Stadium Thriftway — Attraction in Tacoma

Since my mom moved into the area, I've come into this establishment (which I thought was a lovely neighborhood store) about once or twice a week with my family. Today I entered with a full stroller and the intention of buying some ready to eat food that they sell. First, my boyfriend and I stopped by the restroom to relieve ourselves and change our 3 month old's diaper. We then prodeeded to check out the food. We decided it would be cheaper to walk to McDonald's so we left. On our way out, we were greeted by a woman who is supposedly the owner. She asked if we found things alright, and we politely replied yes and then left. We met my mom in the parking lot who was looking after our puppies. After which, the owner and a male employee came up and asked us if we had receipts for the stuff in the stroller basket. In our basket was two half used sunscreen sprays, a large tube of baby sunscreen, a half used hand sanitizer, and some single bottles of water. Only one of which they might sell. That being the unopened dasani. The other bottles were single generic brand bottles that come in large packs that my mom had brought from home. Most of these items, they don't even sell. We were all super offended, considering they had a ton of workers today, a lot of which are familiar with us at this point, and we were in sight of one or two of them at all times we were in the store. I'm not sure if it's racial profiling considering I'm native American and my boyfriend is black/belizian but it was wrong of them to accuse us of shoplifting. If that woman had bothered to check their cameras or ask any other employees, she wouldve realized she was wrong and none of us would have had to experience the embarrassment of her accusing regular customers of shoplifting. Needless to say, even if my mother continues to shop there, i wont be coming back. Didnt even get an apology for the misunderstanding. I guess the supposed owner had too much pride to admit that...

There is selection is amazing but their prices are high as well as the workers at least they're attitudes are they are self-righteous better than you kind of behavior when it comes to people who are less fortunate just cuz they got a job and a house they think they're better than people who struggle with those things and I know first hand when I went in there and had to humiliate myself at closing by asking the managers if they had anything in the back that I could possibly get to eat because I was very hungry and hadn't eaten in several days and the tallest Samoa looking guy laughed at me and said no I'm sorry man can you please leave we're about to close whereas the long-haired manager went and got a couple slices of pizza from his own lunch and brought it to me outside where I was crying it might not have been much to him to either of them but to me it meant the world no one should ever have to feel hungry like that and no one's ever have to humiliate themselves in front of pretentious overplayed overworked under appreciated managers who take out their own insecurities on others for their own personal amusement. Other than that they have great produce kind of half of it's good and the other half has already gone bad and ridiculous prices but they have the fizzle Berry soda which is the only place I've ever found the fizzle Berry soda and it's my favorite soda ever in the universe now so Huckleberry soda which is really good and there are smoke stuff is really good in the back but it's also like super retarded expensive it's like $30 for like a chicken leg and it's a smoke chicken leg so it's really not much there anywho go there if you have to but if you...

Pros: Location (the main reason anyone ever goes to Stadium Thriftway). Selection - carries some specialty and harder-to-find items. Deli has some delicious things.

Cons: Regular prices on non-sale items are crazy high. And customer service.... The reviews saying you need to dress up to shop here are correct. I'm not homeless, I have a good job and a couple of college degrees, but lord, if I roll in wearing anything less than a collared shirt and dress shoes, I get The Look from whoever's working often with a snide comment, or a follow around the store. It's a good lesson on how our neighbors without houses are treated everywhere, everyday. But it's also ridiculous that their staff is this judgy. It is a grocery store, not a wedding. Many of us in the neighborhood walk here. When it's cold, we may be thinking about about clothes that'll keep us warm outside there and back, more than what might impress the deli counter employees. I have had one decent interaction with an employee here though ,so shout-out to that guy at the checkout.

I'll continue to stop here from time to time when I need something, because there's only two grocery stores close by, but I wish it could be a more...