Five Below — Local services in New York

I’m writing with deep sadness and distress regarding an incident that occurred today at your Astoria location (22-23 31st Street, Queens, NY 11105). I’ve debated whether or not to send this, but the experience has left me hopeless and I need to speak up.

Today was the final day of Teacher Appreciation Week at my school. A student’s family gifted me a Five Below gift card, as they know how much I love the store, and I looked forward to treating myself after a long, challenging week. Instead, I experienced one of the most humiliating and upsetting moments of my adult life.

While shopping, I was harassed by a group of middle school-aged kids—three boys and two girls, who began throwing balls at me one of which hit me in the head, and jokingly accusing me of shoplifting. As a teacher, I recognized the behavior as mockery, so I sarcastically replied “yeah,” thinking it would diffuse the moment.

Moments later, I was publicly called out over the store intercom:

“WE ARE SPEAKING TO THE WOMAN IN THE BLUE SHIRT AND BLUE JEANS. YEAH, YOU. WE HAVE YOU ON FILM SHOPLIFTING AND WITNESSES WHO YOU CONFESSED TO. REPORT TO THE FRONT TO RETURN YOUR ITEMS. THE POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED.”

I was stunned and mortified. I immediately went to the front, assuming it was a misunderstanding. Instead, I was told I had been caught both with audio recordings and on camera stealing several items and that I was permanently banned from the store. I pleaded to be shown the footage or to have my bag checked, I would have gladly waited for the police. I was in tears while the same group of kids laughed at me from across the store. I was never given a chance to defend myself, and was cut off each time I tried to explain the misunderstanding.

The irony of being wrongly accused and shamed on Teacher Appreciation Day while wearing my school ID and carrying my teacher backpack is painful. I understand stores must protect against theft, but I would hope there is also room for basic human decency, communication, and evidence-based decisions. That was not offered to me today.

I walked out feeling deeply hurt, not just as a customer, but as a human being. I was treated with cruelty and suspicion, not the respect any person let alone a loyal, paying...

I've been in here a few times. Usually I am greeted by staff. I know that the associates do self checkout. That didn't annoy me as much as being profiled. My daughter and I came in. One of the associates was standing in the front didn't greet my daughter and I. Ok cool.. we start looking at the stuff we came to purchase. My daughter was in a different part of the store and I was in the back looking at the incense and crystals. Said associate was standing so close to me while I was browsing, we could have been conjoined twins. After walking back to where my daughter was. I was annoyed and it was all over my face. My daughter says what's wrong? I told her how I was watched so hard that I knew I was being profiled. I said out loud that this associate was going to feel pretty stupid when she sees me at the register paying for the items I was holding. While I empathize with retailers due to thefts. It should not be assumed that a certain kind of person is there to steal. As said I come here all the time. This location is closer to me than yhe Northern Blvd store.I pick up online orders. I make in store purchases. And this is the first time I have profiled here and so hard. Way to drive off your literal...

Nobody opens this store on time, I always have to wait almost half an hour later to get in. Not sure why even try to come here anymore. Also nobody answers the phone either. If you guys aren't going to open at 9:30 on Saturdays you need to change your signs.

Here's an update, after an employee opened the door at about almost 10 a.m he asked me if I was an employee and told me I had to leave. I told him the sign says 9:30 a.m and if that's the case they need to change the signs. He then took me outside and said "let me show you something" points to the Sunday sign saying see 10 a.m and I had to tell him no, it's not Sunday, it's Saturday. I'm so frustrated with this damn store. And you can't chalk it up to a mistake this store is always opening up almost half an hour late. Disappoinment as...