Store Closing 30 Minutes Early??

I rushed to the store this evening to purchase a pair of shoes for an outfit I planned to wear to my boyfriend’s 30th birthday party. I literally sprinted to the store and made it within minutes of the store’s 9:00pm closing time. However, when I entered the store, the employee, Priscilla indicated the store was closed. Through gasps for air, I told Priscilla that it wasn’t quite 9pm yet. Priscilla indicated that the store had in fact closed at 8:30pm (although the mall closes at 9:00pm). I asked her if that was the store’s normal closing time and she said her manager, Ana had called and told her to close the store early.

If the store was legitimately closed at 8:30pm, the doors should have been locked and perhaps a sign should have been posted to avoid confusion. In this economy, it seems almost unfathomable that a shopping store would close early. Furthermore, Priscilla’s professionalism is lacking and leaves much to be desired. As a former retail manager, I understand that employees are eager to get home after working long evening shifts. However, the store sales and overall profit should never suffer as a result. And customers should not feel alienated. Priscilla should have helped me. But I definitely felt alienated and unappreciated!

I am an Aldo customer and I’d like to think that this was an isolated event. I would like to continue to shop at this store but the service I received (or lack thereof) makes me very hesitant.