Met on Vanderbilt

steve austin · November 2009

My mother-in-law informed me that the Met on Vanderbilt has repeatedly denied her access to the store because she was carrying Key Food bags.

This makes me sad and angry because she is a wonderful, loving and soft-spoken person. While she is with us I repeatedly request that she make oxtail stew. She likes to buy the oxtails at Key Food while getting other things at Met.

The other day my wife noticed that she dropped off bags at the house and then went back out to do more grocery shopping. So my wife inquired and then found out the situation.

I want to know if anyone else has had this experience. First of all, I think that it is wrong to treat customers this way. Secondly, I want to know if they are just picking on an elderly woman.

I intend to go in this weekend with Key Foods bags and see what happens when a 6'3" and 260 pound man comes in with Key Food bags as opposed to 5'2", 60 year-old woman.

emily · November 2009

I'm sure I've done this before. I often hit both stores because one or the other is missing an ingredient. I'm 5'2" but not elderly. That sounds unfair and stupid.

whyfi · November 2009

Haven't really has a problem, but a) I'm there pretty regularly, so they know my face, b) I always tie my bags (from other places) shut - I think that I received a mild objection to an open bag years ago, and that I tied it shut and all was okay...

steve austin · November 2009

Her bags were tied. Nonetheless, I think that the proper action from management concerned about shoplifting would have been to ask her to leave her bags in a designated area. My opinion, however, is that their goal is to force customers to buy all of their goods only at Met.

goodprospect · November 2009

The guys who own this place -- Abdul and Frankie -- are nice people and good 'citizens' of the neighborhood -- always quick to donate to kids' school fundraisers, local causes etc....why don't you try speaking with one of them directly and asking them about this in a non-confrontational tone of voice? They might not know anything about it, as they post other employees by the door, and I saw someone new there yesterday.

idlewild · November 2009

I find this very hard to believe. Plenty of times I've walked in with Key Food bags and have never had a problem. I'm with Good Prospect; Frank and Abdul, the owners, are aces. If anything they seem to go out of the way to make a customer happy. I would speak with them, have your mom point out the person who stopped her and get this resolved.

boogieknight · November 2009

Yeah, I've never heard of anything like this ever in 40 yrs as a Brooklynite.

Ever. Its so weird that I have a hard time believing it was about the competitor's bags. Why would a business owner turn away a sure dollar because a shopper had already spent money elsewhere? Doesn't make a lick of sense.

It's gotta be something other than the bags.

bkhoosierfan · November 2009

I too find this hard to believe

on another note if I ever see the arses who continually take just one beer out of a six pack they are going to get an earful from me!

shark week · November 2009

Sounds like some sort of misunderstanding. I agree you should ask the store's management about this in a nice way.

prospectheightsyo · November 2009

She is probably "confused".

jconnolly · November 2009

prospectheightsyo wrote: She is probably "confused".

READ: "She is probably 'drunk'".

jack krohn · November 2009

I routinely walk into Met food carrying bags from other stores and have never had a problem. In fact, I'd bet that the staff at Met has never even noticed. Like the others, I'm confused and skeptical of this story. Every store wants to make money, so it would foolish to turn away someone just because of their shopping bags.

whyfi · November 2009

bkhoosierfan wrote: on another note if I ever see the arses who continually take just one beer out of a six pack they are going to get an earful from me!

Since they happily ring up singles, wouldn't it make more sense to give an earful to the store management?

stooplady · November 2009

I can believe it...I have been going there for at least 15 years. Two years ago I was told to keep my shopping bags hidden! I bring in my own and have done so for years. They started watching me for a while after this, most likely thinking I have been shoplifting.
It was unbelievable. I was so angry but didn't want to act out so I stayed away from the store for a few months.
Yes, they are nice but...sometimes they bring in employees who are a bit quirky...like the man who would follow me home. And they harassed a roommate of mine in a sort of antisemitic manner. I am glad they don't have people bagging any more!
So, yes they do donate and they are nice but there are other things that are fishy.
This is business in NYC or rather Brooklyn.

smokin joe · November 2009

i don't doubt what you're saying happened, and it's a dumb policy if indeed it is one, but i have to say that i've made a habit of picking up certain things at the green grocer on flatbush that i know will be better or are unavailable at the met (fresh bread, baker's granola, fresh peas, fish, to name a few) and then gone to the met for everything else. i do this routinely and have done so for years and have never been questioned.

of course, if they do have this policy and only enforce it with certain people, that's even worse.

mdgately · November 2009

StoopLady wrote: I can believe it...I have been going there for at least 15 years. Two years ago I was told to keep my shopping bags hidden! I bring in my own and have done so for years. They started watching me for a while after this, most likely thinking I have been shoplifting.
It was unbelievable. I was so angry but didn't want to act out so I stayed away from the store for a few months.

