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Just lost a customer/Letter from a lady in Maine
The Bangor Daily News ^
| 13 July 2002
| Donna George
Posted on 07/13/2002 6:42:51 AM PDT by SheLion
Today, I sent my son-in-law to the Maine Smoke Shop in Brewer to buy some tobacco. He is 19 years old, and is in the military. The person at the counter asked for his ID, which I can understand. When she saw it, however, she showed it to the owner, and the owner said, Thats no good, get out of here.
My son-in-law told me several places in Bangor will not accept his military ID. What is wrong with this town? I will ask everyone else just as I asked the owner of that shop when I called him: Do you not appreciate having your country protected by our boys?
I am from a military family. My father was retired military, and I was born in Bangor, but I am ashamed of how most of the businesses in this town act and treat their customers. This is the most unappreciative town I have ever lived in, and I have lived in many.
Our military men and women should be treated with respect, as should any customer. To tell someone to get our of their store because of their ID is an embarrassment. Do they treat all military personnel that way? Judging by the economy around here, they should be kissing their feet, for more reasons than just that they are protecting us. I informed the Maine Smoke Shop that they just lost a customer because of their attitude, and if I didnt live here now, and need some of the other stores around here, I would tell them the same.
Donna George
Carmel
TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Culture/Society; Government; US: Maine
KEYWORDS: antismokers; butts; cigarettes; individualliberty; michaeldobbs; niconazis; prohibitionists; pufflist; smokingbans; tobacco
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To: SheLion
Have you contacted the representatives and Senators in Maine?
Senator Susan Collins
Web Page: www.senate.gov/~collins/ E-mail: Senator@collins.senate.gov
Washington Address:
The Honorable Susan Collins United States Senate 172 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510-1903 202-224-2523
Maine Address:
1 City Center Portland, Maine 04101 207-780-3575
202 Harlow Street Bangor, Maine 04401 207-945-0417
|
Senator Olympia Snowe
Web Page: www.senate.gov/~snowe/ E-mail: Olympia@snowe.senate.gov
Washington Address:
The Honorable Olympia Snowe United States Senate 250 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510-1903
Maine Address:
3 Canal Plaza Portland, Maine 04101 207-874-0883
In Maine Dial Toll Free: 1-800-432-1599
1 Cumberland Place Bangor, Maine 04401 207-945-0432
|
First District Congressman Tom Allen
Web Page: www.house.gov/allen E-mail: TBA
Washington Address:
The Honorable Thomas Allen United States House of Representatives 1630 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-6116 Fax: 202-225-5590
Maine Address:
234 Oxford Street Portland, Maine 04101 207-774-5019 Fax: 207-871-0720 |
Second District Congressman John Baldacci
Web Page: www.house.gov/baldacci E-mail: baldacci@hr.house.gov
Washington Address:
The Honorable John Baldacci United States House of Representatives 1740 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515-1902 202-225-6306
Maine Address:
157 Main Street Lewiston, Maine 04240 207-782-3704 Fax: 207-782-5330
P.O. Box 858 Bangor, Maine 04402-0858 207-942-5907
445 Main Street Presque Isle, Maine 04769 207-764-1036 Fax: 207-764-1060
500 Main Street Madawaska, Maine 04756 207-728-6160 ( Open Tuesdays and Fridays ) |
Contacting your State Representative or State Senator
Complete information about contacting your State Representative may be found at:
www.state.me.us/legis/house/reps.htm
Complete information about contacting your State Senator may be found at:
www.state.me.us/legis/senate/senators/senators.htm
Here, you may also find information about your Senator's or Representative's voting record. When the Legislature is in session, two toll free numbers permit you to leave messages for Senators and Representatives. After hours, these numbers connect to answering machines. When talking to the machine, be sure to give your name, the town/city where you live, who the message is for, and your opinion on a particular issue. Please be as brief as possible; the machine quits taking messages when the tape is full. Give other people a chance to express their views!
The Toll - Free Numbers are:
Senate - 1 - 800 - 423 - 6900
House of Reps - 1 - 800 - 423 - 2900
For persons with disabilities, the House TTY number is:
207 - 287 - 4469
Senate TTY number is:
207 - 287 - 1583 |
|
21
posted on
07/13/2002 7:22:18 AM PDT
by
vannrox
To: SheLion
How old do you have to be to buy tobacco in Maine? I think here it's 21. The owner could have been referring to his age rather then his military ID.. I was in a tobacco store here and a mother and her 15 year old daughter came in the store. The owner told the mother her daughter would have to leave. The mother looked surprised ( so did I) and asked, even if I'm here? The owner told her yes, if the anti tobacco folks walked in they could shut him down.
We have one restaurant that added a whole different area on a restaurant so he could have a smoking section. I know even with a parents permission kids can't go in that section.
To: SheLion
Donna George should buy her cigars elsewhere!
23
posted on
07/13/2002 7:29:32 AM PDT
by
verity
To: vannrox
vannrox, thanks so much for taking time to post all of that.
I have those, maybe the others do not! Thanks so much.
Donna George of Carmel, Maine, down around Bangor is the gal that wrote the above letter.
I did a ping to our people living down around Bangor, and hopefully, they will see this thread soon, and get some kind of ball rolling. Find out which smoke shop, and maybe find Donna's phone number and give her the URL to this thread.
