Pioneertown General Store — Local services in Yucca Valley

Treat POC differently, better go the store next door. Much nicer . . . Edited as per July 26th, as a response to the owner:

Hi Sarah, thank you so much for responding. I truly appreciate it. To be honest, I’ve never left a negative review like this before, but this experience really stayed with me.

Just to clarify, I did double-check and it was definitely your store. What’s interesting is, I didn’t even plan to visit the other general store you mentioned in the review. We only ended up there after leaving yours. The woman at that store greeted us warmly, made a few jokes, asked what we were looking for, and created such a good vibe that we happily spent a couple hundred bucks there.

At your store, though, it was a different story. When we walked in, it was empty except for an attendant folding clothes by the front. I made eye contact and smiled, but she didn’t acknowledge us at all. No greeting. No smile. We moved to the back to browse boots and hats. A bit later, we heard a friendly “Welcome in, let me know if you need anything,” but it wasn’t for us, it was for two white customers who came in after. When they left, she even thanked them. Then another group of white visitors came in and were also warmly greeted.

Meanwhile, we were still browsing. We even planned to buy a hat and boots. We came back up to the front, I made eye contact again, and again, no reaction. No hello, no smile, nothing. At that point, we decided to leave and put the items back. Even as we walked out, she just stared at us without saying a word.

Moral of the story, we weren’t treated harshly with any slur or overt racism. But we definitely felt the difference in how we were treated compared to the white customers who came in after us. As people of color, we know when we’re being treated differently, and in that moment, we knew. That’s what this was really about.

I still stand by my review, but I hope this feedback helps. We just wanted to be treated like anyone else walking into a store. Wishing you and your business the best moving...

I had so much fun shopping at the Pioneertoewn General Store. They have many one-of-a-kind and locally made items. The staff are really helpful — I found some spectacular boots and a blanket I love. They let me take my time trying on different boots until I found the perfect ones. No sales pressure at all. It's nice to go into a store that feels local, where you know everything was picked by someone who really cared. If you go to Pioneertown, you have to stop in and look around! I highly recommend this place and cannot wait...

From a desert local: I always love a visit to this shop. Sarah has curated the space and merchandise so well to suit the Pioneertown scene and it's ever evolving. From major wardrobe items to pocket-sized treasures for yourself or friends (with many items made locally!) this shop is just so enjoyable to cruise through. Give yourself some time to take it all in. And for goodness sake wear a mask to help protect this small community - the healthcare services are...