Vanilla Gourmet

I left this store shaking, and I’m still upset writing this. The woman working there (looked to be in her 40s) followed me to every single section I walked to. Not browsing near me — tailing me, pretending to straighten shelves just to have an excuse to hover. She did not do this to a single other customer in the store. I tested it by moving around a few times just to be sure I wasn’t imagining it. I wasn’t. When she finally approached, I told her I was just looking and pointed out that it felt like she was following me. Suddenly, conveniently, she “didn’t speak English.” I asked if her son could translate — she said “somewhat” and asks him for his phone to translate. She proceeds to touch me on my arm and said, “No, I want to help, that’s why. There’s a camera, I don’t follow you.” Then she kept following me anyway, sighing like I was the problem. If she actually wanted to help a customer, she would’ve had her son assist me from the start instead of stalking me around the store like I was there to steal. He looked mortified by her behavior — he clearly knew exactly what she was doing. This was textbook racial profiling, plain and simple. Judged the second I walked in, based on nothing but my skin color. Absolutely unacceptable in 2026. Do better.

This Turkish market is truly a gem. The staff are incredibly warm and genuine, and their hospitality is what keeps me coming back. The store is spotless, and the products both Turkish and European are always fresh. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for quality and a clean, inviting space.