Signed; Starving(for justice) in St. Pete.

[basstotheface]

Hey Talkbass,

There's a Dollar General roughly a block and a half from my school. Everyday after school me and a couple friends would head down there to grab a Gatorade or some sort of snack to hold us over until dinner.

Today I walk in there and grab a liter of Grape Drink, Pringles and some minty gum, keep in mind I am a regular customer at this establishment and have never done anything that would be considered impolite or of the "disturbing the peace" nature.

I walk up to the counter, place my aforementioned items on the sliding conveyor of happiness, and step in front of the cash register.

"Hi! I am a customer of this fine establishment and would like to purchase some of your delicious Grape Drank and other assorted goods."

"I will not be able to serve you even though I see you are by no means a hooligan or ruffian..."

I stare at her with a look of puzzlement. Noticing the look she continues...

"New rule, no one under 18 is allowed to be in here without an adult."

I quickly point out I am not buying anything that is forbidden to children of my age, merely Grape Drank and other assorted goods.

"Sorry Kiddo" My clue that the conversation was over.

I search the building for a sign posted stating no one under the age of 18 is allowed inside without a parent, I found nothing, and ended up going hungry (until an hour later).

TB is this legal? Shouldn't they at least be required to have a sign outside stating the newly applied rule?

I just want my Grape Drank.



-Starving in St.Pete

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by basstotheface

Hey Talkbass,

There's a Dollar General roughly a block and a half from my school. Everyday after school me and a couple friends would head down there to grab a Gatorade or some sort of snack to hold us over until dinner.

Today I walk in there and grab a liter of Grape Drink, Pringles and some minty gum, keep in mind I am a regular customer at this establishment and have never done anything that would be considered impolite or of the "disturbing the peace" nature.

I walk up to the counter, place my aforementioned items on the sliding conveyor of happiness, and step in front of the cash register.

"Hi! I am a customer of this fine establishment and would like to purchase some of your delicious Grape Drank and other assorted goods."

"I will not be able to serve you even though I see you are by no means a hooligan or ruffian..."

I stare at her with a look of puzzlement. Noticing the look she continues...

"New rule, no one under 18 is allowed to be in here without an adult."

I quickly point out I am not buying anything that is forbidden to children of my age, merely Grape Drank and other assorted goods.

"Sorry Kiddo" My clue that the conversation was over.

I search the building for a sign posted stating no one under the age of 18 is allowed inside without a parent, I found nothing, and ended up going hungry (until an hour later).

TB is this legal? Shouldn't they at least be required to have a sign outside stating the newly applied rule?

I just want my Grape Drank.



-Starving in St.Pete

If there is no sign, I doubt if it is legal. It will probably be some work to pursue it though.

[sandmangeck]

Stores have rights to refuse service to anyone for any reason I believe. Unfortunately, there were probably countless times little heathens ran around in there, and finally they've had enough.

[UncleFluffy]

Originally Posted by basstotheface

"New rule, no one under 18 is allowed to be in here without an adult."

"You're here, and you're an adult. So it's OK."

[stevetx19]

pretty bold new rule. I guess they have plenty of adult customers.

[jp58]

Rules like that are perfectly well allowed and I don't think they need a sign.

All the malls in my area ban under 18's without an adult due to their frequency to loiter, disrupt the peace, shoplift, etc. I'm not saying they are more likely to commit crimes than adults, but rather that they are more likely to shoplift than adult supervised kids.

I kind of agree with that policy as well. The owners of the store/mall/venue shouldn't be responsible for babysitting a bunch of minors.

[bassrique]

Not to be a ----, but OLD NEWS.

What happens is stores near high schools get ripped off like mad from a bunch of kids walking in at the same time and pulling various stunts.

I'm taking an educated guess.

[Fassa Albrecht]

I can understand banning school kids or people under 18 or whatever, but most places I've been to which hold to this rule have signs.

[rr5025]

When I went to a (and by that I mean THE) Dollar General in Gibson City, IL with the ex I noticed a hand written (poorly at that) sign about beach and toilet bowl cleaner or some such (I forget exactly what it was but it was about two items you'd never think they would have to ban people from buying) and that no one under 18 could buy them. Apparently kids were making bombs out of them (Gibson City is a happening place, if you feel so inclined Google Map it).

Naturally I felt inclined to buy the items just to walk past the teenagers outside with them.

Point of the story; seems like its common for Dollar Generals to make strange rules.

To be fair though after you're out of high school you'll probably be annoyed by highschoolers in shops.

[MJ5150]

Under 18 people are not allowed in our local mall without an adult during school hours.

-Mike

[BlacksHole]

I hope they don't start banning seniors because we're so effing cranky. I am opposed to categorically denying service to those under 18 who do not have an "adult" with then. I can see banning kids during school hours, and those that come in groups of more than 2 without an adult though. Please note that they can only do this with groups based on age - all other bans will probably bring legal discrimination charges against them (race, creed, color, gender, religion, ...).

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Under 18 people are not allowed in our local mall without an adult during school hours.

-Mike

But thats during school hours, when the kids should be in school.

I get the point of it, but it seems rather lame to not allow under 18 year old kids into a Dollar Store (not really a place to loiter, though Im sure shoplifting occurs). Meh, I guess they can make whatever rules they like though. Im sure sales will dip a bit.

[stevetx19]

I don't see why it is so difficult to ban "***hole behavior" in a store instead of entire groups of people. If you have to tell all the -18's to get out, you are actually using more energy than just telling all the rowdy -18's to get out.

[MJ5150]

How would that sign read?

"Under 18 year olds are allowed, but not the rowdy ones"?

-Mike

[ShredderMaximus]

Sad day when you have to shoulder tap "adults" outside the dollar store for some grape drank...

[stevetx19]

you don't need a sign. Just kick out rowdy people and warn them not to come back.
Although, Mike, your suggestion might actually work pretty well.

[superbassman2000]

Originally Posted by stevetx19

I don't see why it is so difficult to ban "***hole behavior" in a store instead of entire groups of people. If you have to tell all the -18's to get out, you are actually using more energy than just telling all the rowdy -18's to get out.

if they were concerned with the rowdy kids, then it makes sense...I would think shoplifting would be more the issue, in which case it's not usually the rowdy kids.
After school kids typically have some suspicion because even they usually just think they are killing time, but to everyone else, they are spending an hour at a store, but only buy a soda and some candy--they aren't being rowdy, just that's suspicious behavior. I don't blame Dollar General for the policy...it sucks, but the establishment has to decide when the extra few dollars they make during that time are worth the cost of what they are losing when they get ripped off. To some stores, it's worth it. To others, it saves the store money to not allow certain age groups in.

[MakiSupaStar]

Just curious, are you black? I only ask because you'd have a better chance of re-opening the doors to your grape drank if it's a case of prejudice as opposed to a liquor store owner just kicking out annoying kids.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

Just curious, are you black? I only ask because you'd have a better chance of re-opening the doors to your grape drank if it's a case of prejudice as opposed to a liquor store owner just kicking out annoying kids.

LIES! You only asked if he is black because he was buying grape drink! ADMIT IT, Maki!

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

LIES! You only asked if he is black because he was buying grape drink! ADMIT IT, Maki!

Hahaha.