Just thought we would pass this article in today's herald along to you in case you didn't read it.
In Dec around Christmas, we asked to set up in the Gateway Mall in Bridgewater. They pretty much told us we weren't good enough. We would attract the wrong type of people as customers.
We were quick to Point out to her (the manager) that many walks of life drive motorcycles, and not to paint everyone with the same brush.And that The Biking Community does a lot of good for the communities in Nova Scotia, and that we felt this was discrimination against Biker's.
Their comment was that our products were not in the Christmas spirit. and not a good fit with other tenants.
http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1222934.html
Biker Business gets brush-off
Couple says mall wrong to reject tenancy bid
By EVA HOARE Staff Reporter
Thu, Jan 20 - 4:54 AM
Marion and Jim McQuarrie tried to rent a kiosk in Bridgewater’s Gateway Mall in December for their biker accessory business but were turned down by mall management.
Marian and Jim MacQuarrie tried to rent a kiosk in Bridgewater’s Gateway Mall in December for their biker accessory business but were turned down by mall management.(MacQuarrie family photo)
A Bridgewater-area couple believes they’re being discriminated against because they sell biker-related accessories.
Jim and Marion McQuarrie said they tried to rent a kiosk for their business, Wolf Spirit Accessories, in the Gateway Mall in Bridgewater in early December, but they allege mall management refused because of worries about the type of clientele they might draw.
"We approached them; we used to be a tenant," Marion McQuarrie said in an interview from the couple’s home in Pleasant River. "We were a good tenant. The first thing out of (the manager’s) mouth was, ‘What kind of people are you going to attract?’
"We got the door slammed in our face pretty quick."
Susan McGuigan, manager of Gateway Realty, which runs the mall, said the company has "every right" to determine tenants that go into the mall.
McGuigan said discrimination had nothing to do with the decision not to let the McQuarries set up business in the shopping centre.
"We have a right to put in who and what we see fit," McGuigan said in an interview Wednesday. "It had nothing to do with them being bikers. That’s our comment."
The McQuarries said they don’t understand why their booth, which sells motorcycle accessories, jewelry and trinkets to motorcyclists, and has been welcomed "with open arms" by the Bedford Place Mall for the past few years.
"I said, ‘Don’t you think you’re being prejudiced?’ " said Marion McQuarrie, recounting her conversation with McGuigan.
McGuigan said the conversation didn’t go in that direction.
Jim McQuarrie said he thinks mall managers believe they will draw a criminal element to the centre, which he says is untrue.
"Sometimes we get the bad end of the stick and they paint us all with the same brush," he said, adding that their customers include Christian biker group members and charity organization workers. They also sell at the Wharf Rat Rally in Digby.
"We go all summer long," said Marion McQuarrie. "We’re at different bike rallies and different clubs."
The couple also operates a Fabrizone cleaning franchise and were thinking about opening up a full-time biker Accessories store at the mall.
"I had told (McGuigan) we had thought about opening a Wolf Spirit store," said Marion McQuarrie.
( ehoare@herald.ca)
Marian and Jim,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of this.. You are both such good people and don't deserve such treatment. Many people I know seek you out at events to buy your merchandise. Its no fun being judged that is for sure. Hopefully this wont happen to you again.
~Janice
Jim & Marion, this blew me away.....I'm surprised that is still happening today. Who are you suppose to attracted, people like me, people like bike clubs, people like married couples just out having a good time biking.....hummm we are a savory bunch aren't we. The mall should rethink and realize how much business you would bring into the mall your products are very well known and like Janice said people are seeking you guys out.
ReplyDeleteYou know I always support you.
Sheila
This story has changed my habit of going into that mall whenever we are in Bridgewater. With an attitude like that, I'm sure we can find another spot to go for a meal and shopping. Hard to believe there are still some with such backwards thinking.
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for all your support. We have received many calls and emails and it is
nice to know that the biking community really does support fellow bikers.We do want to make
one small clarification, because there are 2 malls in Bridgewater.The Bridgewater Mall is located on LaHave St, across from The TD Bank and Tim Horton/Dairy Queen area. ( this is not the mall we had a problem with.) The Gateway mall is located in the upper area of Bridgewater
(High St.) across from the Exibition grounds,
This is the mall that seems to have a problem with Bikers.Gateway reality head office is located in Yarmouth. We thank everyone for their
support and your comments.We look forward to seeing you at the Bike shows & Rally's. And be sure to drop by our new store in Pleasant River, (just outside of Bridgewater)
Stay Safe
Jim & Marion McQuarrie
Wolf Spirit Accessories
actually, they do have a right to accept or refuse who they will.........it's sorta like the guy who was offended a few months ago because acertain gas station insisted he get off his bike before fueling up. it's their property. and as for boycotting the businesses that are tenants in said building, that's like slapping the right hand for something the left hand did. probably not good to get up in arms unless you have both parties in front of you so each can state his or her case with the other present. always lots of "he said she said" in cases like this. i may be jumped on for saying this but oh well. passes the time.......i learned a long time ago that as long as nobody's trying to run me off the road, nothing really offends me about being seen in a particular light because i ride a bike. or offer an unpopular viewpoint.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with the person who will change their habits about shopping in that mall when they come to Bridgewater. I have met the MacQuarrie's and delt with them personally.I was glad to see them at The Bedford Place Mall where I did most of my Christmas shopping.I found them to be good people and easy to deal with.If the mall management would treat one of their local business people in their community this way, How would they treat bikers like me, passing through ,with their leathers on,and a doo rag.God forbid, if you entered their mall with a crest on your jacket. Would Security be watching my every move?I too will be changing my shopping habits when in Bridgewater.
