Arizona Paths is the most complete all about Arizona site, with tourist and tourism information, statistics, weather and climate, maps, business directory listings, and history and culture.

    Sign In

Thu Mar 28, 2024

Forums

Welcome, Guest!
Forums Home
BOYCOTT LUX Coffeebar
Bad new ownership

- Post Reply -

nikolejaveed
msg: 1

Sat, Feb 4, 2006, 10:05pm

BOYCOTT LUX!!! Lux was once a fabulous hangout until today. The previous owners, Danielle & Felecia, were very nice, however the new ownership leaves a lot to be desired.

Let me start by saying I have been going to Lux since 2002 and have made many friends there, discussed business there and shared many things there. For myself, I would go there once a day and sometimes 2 times a day...everyday. The new owners, Jeff & Tara, never acknowledge any of us, nor do they give the impression they even care about a customer's patronage. The incident today was a hostile one. My friends had come to join my father and me for lunch.

This friend had worked for Tart which is the patry shop inside of Lux. Some events had taken place between the owner of Tart and new owners of Lux, so there was some bad blood. My friend explained the story to us at the table and Chris Bianco came out to smooth things over. Chris is the owner of Pane Bianco, which neighbors Lux, he is a very nice gentleman and cordial. Patronize Pane Bianco, Bar Bianco and Pizzaria Bianco. He appreciates people's patronage.

Out of nowhere the owner of Lux, Jeff, came out yelling at my friend and asked him to leave and when my friend tried to leave he told him to stay here and he was calling the cops. None of us know all of the facts but that was so unprofessional of this owner to do. I am happy that he acted like a maniac in front of all of his customers. Hopefully, they will never go back either.
joshbear76
msg: 2

Tue, Feb 7, 2006, 11:28am

Boycott LUX Coffeebar!
4404 N Central Ave Ste 1
Phoenix, AZ 85012

2/4/06 3:00pm

Part One:
I went into Lux Coffee Bar to get two coffee drinks for myself and my partner. Meanwhile, my partner went and bought some sandwiches at Pane' Bianco next door, then sat down outside at the tables with our friend and her father. While I was up at the front counter of Lux waiting for my coffee drinks, Tara Fischer, (the new co-owner of Lux Coffee Bar), came up to me and started a conversation with me (even though she had nothing to do with the making of my drinks).

She asked me if I had recently talked to the owner of Tart Pastries aka Paloma Bakery (my ex-boss, who had been recently kicked out of the back of Lux, only to be replaced with out-sourced pastries). I said that I had a little bit. Then she said, well...Tart Pastries was supposed to be out by the first of the month, and they still have a bunch of their stuff in the back that they had not picked up. I said that it was not my business because I was not the owner of Tart and that I no longer worked there, and that she should probably talk to the owner herself. Then she asked me if any of the stuff in the back was mine, and I said no. She then asked me if I was here to pick up any of the stuff. Again, I said no. I was here simply to get some drinks. Tara Fischer then started to tell me information that really was not my business.

She said that Tart Pastries had not payed for this month's rent, and that they were to have been out by the first of the month. (Fast-forward an hour later to when I talked to the owner of Tart Pastries on the phone, who informed me that she in fact had asked Jeff Fischer (the new owner of Lux) if it was OK if she moved out the bulky, heavy things after the first of the month when she could get some help to do so. Jeff Fischer told her that that would be no problem, and Tara Fischer was right there next to Jeff Fischer when that conversation took place). Tara Fischer then said that she was thinking of selling off Tart's equipment if she did not show up. (As she was telling me this information, I was thinking, wow....this is completely not my business, so why are you trying to involve me?). I told her that I figured that maybe the reason why Tart Pasteries did not get their stuff yet was because they did not want to run into you or talk to you, but that I was not sure about that. Then I said, "Oh, and by the way, thanks ...because of you, I lost my job".

Now, I said this statement not because I was disgruntled that I had lost the job because of Tara and Jeff Fischer. The fact was, I didn't care at all. I already have a primary job, and I was just working at Tart Pastries on the side, helping a friend out. I had wanted to quit Tart Pastries anyway, and had already told my boss on the previous Saturday, which in turn is when I found out that Tart Pastries had been kicked out of Lux. The main reason why I said that statement to Tara was because I wanted to see what her reaction would be, since she seemed so inclined to involve me in business between her and Tart Pastries that I had nothing to do with. Well, this is the response I received from Tara Fischer. She looked at me, smiled, and said, "You're welcome."

