THORNTON, Colo. — A Colorado mom and her two daughters are sharing their concerns after they said they were kicked off a King Soopers property in Thornton for selling Girl Scout Cookies on a Saturday in February.
Shuntail Taylor said her two daughters, 14-year-old Maliyah Thomas and 13-year-old Dallas Taylor, became Girl Scouts in January, just as cookie selling season began.
Taylor said the girls sold cookies at multiple different locations, including a King Soopers in Thornton. But when they returned to the same King Soopers on Feb. 28, a store manager and security guard approached them within 20 minutes of them setting up the table.
“He came out very upset, asking us, what are we doing here," she said.
She explained they were selling Girl Scout Cookies and was asked if she reported it to somebody at the store. Taylor said she was told she did not have to do that.
Taylor said the manager began raising his voice, escalating the situation.
“He was just basically saying we (needed) to leave. He was just saying, 'Y'all need to go,'” Taylor said. “I was like, 'Well, I can let you speak to our troop leader.' He was just so frustrated."
She said she also grew frustrated, and was uncomfortable with how he was talking to her in front of her kids.
"I was like, 'You’re only doing this because of the color of our skin,'" Taylor said.
Taylor said the security guard noticed the girls did not have on Girl Scout vests or sashes.
“He was pointing out, 'Well, you don't have the vests on, or you don't have the proper attires to be out here.' And I was like, 'Well, we were told that you didn't need that,'” Taylor said.
Taylor explained that because the girls just recently joined their troop, they did not have uniforms yet and their troop leader did not think it would be an issue.
"The crazy part about it was that we came (to) the store before and we were selling cookies," Maliyah said. "We were selling a lot of cookies. I just feel like he didn't want us there."
Taylor said she is in school to become a police officer and believes in authority, so when they were asked to leave, they did so.
"But it's about the approach of it," she added.
Denver7 reached out to King Soopers. A representative said they are looking into the incident.
Girl Scouts of Colorado (GSCO) provided additional context regarding their cookie selling policies: According to the GSCO, Girl Scouts are required to wear a uniform, scout T-shirt, or membership pin at cookie booths. They confirmed the King Soopers location in Thornton was a designated cookie booth location until Feb. 22.
Taylor said Maliyah and Dallas sold cookies on Feb. 21 and returned on the date of the incident — Feb. 28 — after they said a different store manager told them they were welcome at the store any time.
Taylor said she was not aware the designated time frame expired, but with the presence of a security guard, and the store manager’s reaction, she fears this was less about cookies and more about race.
“I can drive around here and show many of the troops they wouldn't have that uniform on,” Taylor said. “I forgive them. But… I feel that they should treat everyone, no matter what race you are, the same.”
Maliyah and Dallas said the incident has not discouraged them from wanting to continue in Girl Scouts and selling cookies.
“I'm just going to have to push through. I'm not going to let that man stop me from what I love doing,” Maliyah said.
The Girl Scouts of Colorado issued the following statement in response to the incident:
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is designed to help girls build important business and life skills while developing confidence and leadership.
Girl Scouts of Colorado works closely with community partners to coordinate cookie booth locations and timing, and for safety reasons asks Girl Scouts to wear uniforms or other identifying elements while selling cookies. We are grateful for our long-standing partnership with King Soopers and host thousands of Girl Scout Cookie booths at their stores across the state each year.
Based on our understanding, the girls involved—who are new to Girl Scouting—were attempting to sell cookies at a King Soopers location outside of the scheduled booth dates arranged through Girl Scouts of Colorado. Our team is always happy to help new troops navigate the booth scheduling process so girls can participate fully and safely.
This year, Girl Scouts across Colorado have sold more than 3.5 million packages of cookies through booths, door-to-door sales, and their Digital Cookie platforms. The Girl Scout Cookie Program in Colorado concludes this Sunday, March 15.
