Corey Brown says Smart & Final discriminated against him at its downtown Los Angeles store when a security guard refused to allow him to carry his bag when he went shopping.In these challenging times, the need for reliable local reporting has never been greater. Put a value on the impact of our year-round coverage. Help us continue to highlight LA stories, hold the powerful accountable, and amplify community voices. Your support keeps our reporting free for all to use. Stand with us today.
At a Monday morning news conference, Corey Brown said he was told in September 2022 by security personnel at the Smart & Final store on South Figueroa Street, near West 8th Place, that he had to leave his backpack at the front of the store before shopping.Brown said he instead left, dropped off his bag at home, then returned to the store.
Smart & Final issued a statement Monday afternoon saying it had “only just received information from the City regarding these claims, which involve a former third-party security guard.” Maddox, the executive director, said the department had received more than 800 complaints since it was established in 2020, but most were referred either to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the California Civil Rights Department.Twenty cases were referred to Pepperdine University for mediation.
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