(Editorial Comment – Here’s a little rant via Re/Creating contributor Dragon Management about crappy service at a place called Splitsville.)

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[From an old friend here.  And this on top of Channelside already sliding into shit-hole-ery...]

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Splitsville Tampa – Absurd Policies
Category: Blogging

To Splitsville’s owners:

I just wanted to write and express my disappointment in the experience I had at your establishment Saturday, August 23rd 2008.

I turned 30 on the 20th of August and I decided to celebrate at Splitsville. I expected 30-35 people to show up by 11pm. We arrived at 9pm and rented a bowling lane and pool table. While sitting on the patio with my cigarette smoking friends, I decided to take a walk around the corner to grab a cigar. Two of my friends came with me and we left our drinks with our party.

After arriving back at your door only minutes later, after finding the cigar shop closed…..on a Saturday night…..we attempted to re-join my birthday party. Upon re-entry, my friend was told he was now not allowed in because he was wearing a “jersey”. I calmly explained to the doorman that we were just in there, that we had a lane and a pool table and that this “jersey wearer” had paid a large part of it.

The doorman insisted my friend could not comeback in as his $9 drink melted on the table with the rest of our party. I immediately asked to speak with your manager. Two guys, mid thirties, pastel polos, came out and repeated what the doorman had told me as if they were twin robots. I explained that we had an open lane and pool table and planned on having 30 people arriving to spend more money here to which your manager replied “If I let him in I will have to let everyone in. After 10pm, no “jerseys”.

I tried pointing out to him a group of people on the patio, sitting right next to our party, wearing hats, t-shirts and flip flops! Your manager repeated the same info to me and basically said it didn’t matter that I was spending money here tonight and that these are the rules at Splitsville.

I promptly informed my party to finish the drinks they had bought, close out their tabs and end the games they were playing.

I then called the rest of my party and explained to them the “splitsville situation”. We took the party elsewhere and spent our money there.

The sad thing is, what my friend had on was a $250 authentic Yankess embroidered shirt. It wasn’t sleeveless or a button down. He had on nice blue jeans and dress shoes. As we stood there in shock at the mere absurdity of the situation, we watched guys in $5 t-shirts walk right through the door. Not to mention the fact that this “rule” was not posted anywhere at your establishment nor is it stated anywhere on your website.

As I stood discussing the situation out front of your establishment, while waiting for my party to pay their tabs, another “manger” came out and was talking to the doorman who had first denied my friend’s entry. As I watched him, I observed him saying “Well, Happy Birthday to you!” snide and sarcastically, mocking me as he talked to his doorman. When I asked him if he thought it was funny to ruin my birthday and mock me after I patronized his establishment, he replied, “Oh Yeah, well it’s my birthday too. So what. No jerseys. Get lost.” This was a sad, mid-thirties, balding gentlemen with a dark green polo. He then pointed his finger in my face and told me “Oh yeah, now you can’t come back in either” and proceeded to deny me entry back to my own birthday party. I explained he didn’t have to worry about me ever coming back to which he laughed and walked away.

I don’t expect your management to be moved by my experience at your establishment. Most likely, this will be filed in a complaint folder that no one takes the time to even care about. Especially given the way your middle managers treat patrons on a Saturday night.

Although you may say, “Its only one guy and our rules are our rules.” That is true. They are your rules but I can tell you that everyone I know and invited now knows this story. Plus I plan on telling as many people as I know to spend their money elsewhere when considering Splitsville.

So although you may see me as just one guy, I live in Ybor. I have lived in Tampa since 1986 and I have many friends here. I am a member of various professional associations and social clubs. We have functions often. There are many parties, celebrations and meetings that I organize or am a part of.

None of them will ever be held at Splitsville.

In closing I would like to commend the girls working the pool table and bowling lanes. They were very helpful and friendly. I can only imagine the frustration they must go through working for sad, power-tripping, middle managers like the ones you employ.

I am sure your mangers, should you decide to even talk to them about the situation, will try to paint me as disruptive or profane, but I assure you, I was very straightforward and respectful given the disrespect I was given as a paying customer of your establishment, who just had his birthday ruined by a frustrated little man with a walkie-talkie. Had I become disruptive to the point of deserving to be kicked out, I am sure the security guards only feet away would have intervened. Hopefully you have cameras out front and you can check the footage to verify my story.

To Splitsville, on it’s way to the same fate as Pop City. It’s so sad because these little situations add up causing fewer and fewer people to visit establishments in Tampa. Hopefully they keep those tourists coming in off those boats so you guys can stay afloat.

I also plan on sending a copy of this letter to your corporate offices so when they see the numbers down for Tampa, they might get an idea of why that would be.

Good day.

Jeff Paul Pesce

jeff@enovacion.com
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