Ryan Tate at Valleywag has a phenomenal story about the sanity-estranged owner of Ocean Avenue Books. The owner, after reading a negative review on the interwebs about her store, found the reviewer and tried to assault him. At his home.
The Yelp reviewer in question, "Sean C.," describes the scene:
2 days ago I wrote a two star review for Ocean Avenue Books - afterwards the owner started sending me crazy and threatening emails. Tonight I get a knock at my front door - I open it and a woman tries to force her way in and I had to wrestle with her on my front steps. Finally I was able to shut the door and call 911 - the police showed up and took her away. Turns out it was the business owner! How did she get my address???????I'm now completely freaked out - need to go to the police station tomorrow and get a restraining order
A bookstore owner against free speech? Groundbreaking.
Anyway, exactly how the owner found Sean's address remains a mystery. A Yelp administrator chimed in to point out: "we're here to help Sean out in any way we can... there's no telling how this person may have unearthed Sean's place of residence, but rest assured, that information was in no way.... provided by Yelp." And while business owners grow increasingly butthurt frustrated about customers airing their grievances in a public online forum, this is something they will have to get over. Really.
Check out more wildly amusing screenshots of pre-fight potshots over at Valleywag.