'English only' signs hanging in Upper West Side store

[hrmjustin]

Last edited Thu Sep 5, 2013, 11:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Eyewitness News

NEW YORK (WABC) -- There's a lot of talk over signs hanging in a grocery store in Manhattan.

It says "English Only Zone" and is directed toward its employees.

This is by no means the first time this hotly debated issue has come up and it no doubt will be the last.

Three of the signs are inside the Jubilee store.

Read more at http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=9237741

The manager took the sign down tonight.

[ZombieHorde]

1. They just want to exclude the Amish. nt

[ZombieHorde]

7. Do it. nt

[hrmjustin]

8. Thanks . I am self deleting my thread.

[muntrv]

2. So no foreign tourists are welcome at that store.

[hrmjustin]

5. I guess not. Not very business smart of them.

[KurtNYC]

55. It says it is directed at the employees

perhaps reminding them of a store policy that they should speak to each other in English.

In many stores here you have cashiers who speak to each other in their native language and say little or nothing at all to you during the transaction. Many times they are talking to each other about the customer right in front of them.

The cashiers at one grocery speak to each other in creole. I speak a little french so I could understand every 4th word or so. They looked very sheepish when I took my change with "merci, a bientot" although I have no idea what they were saying.

[hrmjustin]

56. Yes it was directed at staff but costumers were not happy with it, They overreacted.

[bunnies]

3. I havent seen one of these threads on DU.

Should I break out the popcorn?

[hrmjustin]

6. If you like but don't forget the beer my friend.

[bunnies]

9. Deal.

[hrmjustin]

10. Sounds like a plan. But seriously that business does not sound very business smart.

Telling people in NYC they can only speak English in a store will piss off a lot of people.

[bunnies]

12. I agree.

I think its pretty pathetic that some people hear others speaking in a foreign language and assume theyre talking about them. What if a patron only speaks the language that one of the employees knows? Are they supposed to ignore them? Thats just dumb.

[hrmjustin]

13. If you live in NYC you should be used to hearing other languages. I hope they loose a lot of

business.

[bunnies]

17. Yeah. NYC of all places.

Hell. I live in NH and hear a lot of different languages. One store I frequent is run by Indian immigrants and they speak their language all the time. Not once have I ever thought they were talking about me. Sounds like they were just looking for an excuse to discriminate.

[hrmjustin]

18. It reminds me of the guy in Philly that told people you have to order in English at his restaurant.

I think they do this to get on Fox.

[bunnies]

20. heh. That wouldnt surprise me.

Water seeks its own level and all that. Wonder if any brown people work there.

[hrmjustin]

23. I don't think so.

I remember the guy from Philly became a contributor to Foxnews. Figures!

[bunnies]

24. Seriously?!

[hrmjustin]

26. He was big on Fox and Friends.

[TommyCelt]

58. Yup...

I disagree with Kuby, though; it's not against the law to put up signs that will upset customers (regardless of whether the message was intended for them or not).

It does however, take remarkably un-savvy business sense to do so in one of the most diverse cities on the planet. The store owner's punishment will be loss of customers.

[hrmjustin]

59. They removed the sign as of last night. It was geared towards the staff but people

took offense to it.

[TommyCelt]

60. The owner did the right thing...

...but business may be slow for a few days or more. That'll learn him!

[hrmjustin]

61. I agree! He should have just told the workers the policy and not printed so that his customers could

be offended.

[PoliticAverse]

11. An English Only Zone in a grocery store would have stuff like this?...

http://www.worldmarket.com/product/heinz-spotted-dick-pudding.do

[bunnies]

14. Hey... who wouldnt want a little Spotted Dick?

Seriously though, I think its a British thing.

[hrmjustin]

16. Never had it.

[bunnies]

19. Thats probably a good thing.

[hrmjustin]

21. I will take your word on that.

[bunnies]

22. Im just guessing. I swear!

[hrmjustin]

25. It reminds me of when France lost to the UK over the Olympic Games. The President

of France said "why would you want to go to England, they have no good food".

[hrmjustin]

15. Not very smart of them.

[giftedgirl77]

27. Wow, that's nuts being from Miami & married to

someone from Jersey I can't imagine something like that. Especially in New York. Come on now people really need to lighten up & become more accepting.

[hrmjustin]

30. It was a bad reaction to a misunderstanding.

[giftedgirl77]

31. I get that, but over reacting and subjecting everyone

that visits the establishment is a bit exteme. Hopefully they worked out their differences.

Oops now I see it was for the staff, that puts a WHOLE other spin on things depending on the situation.

[hrmjustin]

32. They will loose business for this and it is their own fault. I hope they make the right choice and

take the sign down.

[giftedgirl77]

34. I just saw another post about it being directed at staff. I guess it could go either way at that

point depending on if the customer spoke English or the other languages.

[hrmjustin]

36. Yes it was geared toward the staff but the customers are not happy about it from what I saw on

the news.

[giftedgirl77]

39. I can see that, it's a douchebag move regardless

of who it was intended for. I can't imagine that going over well anywhere, help I live in SC now & it still wouldn't be received well.

[hrmjustin]

41. I think they will correct themselves in the next few days.

Judging by the fact the manager was reluctant to talk shows they know they screwed up.

[giftedgirl77]

44. Good, then hopefully they will see the error in their ways

& rectify the situation.

Have a good night

[hrmjustin]

47. Good night my friend!

[Niceguy1]

28. it is aimed at the employees

After staff was rude to a customer.

[hrmjustin]

29. I think the sign is an overreaction. They could have just told their workers their policy.

[Niceguy1]

33. maybe they aren't listening

More than once I have confronted and reported employees of stores that I used to frequent after staff would be making comments about me in Spanish. .not knowing that this white guy is fluent. Lol. The look on their faces was priceless ha ha . It happens more often than people realize.

[hrmjustin]

35. Ok but putting that sign up may offend your customers. They could have just told the staff their

new policy. Well now they got in the news and they are regretting it.

It happened to me before and I reported it as well but I did not expect them to put up a sign like that.

[Niceguy1]

37. yeah, he over reacted

.

[hrmjustin]

38. I printed the story as it was printed.

[Niceguy1]

40. sorry, wrong thread

The last one I looked at everyone assumed it was aimed at the customers

[hrmjustin]

42. That is ok. I could have been more clear in my responses.

[Niceguy1]

43. I need some coffee, lol

Long day.

[hrmjustin]

45. LOL I know what you mean. Do you live in NY?

[Niceguy1]

49. no, wish I did.

Would love to work for the mta.

[hrmjustin]

50. MTA is a good job. I know some poeple that work for them and make a good living.

But their are safety issues.

[Niceguy1]

52. I do procurement for a transit agency

In Florida And watch their purchases to compare pricing. .....what a huge agency...

[hrmjustin]

53. The former head of the MTA is running for mayor and is likely going to be the GOP nominee.

He won't win.

[PoliticAverse]

46. Sorry, it's English only so you'll have to settle for tea. n/t

[hrmjustin]

48. LOL!

[Politicalboi]

51. Like New York has any tourist

These foreign speaking people might just think they've landed in Russia.

[hrmjustin]

54. It was not a good idea even if directed at staff.

[hrmjustin]

57. The manager took the sign down.