Sherri Shepherd accuses Staples of racial profiling

The comedic actress says she will take her business elsewhere

Sherri Shepherd is using her social media platform to allege that the office supply store Staples is guilty of racial profiling.

Feb 6, 2018
Sherri Shepherd thegrio.com
Sherri Shepherd

Sherri Shepherd is using her social media platform to allege that the office supply store, Staples is guilty of racial profiling.

The Tom Joyner Morning Show regular and The View alum posted an Instagram video detailing her recent experience at a Staples on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Shepherd writes:

“Just got cursed out by a cashier @staples at 4641 Santa Monica Blvd in LA. My girlfriend @kimrtavares & I were there to get supplies for a seminar when Kim asked where was their restroom & we were told they were broken and we needed t go to @riteaid – Kim walked over to #RiteAid but their bathroom was in use so she came back to #Staples. Another employee gave us the combination to their #bathroom which worked fine.”

The comedic actress and host then said the cashier yelled and cursed at her when Shepherd and her friend confronted the employee about saying the bathroom was broken. The woman told the two ladies that she was instructed to only allow paying customers to use the restroom. According to Shepherd, the cashier then screamed “I am not going to take this shit. I am not going to take this fucking shit!” and stormed off.

In the post, Shepherd asks her followers to share and she vows to go to competitors Amazon or Office Depot for her future business needs.

Just got cursed out by a cashier @staples at 4641 Santa Monica Blvd in LA. My girlfriend @kimrtavares & I were there to get supplies for a seminar when Kim asked where was their restroom & we were told they were broken and we needed t go to @riteaid – Kim walked over to #RiteAid but their bathroom was in use so she came back to #Staples. Another employee gave us the combination to their #bathroom which worked fine. When questions The manager (Edgar) said the cashier Janice Reyes May have said it bc the bathrooms needed to be cleaned. They were clean and working bc I used it. When I questioned Miss Reyes on why she said that at first she wouldn’t answer and then said “we are told to tell people if they don’t buy they can’t use our bathroom” when I said well we were customers – you should have stated your policy instead of lying, Ms Reyes starts screaming “I am not going to take this shit. I am not going to take this fucking shit!” And she storms off but not before it got heated w Kim. #Staples this treatment by an employee is unacceptable. It was embarrassing – and had I had my son Jeffrey w me it would’ve been a different situation. Your employees are participating in racial profiling. I will take my business to @amazon or @OfficeDepot where customer service is better . Miss Reyes May be going through personal issues but if she is, then she should be doing something else at Staples rather than dealing with customers. And the fact that none of the employees did anything? It should be on their cameras. #unacceptable #pleaseshare #amazon #officedepot #oncamera #blackhistorymonth #injusticia #injustices #kimtavares #saynotoracism

A post shared by Sherri (@sherrieshepherd) on

On Twitter, Staples responded to Shepherd and vowed to investigate the matter.

Wendy Williams isn’t buying Shepherd’s story and took to her show’s Hot Topics segment to say that this was not a case of racial profiling and that Shepherd should remember it is common courtesy to purchase items at a business before asking for a restroom.

Grio fam, what’s the verdict? Was Shepherd racially profiled or is she being hyper-sensitive?

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