Talking Allergies

It has apparently been a long time since I've been into a Chapter's bookstore. It was more like a wildhouse playcenter. There was a craft table, two little cars to ride around on (and yes children were zooming about here there and everywhere on them, a train table, a play kitchen, a food store play center, bean bag chairs, garbage trucks and other toys, mini shopping carts to push around, wicker lawn chairs for the parents to sit in ..... . So much for trying to keep a 2 years old in the stroller and wander browsing for a new book.
But here's what got me really irritated. I remember (in the olden days...a few years ago) a sign stating no food from Starbucks could enter the bookstore. Well not only were people eating and drinking (while lounging in chairs ) but they were even using the kids craft table - as an eating table!!! I kindly asked a couple mom's if they would mind not eating at the table as DS was playing there (you should have heard the screaming until I gave in and let him out of the stroller). These mom's didn't have an issue once I explained and moved away from the table but crumbs were on the floor, on the table, not just from them but from previous snackers. I was shocked. I realize people's hands can be dirty anywhere and even if they weren't actually eating at the time new books could potentially be contaminated but when there are people sitting flipping through UNPAID for merchandise having a nut cookie or a walnut coffee cake and a coffee I find that very disturbing. So watching many little nut infested hands paw at the new kids book I was just about to browse through I must say I was really turned off and ended up not shopping for too long at all.

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

Wow, I'd be shocked and really concerned. Perhaps Chapters didn't think about the possibility of food and messy drinks smeared all over books from people browsing and then not even buying the book. I mean, who wants to buy a dog-eared book with food stains on it! Maybe if you mention this to them, they'll put up a sign about no food in the store, or perhaps supply some wipes and ask people to wipe their hands if they must eat in the store? I must admit that I examine library books carefully when we are taking them out, and opt for the new releases that have less of a chance of having food residue on them. And when I buy books, I go for the ones in the middle of the stack as they are less likely to have been pawed through. . . . . .

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DD 2004 Allergy to peanuts, egg, sesame, and new: lentils and chick peas
DS 2006 Allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, kiwi fruit, eczema

Wow! I have not yet seen that at the Chapters near us (we live just outside of Toronto), but that is really appalling. I'm really surprised Chapters would be willing to have their merchandise damaged this way. I hate the way food is absolutely everywhere, and children certainly do not know how to eat "neatly" without damaging these beautiful new books. I guess this will be coming soon to a Chapters near all of us... Pretty sad that we cannot manage to have our children NOT eat while they are in a store...

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14 yr old daughter: no health issues
11 yr old son: allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish, sesame, sunflower, mustard, poppy seeds, green peas, some fruits, instructed to avoid all other legumes (except soy & green beans), pollen, cats, horses

The table for kids was all wrapped in brown paper for them to colour on. A big basket of crayons was on it (with toys etc.). There were kids running around with crayons!!! I mean, we try to watch our kids but how many book have been bought which someone gets home only find out page 22 has been coloured in!!
The entire thing was disturbing. I asked a staff member who came into the kids section if people usually ate in the bookstore. He looked confused and asked me what I meant. I said that people were eating and drinking and looking at books. He still was confused and said it was only the food from starbucks. Yah, I got that point already!!!!
I have been into one Chapters nearer to us and have never seen this, if this is the trend coming to all Chapters I too won't be back to shop there.

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

I have to agree, when visiting Winnipeg this summer I was not very impressed with the chapters I was at. It reminded me of a play group with kids toys and kids running around everywhere and yes eating food too. I hope the upcoming trend for bookstores is not to sit and read like you are at home. Maybe okay for a coffee shop but not a store in my way of thinking.
The employees probably don't have much say in this so maybe it's just another place we have to write to or phone the head offices to let them know for one it is not safe for allergic customers and who wants to pay new prices for a used book? I usually look at the books in the store and order online anyway, it's actually cheaper to do it that way.

