Wawona General Store — Local services in Oakhurst

When leaving from the hotel, I overheard two employees discussing someone the know who works in the general store. This man is disabled and has a service dog from what I heard. I also heard the disgusting fact that the manager/supervisor of the store, Jason, illegally denied this employee the accommodation of having his service dog at work unless he was ‘tied up outside’, which would quite literally kill the dog with how the temperatures in the area can be. I’m appalled to know this little community has this ableism going on, as I’ve always heard how kind everyone is.

It sounds as if this Jason fellow was also mad the disabled employee called out due to a migraine, very last minute. While I do not know what disability the employee has, I do know many service dogs are trained to help alert to such issues before they start. It very well may be that lack of access to his MEDICALLY NEEDED SERVICE DOG, he ended up with this migraine. These dogs go through intensive and rigorous training for a reason. To help their disabled handlers. I also am aware, as I’ve been to the area many times, and as anyone who’s done similar or who lives/works in the park knows, cell service is limited, if any. I’m sure it would make calling out difficult for many people.

My own son has a service dog and has had similar problems with higher ups before. It ended with my son taking them to court and winning a lawsuit for just over $75,000 after my son had a seizure at work when overworked, and he didn’t have his service dog there to alert him to one coming on. That’s a day I’ll never forget. The hospital calling to inform me that my epileptic son had a seizure that resulted in injury, that could have been avoided if his service dog had been with him.

If the disabled employee sees this, I encourage you to speak to a lawyer about this blatant discrimination. It isn’t right to just keep your head down and ignore it. This is illegal, and him saying the only way to have your service dog there is a method that would result in your service dogs death is horrendous and appalling. You very well may have a court case you could easily win against him. Don’t keep quiet about this. Raise hell. You have every right to! Had I not been short on time as it was to return home, as I had to get my son to an appointment with his doctor and he can’t drive, I would have gone in and demanded to speak to this Jason...

I almost never write reviews, but this experience was so unprofessional and upsetting that I feel obligated to speak up — not just as a customer, but as a working professional who understands what real customer service should look like.

The store had a decent selection, but everything was ruined by one employee: Aaron. I was with a camp group of about 15 people. While we were calmly shopping, Aaron began yelling at us, accusing us of being “all over the place” and “causing chaos,” which was completely false.

When we lined up — in an orderly, straight line — he kept snapping at us to “get in line better,” despite the fact that we were already behaving appropriately. Then, in front of everyone, he told our camp leader that he needed to “be a better leader” and “control his kids.” The tone was rude, humiliating, and flat-out unprofessional.

At one point, a girl in our group politely asked where the restroom was, and Aaron answered her with an attitude, saying something like, “There’s a sign outside — maybe you should’ve paid attention.” That level of sarcasm and disrespect was completely unnecessary.

Even another employee at the counter looked uncomfortable and tried to get Aaron to calm down — which says a lot.

As someone who works in a professional field, I can say with confidence that Aaron’s behavior was way out of line. If it had gone further, I would’ve had no problem filing a formal complaint or even taking legal action. I’m still considering it.

Aaron should absolutely not be working in customer service. If this store cares at all about its reputation or the experience of its customers, he needs...

I’ve frequently been into the Wawona General Store. And I have to say, I’ve only become more disappointed. It seems as if there is a lack of care from employees, except for the two new ones, Matt and Sue. Matt was very enthusiastic and engaging, while Sue was very prompt and courteous. The big issue comes from their manager, Jason. He always has an attitude with customers. I’ve more than once witnessed him raise his voice at them, get snappy with them, talk about them behind their backs as soon as they leave, and flat out ignore them asking for help. He will also get snarky if another employee asks him for something, even though his job as a manager is to assist them. I enjoy supporting small businesses, and little shops. I know it’s run by the park, but it’s still more my style. However, this behavior from him has made it so I don’t think I’ll be returning to their store and will instead only use Pine Tree Market, where the staff is much kinder and happier. Not just one or two employees, but all of them. If Jason truly doesn’t like this job to a point he has an attitude with people he’s meant to be helping, maybe it’s time he find...