It was at this point in time that I was not happy with Tara at all. How could she be so cold??? Anyway, that's neither here nor there. I proceeded to tell Tara Fischer that I had heard from Tart that Daniel Wayne (the previous owner of Lux) told Tart Pastries that when Jeff and Tara Fischer bought Lux from him, that they had verbally agreed amongst other things, that Tart Pasteries had come along with the purchase of Lux. Therefore, if Tara and Jeff wished to be rid of Tart Pastries, they would have to buy Tart out, not just kick them out. At this point, Tara Fischer told me with a smile that that was not in writing. This little statement from Tara led me to realize that I was talking to someone who may not have the best morals or values. She obviously feels that it is OK to renig on verbal business agreements. I was so mad at this point that I actually called her a bitch. She then told me to get out and that I was not welcome at Lux anymore. She then proceeded to go get the cordless phone. At that point, I picked up my drinks, told her that she was a snob, that she and Jeff were bringing Lux down, and that her stuff sucked. I also told her that my mother used to come to Lux at least 4-5 times a week in the mornings before work, as well as buy Lux beans. And now, because of poor customer service, she doesn't come to Lux at all. Primarily because she thought Jeff Fischer was rude. Then, I walked outside where I met up with my friends for lunch at Pane' Bianco.

Part Deux:
While I was outside on the patio telling my friends what had just happened, I noticed that Tara Fischer, who was still on the cordless phone (with her husband Jeff), walked over to Pane' Bianco and went inside. I saw her looking out the window right at me while on the phone, giving me dirty looks, so I gave her the finger. I then proceeded to pick up my Pane' Bianco sandwich and show it to her to signal that I was a customer of Pane' Bianco, not just Lux.

Then, Mr. Bianco, like a gentleman, came outside to talk to me at the table where we all sat. He went on to say that he likes all the parties involved and that no one ever knows every side to a story, and that this had obviously become personal, etc. I told him only the beginning of what had happened between me and Tara Fischer, only because I did not want to involve him at all in this situation. Mr. Bianco responded that Tara had told him a different version. Well, of course she did, and we'll get to that story later. So after my conversation with Mr. Bianco, he went back into his store.

It's then that I decide that it is time to go and that enough drama had taken place. At that moment, Jeff Fischer storms up after having talked to Tara on the phone and being fed only one side of the story. He came right up to me and my party, amongst at least 20-25 other people outside, and flips out his phone. He says to me, do you see that number??? Yeah!...that's 911! You're going to be arrested for harassment! I was like, umm......that was NOT harassment, and I told him that I was leaving. He said that I could not go anywhere and proceeded to grab my left shoulder / arm area to keep me from getting up from the table. I told him that he needed to let go of me, and that if anything, THIS was harassment on his part. He kept walking around frantically trying to talk to the police on his cell phone, as well as keep me where I was. I got up from the table and he told me I was not going anywhere. I told him I was leaving. He then got in front of me as if to block me from walking towards the parking lot. He grabbed my arm again, and I told him that he had better let go and that he was crossing WAY over the line, and that THIS was harassment. Again, this all took place in front of my friends, family, 20-25 customers of Lux and Pane' Bianco, as well as employees.

At this point in time, Mr. Bianco came outside again and basically had to restrain Jeff from coming too close to me. Jeff once more got right in front of me as I rounded the corner to get to my car in the front lot. I told him to back off. He kept ahead of me while I was getting to my car while still talking on the phone. I unlocked my car with the remote, and he said that I was not going anywhere while positioning himself between me and the driver's door. I said again that he was way over the line and that he needed to stop what he was doing. Mr. Bianco as well was trying to tell Jeff that he REALLY needed to stop. Jeff stepped to the side just enough for me to open the car door, which he then slammed shut. I could not believe what was happening. I told Jeff that he did not know the entire story of what happened, and if he would just calm down, I could explain everything to him. He kept acting erratically and mumbling things, so Mr. Bianco then grabbed Jeff and sort-of escorted him away. Then, Mr. Bianco came back and talked to me and my partner, who had just joined me next to the car.

He told us that this is the sort of situation where it needs to be resolved later by whatever means, and that there was no point in trying to talk to Jeff at this time while he was so angry. I agreed. Mr. Bianco then told me that the best thing to do would be to just leave. I asked him if that was the best thing to do considering that the police were coming. He said yes, that they already have my information anyway, and that there was no need to keep the drama going. So, I got in my car and picked up my partner who had gone back to say goodbye to our friends, and we left. I was very upset at the time even though I kept my cool. This is the best I can remember of what happened.

The After-math:
After my partner and I got home, my partner called a friend of ours who works at Lux to see what had happened after we left. This person told my partner that Tara had said that I had chased her over to the condiments bar while barking out every obscenity in the book. This was not true. I never went near the condiments bar, nor did she. She stayed behind the main front bar and I stayed right in front of it. I also did not call her every obscenity in the book. I told her she was a bitch and a snob, and that was that. Nothing more.

 


©Copyright 2001-2009, Arizona Paths
Glossary Site Map