Best (not) Buy

If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (or a friend of someone who is), what would your gut reaction be if you were in a retail store and overheard “we don’t play that damn homo music here!”?  I faced this dilemma and comment today at Best Buy Store # 165 in Cordova (Memphis), Tennessee.

While in line at the Camera/Camcorder register to purchase almost $500 in video camera equipment, an employee (talking to a fellow employee ringing up my sale) said “we don’t play that damn homo music here!”.  Note:  He was referring to another employee’s comments about the musical tastes of that department.  I guess each department plays their own music?

Needless to say, I took offense.  Instead of acquiescing and demurely standing in line to talk to probably an already frazzled store manager, I made a snap decision to voice my displeasure directly at the offending employee (and others in earshot).

First I said “Hey, I’m one of those damn homos.  You better watch what you say!”  I followed that up with “We ain’t putting up with shit like that anymore and we can kick your ass!”

Granted, I should not have said the “…and we can kick your ass” part, but both employees were snickering and, in the heat of the moment, it felt really really good for me to add that last part.  Anyway…

The offending employee walked back towards me (separated by an aisle of cameras) and said “I didn’t mean it like that, you know what I mean”.  He was smiling.  By that time, I was smiling (incredulously), too, because I really could not believe this was happening to me.  Read on…

You see, two days earlier, in the same Best Buy (in the same department), I sought assistance.  After standing in this department, void of staff for over 5 minutes, I walked across the store and asked an employee (who was drinking a Diet Dr. Pepper on the floor) for help.  He said “there’s no one scheduled in Cameras, so no one really knows anything”.

So, what to do?  Well, I called (901-373-8787) the Best Buy-Cordova late today and had planned to speak with Jason Sampson, the General Manager.  However, at 5:45pm when I called the “to speak with a sales associated-press 3” number, it rang and rang.  So, after around 30 rings, I hung up.  By the way, the store did not close until 7:00pm.  Tomorrow (Monday – Labor Day), I will try again.

If any of you reading this have Best Buy contacts (or similar stories), do share. Reply with comments below or email me directly tsimmons123456@mac.com.

UPDATE (Monday, September 7, 2009, 8:00pm)

Today, I sent an email to (and left a voicemail with) the General Manager of the store.  I also sent an email to the Best Buy LGBT ERG contact listed on the HRC website.    Another manager at the store called me (the General Manager was out of town).  She was very understanding (very!) and promised to speak with the person who made the comment ASAP.

Regarding rectifying the situation, besides her promise to meet with person who made the comment, I think a resolution may be in the works that could mean a new cooperation between the local Best Buy stores and the Memphis LGBT community.

I’ll know more in the coming days…

UPDATE (Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 6:00pm)

I talked to the Best Buy #165 General Manager today.  It was a very cordial conversation.  Steps the GM has undertaken in the last 48 hours (and/or immediately plans to undertake) include, but not limited to, addressing the situation with the employee and holding additional diversity training (enlisting corporate support) of all store employees. He said this was the first time in his twelve years at the store a situation like this had occurred and that it was a learning opportunity for the store.

There may be more positive community developments from this story.  I hope to provide such an update in the next week or so.