King Soopers store #71

I am sorry I did not post this when it happened, but better late then never.

I am a Disabled American Veteran, I have permanent compression fractures of 2 vertebrae, and the V.A. considers my hearing loss severe to profound with an 85 to90% loss. My service was in the early 70s, with the Army Infantry, I have been using hearing aids since 1975.

Just recently I acquired an AUDIO DOG; her name is (peanut butter). She is Japanese’s Chin, very small 10LBS very cute and highly intelligent, she is a trained companion and she comes with me most of the time I am out of the house.  She has Service dog ID Tags with a pictured ID 2in X 4 in

One day, two or three days before Christmas we were in the King Soopers store #71 at 100 Founders Pkwy, Castle Rock. Colorado, the store was packed with Holiday shoppers and in full bedlam mode with all last minuet shoppers. I was with Peanut she was on a leash and standing in her spot at my feet, we were at the meat counter waiting for the meatloaf I asked to have made up, when I felt Peanut pull the leash toward the rear, when I turned around I was made aware of a man that was making a loud and stern complaint, to my surprise!!! about me and my dog. When that happened I turned my hearing aids up to be able to understand this man. His yelling words were ((“really a dog? You have to have your dog here where I shop for my food?! Why do you have to bring that dog in here this is where they sell food and you’re bringing a dog in here! I am going to the Manager and I am not putting up with this B.S.”)),  I did nothing, but stand there and watch him walk away still yelling.  

In about three to five minutes Peanut pulled the leash again and I turned around and the Front manager Susanne  was standing in back of me, I have been shopping this store for almost six years, so I know most of the people that work there and she said Hi and I said Hi, I said to her that peanut was a service dog and she remembered me from the past times that I have been in the store, This manager looked at this man causing all this ruckus and told him that the dog was allowed here and that she is a service dog, This man was irate, incensed, and disrespectful to her, the manager held her professionalism and  was cool   under fire, Finally when I was fed up with this rant and rave, I informed him that this service dog can go where I go and that as he stands at that point he was in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act, that is federal law and he was breaking the law. He kept on saying ((‘I want to know how that dog helps you buy food!!!’))  Now this man had made such a seen that there were people standing around watching him yell at us. At this point the manager told this man that he will have to go on shopping and not harass me or the dog, she assigned another employee to walk with him so he would not come back to me, finally when we could no longer hear this person I looked around and found myself surrounded by all the people that I have known for years, employee’s that work at the store telling me not to worry he won’t bother you and your save here, We won’t let him bother you anymore. I felt as if I had my family there to protect me, I don’t scare easy, I was a solider, and I drove tractor trailers in Manhattan, New York City , For 30 years. I have seen a lot. But Now I am close to sixty I am too old to fight and too tired to run.  The manager came back to me and told me not to worry and take all the time I needed to shop, she stayed with me until I got my order from the meat department and walked me out to the front of the store. I have not had anyone stand up for me like that since I shared foxholes with brothers that told each other; hey I got your back. Needless to say, I will NOT shop anywhere other than King Soopers Founders Pkwy. I have family there. The employees at this store are always friendly and willing to go the extra mile for the customer, from the general manager (yes, I know him also) down to the part timers, all will ask  if they can help in any way, and do almost anything asked of them, if possible. This store and the people working there are a credit to this company and this store can and should be used as a model for other markets to set the service bar as high as can be achieved.

A copy of this letter will be sent to the local newspaper in Castle Rock, Colorado, the parent company of King Soopers and posted on line.

Steven Rago