Haggen — Attraction in Bellingham

9:18pm. I am a disabled veteran with a verified breathing disorder, along with another verified diagnosis, whom after disclosing I had a medical condition (approx. 8:30pm, Friday evening) was told I needed to wear a mask to shop there, and after explaining I could not wear a mask due to having a medical condition, was told that I still needed a mask. So I asked a clarifying question to the associate who approached me "Are you saying that I still need to wear a mask to shop here, even though I have a medical condition that prevents me from wearing one?" She said "yes". At that point I was really really close to leaving my cart and walking out, and letting her deal with putting back all my groceries. Instead I turned to leave and tell my family we had to leave before finishing our shopping, when this same associate called out to my wife telling her she"needs a mask to shop here" So when approached, my wife also calmly told this associate that she had a medical condition that prevents her from wearing a mask. Had additionally to explain that we had shopped at other Haggen stores without "needing a mask"...and only then did this associate back off and let us finish our trip...not very happy about this encounter.

3:03am adding more detail Additionally: I am unable to fall back asleep due to my previous encounter. The night managers name was Carley and apparently she was the one who told me to wear a mask. I was not aware that she was the manager when approached, so after leaving, I called the store to ask a manager about thier policy on medical conditions as it pertains to mask wearing and shopping. She(Carley) told me that the policy was to urge everyone to wear a mask, and if they don't, help them get through the store as quickly as possible while more or less distancing them from others. I told her that what I was hearing over the phone was different than what I had experienced in the store. After explaining my experience, she told me that it was her whom I had encountered while at the store, and that I had remembered the situation incorrectly. She did not clarify what her intent was and simply stated she was sorry I felt the way I did. She did not apologise for aggressiveness, nor did she take responsibility for her actions... I have spent many years paying close attention to detail specifically attempting to understand intent, and asking clarifying questions if I don't understand...now I ask if this isn't discrimination, then somebody explain to me what is. Needless to say, we have not experienced this type of rudeness in other Haggen stores we have shopped at prior. So what is the lesson? Because apparently, a college educated, fully disabled Veteran with 7 years of honorable service doesn't understand this. We will do our best to NOT return to this specific location.

3:03am, Sat. Morning Additionally: unable to sleep, I am still processing the encounter, so i am adding more detail on my encounter. I wanted to say thank you Carly and thank you Haggen for not only badgering myself, but my wife as well. Who, btw, happens to have a completely different diagnoses from a completely separate life event, that prevents her from having anything block her airway, who was also told that she "needs to have a mask on to shop here". Tell me Haggen managers, it it SOP to ask a customer if they are able to wear a mask while in the store?, Or is it SOP to tell everyone they "need a mask" whether or not they can wear one? Is it policy to treat everyone like they are lying? ...as if people can't see it and are somehow unaware of the situation? If it is a law, then I should be arrested for having a medical condition, if it is a mandate, then I should be given a reprieve right? And offered assistance... Not as if I am somehow infected or defective or contagious... even though most everyone else is protected with their own masks. Three words Haggen: compassion, patience, and trustworthiness...three things we did not experience at this...

Store itself isn’t too bad. Located probably less than half a mile away from where I’m currently staying. Unfortunately though it’s not perfect. Prices of items vary wildly sometimes on the same aisle. If you’re living on a meager income like myself if you don’t shop sales or have some kind of monetary support system like an EBT card you probably are better off going to a different store.

There is no service counter of any kind. The store is basically one of those ones where you go in already knowing what you need to get, grab it and leave after paying. If you don’t know what you need you might as well spend a few minutes in your car to figure out what it is you need before going in and getting it.

There’s no deli to speak of. Well you can buy locally cut meats and everything there is no upfront deli or butcher department where you can speak to a staff member and have them cut pieces of meat in certain sizes or anything. There is a small area where you can sit back and eat a premade sandwich or something. But it seems to have little other purpose.

If you use reusable bags make sure they’re not heavy. If you’re like me and you use collapsible canvas totes in place of reusable bags you’re better off setting them on the floor rather than on the self check out thing. The self checkout stalls have very sensitive scales on them and very easily can misinterpret something which will result in you needing to get assistance from a staff member. Granted there usually is a staff member nearby that will help you in roughly under a minute.

If you don’t want to use self check out they do still have a number of regular checkout isles but they usually only have anywhere between 1 to 2 of them running despite the fact that there are five or six. Even on the busiest of days I usually only ever see two of these checkouts running.

Finally there’s the fact that like everywhere else they are suffering from supply issues so you might not be able to find certain things. They also don’t sell certain items apparently from specific brand names.

Final verdict. Friendly staff, Decent store layout. But unusual pricing, lack of choice on certain items and the lack of a butcher area or deli where customers can go up and speak to staff members definitely take it down a...

Been going to Haggen's all my life as Bellingham local, never had an issue. My partner today went shopping hoping to use a couple of the virtual coupons we had clipped through the app using our phone number. We were not prompted to give a phone number and when we asked the cashier Erin, she said they were already applied. Found it very odd that every other grocery store we go to in Whatcom County has a rewards program attached to their customers phone numbers for online deals, ALL PLACES THAT HAVE THAT PROMPT YOU TO ENTER IT AT CHECK OUT REGARDLESS OF IF IT SELF-CHECK OUT OR A CASHIER RINGING YOU UP. Called the 210 36th St location asking why we weren't asked and if there was any way we could get a $10 credit or even a simple refund. I said I had the receipt, reference number, exact coupons, receipt amount, and cashiers name if that helped. NOPE. The only possible way for me to get the $10 was to BRING IN A WHOLE GROCERY CART WORTH OF ITEMS BACK TO THE STORE SO THEY COULD REFUND THE ENTIRE PURCHASE, RESCAN IT, AND CHARGE US AGAIN JUST TO GET $10 OFF. $10. $10 MF DOLLARS. "THERE IS NO OTHER WAY.". "NO OTHER WAY", really. I didn't ask for a $210 dollar refund; I ask for a $10 refund/store credit. BOTH MY PARTNER AND MYSELF WORK IN RETAIL. SHE WORKS AT A LOCAL GROCERY STORE. BOTH OF US HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A POLICY BEFORE. After the phone call really all I wanted were the 200 rewards points. Called Haggen Cooperate (forgot the name of the individual who helped me.) they were very polite and were able to apply the rewards points. 5 stars cooperate employee who helped me, 0 stars store manager who had no possible...