Branan Ward

Review of Malaprop's Bookstore

Visiting Asheville again last month, went to shop ...

Visiting Asheville again last month, went to shop at Malaprops with my wife. Not our first time there, we had shopped there on previous trips. We had already started out shopping on the street, keeping the tourist money flowing, supporting the local businesses, so we obviously had some shopping bags. My wife and I were picking out Christmas gifts for our family when a lady asked me for all of our bags. She said it was a store policy that she hold all of our things while we shopped. - To be clear - she could obviously see that we were spenders - already shopping and spending quite a bit of money at other stores nearby... My wife walked into the conversation and asked what the issue was so I said "she doesn't want me shopping in their store if I have a bag in my hand", thinking that the employee would clarify and redact the thought that we were trying to shoplift. (that's the way it felt) She said nothing - validating that she would rather me leave with my bags, so I did. I told my wife, "she doesn't want me in here with my bags so I am leaving". The lady let me leave - with my wallet. Lost sale for Malaprops and I will never return.

I understand that some stores have policies but this one hurts them I think. It certainly turned me off and made me feel like a suspected shoplifter. The store is in a very nice area of town too with mostly wealthy (I presume) shoppers from out of town.

Sorry but we wont be back. We'll spend our money where we feel welcome.