After Whole Foods staffers ‘shake down’ 70-year-old, NJ store faces uproar

What's it take to get the customer service you're looking for? Apparently, a whole pissed-off community.

Whole Foods Market of Millburn-Union made an about-face after its loss prevention staff's detention of a 70-year-old Maplewood woman kicked up a social media firestorm, with hundreds of people complaining and many saying they'd never return to the store again, according to reports.

"This is an unfortunate incident and we have reached out to the shopper directly to make things right," the store posted on its Facebook page. "We are also having discussions with the loss prevention company at this store to ensure they clearly understand our expectations when it comes to our customers."

According to a report by MaplewoodGreen.com, Marge Dooley of Maplewood was stopped as she exited the store Oct. 4. She'd purchased about $200 in food, but left some cheese under her purse during checkout, the report states.

It continues:

Dooley, age 70, was taken to the back of the store where she was questioned, had her criminal background checked (she has no record), was photographed and told that she was now banned from all Whole Foods stores in the tri-state area and would be charged with trespassing if she set foot in a Whole Foods store or parking lot in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut (Dooley received a FedEx letter memorializing the notice of exclusion and trespass on Monday, Oct. 5).

What's more, according to the report — when she asked if she could still purchase the cheese, she was told no.

After Dooley's daughter posted to the closed Swap SOMa Louge Facebook group, people left hundreds of comments with concerns and complaints, according to people with access to the group. Those continued on the store's own Facebook page:

A store worker contacted by New Jersey 101.5 early Monday afternoon said she wasn't authorized to speak about the incident, but took a message to be passed along to a store representative who could.