UMES Issues?

I received an email from a person who was in a group that included a disabled individual.

"I have attended three events in the past few months at the Henson Center at UMES and in my opinion, they have not considered people with walking disabilities at all. On two occasions one person in our party had to bring her wheelchair to use to get to the building, when she normally can get by with a cane. I don't know who designed this place and the parking around it, but it is a joke."

Ollie's Reviewed

Ollie's off of Tilghman Road by the MVA is a semi decent place for people with disabilities to maneuver in. A few negatives. 1 The doors open out and are manual and heavy so people with strength issues be warned. The aisles for the most part allow for free access with all mobility equipment except a few aisles here and there with displays.

Ollie's gets a C+ for disabled accessibility.

WalMart South End

WalMart in Fruitland follows the standards set at other locations with ample handicapped parking, wide aisles and in-store mobility scooters. Automatic doors at both entrances make this store another great place to shop for people with disabilities. A+ again for disabled accessibility

Sam's Club Reviewed

Sam's Club is yet another example of a large chain store getting it right for disabled patrons. In-Store scooters and wide aisles make this store a joy to shop in. Plenty of handicapped parking is available but I will warn you they are doing construction in front which can make it a bit congested.I would recommend if you have limited mobility to get one of the in store scooters as you will be doing alot of walking.

A+ for disabled accessibility..thank you Sam's Club

Applebee's Reviewed

Applebee's on North Salisbury Boulevard has ample handicapped spots as shown, but my complaint is that the slope for people with wheelchairs or scooters is further down the sidewalk than right at the door. In the picture above you can see it where the white stripped van access area is.

I find Applebee's like many other local restaurants to not have alot of room for people with wheelchairs and definitely not for mobility scooters inside for dining. This is a common problem with restaurants and I cannot single Applebee's out for this but it must be noted. The doors are manual and you must pull them out to enter the establishment.

As with all restaurants so far, you can get in and sit but you won't be able to maneuver around very well without feeling you are blocking a path for someone. I give Applebee's a C+ for disabled accessibility mainly because of the entrance issue.

WalMart North Reviewed

WalMart on the North End of Salisbury is a fantastic place to shop for people with disabilities. Plenty of handicapped parking from the Grocery section to the retail section is to be found, although most of the time they are full because Walmart is that busy.

Automatic doors at street level make all mobility equipment usable. A good selection of in store scooters are available as well, although like the parking places these can be hard to find free. The aisles are plenty wide enough for all mobility equipment and it really is a great place to shop for people with disabilities.

Walmart is a busy store almost 24 hours a day so the only obstacle you may find are the number of people in the way, otherwise Walmart gets an A+ for disabled accessibility.

Outback Steakhouse Reviewed

Outback Steakhouse may have some really good food, but their thought for the disabled is not so hot. There are only 2 handicapped parking spots available in the front of the store. The front and inside door are a heavy wood variety that again like Vinny's if you have any strength related issues you will struggle with getting open.

I can tell you right now that you will not be able to use a mobility scooter inside as there simply is no room for the size. Manual wheelchairs and power chairs are the only 2 ways you will be able to get inside and move around, and this is not without some effort. The tables are very close together and if you have a wheelchair you will find yourself sticking out in the way of the people at other tables or the main aisle for the servers, and forget moving around after you get your table.

Outback Steakhouse gets an D+ for disabled accessibility, because they don't have enough parking, and it is very close quarters for someone in a wheelchair. If you want to enjoy the great food I would suggest curbside pickup.

Toys R Us Reviewed

Toys R Us has plenty of handicapped parking spaces in the front of the store, and again van accessibility is a huge plus. The door is on street level with automatic doors both inside and out so any mobility equipment will make out fine getting in and out of the store. The main aisles are plenty wide and roomy to maneuver in, but some of the actual merchandise areas can be a little snug for you to get up into and you may need to get someone in the store to help get an item you can't get to. I saw no in store scooters for use however which was disappointing. These two things are really my only complaint .

I give Toys R Us a B+ for disabled accessibility.

