Valley Thrift Store — Attraction in Azusa

I was victimized and assaulted in the Azusa store yesterday by two of its employees for SHOPPING WHILE BLACK. Here’s what happened:

I was looking at table runners when someone threw a plastic package containing a duvet over the rack from the aisle next where I was standing. The package, which probably weighed 1/2 pound, and hit me in the head.

There was laughing and giggling and loud whispering in Spanish from two adult women in the next aisle directly afterwards...I couldn’t see them but could hear them.

I rubbed my head and tossed it back where it came from and continued shopping. The women threw it back into my aisle, and it hit my shoulder. Again, there was more whispering and giggling.

I turned around and firmly told to them to stop throwing that item at me or else. I left then walked over to the area where the package was thrown from and saw two employees dressed in blue huddling together and laughing. No one else was there.

They didn’t see me looking at them. I was not yelling or causing a scene or even approaching the two women. I then went to the central part of the store where my sister was shopping for dresses and calmly told her about what just happened. Then, a guy who said he was the Associate Manager came over and asked if I had thrown a package in the table runners aisle. I proceeded to tell him what had occurred.

Meanwhile, a group of about 12 employees joined him, including the two women who PRECIPITATED THE INCIDENT. They all began piling on, accusing me of attacking the two employees. Understand, NONE of them were even there, except for the two employees who BEGAN THE ASSAULT.

One of those employees was fake-crying and saying the package hit her near her eye. I reiterated wast REALLY happened and how I was hit on my head and shoulder as well by their actions.

Then some guy in an aqua colored shirt joined the pile on, saying he was a Manager and had witnessed the entire event (if that was the case, why didn’t he intervene?). He proceeded to say he saw “US” throwing items around the store. The two EMPLOYEES who STARTED THE ASSAULT began nodding in agreement. I told that guy my sister was on the opposite side of the store and that he just proved he was lying. The guy literally ran away with his foot in his mouth.

To make a long story short, my sister and I were asked to leave the store. As we left, an employee took our picture repeatedly without our permission. The Associate Manager got on his phone and followed us out of the store while CALLING THE POLICE. We spoke to the police about what happened. They blew the situation off as an ‘accident’. As an African-American, I KNOW BETTER.

BREAKING IT DOWN: I am a long-time customer of five years. My sister and I were the only blacks in the store; everyone else was Latino. This why I label this issue as a HATE CRIME. Two employees saw me shopping as they walked past my aisle and decided to mess me over because of my race. I could have complained to Mgmt., but had just marked the occurrence as a one-off from employees who have issues. Instead, the employees, who were bound and determined to mess with the black woman, lied on me when they were the ones who initiated the situation and kept it going. Not only was I physically assaulted in the store, but emotionally mistreated by Mgmt., and the store’s staff who basically piled on me, accusing me of something I did not do. And to add insult to injury, called the police on me; a 66 year old long-time customer who has a clean record, has never committed a crime and is a good person in society. I didn’t pull the race...

Valley Thrift Store on Foothill Blvd in Azusa and Community Thrift Store on Arrow Highway in Covina are owned by the same business entity. These are both for-profit enterprises. Many people think their donations are going to charity. Unless one considers the many low income people who shop there as receiving "charity" by buying items from one of the two aforementioned stores by doing so, they are not "charity" thrift stores. Judging by the types of items on their sales floors compared to the items seen in their donation areas, they likely sell select items online or by the pallet to others who in turn sell the items online for their own profit.

Many people may have no problem with this. However I want to inform those who would rather donate to a true charity organization that these two stores are not true registered charities. There are many other stores in LA county that are true charities. One way you can tell is that if the store charges sales tax, they are for-profit, not a charity. Charity stores are exempt by the state from having to charge sales tax.

I've attached a couple of photos taken at Community Thrift and Foothill Thrift Store which I'm pretty sure they were forced or advised to post to inform the public that they are not a charity. They don't exactly make it easy for the public to see these signs. Though they are posted in a public place, indoor plants have been placed to partially obstruct view of the signs. I have been able to study the photos and this is what they say :

"This is a privately owned retail outlet. We support charitable organizations by buying donated items from them for __ This is a for-profit store. We appreciate your patronage and hope to...

Stay away. This thrift store mark their prices based on online retail prices. Just went their recently, and wow unbelievable they're prices have skyrocketed 3 times as much as what they would normally price their items for in the past 6 months. They get all their donations for free and I have never been to a greedy thrift store than this one. On my recent visit, 2 days ago I saw non electrical just regular bikes for $800, furniture for $1,200, used up pans for $40-$50 and they even put stickers that say non-sale items meaning even though they have days that are 50% off these items will never be on sale!! I used to love this thrift store, but everytime I go their prices are high and higher! You won't find bargains at this thrift store anymore! They don't care about giving great prices to their community anymore or helping those in need. So please, stay away, don't give your money to support this thrift store! You can find cheaper items online and you can find the same new items at a retail store and BRAND new instead of a used up old bike for $800 and old pans for $40-$50 you can buy a bike and pan cheaper at Walmart!! Very disappointed at how this thrift store just cares about getting more money off people! If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself look at the prices when you go and compare at how much you can get them new online, then if you go back to the thrift store in a month or 2 their prices are even higher! Very ridiculous! I won't support this thrift store anymore! They have gone insane with...