In 30 years of retail management, I've never seen anything quite that blatant. The third screen shows Robert Madison himself, the boutique's founder, calling in from his yacht off the coast of Monaco. His tanned face shows bewilderment and growing alarm. Marcus, I don't understand. Why didn't you identify yourself?
This could have been avoided. Could it, Robert? Marcus opens his laptop and begins typing. Let's review some data. The main screen fills with a presentation titled Madison's boutique customer service analysis undercover assessment.
The insight over the past 6 months my firm has conducted systematic evaluations of all properties in our retail portfolio. Madison's was scheduled for this assessment today. Marcus clicks to the next slide. Charts and graphs fill the screen. Customer satisfaction surveys show concerning patterns.
Complaints about discriminatory treatment have increased 340% over the past year. Specifically, customers of color report negative experiences at rates 87% higher than white customers. Robert Madison's face tightens. Marcus, those are just isolated incidents. Are they?
Marcus advances to the next slide. Security footage analysis from the past 3 months reveals 23 documented instances of differential treatment based on customer appearance. Today's incident makes 24. Patricia Wong leans forward on her screen. Marcus, show them the legal implications.
The presentation shifts to a legal summary. California Civil Code section 51.7 prohibits discrimination in business establishments. Federal penalties under the Civil Rights Act can reach $150,000 per incident. With 24 documented cases, we're looking at potential liability exceeding $3 million $600,000. Robert Madison's yacht tanned face goes white.
This can't be accurate. It's very accurate, Robert. Every incident was recorded by your own security systems. Plus, today's performance was live streamed to over 50,000 viewers in counting. David Kim adds, "Marcus, what about the lease implications?" Marcus nods.
Excellent question, David. He clicks to another slide. Section 14.3 of the Madison's lease agreement states that discriminatory practices constitute grounds for immediate lease termination. He pauses for effect. Johnson Investment Group acquired this building yesterday.
The purchase was finalized at 5:00 p.m. making us your new landlord as of this morning. The silence in the conference room is deafening. Even through the video screens, the shock is palpable. Yesterday, Robert Madison's voice is barely a whisper. yesterday, which means today's incident occurred on property we own by employees whose actions were now legally responsible for. Patricia Wong's screen updates with additional documents.
The liability extends beyond lease violations. We're now looking at potential civil rights lawsuits, insurance claims, and reputational damage that could affect the entire Johnson Investment Group portfolio. Marcus stands and walks to the window. Below, he can see Sarah pacing in the boutique, her phone pressed to her ear. The crowd outside has grown larger.
The live stream has been shared 12,000 times in the past 10 minutes. David Kim reports it's trending on Tik Tok, Instagram, and Twitter. Madison's karma is the number three trending hashtag in Los Angeles. Marcus turns back to the cameras. Robert, your annual rent is $2,100,000.