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allergic to all tree pollens except grass, hazelnuts, fruit and some veggies

The Chapters out here sounds like the one you visited. It's a zoo. At ours the eating situation doesn't sound as bad as yours but I definitely know what you mean. There used to be a very popular story time hour put on by our local EYC that I took DD to a few times but there were so many kids eating snacks, spilling snacks, touching eachother, etc. that I decided we just couldn't risk it anymore. I do admit that I am one of those people who feeds their kids snacks more often than they likely need but not in places where snacks just should not be eaten such as in a store. Since when were kids above rules and common courtesies?

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Mother of a fantastic little girl with peanut allergy, cat & dust sensitivities

They must be subscribing to the theory that the longer you stay in a store, the more money you'll spend...ugh!

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

In agreement Susan.
I also think society as a whole is afraid of setting rules as they may offend someone ie. they may loose a customer by enforcing them. You can now eat in the library, on the pool deck, and it goes past food issues, just basic respect of others/their property/their space. It is just my opinion but I think people expect everything nowadays yet want to do nothing in return, there is a great attitude out there of entitlement. Again, just my rant.
And as Robinsegg said

Back to Chapters, I did email them. I just can't get past seeing people read magazines cover to cover then toss them onto a display table as if they were bathroom reading material. Or seeing people stack books on their lap and use one as a coffee table for their drink and the other to lay their cookie on brushing crumbs away totally oblivious to the fact that these are NEW and expensive and lovely books which someone will BUY!! This all being done so they have peace and quiet while their kids race about and act in a way I would in my youth have gotten....yes I'll say it...the SSS word...... a spanking for in again, 'the olden days'.

Again, just my rant but the food issue really has opened up my eyes to how society acts in general and I must say it is very dissapointing.

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

Yes, they may be thinking that if they make it 'kid friendly', then parents are more likely to visit the store, and therefore buy books. I do agree with this in principle - I've seen some clothing stores offer a bin of toys or even a kid's play area, and it would definitely make it more appealing to bring my children if I had to buy clothes. Chapters also probably figures if they offer toys as well as books, the kids will ask for the toys, and the parents will buy those too, even if they came in only to look at books.

However, kid friendly doesn't mean there has to be food all over the place, and sticky fingerprints on all the books from people who don't even buy them. There can be a craft table or a kid table with some puzzles/books that are clearly belong on the table, and aren't new merchandise that someone will later buy. I guess they think that kids can't stay long without eating/drinking, but just maybe put up a sign and at least ask people to limit their eating to one table, and clean their hands before touching new books? I don't know. . . it is frustrating, though. When we go there, we try to pick books and leave as soon as possible.

BC - let us know what they say in response to your email.

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DD 2004 Allergy to peanuts, egg, sesame, and new: lentils and chick peas
DS 2006 Allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, kiwi fruit, eczema

Still no response, not even an auto-reply from Chapters????

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

Just thought I'd mention that Chapters (H.O.) has never replied to my email. Nice customer service!!

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

My sister used to own a wonderful bookstore - she absolutely would not have allowed any of this going on and I don't think she ever lost a customers over it.

I wonder if they have Allergic Living magazine on the shelves? Maybe someone from there will read this thread.

I personally would not want to buy a book from a place like this and tend to go to small privately-owned bookstore. They have better service and will special order too usually.

Michele

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Myself - Seasonal, cats
dd-asthma (trigger - flu) anaphylactic to eggs, severe allergies to bugspray and penicilin,pulmicort
ds-Seasonal, cats and OAS
dh-allergy cats, bugspray and guava, outgrew egg allergy

It is a shame that the big book stores seem to gobble up the smaller independent book stores. I only shop at the Coles in our local mall now. I know that they are part of the Indigo/Chapters chain but at least there is no food allowed, no chairs, toys.........and they will order in any book I need if it isn't in stock. I won't be returning to a Chapter's bookstore anytime soon!

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish