Dear Toll Gate Revival,
I don't know if you are familiar…read morewith the saying, "Honesty is the best policy," but when you own a business, honesty is the ONLY policy. Anything less is unacceptable.
Sincerely, Kelly R.
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I don't know what motivates people to be dishonest in the way they approach others, because I've always tried to be as honest as possible - to the point of brutal honesty. Not just in my words, but also my deeds - and I give others the benefit of the doubt, because not everything in life works out as we want.
When I first contacted Toll Gate Revival, I was just hoping to find a place for the rustic antiques I inherited from my grandparents when I inherited their home from my mom. I became disabled while caring for her before she died, and money is tight, so I need to empty this old house of these old items that are not of use to me, and hopefully get a little bit of financial consideration for them, and then they live on as antiques in other homes where they can actually be appreciated.
Except, Toll Gate Revival didn't have the honesty to just tell me they weren't interested in coming down to Fayette County. No, they led me on, even after I told them I'm disabled, not working, and in need of some compassion. I know they are *capable* of telling the truth - they told me they aren't interested in reconstruction type items. All they needed to tell me when I asked about the other items in my house was that their inventory is already full, or they just don't care what's in my house. Anything other than, "we will call you Sunday," or "we were really busy Sunday, can we come down Tuesday afternoon?," when they knew full well they had no plans to do any of that. I even gave them the opportunity to 'fess up on Monday, to tell me they had had no plans to call the day before, but nope, they went ahead and set an appointment!
I may just be some nobody in Fayette County to them, but I am actually a historian, and I do have connections with the Historical community all over the US, including here in my home region of Pittsburgh. It's really unfortunate that they saw fit to treat *anyone* as if they are a throw-away or pest. I mentioned to them that these older homes in Fayette County are often filled with priceless antiques - people hold onto their houses for generations, pass down items because they are useful, not so much because they have value on the marketplace. This is a largely untapped treasure trove for what they do for a living. Why they're trying to spread ill-will when they run a business is beyond me.
I've worked over a dozen years in retail & marketing, I am shocked that a business person would be so cavalier in their attitude towards the public! If they think their appearance on a tv show will sustain them past their earned reputation for truth & veracity, few people watch HGTV, or decide to patronize stores just because someone on a show went there once in an episode. How you treat *real* everyday people, though, that's important. In fact, that's why Yelp exists!
I normally don't like to use Yelp as a soapbox, unless it's to stand up for a business I believe in. This time, however, I must warn people: take what they tell you - especially via social media, but even in private - with a pile of salt. I don't know how anything they say about anything can be trusted after how they dealt with me. There was NO call for being dishonest. They did NOT *have to* resort to lies. They started out being honest, they could have stayed with that. "We don't need any more inventory right now, but you can try contacting XYZ or ABC and see if they are interested in your items." That's ALL it would have taken.
Or even shot me a message yesterday, "We can't make it down to Fayette County today, and we think we're going to have to take a pass on your items, but we can help you find other businesses who might be more interested in them if you'd still like our help." ANYTHING other than making an appointment, then not showing up, not calling, not messaging me, nothing. I'm not your ex! I don't even know you people! Why would you treat me that way?
If it sounds like I'm angry, BINGO! I am. More than that, I'm appalled that this is the way people are running a business. Dishonestly dealing with the public. So, I just have one last thing to say: buyer beware, they are not always honest, and how that affects you doesn't seem to bother them one dang'd bit.