Store Closed Due to Bigotry?

[Bmuzyka]

http://www.change.org/en-CA/petition...share_petition

Something sure seems weird here. I can't see a property management company opening themselves up to such a case. I think there is more to the story.

This quote kinda comes across as odd to me

"I love my store, I love the clothing, and I love the completeness of a woman in proper clothing. My customers are saddened by this tragic event."

[Bigtime]

There has to be more to this than the one side of the story that petition is telling.

[Redliner]

For me it's this quote that makes me raise an eyebrow:

"Malls always have the upper hand, so unfortunately there’s nothing really that I can do. I cannot prove that their decision was based on prejudice or because we neglected to obey the terms of the lease. However; as the events have unfolded in the past two to three months regardless it looks like they don’t want us to stay there anyways.

Maybe I am misinterpreting, but that sounds like she is alluding to a possible lease violation that she may have committed. I have no idea if this is the case or not, but there could be more going on here than stated.

If this truly is a case of her store being forced out simply due to discrimination, then it is truly disgusting.

[mykalberta]

I might be ignorant to the powers of the Mayor in any city but what power would N^2 have to do about a private company not renewing a lease for another private company.

[Bmuzyka]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I might be ignorant to the powers of the Mayor in any city but what power would N^2 have to do about a private company not renewing a lease for another private company.

I have absolutely no idea, but I guess maybe they are hoping that his faithful following of sheep would jump on the bandwagon, to possibly force the mall to change their position due to the optics of the situation.

I am going to pull out a race card here, but it is by no means my opinion. Its kinda like if a Black Guy, or a Native got caught red handed committing a crime, and started making a scene as they were getting arrested, saying the police are arresting them because they are black or Native. People around may not be aware of the situation, but you can be sure they will get the sympathy of other people around because society as a whole has started to become very naive

[nik-]

I think I know this store, it did look like a cluttered pile of ass. I can't see a mall as busted as North Hill really throwing out a paying tenant because they sell Hijab's.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Bmuzyka

http://www.change.org/en-CA/petition...share_petition

Something sure seems weird here. I can't see a property management company opening themselves up to such a case. I think there is more to the story.

This quote kinda comes across as odd to me

That seems very odd indeed. Maybe they got a better (higher $) offer for the space from someone else (chain store?).

It seems unlikely that they're actually discriminating based on religion to me, but if they are they certainly shouldn't be. There's no place for that.

[mykalberta]

My thoughts exactly. I wonder if their lease had anything about what they could sell like womens dresses and bridal and they they added hijab and other type stuff that the mall felt wasnt part of the lease application.

Every store I visit in that mall has outside access. Chilis, Marks, Moores, Safeway, Sears.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Bmuzyka

I have absolutely no idea, but I guess maybe they are hoping that his faithful following of sheep would jump on the bandwagon, to possibly force the mall to change their position due to the optics of the situation.

I am going to pull out a race card here, but it is by no means my opinion. Its kinda like if a Black Guy, or a Native got caught red handed committing a crime, and started making a scene as they were getting arrested, saying the police are arresting them because they are black or Native. People around may not be aware of the situation, but you can be sure they will get the sympathy of other people around because society as a whole has started to become very naive

Yeah, if that's what you think most of us were/are you are dead wrong. It's probably just a cheap ploy to try and garner more attention because of the very high profile of our current mayor.

Alternate response: Barb Higgins account spotted!

[Bmuzyka]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Yeah, if that's what you think most of us were/are you are dead wrong.

Alternate response: Barb Higgins account spotted!

I was just bugging on his massive social media following (Hell, I even follow him on Twitter. We just happened to both be vacationing in PEI at the same time this summer)

[BlackArcher101]

Was reading through the stores facebook page, and a few things stood out. I have a feeling there is more to the story. Perhaps a non-compete clause with another store/tennant who was there first. Possibly a case of adding items to her store after the initial opening which were not part of the agreement and already being sold elsewhere. Would make sense why she was asked to remove only certain items. If this was a case of bigotry, I'm sure they could have just shut her down instead of giving time and not renewing the lease.

Originally Posted by https://www.facebook.com/AlenasBoutiqueBridal

They are trying because my little neighbors with small minds are crying that I might be making more money then them
8 December at 11:30

Originally Posted by https://www.facebook.com/AlenasBoutiqueBridal

With everything they have removed from my boutique we have not sold any thing for over one week....but all the other stores are racking it in
16 December at 15:24

I need to apologize for a comment made on OMNI TV. "About not wanting me in their white mall"

At least she apologized, but come on....




The person that created the petition is a student in Ottawa that has no relation to the store and only has the information from the facebook page to go off of. So it's pretty biased.

Hi Ms. Chybli,

My name's Elizabeth Thomas. I'm a student at the University of Ottawa, and I study political science and public administration. I hope to go into government someday, and I'm really passionate about fighting discrimination.

An ad for your boutique popped up in my sidebar - I'm not sure why, as I neither live in Calgary nor plan to get married any time soon - oh, Facebook - but I've read your posts and the comments on your page and I am absolutely shocked that this would be allowed to happen. I can't even imagine what you're going through. There is no way that this can stand.

