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Leslieville Cheese Market - our answer to the "Soup Nazi"?

I am the President of my condominium corporation and have been sending out feelers to try and get some discounts for residents via our quarterly Newsletter. I have received a few interested stores and a few polite "thanks, but no thanks" replies. What I received from the Leslieville Cheese Market was absolutely astounding.

My e-mail:
"Good morning,

I am the President of YCC442 a.k.a. Marigold Gardens. We are a 93 Townhouse complex on the corner of Queen and Leslie (right behind the Duke).

I am trying to work with local Leslieville stores to create a membership card or discount coupon system to encourage our 93 home owners to support their local economy and buy in Leslieville.

Would your cheese market be interested in providing our residents with a discount coupon? We produce a quarterly newsletter to residents and would be happy to include an add for your store.

Please let me know your thoughts at your convenience,

Best wishes,"

THE RESPONSE:

"I'm sorry,

while i think it's a good idea, i'm sure that no amount of discount will bring those people to my store to buy cheese my cheddars run between double the price to four times the price of loblaws no name cheddar.

so for the cheapest they would have to get 50% off to make it the same regular price as no name cheddar."

"THOSE PEOPLE"

For the record, "those people" are 93 townhouses at Queen and Leslie. We have a mix of income levels and professions (just like the rest of Leslieville which contributes to our unique community and character). We have a retired CIBC executive and current Professor at UofT, account managers, product managers, directors, IT professionals, administrators, film industry professionals and artisans. Our condominium is the most affordable entry into Leslieville as our units hover just under the $3000,000 price point due in part to our brady bunch set exterior. We are a hidden gem as we have an internal courtyard which is nearly a full City block and an underground parking lot.

But apparently Leslieville Cheese Market thinks we are not cheddar worthy. I have no problem with not being able to discuss a discount for my residents. I do have a BIG problem with having my residents referred to as "those people" and the assumptions that no name cheddar is all we are interested in.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Zach Swan on December 15, 2009 at 12:38am

You just don't know when to quit, do you Bonito?

Well, there is no sense in continuing to put forth rational argument, since you've shown a remarkable inability to grasp the essence of the issue. Instead you've chosen to throw up irrelevant arguments like the fact that no one named the owner of this shop (the damage was done when the original poster named the shop itself.) Then in a transparent and failed effort to sound intelligent you've chosen to sift through the dictionary and found this wonderful word "abase", which may have meant something the first time you used it but has completely lost its effectiveness by the 7th or 8th time you've typed it.

I don't know why you've appointed yourself defender of Ally. She seems to be a passionate, well spoken writer completely capable of doing so herself, if it was even necessary. I suspect the reason may be that YOU were the person who unfortunately suggested she post this issue on the Leslieviller and now you feel guilty that she has been exposed to the opinions of people who disagree with her and her approach.

In any case, I think the issue is debated out. Thanks for your insincere "happy holidays". Hopefully one day you'll be able to lead the neighborhood in a rousing rendition of Kumbaya and we can all live together in peace and harmony.

Permalink Reply by joan wyatt on December 18, 2009 at 10:40pm

I love the Leslieville Cheese Market and have always enjoyed their excellent service and products. It saddens me to know that a business owner has been shamed in a public forum because he lacks the marketing and communications skills that so many of us are accustomed to (from all the big stores who hire people to do all that boring work -- the big stores that we are trying avoid by buying locally, from the folks in our hood). Shame. Michael has worked very hard to bring us such a great shop and I think he deserves kudos.

Permalink Reply by Nancy Bloom on December 20, 2009 at 10:48pm

I have read all of the postings about this issue.

Shame on you Ally. Your only intention is to do him harm. Your statements to the effect "I'm just looking out for Leslieville" mean nothing in the context of all of your negativity. You aren't being constructive. You are being destructive. Your smug politeness only adds to your disrespectful tone. One day you will realise that this mudslinging only drags everyone into the mud.

If I was one of the people whom you represented, I would be angry at you, not him.

Shame on you Nolin and William for joining the lynch mob so quickly. Not one of you three had any desire to ever hear his point of view. Nolin, don't try to quote your posting where you request more information in the apparent interest of fairness. In the next sentence you state how difficult it will be to change your mind. You are the moderator of this site?

I'm a retailer in Leslieville. This issue gives me two very strong emotional responses.

1) I have known Michael for the many years that he has been in Leslieville. He doesn't have a nasty bone in his body. Anybody who knows him will pay no heed. I am writing this so that all of the people who haven't come to know him won't be mislead.

2) Seeing this use of the internet to unfairly slander someone makes me shake in my boots. The damage that can be done by an angry young woman and the people that blindly take her side in the issue is real, and can easily end up being tangible damage. I fear the day that some loose cannon like Ally gets her hooks into me for something taken out of context.

Nancy

Permalink Reply by sara, m on December 21, 2009 at 1:13am

well this has all been interesting..so many good points made...things seem to be tipping in michael's favour ...its been an interesting train wreck based really on how one person communicated with another...i really could never imagine taking such offence/offense without verifying first if perhaps there was a miscommunication...maybe even a misunderstanding...maybe even simply poor wording...maybe ..maybe...there are things going on that i dont even know about...such a large universe after all...this is why i will never qualify for jury duty...too bad you didnt WALK over ally...seeing as you live in the neighborhood and talk to michael directly...gosh its hard to beat that face to face dynamic..that cosy community feeling....too bad you didnt think/believe either one of you deserved that...it could have been an real opportunity for you ...and just think you would not have had to go to all the trouble of consultations...the trouble of having to sleep on it....maybe you could go tomorrow to visit michael..... and post again....it would be a shame if other business owners in the neighborhood started backing away from your proposal due to some strange misunderstanding of this situation

Permalink Reply by Gerhard Mueller on December 21, 2009 at 9:22am

WILLIAM!

BRADY BUNCH EXTERIOUR?

You people are hillarious!

GOOD TIMES EXTERIOR is more like it! hahaha!

dyyyyynoooooo MITE!

whyd you get so worked up about your place when your only renting anyway!

Permalink Reply by Gerhard Mueller on December 22, 2009 at 11:33pm

my goodness!

this seems unbelievably terribly horrendously rediculously unbelievable!

g. :P

Permalink Reply by Marie on December 29, 2009 at 10:22pm

Hi,

Pulp Kitchen would be happy to be a part of this program! You can send a reply here or e-mail me at gethealthy@pulpkitchen.ca. We're just 2 blocks away from you!

Sincerely,

Marie Crawford
Pulp Kitchen
1129 Queen St East
(416) 461-4612

Permalink Reply by Pentimento Fine Art Gallery on January 25, 2010 at 1:52pm

In my humble opinion taking potshots at a local small business owner in a public format without approaching them personally first is so out of line. The original poster should be ashamed of herself and if she were representing me I would certainly want a discussion as to whether or not she should continue as such. Michael and the Leslieville Cheese store have worked hand in hand with me on many charitable projects donating time and product. His commitment to this neighbourhood is well documented. Shooting someone in the back in a public posting is shameful.

Permalink Reply by Adrian Horsfield on March 10, 2010 at 2:32pm

If the unit cost for these residences is a bit under $3,000,000 (as stated in the first post), why do these good folks need a discount anyway?

Permalink Reply by Andre Gratton on June 5, 2010 at 10:12pm

well although that reply doesn't sound the friendliest there is no doubt, I think that a small business trying to give discounts might be rather difficult for it to do especially as it is starting out. Business are required to be friendly, provide good service and good choice...not necessarilly discounts to locals that live in the area surrounding the store. so although i'm not crazy about the tone of their response, I not in total disagreement with their perspective.