Fwd: HARLEM: Restaurant incident at Cedric's

[Sandra BERNABEI]

-----Original Message-----

From: DEARDRA writs...@aol.com

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Please forward to all.....

Pass this on.  The writer is a producer on Piers Morgan's show. It is atypical for her to send something like this. 

Susan

Subject: VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!

Dear Link sisters-

I am asking that you support several of our chapter members in boycotting the newly opened restaurant Cedric's, located on St Nicholas between 119th and 120th, I am attaching photos in case some of you are not familiar with the location. Several of us (Rose, Mignon, Kim, Katherine, Anna, and Lybra) went to Cedric's to dine and drink. We were asked to move by Cedric the owner, in the middle of our dining and after having ordered several bottles of wine and cocktails, for a party of four who had a reservation. Upon observing the party of four, they were all Caucasian.  We were accommodating but our party of five (two Link sisters had left), was crowded into an area that was next to the bathroom, kitchen, and front door.  At the new table we ordered more bottles of wine and food, upon closing our bill we asked to speak to Cedric to ask why, at that point we were spending several hundreds of dollars and clearly more money than the party of four, were we moved when the "party of four" had ordered, finished, and left the restaurant? We were told by Cedric the party of four had moved into the neighborhood, bought condos, and they were "regulars" and he knew them. Let me say this several of us tonight have dined at Cedric's within the past week and not only been regular patrons since the opening but have brought numerous others outside of Harlem to dine at this restaurant to generate business and contribute to the growth of this community. 

Furthermore, Cedric proceeded to yell at us and told us he does not care about long-time residents of Harlem he is running a business. This all took place in front of other patrons and his staff. I am angered and outraged by how we were treated because we were yelled at by a man/owner of the restaurant and the premise of "the customer is always right" went out the door. I can say in my 13 years of living in this city I have never been treated so poorly by a restaurant.

Ladies as residents of Harlem, many of us have lived here long before gentrification and not only own apartments, condos, but full brownstones in this area and have spent our money in this neighborhood far longer than residents who are gentrifying the neighborhood in the past few years. It is a disgrace that we were treated as second class citizens by a restaurant that is trying to thrive in the Harlem community. 

I am asking all members to boycott this restaurant and please pass the word on and feel free to forward my email to other Harlem residents or potential patrons. I am asking as well that my letter be forwarded to the big apple cluster by Rhonda upon review by Gerri.

I would not be sending this email if it did not call for action, when I say we were yelled at and treated very poorly it is NOT an exaggeration. If this owner says he does not care about long-time Harlem residents and patrons that can bring significant business to his restaurant than let's not give our money and let that make a statement. Maybe then change will evolve and respectable hard working women will not have to be disrespected and humiliated in a newly opened Harlem restaurant

-----Original Message-----
From: Donald Thomas <dont...@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sun, Feb 5, 2012 2:08 pm
Subject: FW: VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!/PLEASE FORWARD.....

Please forward to all.....
 

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