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This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was retired in August 2007. It is being provided by “Sew What’s Up,” which serves as the new home for many members of “Sew What’s New.”
From: blackie
Date: 11-01-2006, 07:42 PM (1 of 17)
Well, it's not much of a fabric store. Kind of an all-purpose merchantile. They have sewing notions, McCall's patterns, and some fabrics and I go there in a pinch. The employees at the cutting counter always show up late to the page, are often surly, and never have any sewing knowledge. The lack of sewing knowledge is OK - I am just happy to have a fabric store in town with good prices, needles, thread, etc. and I consider it a bonus when I'm in a store that does have knowledgable staff.

To today I was looking for a sheer-ish curtain fabric so I can put up new curtains in my kitchen (which is freshly painted) without darkening it too much (I have a very small kitchen and one small window). I found this peach 100% poly sheer and I brought it up to the counter along with a cotton print I'm going to use for class tonight. When the woman comes to the cutting counter and unwraps the bolt I see how filmy and slippery the fabric is and I start to believe it won't make a nice curtain, so I say "You know what? I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm going to get that. It looks like a nightmare to sew on." Silently the woman wraps the bolt again. "I need to find a similar sheer in cotton," I muse. "They don't make any such thing!" the woman snaps at me sourly.

I just stood there. I didn't know if I should tell her yes, in fact they DO make what I'm talking about. I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised at the woman's dour demeanor - after all, this was one of the ladies who behaved so horridly last year when my son fell ill in their store (http://kelly.hogaboom.org/2005/11/tale-of-two-letters.html) (Letter #2). I let her cut my other piece of fabric, thanked her, and left.

Sheesh. Luckily last night I had stellar customer service at the video store, so I feel balanced out. :-)
see the mundane life of a housewife.
User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004
Total posts: 594
From: esrun3
Date: 11-01-2006, 08:11 PM (2 of 17)
Customer service is NOT what it used to be! How rude to treat a customer like that. Sorry you had to deal with it.
Lyn
User: esrun3
Member since: 12-02-2004
Total posts: 2345
From: AndreaSews
Date: 11-01-2006, 08:24 PM (3 of 17)
Well, after visiting your blog and learning a little bit about this clerk's history...no shock there. good grief!
Andrea
User: AndreaSews
Member since: 02-18-2005
Total posts: 1007
From: Patty22
Date: 11-01-2006, 08:52 PM (4 of 17)
Kelley,

I had a five year old vomit over 60 pairs of gymnasts sneakers at a gymnastic's meet in a brand new gym (hence any of the gymnasts had to remove their sneakers when entering.) My daughter picked the opportune moment of running down the isle of the gym just as her sister was running down the runway to the vault and as she hit the horse to vault (always made a pounding noise) her sister upchucked over the entrance to the gym and the shoes.

The store clerk you have dealt with either never had kids, doesn't remember having kids, or was so mean, her kids disowned her.

The world will be a better place with your letter writing. :) Bwhahahahahaha.........like I said, any mother reading it will chuckle because we've all dealt with similiar situations.

Now, about the clerk just being rude all the time....I don't know. Why don't you just come out and ask her why she is consistently nasty. I wonder if anyone has ever confronted her? Then, I'd :bolt:
Patty
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006
Total posts: 1194
From: Chrysantha
Date: 11-01-2006, 09:47 PM (5 of 17)
I wouldn't bolt...I'd stand there and ask in a VERY loud voice, what her problem was. (and I can talk pretty loud...ask my husband who's embarassed a lot, he just walks away and doesn't know me....LMAO !!!)
Some of the clerks in JoAnn's are like that...I just usually walk away from them and ask someone else for help. (they've actually gotten BETTER there in the past two yrs...new management).
Chrys
User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002
Total posts: 2414
From: Sancin
Date: 11-02-2006, 01:53 AM (6 of 17)
What a truly horrible story! I think I would have had to stop myself from throwing the pail of water onto the person who said I missed a spot!

The last time a clerk said to me that they didn't carry something I reached behind her and picked up what I had been looking for.

One never know who is watching. This past summer I was on a very long airline flight on an airline known for it's friendliness. I introduced my self to the woman who sat next to me and then had little interaction throughout the flight, both of us contented with our own activities. During the introduction the woman noted that she was a senior executive of the airline, returning from a business trip. The hostess who was serving in our area seemed a little unhappy with her job and was not really friendly, being a long time bringing me some water I had asked for and a little surly picking up leftovers from snacks. I put it down to a bad hair day. As we disembarked, unsure whether my seat mate had noticed our hostess or not, I noted that I hope that the rest of hostess flight was better. I was surprised when the airline executive said it would certainly not be good in the future, that the airline didn't want to develop a bad reputation!! I often wonder what friendly skies she is now flying in. :yawn:
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005
Total posts: 895
From: MaryW
Date: 11-02-2006, 09:23 AM (7 of 17)
We have all had kids throw up in a public place. No big deal really. But that clerk should not be working with the public, spreading her venom. I would report her to the manager in person. If you can stay calm while doing it, they will take you more seriously. You are not her only target, she probably has many people wondering what they did to deserve her.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005
Total posts: 2542
From: Miss Spring
Date: 11-02-2006, 11:30 AM (8 of 17)
Golly I hate mean people.