Target Reviewed

Target is another success story in major retail stores treatment of the disabled. Plenty of handicapped parking is available in the front of the store with van accessibility being another major plus in the space allowed. The aisles are wide and spacious and really make it a joy to shop in this store. The front of the store is flat with the parking lot so no worries about inclines, and automatic doors both outside and inside allow for ease of access. Any mobility equipment will make out fine.

There are 2 mobility scooters as well as a wheelchair for patron use for people who may not be up to walking this big store. Thank you target for a great job thinking of the disabled. A+

Home Depot Reviewed

Home Depot is another major store that gets it right for people with disabilities. Plenty of Handicapped parking is available all along the front of the store near both the entrance and exits. Automatic doors at both the inside and outside doors allow plenty of room for any mobility equipment. The aisles are plenty wide for equipment to maneuver in.

I talked to a lady that worked there about the in store mobility scooters as they only had 1 in the store, she informed me the other one was away for repairs. I would like to see them have more than 2 of these scooters however, as I feel Lowe's offers many more of these for patrons for similar sized stores. They do have an ample amount of in-store manual wheelchairs for use however.

I give Home Depot an A for disability access as my only complaint was the lack of number of electric mobility scooters available in the store.

More Reviews Coming Later Today

Lowe's Reviewed

Lowe's is one of the most accessible Stores I have ever been in. Ample Handicapped spots abound from the Garden Center down to the business entrance. The doors are automatic in all areas which makes ease of access beautiful for any mobility equipment. Lowe's also provides in store mobility scooters pictured for people who have limitations but may not have their own equipment. This is a huge plus as Lowe's is a huge store and if you have a health condition that limits your endurance I recommend you get one as soon as you enter the store, because if not you will be doing alot of walking.

These big stores like Lowe's really know what is needed for handicapped patrons as inside the aisles are wide and you have plenty of open space to maneuver in, even in the garden center. Thank you Lowe's for this great set up and I give you an A+ for disabled accessibility.

Michaels Reviewed

Michaels has a nice access point right in front of the doors but sadly no automatic doors. 4 parking spaces in front of the store seem to be the right number for a craft type store. The doors both can open so you should have no problem getting any type of mobility aids into the store, navigating inside however is a different story.

I found the aisles in Michaels to be narrow for people with wheelchairs, especially if there are other people on the same aisles. I also don't think you could use a mobility scooter inside without bumping into the displays set up in the middle of the rows in the main aisles. I think people in power chairs would also find it to be a bit crowded to maneuver inside similar to the issues people in manual chairs face.

I give Michaels a C- for Disabled Accessibility

Best Buy Reviewed

This is the way all Businesses I wish would look after the needs of their handicapped patrons. The handicapped spots are located at the front of the parking lot, although I wish there were maybe 2 more. Automatic doors for both the outside and inside are just what anyone with any mobility issues is looking for. Manual chairs, power chairs and mobility scooters all work great both getting in and maneuvering around the store. Best Buy gets an A+ for disabled accessibility,

great job ..

Dunkin Donuts Reviewed

As my first review of Disabled Access around Salisbury I wanted to visit Dunkin Donuts again as I had heard from a couple people about the access at this location on South Salisbury Boulevard. I have to say this is one of the worst places in Salisbury for disabled people to get in and out of. The parking shown in the top photo is all the way at the back of the building near the trash cans, which I find disturbing. The curb leading to the door is narrow and when you get to the door o boy the fun really begins.

As you can see the trash can sits outside the door which is a pull out, so you lose several inches of access to get in which makes this a very narrow doorway. Once inside it is a small little vestibule area with another door to get in which would make this very difficult for people operating manual wheelchairs. Forget about mobility scooters and power chairs because I really don't see how you could maneuver in with anything bigger than about a 18 inch wheelchair.

This place is terrible for people with disabilities and I would avoid it, as you also cannot place custom orders at the drive up window anymore, so if you have a specific favorite dozen you want you will have to go in. Dunkin Donuts gets a big E for thinking aout the disabled.