Halsey Traders Market — Local services in New York

9:30 a.m. on 10/5/17. If I could give this place a zero, I would. I am fuming. I was a regular Key Food shopper, so was happy when Halsey Traders (a rebranded Key Food, basically) finally opened closer to me. My colleague had been in the store previously and refused to shop there because she was followed around in the store. This week, I stopped in and noticed that I was being followed.

Today, I walked in, looking for paper products and noticed that I was being followed around by a guy on a cell phone (green t-shirt). Up and down the aisles. Then he calls to me: "Something you're looking for, Baby?" Baby? Do all customers get called Baby. I replied, “My name is not Baby. And I don’t need help, thanks.” He remained in the aisle, monitoring me. I went to speak to the manager to let him know that I did not appreciate being disrespected by being called Baby and that I was essentially being harassed in the store by this man’s constant presence next to me. They have cameras, so why the extra surveillance of my person?

The manager responded that there were only two workers and no one was being followed selectively. At this point, the man following me said, “yes, I was following you. It’s part of our security.” So the manager is telling me no, but the guy is saying, explicitly, “yes, you are being selectively followed.” I am black, female, highly educated professional (Ph.D.)—coming from a yoga class, no less. None of the white patrons were being followed around the store.

My conclusion is that Halsey Traders does not want my Black business. I live in Bed-Stuy and have no intention of leaving. I would like to support local business, but will not patronize Halsey Traders anymore. I own property, pay taxes, and vote.

Letters will be sent to: the Mayor’s office, the Governor, The New York Times, New York Post, and the...

They occasionally have some products that I can't get at the Key Foods on Malcom X and Putnam, but their prices are high and can be totally random.

In June I bought two containers of hummus of the same brand, but different flavors: one was priced $6.50 and the other was $8.50? (I know—$6.50 is already a lot of money for hummus.) I asked the cashier and the manager why the difference and they both gaslit me with an excuse about the ingredients being different. The $8.50 one was the simpler, more common style of hummus! 😂

I've also bought expensive spices that were priced weirdly high (more than $20!) that I didn't catch until I had left the store, unfortunately. Now I watch the cashier's display like a hawk when we're checking out.

They're trying, but the Key Food on Putnam has expanded and is a better experience. I don't trust Halsey...

I had a horrible experience with one of their cashiers. After she rung up my purchases and we bagged it, I asked her for my receipt and she told me she put it in my bag. So I was like cool and exited the store. As I was walking and almost reached the corner, she tells me to come back because my transaction didn't go though. I waited while she finished with another customer and next thing I know, she printed my receipt which in fact shows the purchase went through. I expressed how I felt about her blatant lie and her incompetence. Her response was to be rude and disrespectful. More importantly, she wouldn't apologize and take accountability for her mistake. She literally look as if she wanted to get physical with me. I reached out to the Key Food HQ with a formal complaint. That employee's behavior was unacceptable to me and I'm...