Green Firs Towne Center — Attraction in University Place

The Restaurants here are really good. Especially Maria's and the Ramen Place. The Trader Joe's is probably the most over priced one I've ever seen, small, and with a very limited selection. (I'd rather drive to the Bremerton Trader Joe's than shop at this one. Much bigger store better selection better prices, nicer staff fresher fruits vegetables and flower in Bremerton) The hair cutters here are snooty snobby and rude try an make an appointment but if they dont like you for any reason they give a million excuses that they can't make an appointment for you or are booked. The Home Goods has some very good finds at great prices, but good luck finding matching end tables. Some great names in the kitchen aisle though and usually nice quality once in a while you might find a banged up floor model but not often. The parking spaces are very small and there is a crazy gas station that doesn't let you pump your own gas and will not take cash. They really dont like it if you get out of your car, or enter the gas aisle from the wrong direction. Overall it's not a great place to go but there are a few gems here like the Hallmark store that will have me...

I don't call B.S. too often and this one is on the Green Firs Starbucks. You'll lose me for the next four months for your error. At the counter asking for a cup for here, Doppio(two shots with steamed cream @150 degrees Fahrenheit was my request). The counter person took out a doppio cup for here, held it up for me to see, yes that is correct. I paid with the understanding I would get my order as I asked and was shown. Huh, went to collect my order and the coffee was in a paper throw away cup. I collected the cup in disbelief and walked back toward the counter with receipt in hand. A Batista asked if there was a question about the drink where I replied , "Does this look like a cup for here?". She said they do not have doppio cups for here. Uh huh, you guessed it, I said I do not want this, left the whatever it was in the cup, along with my receipts on the counter and left. I'll go back in a couple months and see if things are any different, in the mean while Starbucks as Green...

The shops and service were all well and good and I don't have a bad word to say about them, but I did have a pretty bad experience when I was on my way out of the Safeway and was heading towards my car. I passed a group of three teens, couldn't be much more than 14 at the oldest, who paused and gawked at me while I was putting on my coat.

I am transgender, and I gather that they recognized this pretty quickly. I heard laughter and the phrase "Hey man, that's an 'it'!" while they tried to run around and get a second look at me, and later one called out that they were going to tell their friends about me. Since they're teens I don't expect anything to come of it, but it certainly didn't make me feel like this was a very safe area for lgbt folks, and I wonder whether they would have followed me for longer than they did if I didn't have a friend with me.

For anyone out there that's family and use this shopping mall regularly, take a friend with you...