Cheated
at the checkout

By Ivan Torres
Contributing Writer

At a meeting back in May, Highbridge residents complained about problems at the Associated Supermarket located at 1136 Ogden Av-enue. Those residents alleged that the store practices racial profiling, price switching, and false advertising. In addition, they claimed that there are no senior discounts and that there are problems getting rain checks. Manny Diaz, the store manager, says he has received no complaints from community residents.

The complaints first surfaced during a meeting in the Highbridge Gardens housing development in May. Residents who attended that meeting were angry about how cashiers and the manager were treating them. At the meeting, they addressed all of their issues.

Johnny Stevens Sr., who lives at 990 Anderson Avenue, has been living in Highbridge since 1989. He has been having problems with the Associated Supermarket since the day he arrived. "I hate the way they try to take your money by charging high prices," he said.

At around 10 a.m. on August 7, Mr. Stevens was shopping for a can of Libby's Corned Beef. A sign in the window advertised the price of the corned beef as $1.19 a can, and Mr. Stevens wanted to buy four cans. But when he went to pay for them, the cans rang up on the cash register as $1.79.

"How can this be - the sign says $1.19 in the window," Mr. Stevens told the cashier. The cashier explained that she couldn't change the price, and Mr. Stevens ended up paying $1.79 for each can.

Mr. Stevens also complained about how he has been treated by cashiers. "This has been going on ever since the day I moved here-it's been going on, and it's still going on," said Mr. Stevens. "Every time I go to get some ice cream, it's always half melted. The only reason I keep coming back is that this is the only supermarket around were I live."

Mr. Diaz, 31, the store manager, says he has been managing the store for 10 to 11 years. "The whole community knows me," he said in a recent interview. "I haven't had any problems with the customers. If anybody has a problem with a sale price, they should talk to me."

Vanessa Truell, a resident of 963 Anderson Avenue, recently complained about false advertising in the flyer. One item that is regularly falsely advertised, she said, is the 11 ounce cocktail shrimp ring. The price of the shrimp rings was $5.99 in an August store flyer. "I look at the ad and it says $5.99, but when I get to the cashier it's a different price. Sometime the price is $7.00 or more."

Mr. Diaz explained that he doesn't carry that particular product at his store. "I don't sell that shrimp ring at my supermarket," he said. "Other Associated Supermarkets that have a fish section are the ones who sell seafood products."

However, the shrimp ring that he sells is 11 ounces and fits the description on the flyer, and is priced at both $6.46 and $7.69.

In regards to the other complaints, Mr. Diaz explained that there is a senior discount program-seniors get a 5 percent discount on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. "They must show an ID to get the discount," he said.

Mr. Diaz also said that anyone with any type of complaint can ask to speak to him. In late September, there will be a meeting to address issues about the Ogden Avenue grocery store. The meeting will likely be at Highbridge Gardens, though a date and time has not been set. Interested residents can contact Marcus F. Walton, lead organizer for the Neighbors in Highbridge program at Highbridge Community Life Center, at (718) 681-5212.