Justinian H.
Yelp
If you are Asian and worried about discrimination during the current coronavirus situation, don't come here. In fact, avoid all of Abbot Kinney. (See my review for Robert Graham just down the street.)
I was hesitant to write this review, but after reading some of the other reviews for this store, I see there is a history of microaggressions toward minorities from the salespeople, so sadly this feels pertinent.
I was there last Sunday with my friends. All three of us are Asian Americans in our 30s, born and raised in California. We asked for a sample of the mouthwash. The woman gave a sample in front of a sink. So after we tried the sample of the mouthwash, we spat it out into the sink.
"DON'T SPIT!" she cried out, and literally everyone in the store turned to stare at us. I felt like the three of us had all morphed into giant coronaviruses. It was pretty humiliating.
(By the way, who swallows mouthwash? Isn't it natural to spit mouthwash after you put it in your mouth? I was mindboggled. Furthermore, we had already spat out the mouthwash when she freaked out at us. Why not just discretely clean the sink and be respectful to your customers?)
Anyway, it was some of the more overt racism I've encountered in all my life being a native Angeleno. I understand that these are special times, but the lack of discretion and the blatant shaming was absolutely unacceptable from sales reps at such an expensive brand.
To make matters worse, my friend then tried to buy the mouthwash (maybe he wanted to alleviate the tension, bless him), and she said okay, but then turned to help someone else and ignored us. That CONFIRMED it to me that we weren't welcome there. So we left.
Like I said before, I wasn't going to say anything, but judging from the other reviews there seems to be a racial tinge to this place, so this is my truth.
By the way I love Aesop product and bought $300 of it last time. Oh well.