My family and I had an awful experience there. I was shopping for drapes with my mother (who had highly recommended the store to me and who has done quite a bit of shopping there herself for several years now) and 2½ year old son. My son needed to use the bathroom. I asked an employee of (whose name was “Chrissy”) if he could use the restroom. She abruptly replied that the store had no bathroom and that we should walk down to “Rita’s” to ask the employees there if we could use their bathroom. My mother stayed at the store while my son and I left in search of a bathroom. It was pouring rain outside. My son, being only a toddler recently potty-trained and not a lot of bladder control, wet himself as we were walking around looking for “Rita’s.” Of course, he was upset about this and embarrassed. When I returned to the store, I asked Chrissy where she goes to the bathroom when she is working? (Does she go to Rita’s, I wondered?) She haughtily told me the store does have a bathroom but it is only for employees. I told her what happened with my son and asked her why she could not have just accommodated us by walking back to the bathroom with us. (Honestly, it would have taken five seconds for him to go and be done.) I had no objection to her accompanying us.
I am still infuriated by what then transpired. “Chrissy” not only addressed my son and I in a completely unprofessional and disrespectful manner but she had completely disgusting attitude. She made it clear that she had nothing but contempt and disgust for us – and she treated my son and I as if we were dirt. She repeatedly made the following statements: “It’s not my problem your kid has to go to the bathroom,” “what do you want, a cookie? Like I care you have a kid” and “Like I care about your kid.” It was very demeaning and it was an awful, awful experience. I would not have minded as much if she were just treating me in such a despicable manner but she was also treating an innocent two-year old child like that. My child. One who was simply trying to do the right thing by asking to “use the potty” instead of just urinating in the store cart. He could not understand why “Chrissy” was so “mean to us,” and what was wrong with him that she would not just let him use the “potty?” Chrissy informed us that she would be “fired” if she let us use the bathroom. Apparently, she has no fear of being fired or reprimanded for being positively awful to your paying customers. The manager on duty at the time, a woman who identified herself as “Marion,” stood watching all of this and did nothing. Marion seemed as though she were on Valium or some other drug, as she seemed “out of it,” for lack of a better phrase, and appeared somewhat frightened of Chrissy.
First of all, regardless of any codes or laws, good customer service, good customer relations and good business acumen dictates that if you intend to serve the public, you should have restroom facilities for your customers. How dare they treat customers who are patronizing their store at their invitation and giving them business in such a inconsiderate manner. Customers are people, they are not simply walking wallets and sometimes people have to use the restroom. Moreover, Pennsylvania has adopted the 2000 International Plumnbing Code (“IPC”). Section 403.6 of the IPC provides the following:
Customer facilities. Customers, patrons and visitors shall be provided with public toilet facilities in structures and tenant spaces intended for public utilization. Public toilet facilities shall be located not more than one story above or below the space required to be provided with public toilet facilities and the path of travel to such facilities shall not exceed a distance of 500 feet (152 m).
Thus, according to Pennsylvania State Code, merchants of all sizes and types located in spaces are indeed supposed to provide customers and visitors with restroom access. Violations are considered a misdemeanor punishable by a fine.
I left the store that day. I went home and washed my child’s clothes and then my mother, my son and I went to J.C. Penny and spent $600.00 on drapes for my dining room. The employees at J.C Penny were an absolute joy, particularly refreshing after our awful experience at Marburn. The women who helped us were so sweet to my son and very helpful in general. And guess what? When my son had to use their restroom – they accommodated us with no problem and no attitude whatsoever.
I have forty windows in my newly constructed house. Thirty-eight of those windows need drapes and window treatments. After the deplorable way we were treated at Marburn Curtains, however, we will not be shopping for any of those drapes or window treatments at Marburn.
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