The Home Depot — Local services in Gladstone

I’ve always loved Home Depot. It’s been my go-to store for years—for everything from lawn care to tools. But on May 18th, between 3:15 PM and 3:50 PM, I experienced something at the Gladstone, MO location that I can’t ignore: I was falsely accused and profiled.

I went to purchase eight bags of topsoil and two bags of raised bed soil. Outside, I was helped by a young employee named Jacob. We hit it off—we both went to Missouri Western—and while we were talking, I asked if Home Depot still gives discounts for ripped bags. He said yes and instructed me to pay up front and pick them out afterward. I also confirmed this with a male employee at the register. So I did exactly that: I paid, then walked out to the garden center and grabbed already ripped bags—right in front of Jacob, who saw everything. I didn’t rip any bags. Not one.

When I returned to check out, I was helped by a different employee—an older white woman, likely late 40s or early 50s. She rang me up. I explained Jacob had seen me select the damaged bags. She gave me the discount but treated me like I was doing something wrong. Her tone was cold. Her energy was off. I didn’t say anything—I let it go.

After loading my car, I returned to grab raised bed soil. I noticed a Kellogg’s Organic Raised Bed Soil bag—already ripped and sitting upright in plain sight outside the front garden entrance, directly under a security camera. I purposely grabbed that bag. Why? Because I knew I was on camera and I wanted there to be clear evidence of what I was doing. Jacob wasn’t nearby, but I trusted the footage would show my honesty.

I looked for another Kellogg’s bag but couldn’t find one, so I went inside and located a Row Raised Bed Soil bag—also already ripped, lying flat in the garden center. I placed it in my cart.

Then, a male employee approached me and said, “Someone said they saw you rip the bag.”

I was stunned. I said, “You can check the cameras. I didn’t rip anything. I even grabbed a ripped bag outside in front of the camera on purpose for that exact reason.” I offered for them to call the police. I was that confident in my integrity. I knew what I was doing, and I knew I wasn’t doing anything wrong.

Here’s what doesn’t make sense: If I were really trying to cheat the system, why would I go out of my way to get a completely different brand like Row from inside the store? Criminals don’t do that. People who cut corners don’t take the extra steps I took. That’s not how dishonesty works. But I’m not a criminal—I’m a man of character. I live by honesty and principle.

That’s why this moment hit so hard.

I believe the older white woman who rang me up was the one who made the false accusation. She helped me twice and seemed suspicious of me both times—even though I was open, clear, and had an employee witness during my first trip. As a young Black man, I know what it feels like to be silently judged. She’s from an older generation. This is Missouri. I’m not calling her overtly racist—but I’m saying this was a case of subtle discrimination rooted in bias and assumption, and it happens more often than people think.

I’ve studied human behavior, communication, and body language. I work in a field that requires me to read people daily. Her mannerisms, her tone, her lack of warmth—it all said, “I don’t trust you.”

This wasn’t blatant racism—it was the quieter, more dangerous kind. The kind that doesn’t shout—but whispers.

I’m asking Home Depot leadership to review the footage. I chose the ripped bag outside intentionally in front of the camera because I wanted to avoid any misunderstanding. Instead, I got accused of something I didn’t do. I came in respectful, honest, and by-the-book—and I left feeling like a suspect.

This isn’t about a couple of dollars. It’s about dignity, truth, and the right to shop without being treated like a threat.

Home Depot, I hope you take this seriously. If this is how honest customers are treated, I can’t continue supporting...

Went to buy some tools. As any DYI person. This is the nearest to me and while they’re not as friendly as the other Home Depot’s, it’s the closest with the same prices. Today, my DEWALT died. I need to get this done before the week starts so instead of trouble shooting it I simply decide to go buy one.

Get there. Everything is normal. I browse and compare models and types of nailers. Finally, I settle on one. See the price, not cheap but hey, it’s Dewalt. There is a Home Depot guy helping another guy in the isle. I wait for him to finish to ask him questions but he takes too long so I just buy what I currently have.

Anyways, I go and pick it up and also look in case I wish to buy anything else. Normal tool guy behavior. As I am looking at a mower, Mariah or how ever you spell her name and the guy from the isle approach me aggressively and corner me near the mowers. Mariah, who I was told is a manager, tells me that she wants to take the item to the register since it is supposed to be locked up and will leave it there until I am ready to pay.

Not sure if she didn’t like my work clothes but the way she said is definitely made me so uncomfortable. I felt as if I did something wrong.

I believe that there is a way to do and say things. I am not a contractor or anything like that so I am unsure what the protocol is when buying a tool off the shelf. I am your average office guy that buys tools when needed, or wants to.

Never the less, this was a horrible experience for me. I am not looking for sympathy or a cookie for writing this. I feel so bad after leaving the store and feel so embarrassed that people saw her confront me the way she did. Those people probably thought I deserved it. I sure didn’t.

To this store general manager or main person in charge. I paid with my card so you can have my information. Check out the tapes and feel free to do what you need to do if I broke the law in any way. If your managers decide to take on the path of representing your store, do it right and always think how the message may be perceived from the receiving end. For me, I’ll just stick to online or a store 20 min away. I know for sure, I’ll get the benefit of the doubt then, than when I show up dirty, with flip flops, a T-shirt and do not look to be...

A Less Than Stellar Experience at My Local Home Depot

I've visited my local Home Depot on numerous occasions, due to its convenient proximity to my home. Unfortunately, my experiences have been consistently disappointing.

Typically, when I walk into a Home Depot, I expect to find diligent employees hard at work, ready to assist customers. However, this particular location seems to be an exception. More often than not, I find employees engaged in casual conversation with each other, rather than focusing on their tasks or assisting customers.

The lack of customer service is particularly noticeable when seeking help with product displays. Instead of providing assistance or guidance, employees often admit to not knowing and simply walk away. This lack of initiative and willingness to help leaves much to be desired.

Age demographics present another challenge. The younger employees often seem to be idling at the self-checkout, contributing little to the store's operation. On the other hand, the older employees, while nice and often knowledgeable, seem to be there more for enjoyment than work.

Another issue I frequently encounter is the inaccurate stock information on the Home Depot phone app. On several occasions, I've found the app to be wrong about certain products being in stock. When I ask for assistance in these matters, I am usually met with unhelpful employees who either don't know or spend excessive time showing me irrelevant items, wasting my time.

Overall, my experiences at this Home Depot have been less than satisfactory. The lack of efficient customer service, inaccurate stock information, and general employee disinterestedness have made shopping here a less than pleasant experience. I hope to see improvements in these areas in the future. Until then, I'll be exploring other options for my home...