Not Very Closed-Minded, Part 50

This story was told to me by the assistant store manager of my place of work. I work at a thrift store that closes at 7:00 pm every day (except Sundays at 5:00). The store hours are posted on the door. Starting thirty minutes before we close, we make announcements saying we are closing in [number] minutes and will reopen the next morning.

A woman enters the shop about ten minutes before we close. She hears the announcements we make, yet still browses. There is a long line, so as long as there is a line, we don’t say anything to customers browsing after closing. Twenty-five minutes after we close, the line is gone but she is still browsing. A team member reminds her that we are closed and she says she will head up to the cashier right now. The staff are doing their closing assignments at this time.

Five minutes later, one of the production team members walks out and mentions to the assistant store manager that there is a lady still shopping. Different team members have been reminding her every five minutes that the store is closed and she keeps saying she will be right up. The manager walks up to the woman to see what is going on. Now it’s forty minutes after closing.

Manager: “Ma’am, we are closed.” 

Woman: “Okay, I’ll be right up, promise. I just have to use the bathroom first.”

The manager goes to the registers to wait for her to walk her out so he can lock the doors behind her.

Five minutes later:

Manager: *To a female associate* “Can you go see where that woman is? Check the bathroom, too.”

The associate walks away to check. Five minutes later, the associate comes back and says the woman is by the floral department — at the opposite side of the store from the bathrooms.

The manager goes over to the woman.

Manager: “Ma’am, we are closed. You need to head to the checkouts now as we are about to close down the last cashier.”

Woman: “But I’m not done shopping!”

Manager: “No, you are done. It is fifty minutes after we are supposed to be closed. Take your items to the cashier now and pay.”

The woman and the manager walked up to the cashier and she paid for her items while asking for the corporate number. The manager gave her one of the customer service business cards, and as she was leaving, she screeches that “this is horrible customer service” and that “[we] will be fired by tomorrow morning”.

The manager smiled and waved as he locked the doors behind her.

It’s been three months and nothing has happened.

Related:
Not Very Closed-Minded, Part 49
Not Very Closed Minded, Part 47
Not Very Closed Minded, Part 47
Not Very Closed Minded, Part 46
Not Very Closed Minded, Part 45