Starbucks has banned a St. Petersburg, Florida man for life from their stores after he confronted people parking illegally in handicapped spaces.
Rob Rowen was sent a letter from Starbucks saying he was being disruptive to the business, threatening customers who parked in the handicapped spaces even if they weren’t.
The letter states that the company regrets to inform him that he was expelled from Starbucks.
Rowen believed he would get an apology letter from Starbucks after the manager at the South Dale Mabry, Tampa store had booted him out. The letter, however, stated he was no longer allowed at any Starbucks.
The customer said he was tired of seeing people able to walk extra steps park in those spaces. He said his son-in-law has muscular dystrophy and has problems finding a parking space.
Rowen said he took it upon himself to start telling people to move. He said he threatened to call the cops on people who were illegally parked. In another instance, he took a picture of an illegally parked vehicle in which the woman told him he was harassing her.
Rowen was pleased when she got a ticket.
However, a customer complained to the store manager that he was harassing the customers, which ended up in his being expelled for life from Starbucks. She told him that he was harassing the customers.
Rowen justified his actions saying he was a regular customer and was only trying to protect the store’s other customers who can’t easily park anywhere else.
A call to the chain’s district manager didn’t alleviate the issue either. Rowen said he was advised to go back to the manager, and she was adamant he was harassing customers.
A spokesperson for Starbucks said the company spoke with Rowen about the concern, but that is confrontational nature bordered on harassment and that he was asked not to visit the store anymore. The spokesperson said the chain wants all customers to treat one another and their employees with respect.
The company said it’s been in talks with the landlord to deal with the parking situation.
source [1]
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