Posted by Shocked Sharon
I think most Dollar Tree stores are absolutely disgusting and most managers and employees seem not to care that they work in a trash pit. However, I found a little gem near by about 2 years ago, #05397 Hixson Pk/Ashland Terrace in Chattanooga, TN and I was shocked at the difference. The store Manager, Anna, was always outgoing and friendly. Always saw her working her tail off alongside of her employees and always very observant of lines building up and maintaining her store appearance. That store looked like a small Bed Bath and Beyond. Well stocked, well lit, always a nice presentation on the sidewalk drawing us in with her new items. This woman clearly took ownership of her store and her staff. I saw her bringing in lunch a few times to her staff and I also witnessed her bringing in 10 ice cream sundaes one day to her staff and the truck driver. (It was their delivery day apparently, and yes, I was in there almost every day after I discovered the cleanest store in town). I also overheard her on the phone one day taking someone's order?? which I thought was odd but a few minutes later, I saw her at the register purchasing about 25 or so items telling her assistant manager she would be back in 30 minutes. She had to bring Ms X her things. When she left, I asked her assistant what she was doing and was told there was an elderly woman who was afraid to get out of the house ever since COVID hit and the lady had no family or car. She used to come to the store weekly by bus but was afraid now so Anna brought the woman her requested groceries once every 2 weeks or so... whenever Ms X called with an order. I asked if Anna was reimbursed or paid in some way and the girl said she was reimbursed sometimes but usually Anna would add extra goodies to make her day (like an Easter basket last year, a Christmas stocking last Christmas, ice cream and candy she remembered the woman admiring, etc., so she didn't think Anna was reimbursed for that bc it was gifts. That brought tears to my eyes! What a kind woman!! You could tell she was well loved and admired.
I was absolutely APPALLED and DISGUSTED when I went in yesterday and learned she had been terminated. I demanded to know what for and no one would tell me at first but I finally got it out of someone. They said she was fired ultimately out of retaliation bc she had turned her boss in for some deplorable things. Heinous things! (Yes, I got details!! I wasn't about to stop once I knew someone was willing to share!!) Anna admitted on her own free will to paying a family member to come in and help her bc she was so behind and always would be behind bc of the lack of payroll given to her and many times taken away from her and given to other stores. She couldn't hire her family member which I understand but it wouldn't have made a difference bc she wouldn't have been given more payroll. In my opinion, that should have been a slap on the wrist, a written warning, bc I do understand it's not okay to do BUT I can clearly see as an outsider, that Dollar Tree corporate office/HR/Associate Relations, whomever!!! WRONGLY terminated her and did it to avoid their a$&es getting sued (which I hope they still do! I hope she's in the process of it!!! I wish I could find out where she was bc I'd pay for her attorney!!) bc they were scared of all the dirty crap she was turning her despicable boss in for!!!
The store already looks like a disaster. It's disgusting already, boxes everywhere, shelves bare, endcaps empty, trolleys of merchandise all over the place, the outdoor display that was usually inviting, full and beautiful was empty and dead, emergency exit was blocked, restrooms out of order with a rank smell all throughout the store, the freezer was bare, the stockroom doors were wide open and I peeked in and saw no emergency exit bc it was obviously blocked, and the entire room was literally overflowing with a SEA of boxes. They looked like they'd avalanche at any moment and I know the boxes had to have been over 12 feet high! There were girls in the office laughing and playing around, the cashier was slow as Christmas and not stocking in between customers (Anna kept everyone busy at all times. She was darn nice but a darn good leader and kept that store running like clockwork!)
I knew as soon as I walked in that she was either sick (she had been sick twice the last couple of months... I heard it was COVID both times but they never shut down, never reported it to anyone, etc., and I know she did try to report it and this is one thing she turned her boss in for (not reporting it or sanitizing).... this is a small town... word gets around....), but I knew she was either sick again or was gone and I was hoping she had quit and moved on to a store that paid more and treated their people better (I've read reviews. They treat their people like garbage here and run them to the ground), but could not believe she was fired!!! The media is going to have a field day with this one!!
I will NEVER shop in another DT ever again. Ever. And I will keep on sharing this message on any platform I can find and will go to the media as well. I contacted OSHA for the violations I saw, and actually, I will go back in there but not to spend money. It'll be to check for OSHA violations and to keep on reporting that NOW disgusting store that looks and feels like all the other Dollar Trees out there. Dollar Tree, you guys messed up! Big time. I'm not the only customer who will be doing this either. Anna was a rare gem and your corrupt and greedy butts will be sorry.