Layton Cold Stone owner, others defend employee harassed online

Layton Cold Stone owner, others defend employee harassed online

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LAYTON — An online review ripping into a local ice cream franchise employee for her weight has its owner defending his employee and a community jumping in to support the harassed employee.

The review in question, posted Wednesday on Yelp, started off complimenting the business and its product, before going off on one of its employees about her weight.

“Unfortunately, I have had a specifically unsatisfying experience the last few times we have come into the store,” the reviewer wrote in a two-star review. “One of the female employees Jessie? Jennifer? J something, is disgustingly obese, and each time we come in, although she does her job, and is very polite, instantly makes my appetite disappear. I understand the need to hire bias free, but when someones [sic] looks interfere with my experience at an establishment [sic] I can’t help but complain. As a mother I don’t like my children thinking they will look that way by eating too much ice cream.

“Overall a good establishment with fast service, and delightful treats. We love Coldstone [sic], just not all the employees.”

(Photo: Yelp Screenshot)
(Photo: Yelp Screenshot)

The post has since been taken down. The reviewer has not responded to a request for comment from KSL.

Guy Della Lucia, owner of the Cold Stone Creamery shop in Layton, responded to the review and defended his employee.

He said his son saw it first and showed it to him and initially believed the review was positive.

“All of a sudden it went all negative on our employee and her being overweight and stuff,” Della Lucia said. “So I was actually shocked when I saw that.”

He said the employee in question had seen the review and was “doing OK” as of Thursday afternoon.

“I spoke with her briefly (Wednesday) night and could tell it affected her,” Della Lucia said.

Since the review and Della Lucia’s response, the company has received a positive response from the community.

Della Lucia said he has read some of the reviews since Wednesday that have jumped in to support the employee, as well as answering phone calls from people in the community wishing to support the employee.

“We’ve just had a big public outpouring of lots of real positive comments for our employee and supporting her,” he said.

Since the post Wednesday, there have been more than a half-dozen posts on the Yelp page from those chiming in on the initial review.

Several of the reviews included their disgust for the review that put the weight of one of the location’s employees in question and placed their support for the employee and the business.

“I love the owner for standing up for his employees. I will be in often to support them,” one reviewer wrote.

“Way-to-standup [sic] for your own! It's awesome to see you care about your employees so much. Thank you,” wrote another.

As for Della Lucia, he said he was glad the reviewer has since removed her post. He also said he was appreciative of the online and community support.

“I’ll support my employees to the end,” he said. “They’re good kids. They work hard and do a good job for me.”

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