"Unacceptable."
Home Hardware's sign is bold and direct: Employees will be treated with respect or customers can find another place to shop.
A few of the chain's stores have used this brand of signage to deter unruly guests from mistreating staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vancouver Is Awesome spoke to Jeffery Ho, owner of three Vancouver Home Hardware stores (one located on Davie St., another on Dunbar St. and a third on 4th Ave.), about what his staff have experienced over the past few months.
"At the start of the pandemic people were self-isolating and feeling uncertain about other people," notes Ho. "A number of them were aggressive, rude and obnoxious."
While Ho supports the signs, he says they were actually created by the store's manager.
"We just try to remind people to be patient, and to be respectful of each other," he explains.
In one instance, Ho says a woman began crying and shouting while he tried to help sort out her Aeroplan miles.
"My system was broken, which I tried to explain to her, but she wasn't listening," he adds.
On Facebook, The West End Journal shared a picture of the sign at the Home Hardware on Davie St., remarking that, "This is a problem many local merchants are dealing with every day, and there is no excuse folks. Stay calm, and be kind. How hard is that?"
At the time of this writing, nearly 50 people have commented on the post, with a number of them stating that they have personally witnessed bad behaviour. A number of other people remark that the staff at the location are wonderful.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry implores people to remember to, "Be kind, be calm, and be safe," during this difficult time.
"We are all in this together," says Ho.
