11/19/2023
What’s on Our mind?
Let me tell y’all a story.
Once upon a time, the store was owned by EG America. Minit Mart was officially sold on 11/08/23 to somebody named “Chad” who we met once on a conference call but as of 11/08/23 we’ve learned that that our real owners are none other than Gary & Kunjal Patel. You should recognize the names as they own Main St Liquors and probably some other stores local to us.
Upon buying the store, we were told that our jobs would be secured (according to EG America and both Gary and Kunjal), our pay and hours would remain the same (according to EG America and both Gary and Kunjal).
This buyout definitely created some concerns but they did ease once we all started working together. My team and I tried our best to work with them and to show em everything that we needed fixed right away that never got fixed while under EG’s ownership. For instance, I passed on the concerns we had about molded cabinets (EG sent cabinets but never sent somebody to install the cabinets and they got left OUTSIDE for months which now means even those cabinets are now covered in mold too, how our oven needs a proper deep cleaning that we were never trained to do, our food coolers had shelves and walls that we could never get fully cleaned and there is probably mold along the inside of that same food cooler being that we had so many leaks that kept reoccurring after it would rain.
(I know that sounds terrible, but my team and I all busted our butts trying to clean that store up and make the environment a clean one again considering how food oriented that store is. However there are some things that were beyond our control that would involve money to be spent or technicians on site and that’s just apparently not okay. Lol.)
^ that stuff is off topic but I’m mentioning it solely because it’s currently still an issue and I’m hoping they’ll keep their word and get them fixed up seeing as me and my ENTIRE team were either fired or quit between 11/15/23 - 11/18/23 and won’t be there to know if it gets taken care of or not.
Why did some quit and the rest get fired, you ask? Here’s a timeline of events.
11/15/23: I hurt my back that morning while working and trying to reorganize our freezer to prep for a Sysco truck delivery later that day. I remained working the entire day regardless because I couldn’t go to the doctor. (My insurance ended with EG’s contract and Gary had not given any of my team members or myself our packets that included employment information, benefits we were being offered, etc.) I did tell Kunjal that morning when she showed up but nothing came of it. She just texted me later in the evening and said that I could take the day off tomorrow (11/16). At first I explained I’d be in later or help with breakfast but she was adamant that she had it under control.
That evening, two of my second shifters quit over Kunjal’s behavior and actions. I’ll leave those details out.
11/16/23: She called me shortly after opening the store and asked me to come in. But as soon as I tried to sit up, my back said NOPE, and I cried myself back to sleep. Another employee went and helped out. And she said I was good to take the day because she had a full staff.
That afternoon, Another employee quit because of the night before of working with Kunjal.
Then I had another one quit because of ^ those instances mentioned above.
Which then wiped out my ENTIRE second shift crew.
That meant that every team member I had left was working that morning. They work first shift due to home life, babysitting arrangements, etc.
I remained home most of the day, but I promised my second shifters who walked out that I would go and talk to Kunjal about what had happened the day before. Plus my other employees were reaching out to me as well over different stuff and I just knew I needed to go.
So I went.
I didn’t clock in. I just went and talked to my people over the stuff they had reached out to me about. I talked to Kunjal as promised even though it felt like a waste of time. She did end up apologizing to one of my employees though. Otherwise I left after talking to my other employees and they left after their shift ended.
That night I let Kunjal know that she would still have myself and 3 other employees who were scheduled 11/17.
She said none of us could work until Monday except for ONE person. And the rest of us remaining would have a meeting with Gary to discuss our jobs. When explaining why, she listed reasons like she thought we all quit on her, we were hateful to her, one employee had a wabash tshirt on and needed to correct his behavior (we have no dress code) and because I, as a Manager, did not say bye, ask who is with her on night shift, and did not ask if she needed help.
And she’s right. I didn’t. She didn’t even tell me my second shift quit on her. I would not have known if they had not called me themselves and explained what happened. And the next day, when my other second shifters quit and everybody I had left employed had already worked first shift, who was I to tell them they had to stay when I know their reasons why they had to go? We have no applications or people I can call and literally nobody left to work.
11/18/23: one of my employees calls and explains she went to pick up her check and she had been fired. She explained the reasonings and that there would be no meeting Monday. However none of us had been informed of that.
I debated afterwards for a while on whether or not to go up there because of the reasonings I was told about but I eventually got dressed and ready and I went to there earlier this evening. Gary was finally back after being away all week. Some of my team members met me there because all of us wanted answers and to explain our side. Specifically to Gary. He ended up asking to do it later because they were busy but then he just left. Which left Kunjal there.
I got upset but then I figured I’d just start getting my stuff while I had the opportunity and help. So I gathered all of my stuff and before my team and I were ready to leave, one asked if there would be a meeting and Kunjal said nope. We were no longer working there. She said we were hateful to her and I didn’t do my manager duties.. I may or may not have said something hateful as I walked out the door.
After everybody left, someone who came there with me and myself went back inside because I forgot my post it notes that all my team members had made for me and my tables that I bought to advocate sales.
I asked Kunjal to write me a letter stating why I had been fired and here’s a video that should help explain it all.
The last thing my team ever wanted was for this to happen. My team and I were so bonded, one big family, and the amount of tears that have been shed over having to say “goodbye” is surreal.
We have loved being able to serve you guys and to be the last ones to make the “Minit Mart” name proud.
To the new “Cadiz Mart”, best of luck to you.
The End.
