Eagle Provisions not so good

anonymous · June 2006

As a resident of south Park Slope, I've shopped many times at Eagle Provisions on the corner of 18th St and 5th Ave. They have a good selection of some things and a not so good selection of others, but they're close, so I often accepted that they don't offer the freshest foods. But I want to alert anyone who's interested in some disturbing things that have made me decide never to shop there again.

Recently, I saw an African-American guy enter the store and promptly and rudely be asked to check his backpack. I've been there MANY MANY times and have never seen them ask anyone to check anything. It was really pretty ugly to watch -- and I'm not some PC dude who's on the lookout for this sort of thing. This was so in my face there was no way to overlook how racist it was.

Just a few days before that incident, I had to return a chicken that smelled so disgustingly suphuric it almost made me sick when I removed the plastic wrap (the expiration date was many days in the future). I told a neighbor about this and they said the same thing had happened to them. Also, their produce is often prepackaged, with passable stuff on top and rotten stuff hidden below. Many times I've had to immediately toss out half what I paid for. I'm done shopping there and I want people to know it's a pretty skanky operation. The Polish store between Prospect and 17th has better meats anyway...

anonymous · June 2006

10 years ago...before most of the young 20 somethings moved to the area Eagle...that was the practice for anyone who wasnt a local. at the time i was a young white 20 something girl and i used to be followed and asked to check my bag dozens of times. its just the way it is and has been. it took 5 years of me shopping reguarly to get a friendly nod. i have to say, i moved 2 years ago and well i miss the Eagle. it was always an experience! especially the rush at the register and the gentleman who stands there yelling at his girls in Polish. it's a particular charm? to a particular store in a particular city.

anonymous · June 2006

My point is that I've never been asked to check my bag, my wife's never been asked to check her bag, no one I know who shops there has ever been asked to check their bag, but the black guy is rudely asked to check his bag. Plus, they're willing to sell stuff that's fit only for the garbage. I'm glad you enjoyed the charm in all this.

apollonia666 · June 2006

I used to live near Eagle and very quickly learned never, ever to buy meat there. If the smell in the place weren't enough of a tipoff, one of the old local guys at Smolen (the awesome Polish bar at the corner of 5th and 22nd where you can drink cheap beer and play pool with friendly retirees all night) once told me that they change expiration labels on the meats regularly. It's not bad for nifty little packaged eastern European snacks and condiments and stuff, though, but if I'd ever seen them treat a customer the way you observed, I don't think I would have gone there at all.

ando · June 2006

mmmm racist kielbasa

drano · June 2006

apollonia666 wrote: I used to live near Eagle and very quickly learned never, ever to buy meat there. If the smell in the place weren't enough of a tipoff, one of the old local guys at Smolen (the awesome Polish bar at the corner of 5th and 22nd where you can drink cheap beer and play pool with friendly retirees all night) once told me that they change expiration labels on the meats regularly. It's not bad for nifty little packaged eastern European snacks and condiments and stuff, though, but if I'd ever seen them treat a customer the way you observed, I don't think I would have gone there at all.

That's freakin' nasty about the meat if it's true. How have they managed to get away with it for so long?

I stop in there for a couple bottles of high-octane eastern european beer when I'm in the area, but that's it.

diane · June 2006

Subject: Eagle Provisions

I remember feeling discrimated against at this store years ago when
I tried to pay for my items using my credit card and they refused to take the card. I am white, jewish etc. I had just seen the person in front of
me on line use their credit card. I felt very pissed off and have avoided
shopping there ever since.

Little Things on 7th Avenue has followed people of color around the store. This happened to my friends daughter who is black..

anonymous · June 2006

Subject: Re: Eagle Provisions--on to Little Things

Diane wrote:
Little Things on 7th Avenue has followed people of color around the store. This happened to my friends daughter who is black..

Back when I was buying toys for my son and his friends, I especially hated to go to Little Things because they were rude and indifferent to the kids, regardless of race. I often wondered why they hired these people (some white, some black) who obviously had no enthusiasm for what they were selling and no use for kids of any color.

Eagle Provisions not so good

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