Disgusting treatment from Shop Owner - Little Ruby?!?

Firstly i would like to say that i have been a fan of this store since 2017. Michael and his staff always assisted you with a smile and friendly banter and you left the store with smiles from Michael. this review does not even deserve one lonely star, it deserves way less in all honesty.

Sometime between 2018/9, the Owner, Michael, changed his trading hours from 10 am until 14h00 pm THEN he introduced a minimum bulk buy spend amount of R2000 per customer was introduced late in 2019 and current.

Numerous customers mentioned that he now Only allows a Certain number of customers in the store. i did not have a problem since im in CBD before 6am. On the 9th February 2021, i walked from the office building to Little Ruby and at 06h20 am i was #2 in the queue. A brother and sister duo who travelled all the way from Wellington to be first in-line was before me. we were joined by a muslim lady and 4 other individuals patiently waiting for Michael to arrive at 8 to distribute the numbered ticket slips he hands out to customers in the queue in order for the customers to come back at the time shown on the numbered slip. At 8am he showed up and opened the store went inside to get the shop ready for the day ahead. Shortly after arrival he exited the store and informed the brother and sister duo that he informed them the previous day He Will Not do business with them and refused to explain himself any further than that one-liner.

He proceeded to hand me ticker #1. While the brother and sister calmly and respectfully approached him to ask if they did or say anything wrong the previous day and his answer was "No i dont want to do business with you, i dont need your business thank you. All 10 of the customers in the queue received numbers and Michael went back inside the store. the sister was in tears and the brother stood a little distance from her trying to cool down. i approached her to relay my sympathies as he was totally disrespectful in the manner in which he spoke to them and would not even allow them a Reason as to why they will NOT be assisted. after that scenario, two coloured women, i guess dressed never-mind in societies eyes approached the store at 08h30 and Michael REDIRECTED them to his brothers store in Market street. He did the same with the two african ladies. When those two customers left, a coloured lady received a ticket as well as 2 coloured boys ALSO received tickets which they took and left. He redirected the two coloured ladies who approached after the two previous ticket giveaways, to his brothers store as well. i dont if he was cherry picking customers based on their appearance or dresscode and if he does then that is the worst business ethics ive seen to date. 09h30 came around and myself and the muslim lady (with husband) were allowed in the store. HIS Assistant then informed me im not allowed to take photos. and i asked her if i could look at my old photos in my gallery with markings of what i wanted to buy. SHE INSTRUCTED ME to show her the photos WHICH i proceeded to do at each display. While she was busy co-ordinating my items i received an sms from my ASD to log onto the departmental Whats App group to acknowledge that i am at the office today which i did. When we reached R800 Michael told us (me and his assistant): "Stop, i know what you are doing". Walked around the counter towards me and asked me to:" YOU NEED to Leave my business as you were told not to take photos and you are still doing it. i do not want to do business with you, please leave". i proceeded to explain that it was HIS ASSISTANT told ME to show her the photos at each display. That i was NOT taking photos at all as i was informed upon entering by his assistant of the "no taking photos rule".

Secondly the muslim couple next to me were witnesses that i DID NOT TAKE PHOTOS in his facility - we were literally rubbing elbows so HIS ASSISTANT, the muslim couple and MICHAEL himself could see onto the very big screen of my Samsung Galaxy S8 screen - no photos were being SENT or TAKEN whilst in the store. THIRDLY he could check his CCTV cameras for footage to prove that i did NOT take any photos NOR did i send them to anyone on WHATS app - First he accused ME of TAKING PHOTOS, In the very next breath, Michael's story changed to YOU ARE HELPING THEM (being the brother and sister duo). i was subsequently escorted out of the store, like a common thief, without Michael even trying to hear me out.

I was by no means rude or aggressive, my tone was calm as i was trying to explain myself while being escorted out of the shop by Michael. In all honesty this business and the minimum spend of R2000 has gone to his head as he used to be the friendliest, most open and inviting Business Owner ive ever come across. its really easy for him to tell me who only wanted to spend R2 500 "that he did not need my business. if you multiply 2K with 12 people (some even had 4k+ on-hand), he truly CAN say that he does not need my business as he is breaking the bank. He has ALWAYS helped me himself or assigned a capable assistant to me and i was greeted with a smile and friendly banter. THIS Is not the Michael running Little Ruby at present. and that itself is a shame to say the least. Surely i cannot be the only person who has experienced this sort of treatment from the Little Ruby owner. i hope this review helps open up the can of worms that is Little Ruby.