- Black List – Avoid these vendors.
- Yellow List – These vendors are on probation.
- Green List – Please utilize and support these vendors.
Jeff’s Vendor Black List
(Please avoid these vendors)
| endor | Reason for Inclusion | Date Added |
| Stateline Liquors, Elkton, MD | Despite being a loyal customer for several years, they would not take a check from me and did not provide a valid reason as to why. | circa 2003 |
| McDonalds, Route 40, Havre de Grace, MD | I was given the incorrect change by the drive through attendant (90 cents rather than $1.00). The drive through attendant wasn’t smart enough to realize I was giving him coins to receive back a full dollar. The manager (not very smart either) did not resolve the issue, thus lost a customer over 10 cents. | circa 2006 |
| Fresh Catch Seafood ‘N Steaks, Hyannis, MA | They choose not to honor a coupon for a half price dinner because the dish we ordered (seafood primavera) had a few small pieces of lobster in it and the coupon’s fine print indicated “Lobster dinners” were not eligible. The coupon was presented before ordering and the server never mentioned the seafood primavera dish was not eligible until after the bill was presented. | Summer 2009 |
| Travel American – Columbus East, Columbus, OH | The gas pumped slow and the food at the buffet looked unappetizing. | Summer 2011 |
| Subway, Rt. 95 Travel Plaza, Elkton, MD | They did not accept our gift card and they put mayo on Allison’s sub. | 30-November-2021 |
| Saw Enterprises, 31 Shelby Road, East Northport, NY | The technician would not repair our love seat and the despatcher would not contact Ultrashield for Authorization. This delayed the repair of our couch for several days. | Summer 2014 |
| Walmart | There are many reasons why I will never shop at Walmart again, but the most egregious of these reasons is the oversaturation of self-checkout lanes and what appears to be a lack of concern that customers are using the self-checkout lanes to steal merchandise. | 9-February-2018 |
| Capital One | They delayed the activation of a new credit card for 7-10 days for a random security verification. This prevented me from being able to take advantage of a special discount for new tires I purchased from Williams Chevrolet. The only reason I applied for the credit card was because it was required for the discount and because the advertisement said the discount would be available at the time of application (i.e. no waiting period). To their credit, Williams Chevrolet honored the discount regardless. | 18-October-2019 |
| Goya Foods | They supported President Trump’s fallacy that he won the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. | 1-March-2021 |
| Johnson Fitness | It took 55 days and in excess of 20 communications to get a repair done on my treadmill that was under a warranty which was sold to us as a “worry free” warranty. | 7-February-2022 |
Jeff’s Vendor Yellow List
(Vendors on Probation)
| Vendor | Reason for Inclusion | Date Added |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | They had been on my Vendor Black List for 15+ years after not honoring a treadmill warranty we purchased with them. In January of 2021 I returned to the store to purchase a bicycle for Courtney because we could not find any in other stores due to supply chain shortages. We purchased a good bike at a reasonable price thus removing them from the Vendor Black List | On VBL circa 2003 Move to VYL in Jan-2021 |
| Planet Rose, Atlantic City, NJ | They were placed on the Vendor Black List for twice taking $2 from me to karaoke and never calling me to the stage. A few years later I returned, this time putting my name in much earlier in the evening. This strategy worked and I was able to karaoke and enjoy a good time. The new staff is also friendlier and more accommodating. | On VBL 6-Apr-2012 Move to VYL 13-Apr-2017 |
| Grain, Newark, DE | After not playing in-person poker for 16 months, my poker friends and I got together for a game in downtown Newark in June of 2021. Following our game we walked to Grain to have a drink, only to find them closing at the early hour of 11 PM. A few months later I wanted to have a work celebration there, but they would not take a reservation for us. | Strike One June 2021 Strike Two Aug 2021 |
Jeff’s Vendor Green List
(Please use these vendors)
| Vendor | Reason for Inclusion | Date Added |
| Aldi Food Market | They are the best grocery store ever, featuring great prices, no carts in the parking lot, and no self service checkouts. They have a knowledgeable, friendly, and well paid staff. | February 2022 |
| Mario’s Pizza, Elkton, MD | They have good food, prices, and specials, and a friendly staff. I’ve hosted several end of season celebrations for my kids’ sports teams there and they have always been very accommodating of us. | February 2022 |
| Enzo’s New York Square, Elkton, MD | Their Sicilian pizza is great, comparable to deep dish. I also love their pizza style chicken cheese steak. They have a nice outdoor seating area and they take reservations. The staff is friendly and accommodating. The only drawback is that they carry Pepsi rather than coke products. | February 2022 |
| Williams Chevrolet, Elkton, MD | This is a family run business which appreciates their customers and puts customer service first. Their prices for service are reasonable and they don’t “nickel and dime” you. They covered an advertised $100 discount even though their business partner, Capital One, ridiculously didn’t follow through on their end of the bargain. | February 2022 |
| Garrison’s Cyclery, Yorklyn, DE | The only place in the area which sells Sidi Shoes. They helped me through the purchase, training on how best to use the shoes, and taught me how to lube the buckles after they seized up a year or two after I purchased them. Their repair prices are reasonable, and the owner, Rob Garrison, provides a lot of great free advice both in person and via email. | February 2022 |
| Sidi Cycling Shoes | These cycling shoes, while expensive, are the best for comfort and long life. My first pair lasted 10+ years, and 25,000+ miles. | February 2022 |
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