Holiday Market — Attraction in Royal Oak

I have been a loyal customer of Holiday Market for a long time and have always appreciated the store’s quality and atmosphere. Unfortunately, after my recent experience, I will no longer be shopping here and feel compelled to share what happened.

On April 19th, I purchased several items for Easter dinner, including a cake with a sell-by date of April 20th and queso cheese that, unbeknownst to me, had already expired on April 6th. On Easter Day, I discovered that the cake was completely dried out with a freezer-burnt taste, and the cheese was clearly spoiled. I called the store and was told to bring the items back on my next visit.

When I returned on April 26th, I was treated incredibly poorly by Cheryl, the store manager. Instead of assisting me as any professional establishment would, she immediately accused me of trying to return old product dishonestly. She questioned why I didn’t have a Holiday Market loyalty card — something I had never been offered information about in the year and a half I’ve been shopping there. Then, she proceeded to ask whether I paid with credit card or EBT, implying something highly inappropriate and offensive. As a local attorney, I found the assumption degrading — and frankly, even if I were someone using EBT, it would not have justified the interrogation I was subjected to.

I treated Cheryl with respect and courtesy throughout the entire experience, but Cheryl then walked me around the store to inspect other cheeses, insinuating that I was being dishonest. She took away the bag I brought the items in, claiming it looked “suspicious.” I was confused because it was simply a paper bag — no different than a purse or reusable grocery bag that customers carry every day. It was clear she had already made up her mind about me. Even when I attempted to exchange the cake, I was refused a proper replacement or store credit unless I paid extra for an upgraded item — despite the original product being spoiled.

At checkout, I was approached again about not having a receipt or loyalty card, even after explaining my situation multiple times. Fortunately, the cashier who had helped me on April 19th remembered me and vouched for my purchase, but the damage had already been done.

I also felt as though I was being unfairly targeted during this experience, and it’s hard to ignore the possibility that my treatment may have been influenced by being a family of color. While I cannot say for certain, the assumptions made and the way I was treated left me feeling singled out and disrespected in a way that was both unprofessional and hurtful.

The way I was treated was degrading, disrespectful, and entirely unacceptable — especially from a store that has long prided itself on community and customer service. Sadly, this experience shows a complete failure of professionalism and basic courtesy.

Holiday Market has lost a loyal customer, and I would strongly caution others to be aware of how issues are handled here. Based on my experience, Holiday Market is no longer the welcoming place...

Today I went into Holiday Market to grab a couple of bottles of wine to celebrate my wife for passing her state exam. As I went to find someone to assist to grab a bottle Veuve Clicquot I was greeted by Nancy one of the beverage sales individuals. I advised that I wanted to purchase a bottle of the Veuve Clicquot as it is locked behind a glass case now. Before Nancy would open said case she asked if I was done shopping. I advised I have never been asked that when purchasing this particular bottle of wine, and advised that I am not going to walk out with the bottle of wine. From there Nancy took the wine out of the case and proceeded to walk it to the checkout. I asked why she was walking the bottle of wine up to the counter instead of handing it to me to place in my basket. She advised that this is company policy. I told her that my wife and I have been shopping here for years, and since they have placed the Veuve Clicquot wine into a glass case and have never had to answer if we are done shopping nor had anyone walk the bottle up to the counter. For which her response was that those individuals are not doing their jobs right, and this is due to "thieving and individuals reselling this wine in strip clubs". As soon as I heard this I knew what this was. I am 34 year old black man, and this was clearly racial stereotyping. After making this comment she quickly went back to the wine area as I checked out. I proceeded to leave the grocery store, but something did not sit right with me being racially stereotyped. I turned my car around and proceeded back to the grocery store to speak to a manager to advise on what just happened. I spoke with the floor manager Ashley, and asked if this is truly the policy and how uncomfortable I felt as a patron. For which she advised that this was a loose policy that was not mandated. I let her know that my wife and I have shopped here many times and was assisted by Kevin when purchasing this bottle of wine, without incident, and placed directly into our hands. My family and I will no longer be shopping at Holiday Market, as long as people like Nancy are there. I suggest that people of color should be leery when shopping wines with this establishment. There are plenty of places that have a wider selection without the stereotyping. To the Holiday Market management team, I suggest you review your policies and procedures, and provide diversity training to all employees to avoid incidents like this...

I’ve been a loyal customer of Holiday Market’s bakery for years and have placed several custom cake orders in the past with great results. Unfortunately, my most recent experience was deeply disappointing and far below the standard I’ve come to expect.

I placed a custom order for my daughter’s first birthday cake and followed the process as usual. I was told a decorator would contact me within 72 hours, but I never heard back. I had to follow up multiple times before finally reaching Patti, the decorator. Communication was slow and inconsistent each step required me to initiate contact.

When we finally connected, she provided an inspiration photo and confirmed that I wanted the cake to look exactly like the image she shared with me. However, when I arrived to pick up the cake, it was incomplete. Even the employee who brought it out seemed surprised by its unfinished state. Upon reviewing the order form, it was clear that several elements of the design had been crossed out by the decorator without my knowledge or consent.

While a few staff members on-site kindly did their best to improve the appearance of the cake, the overall experience left me extremely disappointed; especially considering the $200 price.

I reached out to the bakery manager, Kelly, via email to express my concerns, but unfortunately never received a response. I then contacted Erik, who I believe is the store manager. He initially responded and offered a $50 gift card, which I appreciated. However, after that interaction, communication stopped again. I never received any follow-up or clarity around how or why my order was changed, despite asking for an explanation.

Throughout this process, I consistently tried to communicate respectfully and directly, including CC’ing Kelly on emails. Sadly, I never received any acknowledgment from her, which felt very dismissive.

This experience has made me feel unheard and undervalued as a customer. I’m sharing this review not out of frustration alone, but in hopes that the bakery’s management takes steps to improve communication and customer care moving forward. While I’ve had many positive experiences in the past, I can’t recommend the bakery based on this most...