GW GreatWall Supermarket — Attraction in Catonsville

I have been a loyal customer of GW Supermarket in Catonsville for a long time, frequently spending significant amounts—especially on seafood. However, after my most recent experience, I will NEVER shop here again.

This past Sunday, I spent $86 on live lobster, only to later find out none had claws—something never disclosed by signs or staff. Had I known, I wouldn’t have bought them.

When I called to complain, a young woman in customer service assured me she would call me back the next day. She never did. When I called again, she flatly stated that "there was nothing the store could do." I reminded her that I am a regular customer who spends a lot of money here, especially on seafood, and told her I was bringing the lobsters back for either a refund or a discount.

Upon arriving at the store, I was met with unbelievable rudeness. The same young woman dismissively explained that “none of the lobsters have claws” as if that was common knowledge. How was I supposed to know that? If I wanted clawless lobster, I would have just bought lobster tails! My daughter loves lobster claws, and this was completely unacceptable.

When I demanded a refund, she snatched the lobsters off the counter and violently threw them into the trash bin with an attitude that was nothing short of aggressive and unprofessional. She initially refused to refund my money and instead offered an insulting, unacceptable (~5.00) discount. When I refused, she reluctantly issued a store credit, as if I would ever want to shop here again after this horrible experience.

I made it clear that store credit was NOT an option—I wanted my money back. After continued resistance, she finally, begrudgingly, processed a refund to my credit card. The entire ordeal was beyond frustrating, and it took everything in me not to lose my temper.

To make matters worse, I strongly suspect that if I were of a different race, this situation would have been handled differently. The blatant lack of respect and dismissive treatment I received was unacceptable.

The only saving grace in this nightmare was the security guard. He was professional, kind, and genuinely helpful—GW Supermarket should give him a raise because he's clearly one of the only employees who understands customer service.

As for the rest of this store? Avoid it at all costs. Their shady business practices, and appalling customer service are not worth your time or money.

Regretably, Ex- GW...

This Supermarket is inclusive only to people who speak English as a 2nd language unfortunately. I've frequented the market for years but several times when I needed assistance finding an item no one working there wanted to help me. Today I went to the service desk after 2 employees refused to even let me ask where something was. I explained what I was looking for (rice vinegar). The service person then asked if I wanted white or brown and I asked to see them both. Her reply was "If you don't even know what you want, we cannot help you". How does she know I wasn't interested in buying one of each? Then she called someone to the desk and they proceed to speak in their "native tongue" while looking at me like I'm some kinda freak or something. Should this be an acceptable type of reverse discrimination? Because that's how it felt to me. Like I was basically devalued for being American born and only speaking/understanding English. How dare I ask for help finding something when the labels on everything are in an Asian language? I hope this isn't the way they're treated when they come into an American store (if so that's terrible but doesn't justify the disrespectful manner I was treated). So going forward, I will take my business elsewhere 🤨. GW Supermarket, you are not the only Asian store in this town and if that's the way I'm treated when I come to your store, you don't deserve my patronage. Is it possible "The Golden Rule" only applies here and not in Asia? 🤷🏾 I admire people who can speak more than one language and some day hope to be one. Still, I shouldn't have to graduate from the Rosetta Stone language academy just to buy something from an Asian store GW! So I will grace you with my absence and will share this experience with any/everyone I know. Your store smells weird anyways 😒. That Rice Vinegar I wanted to make my own Asian Sesame Dressing is available at H-Mart AND Amazon. I'll look...

I've been coming here for years. They deserve five stars for being nice and efficient. The food is usually good, and it's one of the few Chinese supermarkets in the area, where as I used to go to many of them in New Jersey, so it fills the gap. The pork bun / char siu bao was good enough to satisfy my craving, but you have to be early enough to get it. I'm taking a star away forever because one of my many trips involved me buying the pork bun, then eating it as I walked through the store, since you check those buns out in their own department, far from the cash register. I tossed my receipt in a bin of corn husks in the produce section as the bun was half gone, and then walked out of the store. When I got out in the lot a tall latino guy dressed as a security guard stopped me as a shoplifter and said he wanted to see my receipt, and after a little heated discussion I offered to take him in the store and dig through the corn husks with him. I had left the bun sales area with a receipt and I shouldn't have to carry it until I'm well away from the store, so they get to keep this star lost, because I'm never going to get back the calm stomach I had before that guy harassed me. If you are going to stop people from stealing buns, stop them during the time they are in the cordoned off section of the building that sells buns. I really feel I was singled out.

But, all in all, it's a great place to pick up some Chinese food, with very little...