★★★★★  May, 27, 2008

★★★★☆  May 20, 2008
2 Galleria Mall Drive
Taunton, MA
Phone: (508) 977-1200
http://www.bestbuy.com/

best-buy-1.jpgBest Buy is new to the Taunton area. It has a wide variety of electronic equipment and accessories as well as a great selection of DVDs. It is very similar to a Circuit City. I frequently go to Best Buy just to browse around and love to look at their selection of the newest Blue Ray DVDs. Today, I decided to review Best Buy for wheelchair accessibility.

Best Buy has two entrances, one from the parking lot and one from inside the mall. The one from the parking lot has automatic doors, which I love. The entrance from the mall is wide open and spacious. The aisles are wide and not crowed with displays and it is easy to maneuver my wheelchair around the store.

The restrooms are located by the computer section. They are very spacious and wheelchair accessible with all the required ADA equipment. The sinks are accessible and have the protective covering around the pipes. The staff are all very friendly. I often see Josh, the brother of my friend, Jason who was a past nursing home resident who also got to leave the nursing home. He told me that Jason and his whole family are doing wonderful!

Best Buy has two checkout counters. The checkout counter closest to the parking lot entrance is wheelchair accessible and a good height for a person in a wheelchair who needs to sign a transaction or use an ATM/Credit card device.  But the checkout counter by the mall entrance is not wheelchair accessible due to the ATM/Credit card devise being mounted at the end of the counter which a wheelchair cannot get to. Since the device is mounted, the checkout person can’t even move it closer to a person in a wheelchair. So if you are going to use an ATM/ Credit card at Best Buy, I suggest you go to the checkout counter which is closest to the parking lot.

I give Best Buy FOUR STARS for wheelchair accessibility. They could earn the other Star if they placed the ATM/Credit Card device at the checkout counter closest to the mall entrance in an area where a person in a wheelchair could reach it or at least un mount  it so the clerk could move it to the person in a wheelchair.

Addendum:

best-buy-manager-2.jpgToday, I went to Best Buy to do a follow up wheelchair accessibility review because Brian Drew, the General Manager of the store emailed me to let me know that they relocated the ATM/Credit Card device to the front of the register to make the store fully wheelchair accessible. I personally met Brian today and thanked him for making the changes. I wish more people cared like Brian did and I wish more would make the necessary changes to ensure all places are fully accessible to all.

I now give the Taunton Best Buy FIVE STARS for wheelchair accessibility. I give Brian Drew, the General Manager Five Stars Plus for helping to make the world more accessible to all.