If you're putting things in your own bags rather than in the store's plastic basket as you're shopping, i.e. before you pay for them, I don't blame the Met for being suspicious! But I agree with most people that the people who run the place are generally great, and the original poster's worry that they were preventing people from bringing in Key Food bags seems far-fetched.

catwalkertexasranger · November 2009

Jack Krohn wrote: I routinely walk into Met food carrying bags from other stores and have never had a problem. In fact, I'd bet that the staff at Met has never even noticed. Like the others, I'm confused and skeptical of this story. Every store wants to make money, so it would foolish to turn away someone just because of their shopping bags.

I also routinely walk into met food not carrying anything and walk out carrying yummy snacks for my walk home, I usually get enough booty to get me through my detox TV viewing, I know I should pay but I just can't.

lo kee · November 2009

The other day I walked out of there with a bunch of merchandise but instead of using bags I used my pockets (also under waistband, beneath shirt), and no one seemed to have a problem with it.

stooplady · November 2009

:flower: ](*,) ](*,)

artman · November 2009

I've known the guys who run Met since they bought the place (they were practically kids!) and they definitely listen to requests and genuinely try to be a very positive part of the community. some of the "security" guards are a little offputting but just ignore them. Tell Frank or Abdul if you have a problem and you will get an immediate solution. Really.
Go Mets!

goodprospect · November 2009

As much as I generally like Frank and Abdul (and I was the first person to post in their favor in this thread), when I make requests that they again order X flavor of Snapple or Y kind of bread, which they have had in the past, it never seems to arrive -- even if I ask multiple times. So I'm not so sure that they're not just "yessing" me and not actually re-ordering it......

withachaser · November 2009

they're *usually* responsive, in terms of getting sruff in there at your request and are lovely people to deal with, in general. where they are pathetically unresponsive. however, is in response to complaints about the creepy family members leering at the door and chatting up the checkout people; the malfunctioning freezers (the supposedly frozen food is consistenlty thawed and gross right out of the case. or. is freezer-burned from suffering through the former and then being refrozen); rotten produce; and they often put on sale items that have exceeded their expiration date. i've complained all about all three to no avail for years. still, despite the freezerburned haagen dazs chocolate peanut butter in my freezer that i will likely consume, anyway, i continue to shop there because on balance, its still a positive experience compared to key on flatbush..

smokin joe · November 2009

i will continue to shop there too, and think overall it's a good place and mostly good people, but i will say several times i've asked about their getting a specific product (nothing exotic, things they carry but just didn't seem to be stocking the flavor or size i was looking for) and they've very kindly, and i think genuinely, said they'd get whatever it was, but it doesn't happen. i attribute this to disorganization rather than guile or policy.

goodprospect · November 2009

True true, smokin' joe.
They are super-sweet guys, Frank and Abdul.
And as not-so-fabulous as shopping at the Met can be, I agree, it's far better than the market on Flatbush. Every single time I go there (usually to get something the Met doesn't have), I'm sorry I've gone in. That weird design with the dark aisles on an angle, no room for anyone to pass even on the side (largest) aisles that run the length of the store.....very unpleasant shopping.

catwalkertexasranger · November 2009

Nobody comments about the little old guy that bags the groceries. He is by far the nicest guy in the whole area

mijil34 · November 2009

Subject: met

i've stopped going to the met for the most part, partly because we joined the food co-op, but also i was tired of having myself and my son almost run over my hand trucks every time we went there. i know what it's like to be run over by a hand truck, and it's no fun. during stocking, which seemed to be every time i went there no matter what time of day, the guys would be whipping around the corners without any looking where they were going. also, most of the time i was expected to move out of the way without so much as an excuse me. i try to avoid that place now.

withachaser · November 2009

there's one restocking guy in there who appears to be singing and/or talking to himself constantly, and is therefore often completely unaware of external reality (e.g., customers shopping). he can even be a little aggressive if you get in his way. not an excuse, but my observations lead me to believe he's harboring a diagnosis that explains above. i find this way less obnoxious than the restocking that goes on at key on ftatbush during prime hours, when there is barely enough room for one or two people per aisle shopping, let alone someone with boxes of product and an agenda.

sweet tea · November 2009

Subject: Re: met

mijil34 wrote: i've stopped going to the met for the most part, partly because we joined the food co-op, but also i was tired of having myself and my son almost run over my hand trucks every time we went there. i know what it's like to be run over by a hand truck, and it's no fun. during stocking, which seemed to be every time i went there no matter what time of day, the guys would be whipping around the corners without any looking where they were going. also, most of the time i was expected to move out of the way without so much as an excuse me. i try to avoid that place now.

of course, the best place in town to experience what you describe is, in fact, the food coop. okay, you'll be knocked over by a u-boat rather than a hand truck, but still.

rechargerthedog · November 2009

Subject: Met Food

I find this story incredible. I've been going to Met Food since 1995--great place. Frankie and Abdul are truly nice guys, have never once said a cross word to me to my kids.

Met on Vanderbilt

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