We have 2 fabric stores where I live 1) Lovely lady ownes it and is awesome...but very very very expensive 2) Walmart- with the same kind of customer service as you have there..lol My husband loves elvis and we found some really funky elvis flannel and he wanted some PJ bottoms made out of it. But when I got up there to get the fabric cut there was a sign that said, "GONE TO LUNCH ASK LAYAWAY FOR HELP" Well they didnt want to cut it either so I threw the bolt of fabric at the manager and told him to stuff it where the sun does not shine..... Good thing we went to school together and he knows I have a nice side to...lol
User: Miss Spring
Member since: 05-03-2006
Total posts: 87
From: Sherri
Date: 11-02-2006, 12:26 PM (9 of 17)
My ds barfed all over Best Buy one day. It was horrible. I just didn't know what to do.

Sher
My website
User: Sherri
Member since: 02-07-2001
Total posts: 357
From: blackie
Date: 11-02-2006, 02:21 PM (10 of 17)
I should have confronted the lady yesterday. I agree Mary, if one can be calm and civil yet still confront the rude person, it is for the best. Perhaps they will snap out of it, and certainly they will learn they can't get away with rudeness, even if most people don't challenge them on it.

Oh - the store I wrote a year ago after the vomiting incident? They wrote me back and apologized, assured me they'd spoke to the staff, and sent me a $25 gift certificate. I was happy with how they handled it. For the last year service there has been better, perhaps just to me or for the fabric section in general.

(As I was typing this my husband came in the door carrying our 4 1/2 year old who - you guessed it! - just got sick at school).
see the mundane life of a housewife.
User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004
Total posts: 594
From: mommydionne
Date: 11-02-2006, 05:58 PM (11 of 17)
when my now 9 year old was about 7 months old we were shopping at a nicer mens store for a new suit for DH, well the little twerp had an explosive bm that flew out of both sides of his diaper (it was summer and he was just in a little romper) all over the lovely green carpet (missed all the suits though:up: ) they were actually very nice about the whole deal, I think we bought a couple of extra shirts and ties to go with the suit!:re: I guess they figured the sale was guaranteed after that!

Blackie I can't believe you cleaned it up (and they let you) I'd have made them call a manager to deal with it. Inexcusible.
Jeanette
User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004
Total posts: 838
From: stephi
Date: 11-03-2006, 09:27 AM (12 of 17)
I dont know how many of you are familiar with a place called the picture poeple, they take great kids photos! My daughter was a little over a year when I decided to get a pic done for easter. I have a man that I found the first time we went in there and have always requested him because he is sooo good with my D. So I set up our apptment and had just gotten into the booth about to get the pic taken when my daughter starts yuking all over the place. Props, dress, screen all covered in her lunch (hotdog and milk) My guy was sooo good about it he just went to the back got a mop and rolls of papertowels and started to wipe it up. I took her home without any pics but came back the next day with a gift card for him and some sanitary wipes for the store. They had to replace thier screen but he sent my daughter a card hoping she was feeling better. We still go see him for our pictures!! Any one in the eastern VA area go see Mondo at greenbriar mall, LOL!!!:yawn:
Stephi

"No body knows what it is that I do until I dont do it"

"if you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten"
User: stephi
Member since: 03-17-2006
Total posts: 361
From: blackie
Date: 11-03-2006, 04:06 PM (13 of 17)
Blackie I can't believe you cleaned it up (and they let you) I'd have made them call a manager to deal with it. Inexcusible.

I cleaned it up out of passive-aggressive rage. I was so mad. Oh well, the letter was a good thing and had good results.
see the mundane life of a housewife.
User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004
Total posts: 594
From: Patty22
Date: 11-03-2006, 05:51 PM (14 of 17)
"passive-aggressive" rage...........Ohhhhhh, what a mental image..............

I wonder what a "passive-aggressive" seamstress looks like? :shock:
Patty
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006
Total posts: 1194
From: MarciaK
Date: 11-03-2006, 08:50 PM (15 of 17)
No you don't. It can be ugly.
User: MarciaK
Member since: 02-06-2004
Total posts: 32
From: Magot
Date: 11-04-2006, 05:26 AM (16 of 17)
they sew really, really slowly, dragging out each step until you want to pull it out of their hands and do it yourself.

At least you got a result with the letter Kelly, but honestly - "you missed a bit" takes the biscuit.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us
Cells a Speciality
DNA to order.
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002
Total posts: 3626
From: DorothyL
Date: 11-04-2006, 09:45 AM (17 of 17)
I wonder what a "passive-aggressive" seamstress looks like?

Come on over anytime, Patty.
Dorothy
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002
Total posts: 3883
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