Last night, the @starbucks location on 107th Ave & Grand in Sun City, AZ kicked out a group of mamas (& a baby!) during the intense #monsoon storm. Us BEGGING them to give us a few mins to compose a safe plan for alternative shelter as it was unsafe to be out.
The store was 2 hours from closing time but had lost power due to the severity of the storm. Interior lights were on and we were a small-ish group of paying customers. All mamas and even one baby, very quietly discussing things over drinks we had just purchased.
Just before the power went out, we had checked the radar and saw that the storm was huge and the eye was above us. Trees were down, lighting was striking & started fires in the area, 75mps winds, sideways rain, little visibility. It was tornado-like.
We were terrified. Some moms were unfamiliar with the area & the downed trees, complete darkness, & sheets of rain were disorienting. Locals know these storms well & staying put is the best option always. Storms tend to blow through fairly quickly.
Initially an employee assured us they would let us remain there until it was safe to travel. Almost immediately she returned and told us we actually couldn't stay but could have 10 minutes to figure out what to do. We were panicked. We begged. @Starbucks
Another employee came to our table, firmly & repeatedly stating we needed to leave immediately, us still pleading to give us a few moments to plan. She was unkind & not sympathetic or understanding. She was curt, rude, & unwilling to listen.
When we were able to drive safely, nearly 45 mins after we had been kicked out, both employees were clearly seen still inside the store, waiting out the storm. This was unsafe & scary for us but felt extremely unkind as well. #Monsoon #Flooding #Arizona #Starbucks @Starbucks
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