ReplyDeleteB.J.
Its discrimination... what will it be next? I just think its awful. And we are all not criminals.. gimme a break.. what will it be next? Ohhh if you drive a truck, you attract truckers and we don't want truckers in our malls shopping and hanging around. Who in their right mind would say " What kind of people would you attract?"
ReplyDeleteIn California - they got it right...
The Unruh Civil Rights Act specifically prohibits this type of discrimination.
Furthermore, the case law on point specifically prohibits this type of discrimination. Owners of establishments, or venues, cannot just arbitrarily discriminate because they don’t like what someone is wearing. If an establishment does have a dress code, they must enforce the dress code uniformly so that it is applicable to all, and so that it is not enforced in a discriminatory manner.
What is next? ~ Janice
I wonder what some people are thinking when they are in the renting business, to day a lot of the Bikers are retired bankers, doctors , police , business people, teachers ,military ,familys, truckers etc ,etc and this seems to be the majority of the population of todays world . A lot of great people like biking becouse they like the freedom of the ride.Maybe this mall should get educated in days world. Good luck with your business Wolf Spirit Accessories . P M Bridgewater
ReplyDeleteI think that rather than boycotting the mall we should show them what a wonderful bunch of people we bikers are ! We could have a run/rally and make that mall one of the checkpoints.. I bet they'd love to see us all roll in and socialize!!
ReplyDeleteand therein may lie the problem. bikers tend to congregate in favourite meeting places. i remember a tim horton's a short ride from where i live that had a problem a couple of years ago with a good deal of their parking lot being taken up by bikes, and only a few owners of said bikes were paying customers. that, and the issue with cups and butts left in the parking lot by those who did buy something and chose not to make the trek to the garbage can, can make a business think twice about wanting you around. i don't think that would be the case here, because i don't think they would be enough of a draw but the mall manager may pass by ares where bikes do tend to hang out and may wonder if that would be something she'd have to contend with. you also have the noise issue. lots of bikes have either loud mufflers or straight pipes (i run straight pipes myself but don't roll back that throttle very hard in an urban area) and some of them are quite eager to show people. i've seen a bike do a burnout on main street in yarmouth one night, two sportbikes doing wheelies in liverpool one afternoon. i live two blocks off main street in my town and can hear guys leaving stop signs at nearly full throttle. i realize this isn't the case with everyone, but these are the people that make us most visible. so the thing is, some people see bikers as something they'd like to do themselves, others are just irritated as hell. we can't propagate a certain image and then be offended because someone takes that image at face value. if potential noise, and convenience for mall customers (although i admit the parking lot is huge; and a designated area for bikes could be set up, thereby negating the possibility of some lil ole blue haired grandmother with a walker having to negotiate a maze of bikes(highly unlikely but........)) were concerns then hey, live with it. i wonder if the same hue and cry would be raised if a sister sarah's had been refused tenancy. they're both retail businesses catering to a niche market. and before you say "yeah but they're all perverts" remember someone could be saying "yeah but they're all bikers"
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, I am getting sick and tired of people "lumping everyone into the same pile" perhaps the lady at the mall, should gather all her facts before turning someone down, for vendor setup. Doesn't matter if it is Bikers, or the SPCA, or whomever, as long as they aren't destroying the mall, and it is legit, I don't see the problem with the setup. What problem I am starting to see, is that people tend to LUMP things together. The comment being made about " that kind of clientale" makes my blood boil. Maybe one should just check out websites like NovaScotia Bikers.com and see how many events are planned for bikers to attend. Like the IWK Run, the RIDE FOR SITE,the RIDE FOR DAD, THE TOY RUN and on and on...I could go...maybe the gal at the mall should also realize that some of the 'bikers' are lawyers, doctors, etc., I think that the mall manager should really gather ALL the information about things before jumping to this conclusion. AND BTW I won't be shopping at the Bridgewater Mall, might get a bunch of bikers together though, to pay the mall a visit!
ReplyDeleteThe management of this mall should already know what a great bunch of people we as bikers are, as this is the same mall we end up in when we all come out and support the toy run for children.The Salvation Army has a store there and
ReplyDeletewe all come out to support them, and bring a donation or a toy.Every year there are more of us
who go on the run which starts in Mahone Bay and finishes at the upper mall in Bridgewater (Gateway Mall). I agree with Rhonda, we should all roll in and show them what we realy do for our communities, and that being discriminating
against bikers will only hurt the tenants in their own mall.People don't forget this kind of discrimination and usually won't shop there again.The toy run would be a great time to show Gate Way reality we are from all walks of life
and good people.
B.J.
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