon as I saw U-Haul I knew you were at the one on Chillum Road, I live around the corner and frequent the Shoppers so this was was hilarious.
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This is my first time commenting and I know this is abt BRE’s but I had to comment.
All I have to say is Chicago Police Dispatchers. WTF seriously? in-fukkin-sane
BTW, I HAVE been to a Popeye’s that ran out of chicken (on more than one occasion)
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Liz {November 13th, 2009 at 2:48 am}
@WTF, welcome!
I remember Popeye’s running out of chicken when they had all those discounts and lines wrapped around the block.
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Thanks and ish, yeah wtf is up with Popeye’s. I grew up in New Orleans so I was used to seeing ppl from all backgrounds in there. I must ask, have you ever been to a fast-food restaurant in Detroit? Lord, the plastic barriers get me. The first time I saw one, I was like “what the hell is this and how am I supposed to get my food?” A maze, makes sense though. all of Detroit is a BRE.
I don’t know if this is a BRE ( doubt it is) but the Rock n Roll McDonald’s in Chicago irritates the hell outta me to no end!
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I’m not sure whether to laugh because I agree completely or to be sad because I agree completely…I think the only thing that I would add to the list and its various updates is that the male employees tend to be more inclined to ‘holla’ at female customers.
And just to extend this to stores that may or may not be BRE but have predominantly Black (esp young) employees, it’s nothing like going to a hardware store and being told repeatedly that your man must not be sh*t if he has you running his errands and how good the employee would treat you if you were his woman…like seriously, I just need to know where the potting soil is located.
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i’m dying at all the comments!
there’s one store in queens called Shoppers World (i think theres one in Jersey too), kind of like a hood Macy’s? (like Bobby’s if you from Brooklyn) and they don’t do bag check, rather, they will STAPLE SHUT all your bags (or tape) so you cant “just throw it in the bag.” i dont go in that store just for that reason.
and down the street, Alexus (a 99 cent store) has a wall where, if you are caught stealing, will post your picture with your name and you holding the item you stole. WTF–ppl thieving forks, diapers, no-name DVDs–its a hot mess. Gotta love Jamaica Ave.
And i know of 2 McDonalds and a Dunkin that have been known to take EBT. but that was all in the Bronx, where EBT = Amex, you never leave home without it.
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