Finish Line

"During tonight’s evening trip to Finish Line with my family, we stumbled into a bit of a surreal scene. Unfortunately this has become a pattern at this particular Finish Line store at the Dolphin Mall. It was at 8:20 PM, and we were on the hunt for some shorts. I approached an attendant for a fitting room. As he turned to face me, it was pretty clear why he was trying to avoid people, his eyes were bloodshot and glazed, his movements slow, and clearly under the influence. Now honestly, what you do in your own time is your business. But he was making this mental state into a public statement. His current state was spilling over into the simplest tasks of his retail job, and it was weird, there were kids and people around. I started looking around and noticing other employees at this store were not in the right state of mind to do their jobs. It got me thinking, if they're this out of it at work, are they really that safe to drive? This associate managed a slow and annoyed "ok" and started leading us to the back, only to stop halfway and look at us with genuine surprise, "oh, you want a fitting room?" It was as if our conversation moments ago had just occurred to him now! Any hope that I had that he could still help me with the simplest task while under the influence was dead at this point. Even others in the store started to notice what was going on with this guy’s weird vibe. He then instructed us to wait near the fitting rooms before wandering off, leaving me doubtful of his ability to follow through. True to my concern, he returned moments later to declare, "no, the fitting room is closed," without any explanation. It was 8:20 and the store was still open and bustling with staff. Eager to leave the store by then, I made my way to the front desk, only to find it had turned into a mini social hub. The employees were deeply engrossed in their own world, sharing jokes and laughter that seemed a bit too enthusiastic for the humor being exchanged, and their backs were to the customers and now I knew why. As I inquired about the fitting rooms, another employee, clearly not in a normal state of mind, glanced up with irritation from his circle of friends. He informed me the fitting rooms were closed for cleaning, an excuse that seemed all too convenient given his condition, and, glancing over at the fitting rooms, it was evident that no cleaning was happening, the staff was just enjoying their buzzes too much to walk to the room. Retail is tough and these employees deserve to enjoy their lives. Still if they want a party, wait to start the party until after closing. It was weird how openly the staff displayed that being this level of “chill.” It was clear that this buzz and camaraderie was the highest priority at this store, and they flaunted their indifference to assisting customers. So I would never write this thing, but unfortunately this wasn't our first rodeo with employees under the influence and unable and unwilling to work at this Dolphin Mall Finish Line. Same thing happened about a month ago. It seems to be part of the store's culture. It's a clear “this store exists for its employees” attitude towards customer service and sobriety. It's led me to a bit of a personal philosophy: when I hit a wall of indifference at a shop like this just walk away there's too many great places around. The management is clearly in on the whole thing at this Finish Line in Dolphin Mall. So, here's a heads-up for anyone wanting a regular shopping trip at Dolphin Mall - you might want to skip this Finish Line. But overall Dolphin Mall is really cute and fun for a stroll."

"Torres helps us to get out of the long line fast! Really well manage, and the customer service was great! Thanks Torres!"

"Went in for the second time and as always TORRES helped out resolve my issue to exchange my shoes. Great customer service! Thank you once again! If you go ask for Torres for help!"

"Torres at the store was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. He went above and beyond to assist me in finding exactly what I needed. His friendly demeanor and expertise made my shopping experience enjoyable. Highly recommend seeking out his assistance!"

"This is the worst most unprofessional/ depressing store I’ve been to, from the zombie sounding employees to the open and closing times that are always being delayed. I only came to dolphin because online it said it was open, upon arriving many people were trying to enter and they still weren’t opening the doors. 3 hours after it was said to be open at 11 am it is now 1:30 and the doors are still closed with employees denying entrance and walking around said store. It’s ridiculous , you should not implement an open time if the store isn’t gonna open at that time, let alone 3 hours after it should be open. HORRIBLE waste of time ."