Now Fashion(5746) — Local services in Portsmouth

I want to share a story about something that happened here recently. I’m a very private person, but I’m stepping out the box because I feel it needs to be addressed.

I’ll start by saying in August I was diagnosed with cancer, more than one type. Please know that I’m sharing this not for sympathy, or attention, but for context. I’m a fighter and I know that God’s got me! I was out enjoying the sunshine but realized I had forgotten to eat and started to feel weak and had to use the restroom and was walking into Now Fashion, 5746 Churchland Blvd., Portsmouth. I have been a customer there for many years, my friends and family are regular customers also. I walked in and said to the owner, “Hi there, I know you don’t usually let customers use your restroom, but this is a medical emergency and I have to get a few things from here. Can I please use your bathroom before I shop?” She said, “We don’t have one, go to Food Lion.” I said, “Ma’am, I’m not feeling well, I have cancer (even pulled my shirt down so she could see the port on my chest). You know me, I’m here all the time buying things.” She put her head down and ignored me. Her coworker just kept saying “go to Food Lion, go to Food Lion.” I said, “I don’t know if I’ll make it there, and I have to shop here too.” The owner looked at me, put her head down, and ignored me. I said, “Wow, are you really going to ignore me like I’m not standing here?” She absolutely did, said nothing, and pretended to fiddle with papers at the register.

I share this very personal encounter to make others aware of the reality. Now Fashion, you need to know that being a business in our community means more than just taking our money! If I walked in, shopped, and went to pay, she would have smiled and said thank you as she always does. Instead, in the face of a medical emergency, she chose to not only refuse humanity and decency, but to look me in the face and ignore me. Needless to say, I will never shop there again, and neither will my friends and family. While this happened to me, it could have easily been anyone else, or someone’s family member. If they try to deny it, I’m sure there is camera footage of me standing at the doorway, 1/14/2024 at 3:00, short salt/pepper hair, black bomber jacket.

Please feel free to share this post so others are aware of the establishments they spend their hard-earned money with. And for those of you wondering, yes, I totally made it to Food Lion without incident…like I said, God’s got...

My family visits this store regularly. The ladies that work there are usually very friendly. I took my daughter there to purchase something and watched from a distance as she was stared at and followed by an older man that I've never seen before but clearly works there or owns the store. He actually was leaving the store when she and I entered. I held the door open as he exited and I smiled and said hello. He just had the same blank expression and immediately turned around to return to the store. He stared at my daughter until she came to the register. We were in there for about 10 minutes. Once she was at the register the man walked away. He completely ignored a woman of another race that was standing near my daughter. He even turned his back on her to watch my daughter walk to the register and put her nail polish down. I do not appreciate being treated like a criminal. If it is policy to watch customers that way then attempt to watch everyone. My family and several friends will gladly take our business to a business that can appreciate the green we possess and not be on alert because of the color...

Now Fashion, in Churchland Shopping Center, has renovated their store. The appearance of the store looks great, and I have to believe as a customer, it makes my shopping experience better. The problem I have with the employees now, and before the renovation is I do not feel the atmosphere is welcoming. The employees are helpful but cold. They never smile, they converse among themselves, and they watch you as if everyone who enters their facility is a thief. The warm welcome is not there. There is a “no matter what , you are going to shop here anyway because you need us.” That little added customer service, we are happy to see you, and I hope you’ll shop with us again, has never been there. My message to them is, “Your customer service tactics needs to improve,” Make your customers feel like they are important, you are happy to see them, and I hope your shopping experience here was pleasant.” THAT IS NOT, AND NEVER WAS WHAT’S HAPPENING...