Somebody down there needs a good swift kick in the pants.
24
posted on
07/13/2002 7:31:43 AM PDT
by
SheLion
To: SheLion
Perfect example of something I've urged before. Next time your son-in-law is in Los Angeles, have him stop at the Mexican Counsulate there and pay the $20 bucks at a nearby stand to get the necessary documents and then, pay the Mexican government official the $10 bribe necessary to get one of those ID cards that illegal aliens are using . I guarantee that places in Maine and all over the country will accept this ID card, especially in states held captive by the extreme leftists. To the ultra-liberal, crypto communists in this country, an ID card issued by the Mexican goberment is worth a lot more than a US military ID card.
25
posted on
07/13/2002 7:33:03 AM PDT
by
Tacis
To: Texas Mom
How old do you have to be to buy tobacco in Maine?18
26
posted on
07/13/2002 7:34:17 AM PDT
by
SheLion
To: SheLion
I never had trouble showing my military ID; it was as widely accepted as a VISA card fer cryin' out loud. This shop owner has ulterior motives.
To: He Rides A White Horse
I never had trouble showing my military ID; it was as widely accepted as a VISA card fer cryin' out loud. This shop owner has ulterior motives. I think your right!
28
posted on
07/13/2002 7:40:53 AM PDT
by
SheLion
To: SheLion
As a former resident, I can tell you that Bangor is "Democrat Central"; from rabid anti-conservative Stephen King right on down...
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To: SheLion
When she saw it, however, she showed it to the owner, and the owner said, Thats no good, get out of here.This sounds a bit, err, hostile........I'm wondering if this isn't some liberal Pali sympathizer supporting the troops........their troops.
To: SheLion
You know......in the vein of "Let's spit on the returning Vietnam vet". That mentality.
To: SheLion
Oh! But the Republic of Maine taxes my husbands military retirement!
They sure know when to GRAB THOSE TAXES, though, don't they!
Friendly suggestion:
Leave.
Move to Texas (San Antonio is loaded with military types) or Florida.
Don't stay/move to any state adjoining Massachussets.
Too many "Mass-Holes" are infiltrating those areas.
32
posted on
07/13/2002 7:46:50 AM PDT
by
VOA
To: SheLion
Maine Smoke Shop
407 Wilson Brewer Shoppng Cntr
Brewer, ME 04412
207-989-6971
I called this number and spoke to the actual woman who was involved in the incident. She said that she was following store policy, which was set by the owner. She gave this number for the owner, a gentleman named Mike:
207-879-4529
I called this second number, but Mike was unavailable. The person I spoke to said that he thought they DID take military IDs. I therefore asked him to clarify with Mike, and to double check with the store. I also gave him a "heads up" that this incident is on Free Republic.
To: Illbay
Well, that might be, but some people just don't want the hassle. You can find an anti-gov rant in that someplace, I suppose. Perhaps, but why even have a SMOKE SHOP store to begin with? The people are obviously in the business to sell Smoking items. Again, I'm sure they are UP TO DATE on the State laws in Maine pertaining to SMOKING, the proper form of IDs n such.
Er, I didn't realize there was I.Q. testing required before you could open a business. You ARE anti-gov regulation aren't you?
Please point out any reference where I said as such, People have the right NOT to give him business, What I stated has nothing what so ever to do with the "gov. allowing him". More so the "PEOPLE" not supporting his Business. To answer your Question.. YES I am "Anti-Gov Regulation", It is past the point of absurd the "over-Regulation" Of the American People.
34
posted on
07/13/2002 7:49:22 AM PDT
by
Japedo
To: calvin sun
I also gave him a "heads up" that this incident is on Free Republic.bttt
To: SheLion
Shop owner should be famliar with Military I.D. Cards, as Brewer / Bangor is just up the road from Naval Air Station, Brunswick (lots of military, military dependents and military retiree's there) and Bath, home of Bath Iron Works, builders of US Navy ships. Lot of BIW workers are military retiree's AND a lot of active duty Navy men and women live in the Bath area that are assigned to the ships' pre-commissioning crew.
36
posted on
07/13/2002 7:52:06 AM PDT
by
jmax
To: SheLion
The Maine Smoke Shop is listed as having "protections/assurances" from the VRAP program (whatever that is) by Maine's Department of Environmental Protection.
Its address is listed as 123 College Avenue in Waterville.
37
posted on
07/13/2002 7:53:44 AM PDT
by
Bob
To: calvin sun
She said that she was following store policy, which was set by the owner. What was that policy? Not to sell to anyone under 21, or not to accept military ID's? This needs a little clarification.
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To: Bob
Scratch my previous post. Wrong Maine Smoke Shop.
39
posted on
07/13/2002 7:55:45 AM PDT
by
Bob
I am glad someone finally went to the source. We are ready to write congressmen and mayors, put the store on the "do not patronize" list. When the problem may be a lot more local than that. Lets not use a sledge hammer where a meat tenderizer will work.
I find that in most customer service issues--not all--the problem is,as the movie said, "A failure to communicate."
My guess is that some clerk was given specific instructions and she followed them. My guess is that this place is constantly being tested by the tobacco control folks, so they are very, very strict.
Lets not be so quick to jump on the small businessman.
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