I'm part of an online network called Tumblr which is very well-known for its involvement in fighting discrimination, and I was wondering if, with your permission, I could post a petition to Mayor Nenshi asking for North Hill Mall to renew your contract. I have about 1,800 followers from around the world on Tumblr, and the structure of Tumblr is such that every one of those 1,800 people can instantly forward the petition to their own friends and followers. In the past, my Tumblr network has moved mountains in terms of collecting signatures and contacting officials - a recent post I made publicizing the activism of Malala Yousafzai has been shared on Tumblr over 75,000 times. I believe that a petition circulated on social media could be a great way to get your case more attention and tell Nenshi and North Hill Mall that this is totally unacceptable.

I'm currently in the middle of my final exams, so I won't be able to post anything on Tumblr until tomorrow evening, but I will gladly post the petition as soon as I can and help you in any way that I can. I was hoping to post some of the information you've posted on your Facebook page when I circulate the petition, but is there any other information that you think I should include?

I hope all is well and I hope that this is resolved soon. Have a wonderful day.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Thomas

[photon]

How the mall can tell a store to remove some of their (presumably legal) merchandise is what I want to know.

EDIT: (I don't have any difficulty believing it possible that racism or discrimination is involved, I have seen a lot of it against Muslims in Calgary personally).

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by photon

How the mall can tell a store to remove some of their (presumably legal) merchandise is what I want to know.

EDIT: (I don't have any difficulty believing it possible that racism or discrimination is involved, I have seen a lot of it against Muslims in Calgary personally).

Mall leases often specify what you're allowed to sell in the store, and other stores will have exclusive rights to sell a certain type of merchandise.

For example, there's a Safeway at North Hill Mall, and I almost guarantee you they have exclusivity in the grocery category. So the Mark's couldn't just decide they want to become a grocery store and compete with Safeway, because their lease probably restricts them to clothing retail or similar wording.

So if the tenant was running a business not consistent with her lease, they'd have the legal right to evict her.

[photon]

From her facebook too:

We paid extra money for the last 2 months as the mall said that we would make more money around the Christmas time.

This sounds shady, is a mall like a protection racket, pay whatever we say? Or does their store lease specify higher rents at Christmas and they just don't understand their lease.

We made mistakes also in what we were allowed to sell by the contract. My defence is I was over zealous when going to Apparel Shows and picking the best clothing for ladies that appreciates conservative fashion.

This is even weirder, they're not allowed to sell specific things according to the contract? Like what kind of specific things, religious clothing?? A contract can't violate the laws of the land.

So weird.

[photon]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Mall leases often specify what you're allowed to sell in the store, and other stores will have exclusive rights to sell a certain type of merchandise.

For example, there's a Safeway at North Hill Mall, and I almost guarantee you they have exclusivity in the grocery category. So the Mark's couldn't just decide they want to become a grocery store and compete with Safeway, because their lease probably restricts them to clothing retail or similar wording.

So if the tenant was running a business not consistent with her lease, they'd have the legal right to evict her.

That makes sense, but they don't mention there being a similar store in that mall.. Maybe there's a hat store and they aren't allowed to sell head coverings??

So again could just be these people not understanding their lease.

[MrCallahan]

I've walked past this store many many times...and to be completely honest, I don't think I've ever seen a customer in there, and have often wondered how they were able to stay open. Something sounds a little off with this article, and we're definitely not hearing the full story.

[pylon]

This is absolute horse crap, and I personally think they should get the government involved. If you can sell giant novelty rubber fists, and gimp masks in malls how can it possibly be wrong to sell a piece of frikkin cloth, if that really in fact is why they are being shut down.

Try going into a store that stocks Menorah's or Yarmulke's and see how well that goes over when you demand they remove the offensive items or close up shop. You would have Ira Levinstein and Partners LLP at your door so fast, it would make you head spin.

[Minnie]

It would be interesting to read the other side of this story. Wondering if there was a translation/communication problem here? Told to get rid of stock so they dispose of 40 boxes of clothing? What business owner just dumps that much stock? They could remove it to their garage at home or rent some storage space for a bit. I have to wonder if they had things piled in their store room in such a manner that it was a hazard (physical hazard to employees, etc, or a fire hazard) and they were told to fix that issue or face consequences and it's just blown up to this? Without more information....

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by pylon

This is absolute horse crap, and I personally think they should get the government involved. If you can sell giant novelty rubber fists, and gimp masks in malls how can it possibly be wrong to sell a piece of frikkin cloth, if that really in fact is why they are being shut down.

Try going into a store that stocks Menorah's or Yarmulke's and see how well that goes over when you demand they remove the offensive items or close up shop. You would have Ira Levinstein and Partners LLP at your door so fast, it would make you head spin.

I don't think anyone disagrees with that. If the mall is really saying "no Muslim chicks allowed" then that's bogus and can't be allowed. Somehow I doubt the large corporation that manages the mall (Bentall Kennedy) has that as an actual policy.

To me there are basically only a few possibilities:

1) They weren't abiding by their lease in a way the other mall ownership couldn't tolerate (safety, costing other tenants money) so they're getting evicted.

2) Some individual employee is a bigot and is taking it out on them in a way not sanctioned by the company, in which case I'd expect it to be reversed after the publicity.

3) The mall has a way to make more money with the space, and found a loophole in the lease to do so.

#3 doesn't seem especially likely to me, since iirc that mall currently has vacancies.

[Ben_in_Canada]

How much weight would a petition for a local issue carry if none of the signatories lived in Calgary?

I honestly hope this isn't all due to bigotry, there's no place for it in today's society.