I’ve been a patron at Espresso Roma for a number of years.
Recently, I noticed a change. The owner of Roma began asking people to leave if they were not going to purchase anything. Now I fully understand that business is business, and paying customers are the only way to bring in profits. But it was the way he was going about it. For the first couple of weeks, he was only addressing specific individuals. People with facial piercings, leather jackets, tattered clothing, etc.
To me it seemed obvious he was profiling these individuals. It may not have been apparent to him at the time, because it went on for those two weeks before he began asking anyone who had not purchased something to leave. It is now to the point where someone will come in, find a table, and before they can get up to make a drink order he is there with his proposition.
Me being a regular paying customer who drinks coffee in a very slow manner, I have never been hassled. But could it have anything to do with my button up dress shirts and business like appearance? I feel it was wrong for the owner to initially profile people, and even more wrong to intimidate patrons into making purchases to increase his profits. In the long run, I feel they will begin to lose long time customers and potentially, business in general.
I know that if I’m ever asked to leave, I wont be returning.
Chris Hanai-Wills
Espresso Roma Patron